Windows 8 haters have already labeled the new OS as the second coming of Windows Vista, but those who can contain their bile know that Win 8 is likely to be far from the performance-sucking, driver-breaking Windows Vista in its pre-SP1 days.
To find out how Windows 8 compares to the lithe Windows 7, we took an Asus P8Z77-V Premium board; inserted a Core i7-3770K, a GeForce GTX 690, 8GB of DDR3/1866, and an OCZ Vertex 4 SSD; loaded up Windows 7 Professional SP1; and ran our benchmarks. We then took an identical Vertex 4 SSD, loaded up Windows 8 Professional, and reran our benchmarks. We used the same beta 304.79 GeForce drivers for both and the latest beta drivers available from Asus for our testing.
The verdict? We expected the scores to be nearly identical, and for the most part they were. As Windows 8 is built on the foundation of Windows 7, we didn’t expect a quantum shift here, but we did see some performance differences. The most glaring difference was in PCMark 7, where Windows 8 produced significantly faster scores in the creativity and computation tests.
Why such a huge difference? We suspect it’s the result of changes to Windows Media Foundation in Win 8. Windows Media Foundation is Microsoft’s replacement for DirectShow, which was implemented in Windows Vista. 3DMark 11 also showed a difference, but in Windows 7’s favor, by a smaller percentage, in the physics and combined score. The difference there is likely due to some efficiency with the Bullet Physics engine that FutureMark uses in the test. More importantly, the graphics score is the same between operating systems, which tells us there should be no difference when gaming in Windows 7 or Windows 8—at least on Nvidia hardware.
Windows 8 includes native USB 3.0 support, and we saw it smoking the stock Windows 7 USB 3.0 performance by a hefty margin. Our Asus board, however, includes a Turbo mode, which puts it within striking range of Windows 8. USB 3.0 performance on Windows 8, for the most part, is pretty awesome, though.
The rest of our tests were mostly a wash except in two interesting instances: Cinebench 11.5 and X264 HD 5.0.1. Both are multithreaded like mad, and both show about a 5 percent advantage in Windows 8. This could quite possibly be a sign of the improved scheduler in Windows 8.
Check out what we hope to see in SP1 for Windows 8 in our "What we hope to see in Service Pack 1" story.
To sum up, Windows 8 performance is generally the same as Windows 7, with a performance edge in anything that uses the Windows Media Foundation and likely anything that is heavily multithreaded. USB 3.0 is also markedly improved. We do note the issue with Bullet Physics in 3DMark 11, but we don’t think it’s a very serious issue. So all you haters better find something else to hate on.
Microsoft has simplified the editions and prices of Windows 8—at least compared to how the company initially segmented its first batches of Windows 7. However, folks considering an upgrade won’t want to delay for too long, as Microsoft is also offering early birds a significant discount on Windows 8.
Windows 8, in total, will arrive in four versions: Windows RT, the ARM version of the OS that comes preinstalled on supported devices; Windows 8; Windows 8 Pro; and Windows 8 Enterprise.
If you’re already running Windows XP, Vista, or 7, you can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39 until January 31, 2013. That’s just for a digital download; retail copies will cost $69 until the deadline, when the Pro price will then bump to $199. There’s no word, as of this article’s writing, how much Windows 8 (standard version) might cost.
Still, compare that to the pricing scheme for the three major versions of Windows 7 currently on the market: $119 for Home Premium, $199 for Professional, and $219 for Ultimate. To Microsoft’s credit, the company did offer similar discount pricing for Windows users shortly after Windows 7’s 2009 launch—a final cost of $50, $100, and $219, respectively.
Playing on price is Microsoft’s answer to the inexpensive upgrades Apple enthusiasts have enjoyed for years now. It also might just be Windows 8’s ticket to increased adoption rates in the face of Metro’s heavier criticisms.
As mentioned, Windows 8’s Metro isn’t the simplest of interfaces to navigate—especially if you’re stuck on a good-ol’ keyboard and mouse. However, there are still a few tricks you can use to streamline and customize your way through (or around) Microsoft’s “tablet” portion of the OS.
