windows 8 worth it?

[tacosarecool]

im going to build a pc in the next few months not sure to get windows 7 or get 8, i been reading on some games are having problems and my real worry is the hardware issues. just want some idea on what would be best

[Themessiah]

I've been using Windows 8 now for a couple of months without issue. Everything is smooth and nice. I'm not sure that it's better than Windows 7, but everything feels sleeker, and the start up time is almost certainly quicker.

[Towstie]

I've been using Windows 8 since it launched for the download upgrade.

It's faster, smoother and just overall better quality. The only thing is the metro UI takes time to get used to but it's not as bad as people make it seem. There are even work arounds to get the old start menu back.

Overall... yes get Windows 8 instead.

[n0cturnal]

I've been using Windows 8 for a few days now, couldn't pass it up while it still was cheap. I've been using Start8 all the time and I hardly notice any difference from Windows 7.

[joppas]

I have been hearing both good and bad things about windows 8. Friend of mine was using it and he said it was faster and cleaner.
I work at a local electronic store, and talked to a few people wanting us to install windows 7 for them after they installed windows 8. Dont know if it was cause of problem with hardware/games, or if they just didnt like it.
to each is own i guess. I'm sticking with windows7 for now.

[Saithes]

Been running Windows 8 with Stardock's Start8 and I like it. So far no issues and with a start menu replacement it runs like Windows 7. The main things I like about Windows 8 is the ability to initiate TRIM commands on my SSD's manually using the Defrag tool and it even works with RAID 0 which is nice.

[Static Transit]

Personally I'm sticking with 7 for a while. A lot of people say 8 is faster and smoother, but there are also a lot of games that have problems with Windows 8. If you don't play that many games, then I say go ahead, but if you're a very active gamer then I'd advise holding off a bit.

[darkhybridx]

I used Win8 preview as a dual boot then bought it, and still used it as a dual boot. Most of the issues you hear are simply people bitching because it's a bit different. Once you get used to it though it's not as bad. I was quick and smooth and had a few neat features I liked.

With that said I ended up sticking with Win7 with a Ubuntu dual boot. A few reasons were first, the Metro UI is neat.. on a touchscreen. On 24" dual monitors it was just annoying (Win8 does work very will with dual screens though). Since Metro was a bit of a wash I pretty much stuck with the desktop with stardock addon. Even with that Win7 just felt right to me. I have min Win7 set up exactly how I want it with Rainmeter and a few other widgets. It's nice, clean, I know how everything works. Win8 didn't give ME anything I couldn't live without. It's not a bad OS, but I'm sticking with Win7 for now.

[teddytous]

Not a whole lot of difference, there are a few neat features, the new app store integration is pretty neat. Didn't like my hardware so I can't comment on performance.

A few piss offs, if you quickly flip between stuff, going back to the "start menu" feels really clunky to me.
The boot loader is a piss off too, makes you reboot to again to go into other OS.... you can replace that though.

IMO, less you have something specific you want from 8, still too 7.

[chazus]

From someone who has HATED Windows 8 since it came out...

I'd probably go with it, now.

When Win8 beta came out, I threw it on an extra computer and went "wtf is this?" I tried using it on and off, but it was just a disaster. Notably, it was a system I was using to try Win8, rather than using Win8 on a system I normally use.

Fast forward to a couple months ago, it was $15, I threw it on my touch laptop. It ran amazingly well (with a start menu program, of course). Ran better than Win7, better driver support, and just better response. The only downside was the Metro thing, which I haven't seen since, so... moot problem. It's faster, better, nicer in a lot of ways. NATIVE ISO SUPPORT. Sweet jesus, that made me so happy.

Sadly, the sale is over and Win8 isn't any cheaper now. I'll likely ride out Win7 on my main system for as long as I can (I Just upgraded from XP 3 months ago, if that tells you anything), but all my new systems will likely have Win8 on them going forward. I already stocked up 3 licenses.

[Deleted]

windows 8 vs windows 7 performance wise for games, or windows 8 is not rly for games anyway? =P

[lockblock]

(I Just upgraded from XP 3 months ago, if that tells you anything), but all my new systems will likely have Win8 on them going forward. I already stocked up 3 licenses.

Dare I ask how long you were running windows 3.1 or 95 before that.

[chazus]

Dare I ask how long you were running windows 3.1 or 95 before that.

I actually didn't get my own computer until about 1997, which ran Win98 (go go gadget compaq celeron 333). I switched to Win2000 pretty much as soon as it went retail, and then switched to Whistler shortly after. I then ran Whistler until it went gold, and the rest is history.

[n0cturnal]

I actually didn't get my own computer until about 1997, which ran Win98 (go go gadget compaq celeron 333). I switched to Win2000 pretty much as soon as it went retail, and then switched to Whistler shortly after. I then ran Whistler until it went gold, and the rest is history.

Damn I had totally forgotten the Whistler codename, I ran that stuff back in highschool.

[dwarven]

It's pretty fast (will boot in 5 seconds or less). The GUI is also pretty annoying unless you have a touchscreen. I'd say stick with 7.

[Nerevar]

Definitely not. Best stick to Win7.

[Schmiggy]

Back when you could get it for $15/40, for sure.. worth it.. even if you had no plans to use it in the immediate future.

Now that the price has skyrocketed? Hell no. It has its benefits and its uses, but in the grand scheme, it's a side-grade at best and simply not worth the outlay if you're happy with your current OS.

[Evil Inside]

Personally I'm sticking with 7 for a while. A lot of people say 8 is faster and smoother, but there are also a lot of games that have problems with Windows 8. If you don't play that many games, then I say go ahead, but if you're a very active gamer then I'd advise holding off a bit.

I play a whole range of games from MMOs to very graphically intense games such as BF3 and Witcher 2 and they've all worked without any problem whatsoever for me.

[chazus]

there are also a lot of games that have problems with Windows 8.

I see a lot of people saying this, yet so far I think there's like.... two games (and not super commonly played ones) that perform marginally worse on 8 over 7.

I also see a lot of people saying Windows 8 is bad because "Blizzard said it was bad" and because "Valve said it was bad" and didn't read the article. Those companies said it was bad because it was created a new market (The windows app store/games). While a diversified industry MAY be not great for the industry as a whole... That has absolutely no bearing on how games actually run on Windows 8. It runs games fine.

[Lemmiwink]

Yet, all the games in my Steam account plays better on Win8 than it did on 7. Haven't experienced any problems except for one "games for windows live" and that was solved by downloading the latest update for games for windows live from MS and problem was gone.

I would not recommend you to buy Win7 at this point. Win8 is already better and will get significantly better over the next year or two. Buying Win7 now would be a waste of money considering you'd want to upgrade in 5-6 months anyway.

If you already own a Win7 I wouldn't recommend you to upgrade at these prices though, too small difference at this point. Unless you can find some left-over upgrade DVD for 25$ of course.