Every time a new Windows OS releases, you’ve got to ask yourself whether it’s worth upgrading at all. What if you lose your favorite features? How big a hole would it burn in your pocket? And most importantly, is it better than the previous versions?
Here’s what you can expect from your Windows 8 OS. For starters, it intends to unify all your devices, including your laptops, desktops and smartphones. Unfortunately, current Windows smartphones will not be upgraded to the Windows 8 platform. If you do buy a new smartphone or tablet that runs on Windows 8, you can easily avail this feature. They’ve also introduced a new GUI (Graphical User Interface) called Metro. This offers a new look to the OS, which allows you to view all your apps as a mosaic of boxes of different colors, shapes and sizes. You can run all your apps on this as well, including an email app, a messaging app and others. If you own a tablet, the Metro UI renders rather well on it. On a computer though, it will take a little time to get used to scrolling sideways (a task easier performed on a smartphone).
Energy wise, the Windows 8 consumes lesser energy than the Windows 7, increasing your laptop’s battery life. It can also automatically shut down ports that you have not been using for extended periods of time.
In speed tests, the Windows 8 has performed exceptionally well, and it can boot up to 25 seconds faster than the Windows 7 OS. While only a few seconds are saved, it is still pretty noticeable. If your computers use multiple monitors, Windows 8 could be the best OS for you. You can customize your settings for each window or tab that is being used. Slideshows can be run on multiple monitors as well.
One of the disadvantages of the Windows 8 is that reports state that it will limit the third party browsers. This spells doom for those who swear by Chrome or Firefox. While has not been officially confirmed yet, it’s a point to be kept in mind. At the moment, Microsoft 7 and Microsoft XP are the most popular operating systems. And if you use a Windows 7 OS, you’re probably good to go for the next 8 years. However, if you swear by the Windows XP, you should consider upgrading to a Windows 8 soon, since Microsoft intends to stop supporting the Windows XP OS soon after 2014. All in all, the Windows 8 OS seems to be a great improvement over the Windows 7, and is definitely worth a look.