For starters, make sure you fire up Windows’ Default Programs app—found by typing “default” into the Metro UI—and use it to set Windows Photo Viewer and Windows Media Player as the default apps for all file types they can open. This allows you to bypass the annoyance of jumping into Metro Photos or Video whenever you click on a related file in File Explorer.
If you want to avoid Windows 8’s app management entirely, don’t pin your most-used apps as Metro tiles; pin them to your taskbar. The bottom of your desktop screen might get a little cluttered, but at least you won’t have to hunt down your apps within Metro.
One of our favorite tricks allows you to bypass having to jump into Metro from the desktop to run Metro apps. Make a shortcut on your desktop and type this in for the item location: %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}
Your shortcut will pull up Windows 8’s Applications window, which will let you launch Metro apps directly from the desktop.
For a more intense Metro transformation, check out the third-party app Classic Shell (classicshell.sourceforge.net). Not only can you bring the long-lost Start Menu back into Windows 8, but you’ll also be able to boot directly to Windows 8’s desktop instead of its Metro UI. Additionally, you can also completely disable a number of portions of the Windows 8 Metro UI: Hotspots, the Charms Bar, etc.
Windows 8 also includes a number of useful tweaks within its Group Policy Editor, including the ability to bypass Windows 8’s lock screen for faster logging-on. It won’t spare you from Metro, but it’ll at least help you get to your safe and friendly desktop even faster.
Windows 8's Applications window is the sure-fire way to launch Metro apps without first haivng to jump into Metro
While the new Metro UI will be what catches your attention in Microsoft’s latest OS, there’s actually far more under the hood that offers tangible performance benefits.
Windows 8 brings native USB 3.0 drivers to the mix, so no longer will you have to hunt for USB 3.0 drivers after your clean install. Even better, USB 3.0 performance is greatly increased with the native Microsoft drivers, too.
Windows 8’s implementation of Direct2D—the API for hardware-accelerating text, bitmaps, and other UI elements—offers a huge leap in performance over Windows 7 by relying on DirectX 11.1 to accelerate 2D graphics. Other improvements include 60 percent faster decompression of JPEGs and PNGs and techniques to make graphically intense chores drink less power.
DX11.1 offers fairly innocuous changes from DX11, with the most noticeable being support for enhanced 2D graphics acceleration. DX11.1 also officially adds stereoscopic support, improved memory management, and better management of tile-based rendering for low-power applications.
We already know that AMD says Windows 8 will give its Bulldozer cores an uptick in performance, thanks to an improved scheduler that can deal with AMD’s core design, but it’s apparently also a bit faster on Intel parts. See our performance analysis on page 32 for more info.
This applies more to the Metro side of the fence, but instead of Metro apps staying open and sucking up RAM, Windows 8 will suspend the applications to disk when not in use and also let the OS reclaim RAM easily. Even desktop apps, though, can be individually suspended or have components suspended when physical memory is running low.
Even though Microsoft is planning to put the full version of Windows 8 onto its upcoming Surface tablet, the company realized it would also need a stripped-down version to run on ARM tablets and cell phones, so it has created Windows RT to handle those duties. Windows RT, which stands for Windows Runtime (we know, the name is horrible) is designed to run one thing and one thing only—apps from the Microsoft store. That’s all it will do, just like how an iPad or Android tablet only lets you add or remove applications. There will be no desktop, no file explorer, or any other trappings of a traditional Windows environment. Think of it this way: Imagine if Microsoft yanked Metro’s tile-based interface out of Windows 8 and created an operating system out of it; that’s Windows RT in a nutshell.
Now before you go getting your jimmies rustled, consider this: Using apps is all a tablet is designed to do. You’ll have an app for your email, web browsing, e-books, and so forth, so you should be able to accomplish most of what you can do on today’s tablets on a Windows RT device. You’ll even be able to be mildly productive, as Microsoft is bundling a free version of its ubiquitous office suite, tentatively named Office RT. And though you’ll surely be able to download some sort of media player, Windows Media Player will not be bundled with Windows RT. Hopefully, VLC will come to the rescue.
