As the debate over Windows 7 vs Windows 8 continues, people using a Windows computer are left to make an important decision: which one they should go with? You are probably wondering the same. Windows 8 has been touted as the next big thing; however, despite the great aspects of the Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 7 also has many great things that are worth loving. Nonetheless, the two versions of Windows are significantly different. Below is a roundup of the some of the major differences.
User Interface
The user interface, i.e. all the buttons and scroll bars that are seen on screen, is the biggest difference between Windows 7 and Windows 8. For starters, Windows 8 does not have iconic Windows Start Menu, from where all the apps and settings are typically accessed. Instead, things being used are shown in full-screen mode, and the keyboard or mouse can be used to easily switch between tasks. Apps can be easily “snapped” to the side of the screen, so that they occupy a smaller portion of the screen. This difference can make it difficult to transition to Windows 8 from Windows 7.
Tablets
Our everyday lives are slowly becoming dependent on tablet computers, and Windows 8 fully supports them. On the other hand, adequate table support is not offered by Windows 7. In fact, tablets were specifically kept in mind during the development of Windows 8. As mentioned, Windows has a tile-based user interface, where tasks are laid out in big and easy-to-tap live tiles, and that is why it excels at touch-based control that is exclusive to tablets.
Apps
Another major difference in the Windows 7 vs Windows 8 debate is how apps are handled by both these versions of Windows. The apps Windows users have been using for years appear to have been forgotten in Windows 8 though they are not entirely gone. Instead, the entire screen is occupied by apps, so they look great whether you are using a PC or tablet. Windows 8 has the Windows Store, but it is not as advanced or integrated as the one in Windows 7. Old apps still work in Windows 8 as they did in Windows 7, and the legacy apps are still able to use the window style Windows users are used to thanks to Window 8’s desktop mode. Unfortunately, even the desktop mode does not have the Start Menu.
The Cloud
Another major aspect that differentiates Windows 8 from Windows 7 is the fact that everything that everything that can be done in Windows 8 can be done in the cloud. Via SkyDrive, storing all documents in Microsoft’s cloud becomes possible when using Windows 8. Windows 8 users can even store their computer’s settings in the cloud. Some of this capability was also available with Windows 7 as well.
Entertainment
Windows 7 is more preferable if DVDs need to be watched with a media center that is ready to go. Surprisingly, Windows 8 does not have the software by default that would allow users to watch DVDs. To watch DVDs, extra money would have to be spent to get the software.
Conclusion
Some interesting conclusions can be drawn from the above differences. Overall, Windows 8 has turned out quite well from a performance perspective. Many changes have been brought to the long-running operating system by Windows 8. Regardless of the debate over Windows 7 vs Windows 8, and regardless of the differences between the two, you should decide which one to go with based on your own preference and thorough research.
NOTE : Product prices, availability, ratings and save money information are accurate as of the date/time indicated on post time (as seen right bellow the tittle) and are subject to change. Any price, ratings, availability and save money information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Save 31% – Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (OEM) System Builder DVD 1 Pack
Save 32% – Windows 8 System Builder OEM DVD 64-Bit