What can’t you do in Windows RT? You won’t be able to install whatever Windows software you have lying around, so put that USB key away for now. If it’s not in the Windows 8 store, you can’t install it. Good news, though—Maximum PC will have an app, so you can read all about the latest hardware anywhere you take your tablet (we won’t ask where that is).
Mikey109105
September 15, 2012 at 8:06am
No offense to anyone who thinks MS is god and Metro is the next coming, but my job approval rating for MS went from 100 to 0 from the last few months up to today. I refuse to have anything whatsoever to do with Windows 8. MS screwed up royally with this OS in my opinion. Ballmer can shove his company's ideas for Windows right back up his backside. If Windows 9 just so happens to go back to an ACTUAL desktop like 7 is, then I'll consider supporting MS again. Until then, I'll stick with my fabulous Windows 7.
stradric
September 16, 2012 at 7:40pm
You don't really know how Microsoft works, do you? They make a killing on licensing of all sorts. Office is their cash cow, and it runs only in their OS. They are a juggernaut and can push out to market products that test the waters. Vista was one. The original xbox was another. The following cycle, they release an excellent product. Windows 7 was and is excellent. The Xbox 360 took notice on what modders did to the Xbox and made a device somewhere in between that has surpassed Sony's offering in a number of ways.
Supporting my claim is the fact that Microsoft has for some time now been releasing "bad" OSes like Windows 95, ME, Vista, and potentially Windows 8. In between, they've had pretty decent OSes like 3.11, 98SE, XP and 7. On the xbox side, the original xbox had a spot on the motherboard that might as well have had a sign on it saying "place modchip here." The xbox 360 had no such spot.
So, yes, take Windows 8 for what it is and f'n relax. Windows 8 is going to sell well in the tremendously popular tablet market. Desktop users can upgrade if they want or stick with Windows 7 and wait for 9. Your knee jerk reaction to Windows 8 makes you look petty.
edwartr
October 26, 2012 at 10:17am
Um, Stradric, Microsoft Office is MS's cash cow; but it also runs on Macs and has for years - since 1989 even before the Office Package was released for Windows. http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products
RUSENSITIVESWEETNESS
September 15, 2012 at 7:08am
Steve Ballmer has it in his fat head that people buy computers for the OS. Or, that he can MAKE people buy computers for the OS.
We buy computers for the application software they can run, shit that WON'T run on a fucking phone or sissy-ass tablet. And the operating system is supposed to stay in the background, supporting the application software.
The IN-YOUR-FACE Windows 8 experience is a bad fucking joke. I won't use it, ever. I'm not pitching my PC, business applications, and games so I can fucking Twitter and Facebook from my couch.
Steve Baldmore may think he's on the path to a monthly service fee model bundled with branded hardware. Truth is, Microsoft is on a clear path to financial disaster.
Good thing they still have the X-Box.
maxeeemum
September 15, 2012 at 6:07am
Quite amusing!!! Nice spin!!! As I've said before Windows 8 is DOA! The average user will never accept it.
Fear Windows 9 ??? LOL! Fear the average consumer! When no one buys M$ will understand. Win8 will make Vista look like a huge success.
ThomFrost
September 15, 2012 at 5:39am
I will not be getting it for several reasons.
1) I don't have any touch screens for my computers.
2) Most of the time I will set 5+ feet from my screen so even if I did I would have to stretch out my arms.
3) It's hard enough to play games on a tablet using touch, it would be a nightmare on a computer.
4) Looking at fingerprints on my tablet drives me crazy it would be worse on a computer screen.I think M$ is doing this because they don't want the overhead and expense of supporting more than one OS.
I feel this will be for M$ a new ME/Vista.
If they don't release a patch to remove the metro desktop with in 6 months of its release I would be surprised.An OS should be a means to an end not the destination.
M$ is bloating Windows down with all of this nonsense that it has stopped being laughable.
How many times can M$ shoot themselves in the foot before they bleed to death?
TrollBot5000
September 15, 2012 at 1:39am
Heres my take. To re-iterate yes metro is inclined for the tablet market and I like many others think it should be as far from a desktop environment as possible. I was wondering what under the hood benefits windows8 was going to offer. This article cleared up any questions I had so now the question remains... upgrade and use start8 to send the abominable metro back to the nether regions where it belongs or just keep it simple stupid and keep sailing smoothly along with windows 7. To all of you screaming It's LINUX time!!! Trust me I've used linux as a primary OS for a couple years and can honestly say that it still isn't ready for the desktop. I had a long winded diatribe on linux typed but I scrapped it since this really isnt the article to blab on and on about linux. I guess the best thing to do is listen to the old adage "if it aint broke dont fix it" why bother with windows 8. If I ever have to reformat my OS partition maybe Ill throw 8 on for a spin but as of now what's the point? 7 works.
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An OS is only as good as the software you run.
Meat_Juice
September 15, 2012 at 1:20am
Where did you find the pussy to write this article? Go stroke your tablet.
TheMurph
September 17, 2012 at 1:25am
I don't even get what you're trying to say here. But let's just leave it at that, eh?
BryceBooth
September 15, 2012 at 10:05am
MaximumPC is a great magazine, and a dedicated staff. Don't be childish, have some respect.
AndroRabbit
September 14, 2012 at 11:11pm
What Microsoft has missed is that what people want to do with their phones, PCs, tablets, etc is accomplish tasks. Whether that's email or Facebook or looking at videos or playing games, or making calls, these are all relatively simple tasks.
Programs and apps do these tasks. Not the operating system. Nobody -or hopefully nobody- uses the OS to do any of this stuff. Its job is just to run the hardware and facilitate the tasks. A dull job but something has to do it. That's all an OS needs to be.
The problem with Microsoft going back to Windows Phone Mobile is that they want the OS itself to be THE app, and thus we have had start buttons shoved onto PDAs and phones and now a tablet interface shoved onto everything. Sure it's what Microsoft wants but does any of this help users actually DO anything? Does Metro help anyone surf the web? Doubtful. Does it help anyone work on an Excel file? Don't think so. Does it help play Youtube videos better than another OS? Um... well. No.
Where again is the value Microsoft is bringing to this table? Is it just their will that this is how its going to be and we're darn well going to eat our cold oatmeal and like it?
Maybe this "our way or the highway" approach worked in 1990. You had a PC and for many people, it was hard to use without Microsoft's help. Programs all had their own GUIs and obtuse commands. But this is 2012. Programmers, users, and the devices they use are all much smarter and no longer need a crutch OS to mediate. Usability has gone from using the OS to make things usable to having the app or task do that for you and the experience is largely the same whether someone is using a phone OS (pick one) or linux or a Mac or Windows. You could be forgiven if you forget entirely which OS is actually on the device and that's how it should be.
The sad truth is that Microsoft's future role is probably in the server and business markets and far less in the home -in no small way because the concept of a dedicated "home PC" is fading and transforming into the thing you carry in your bag or pocket. Never again will we have images of IBM AT-type boxes on a desk with a bulky CRT and dot matrix printers. Now, you get a phone that can do more and does not need a desk.
Where is the room for a big OS like Windows when there's less need for a desktop PC? Scary place for a company like Microsoft. Of course they have to make us use Windows 8. They don't have a choice. But the users do and they know it.
Badass1982
September 14, 2012 at 11:10pm
The amount of money I tend to spend on my computers, there is no way I would/will run that pile of garbage on my PC's EVER. If I wanted a pretty interface I would purchase 1 from a third party. Bye Bye Microsoft (unless Metro is removed or the classic view is provided by a SP)
0ly1r3m@1ns
September 14, 2012 at 8:12pm
Windows8 is amazing under the hood, but Metro seriously just ruins the whole thing making your computer completely unusable, I for one am moving to Linux when steam for linux comes out (since it will basically fix all of Linuxes glaring problems support, games, standardization) Windows8 might be a good tablet OS but I really fail to see the need of a tablet when I have my laptop and phone. Microsoft should really listen to their consumers and just give an option to disable Metro and you would have the best OS they have ever made.
MarioJP
September 14, 2012 at 8:32pm
Now you exaggerating lol. I love metro. Start Menu has been replaced with a start screen Simple as that.
Chronologist
September 14, 2012 at 9:37pm
Yeap. Even if steam goes to linux, what people fail to realize is that most titles wont go to linux. Linux ports will probably take at least a month or two after launch day, probably more, if it all.
Stop saying "IM GOING TO HIT LINUX ASAP"
you know you'll just stay on windows 7.
MarioJP
September 14, 2012 at 8:00pm
The problem here is that, people can't accept that our beloved "traditional" computing has drastically changed. Back then "the computer" was the only thing we had. Now "the computer" has spawn little cousin of its own. Now we have smartphones and now your TV's. whats next, your refrigerator is going to connect to the internet and suggest whats on sale before you head out the door??
My point being is Windows 8 is not meant for the now. It is made for the future in mind. as years goes by, MS is going to look back and say. "good choice". Yes Microsoft is taking a risk by making most users unhappy, but lets face it. The "computer" has spawn babies of its own and fused itself to every where we go literally lol. Already people are saying that they don't even need to use their computers anymore.
If that's not enough. People are relying on the cloud for storage, and software is being designed in such a way that would require a user to login to use. If this keeps going the way it is. The "Personal" Computer is going to be renamed to "Public" Computer, which means desktops and laptops still be around but will no longer matter as software has been cater to smartphones and tablets and of course the cloud.
This is what Microsoft is really thinking.
Its time to let the past go.
Scatter
September 15, 2012 at 12:03am
The point is that there was absolutely no reason for our beloved, traditional computer to change in the first place. This was simply change for the sake of change and there's no reason that people should be willing to accept it. Are you telling me that including a "Classic Mode" would have broken the entire product? Of course it wouldn't have.
MarioJP
September 15, 2012 at 7:59pm
That's a funny statement. man you people are like the XP that just want to stay there forever . I don't know why people get so upset with Windows 8 is unbelievable.
lordfirefox
September 14, 2012 at 8:26pm
Unless they make 27 inch tablets you won't see me gaming on one. Tablets are nothing more than gimmicky toys to the hardcore PC gamer.
I like my 27" LCD panel. I like my 5.1 surround sound and yes I like my mouse and keyboard.
The only thing you'll ever see me using a tablet for is when I'm out of the house and I need to look something up on Google. My desktop fulfills all my gaming needs. More than a tablet with a dinky 10" screen would.
MarioJP
September 14, 2012 at 8:35pm
Come back to that statement 5-10 years from now maybe even sooner due to how things are rapidly changing by the day. I really don't see anything wrong with Metro. The desktop is there and fully functional if not better than 7. But metro allows me to search for things and takes me to the "file manager" directly.
Chronologist
September 14, 2012 at 9:43pm
No one ever said that tablets would replace gaming rigs we know and love. They'll be pushing out laptops, and low end OEM deskboxes.
Actually, if we see Razer's Project Fiona come to light (and other similiar tablets), they'll definitely give consoles a good run for their money, and displace low-end gaming machines.
And MarioJP is right. This is a move for the future. Microsoft is trying to make a push into the rapidly increasing portable section; tablets and smartphones. The reason why win8 is so clunky, is that MS is trying to cater to us pro-desktop-ers, while getting pushing their interfaces forward. Forcing Metro may seem like a horrible idea, but it's one thats necessary.
An example? Look at facebook. Everytime there's an update to the interface, it's met with so much opposition; but as people are forced to use it, they learn and adapt, and forget about what they were complaining about.
0ly1r3m@1ns
September 14, 2012 at 8:02pm
you're missing the point people still want to use their computers as well fucking computers, my Desktop or laptop isn't a phone I need to get work done, metro doesn't allow me to do this. this is mentioning the cluster fuck of gestures and other shit that would be a pain even on a tablet.
MarioJP
September 14, 2012 at 8:26pm
Problem with that statement. is that Windows 8 is not a phone OS. just click desktop and you there. There is even a shortcut. How is it a phone when you can still install full software installation. I wish my phone you can install programs instead of the cheesy apps that is on the market place.
I am sorry but until the desktop is no more that comment is invalid. I would sure would love that kind of thing on a tablet able to install programs.
If the desktop was completely removed I could see why. But its just a UI that's it. Quite frankly I look at it the new and improve start screen which helps me to find things quicker because its in your face. Not a start menu that you have to either hit the windows key or click start menu to get to your list. Even that it is still not efficient. I like things that are in your face. This is why Windows 7 you can pin to task bar. This only takes it a step further.
BryceBooth
September 15, 2012 at 10:20am
I agree with you MarioJP, I as well plan on moving to Windows 8. People are just generally afraid of change, even if it is more efficient.
Scatter
September 15, 2012 at 12:13am
The way that they turned Windows 8 into a phone OS is that they took away all the customability that Windows was known for and turned it into a Cell phone straight from Verizon with pre installed apps on it that you really don't want but are stuck with if you want the phone.
Metro could have been an option with a simple on/off button. That would have been giving customers what they wanted. Instead Microsoft stuck out their middle fingers to their user base and told us that we're getting what they want us to have.
brentrad
September 15, 2012 at 3:40pm
All the customization is still there Scatter. My Windows 8 desktop looks almost identical to my Windows 7 desktop, except they killed off Aero and windows are more flat and monochrome. Install a free program like Skip Metro Suite and it will boot directly into the desktop once you login to your user account.
Nimrod
September 14, 2012 at 7:42pm
Ill be getting 8 for my new SB-E build. The The enhanced threading is just to much to lose along with the SSD improvements. The USB3 will be good since im also a photog but i dont see why they couldnt have just added that to 7 in an update. I also want to see the new JPEG thing in action. IM also a gamer yes. IF i can get an app that will skip the Metrosexual UI then i really dont see a reason to skip 8. Im with Gordan on this one.
brentrad
September 15, 2012 at 3:35pm
Skip Metro Suite (free) will skip the Metro UI and boot right to the desktop once you log in.
torquemator
September 14, 2012 at 7:21pm
I have to say that I don't like the direction they're going. I won't be buying Windows 8 with Metro anytime soon.
I never look at, or even see my desktop. All the common apps I use load at startup, take their designated places on my screen, and anything new I need to start up is on the quicklaunch, underneath the row of taskbar application buttons.
If at all possible, I avoid touching the mouse. I'll tab before I try to click into a new editbox or alt-tab before I click to get to a new window. Everything is just faster if I don't constantly have to move my right hand to the mouse and back a lot. When playing 3d games, I might be on the mouse, I might not (WoW and Guild Wars 2, not so much mouse, on Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 it's all about coordinated mouse and keyboard action). But as soon as feasible, my hands are back on the home keys, and keyboard shortcuts help me get everything done faster. I like to see lots of windows open, and I frequently switch between them.
The only touch device I own is a 4-year old iPhone 3G, and with the new dongle for the iPhone 5, that's not going to be an upgrade path for me.
When I watch videos, it's VLC, never that overblown DRM laden POS that is Windows Media Center, and I play them in a window, sometimes on my second montior while playing a 3d game, sometimes not. I use Firefox because of the add-ons and because it avoids the Google and Microsoftian "We will tell you what options you want, you're a dumb user so we'll protect you from your stupidity" attitude. I avoid Flash and Silverlight whenever possible, and I wouldn't have SVL loaded at all except it's required for Netflix.
I have no use case for a Metro interface in my computing life, anywhere. Granted, my phone has that tile interface, but it's a phone, I don't do any computing on it, nor would I want to, it's far to small and limited to do anything useful in that space. I understand that people like to sit on the couch and use their pads during commercials to play games. I'd have to watch TV first, I guess. I gave that up years ago because it became far too boring to interact repeatedly with any electronic device that doesn't have a keyboard and mouse attached, and the TV just started putting me to sleep. I've borrowed and used other people's pads (iPad, Nexus, Kindle), and while they're "cute little things", I'd never have a use for one. They're impossible to touch type on (80wpm with no errors on a pad? not in this lifetime), don't multitask very well (what, I can't have my favorite 20 apps open at once?!? my laptop and desktop handle that just fine, why can't this little thing?), and are far too fragile for the money you have to put out to buy one. They're stylish, sure, and up your g33k street cred whenever you whip one out, but if it's not functional the way I need it to be then it's not going in my arsenal.
So Aero is gone. Never used it. Same with gadgets? Never used them either. Both were a consumer of resources I'd prefer were devoted to Prime95 of Folding@Home. I've desperately searched for a way to remove Windows Media Center from my Windows 7 Alienware, but I haven't found any way to do it yet (and it's annoying the heck out of me - since every time I fire up Guild Wars, the MCE pops up like it's trying to "play" the game somehow, and it won't go away so I have to let it sit there behind other windows till I reboot).
I certainly understand why Microsoft went the way of Windows 8 Metro, but it doesn't fit the way I use Windows in any way, shape, or form. I bet, though, if I wait a couple years, Microsoft will put out a patch, fix, or something to make it more useful for those of us who prefer a classic interface.
And here's something to think on. My car has a steering wheel, brake pedal, gas pedal, and basic instruments. Just like nearly every car back to 1930 (or longer). Consistent interface saves lives on the highway, and makes it easier for everyone. Why do software companies insist that things have to be changed around? I don't want my steering wheel under the hood, and my brake pedal in the trunk. Why do they insist on trying to put them there, and then lambast ME as the one with the problem when I bring up valid issues with their design? Change, for the better, is good, but change for the sake of change, never ever is. For me, so far, this change is not.
-Tork
whitneymr
October 27, 2012 at 12:08am
My God man what's wrong with your ideas about how FAH works? Folding only uses your SPARE CPU cycles, so with 20 things open Folding is running like you have CPU utilization set at about 30 or 40%. To get the most work done in FAH use should have nothing running at all when your away from the computer so it can get busy.
brentrad
September 15, 2012 at 3:34pm
Install Skip Metro Suite and the only time you'll see the Metro interface is when you hit the Start button on your keyboard to search. And here's the part that should be of the most interest to you: Windows 8 is faster at most tasks on my old fairly slow AMD Athlon x2 5200+ with 2 GB RAM than Windows 7 was. AND Microsoft has killed off Metro - now all the window edges (frames?) are flat and solid color. Take it for a spin before dismissing it, you might actually like it. I expected to not like it, but since I installed it and tried it on my home (non-touch) desktop, I liked it enough to now want to uninstall my Windows 7 dual-boot.
BryceBooth
September 15, 2012 at 9:55am
Go to Add/Remove Windows Features, uncheck Windows Media Center from the Media drop-down box, voila. 20 apps open at once is hardly multitasking, sounds more like a hindrance. A person who types out a single document at 10 wpm will finish faster than one who types 80 wpm and is unable to focus on the task at hand, and all those apps are just a waste of resources. I for one, will certainly upgrade to Windows 8 after all, a new car will always be better than an old one (safer, more efficient, etc)
Nimrod
September 14, 2012 at 7:47pm
so get the app that skip Metro and get over it. Ill enjoy my multitasking with the enhanced thread scheduler thank you very much. And if your so concerned about things taking up your CPU cycles. . ., have fun running your UI on the CPU. I had said years and years ago that it should all be rendered on the GPU, now it finally will be, just not in your case.
MrGeek
September 14, 2012 at 6:37pm
Will it play Skyrim, Rise Of Flight, WoW, GW2, Crysis, etc without any issues? That's all I care for!
Lednaara
September 15, 2012 at 5:56am
Yes it plays all those just fine. Even loaded up my games from Steam just fine as well.
Nimrod
September 14, 2012 at 6:12pm
how do we get our free launch party version of this like we did with Windows 7? :P
lordfirefox
September 14, 2012 at 6:05pm
"We never thought we’d type the words, “Microsoft has made it easy to install Windows,” but there you have it." -MaximumPC
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"I never thought I'd see the day that Microsoft would make it easier to switch to Linux. But there you have it." -Myself
MarioJP
September 14, 2012 at 6:08pm
There is nothing wrong with metro. Don't worry I'll take your place because i'll definitely be upgrading.
m35g35
September 14, 2012 at 7:04pm
Although I agree the Metro makes little sense on the desktop, it is what is with Microsoft. Microsoft should have given the user the option "Classic" and "Windows 8" for this version. So, I spent 5 minutes "Googling" to have a work around the Metro. One line of code and have task manager run it when you login. Also, found how to restore the orb. Are we getting that lazy where we can't click one icon in the Metro to go to the desktop? I have been on W8 since the RTM and it is great. Boot time with my SSD is like 2 seconds. Get over it, or you will be passed by.
lordfirefox
September 14, 2012 at 8:18pm
I'll be sticking to Windows 7 until support ends, and then after that I'll be switching off to my Linux partition full-time because quite frankly I don't like the look of nor the useability of Windows 8. And I'm dreading how much more locked-down Windows 9 will be.
@MaroJP. Have fun with your sterilized fenced-in garden. By Windows 9 they'll have made it impossible for you to play your old games on their OS without their "approval".
MarioJP
September 14, 2012 at 9:10pm
Assumptions
Also you're forgetting one thing
ARM and x86. That's like saying Intel will end support to x86. Where would linux go then ARM?. But then that would not be the same experience as the x86 variants as x86 is the horsepower while ARM is efficient and has its own horsepower in its own world which is not the same.
Secondly. By the times Windows 9 hits (if it ever going to be named like that) Maybe we have tablets powerful enough to hook up to your TV. Or perhaps the way we compute. work wise will drastically cater to these tablets. And lets not forget the F2P Model gaming that i keep hearing about. Who knows Gabe might do the same thing once they get all well "established" in the Linux platform of no control but Valves. Gabe Newell is only watching over themselves like any other entity. But hey what do i know i am only assuming right?? lol.
The reason why Apple is very successful because they can do things only competitors can only dream of without being sued. And the people that support Apple. You can all blame Apple for these changes people don't like Not MS. Take a look at the iphone 5 and already people are going on a craze for it and its not even out yet.
And about the walled garden you are talking about. That's just it. Apple has successfully trained the masses how to accept it. MS is just going in for the kill =P
Chronologist
September 14, 2012 at 9:49pm
People are making a big deal about this whole locking out thing.
The only locking out thing is that microsoft has the ability to remove, or "lock out" games from their app store. I'm pretty sure none of us will lose sleep over not being able to play Angry Birds 15 on our desktops.We'll all still be able to run games from our desktop mode, and pin them to metro as a tile.
brentrad
September 15, 2012 at 3:25pm
Microsoft has not stopped me from installing anything in Windows 8, I've been able to install all my apps from Windows 7 in Windows 8 (except a few that had minor incompatibilities in Windows 8, so I had to get a newer version - exactly the same as any other new Windows in history.) There is an auto-check against a Microsoft database when you first run any apps downloaded from the internet, and anything sketchy it will warn you, but you can easily turn that feature off (I've left it on for now, since I do a lot of downloading of, shall we say, questionable items from the internet and a little prevention can go a long way towards preventing getting a virus.) And you are asked if you want this feature turned on or off during the install.
dashize
September 14, 2012 at 5:37pm
so after 20 years of trying to get people to clean up their desktops M$ finally tells people is ok to have a cluttered crap filled desktop :(
brentrad
September 15, 2012 at 3:17pm
The actual desktop is basically unchanged. You can put icons on it or not, and use it the same way you do in Windows 7. It's just the Metro Start Screen that is totally different, that replaces the Start Menu. Personally I pretty much ignore the Start Screen, it's mostly irrelevant on a desktop computer. Just install a program like Skip Metro Suite so you boot right to the desktop after logging in, and you'll never have to interact with the Start Screen unless you're hitting Start button to search - and in that use case, it's actually a decent search interface.
MarioJP
September 14, 2012 at 6:04pm
Or you can remove the icons. From what it looks on that pic. The installation is an upgrade and not a clean install or a up and running screenshot.
El_Salvador_ENM...
September 14, 2012 at 5:30pm
Looks like Ill be sticking with Win7 until Service pack 1 of Win8 to see changes but if I want metro UI ill go with Omninio for Rainmeter since its more user friendly.
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