The best version of Windows. Best version of Windows Better than 8 or 10

One of the marketing promises Windows 10- even more fast work(the corresponding slogan sounds like “Designed for speed"). Compared to Win 8.1, the system should turn on faster, wake up from sleep mode, etc. But is this really so? Let's check!


Test device and input data

A top-end multimedia laptop was taken for testing - ASUS UX-501. Configuration: Intel Core i7 (overclockable to 3.6 GHz), 16 GB random access memory, GeForce video card 960M GTX and 128GB SSD. This is one of the most interesting devices of 2015.

A clean installation of both versions of Windows was performed. software(drivers, test programs). The test was carried out in a room with a temperature of 23 degrees, the “Optimal” energy consumption mode was selected, all tasks using the Rundll32.exe command, advapi32.dll, ProcessIdleTasks were working, all Microsoft-suggested updates were installed, and all Windows-suggested optimization functions were enabled. All tests were performed three times, and the arithmetic mean was entered into the tables.

Testing

1. Loading time

The Windows® Performance Toolkit was used - a set of tools that manufacturers of Windows devices and programs resort to its services when they want to test the runtime and speed of their products on average computers. The result of version 8.1 is on the left, “tens” is on the right, the unit of measurement is seconds:

The difference cannot be called big, but it is clear that Microsoft still decided to spend time and improve an already excellent indicator - Windows 10 is 0.7 seconds faster than its predecessor. On a top-end device like the UX-501, the owner of the device will not notice any big differences, but on regular laptop or PC the difference may become much more noticeable.

Winner: Windows 10

2. Launch Internet Explorer

While working on a computer, we constantly open and close applications. For a long time downloading a program important for work is not just annoying (and nerves, as you know, are not made of iron), but also interferes with work or surfing the Internet.

For measurements a set is used Windows tools Assessment Toolkit. Unit of measurement is milliseconds:

Again, not everyone will notice the improvement in the indicator from 0.9 seconds to 0.45 seconds - but such an indicator warms the soul in any case, Microsoft showed concern for the user here too.

Winner: Windows 10

3. Typing, web browsing and video chat

To carry out these tests, the PCMark 8 benchmark tool was used. It simulates scenarios from real life: surfing the Internet, working in Office 2013, Adobe Creative Suite and other programs that are usually used at home and in the office for work. Measured exact time to complete a task, down to milliseconds:

The differences are minimal - only 1%. True, it’s still in favor of Windows 10.

Winner: Windows 10

4. Productivity in Word, Powerpoint and Excel

PCMark measures performance speed while running basic office applications- for example, processing time for a large table in Excel:

But here the increase is much more obvious: office workers involved in computing, it seems, really should upgrade to “ten”.

Winner: Windows 10

5.Grand Theft Auto V

God be with him, with the office - let's play! The test passes Best game 2015 - GTA V, its own built-in benchmark is responsible for measuring FPS (frames per second).

The first “defeat” of the new OS from Microsoft. But it’s worth remembering that the “ten” supports DirectX 12, which makes games up to 50% faster than before. The only thing left to do is to finally wait for such games.

Winner: Windows 8.1

6. Adobe Creative Suite

Good performance is needed not only by gamers and nervous housewives, but also by IT professionals. Case in point: Adobe Creative Suite:

And again, the victory is more than convincing, as much as 17% - for Windows 10. Microsoft has worked on the use of resources and drivers, so for every self-respecting IT specialist, “ten” is not a luxury, but an urgent necessity.

Winner: Windows 10

7. Battery life (office)

Microsoft promises that Windows 10 will be more gentle on weak batteries Windows laptops. PCMark 8 runs performance tests until the battery is completely discharged:

In all three Windows tests 10 worked 9 minutes longer. To be honest, I would like more, but thanks for that.

Winner: Windows 10

8. Battery life (games)

When we get stuck into something very interesting, not only time flies by very quickly, but also the battery charge. Unfortunately, even with the current driver from NVIDIA, when playing GTA V, the operating time in the “top ten” was reduced; all tests show a decent “minus” of 13 percent:

Winner: Windows 8.1

9. Battery life (movies)

When viewing a video clip in 1080p format via Windows Media Player on Windows 8.1 laptop turned off after 2 hours and 25 minutes. In Windows 10, this figure was much better - 3 hours, or +25%. Apparently, the “ten” takes a more rational approach to this usage scenario - background activity is reduced to a minimum, only the video player works “seriously”:

Winner: Windows 10.

The final score is 2:7, not in favor of Windows 8.1.

Verdict

Windows 10, even at the very beginning of its life cycle, is already faster than Windows 8.1. But miracles don’t happen: in the winning use cases for the “top ten,” the increase in speed is most often minimal; significant progress was achieved only in terms of watching videos. Let’s also not forget that the tests were carried out on a “clean” version of the system; Windows with a large number of installed games, programs and drivers will begin to work much slower over time.

How (is it faster or slower) does Windows 10 work for you, dear readers? Share your opinion in the comments!

So, let's try to quickly deal with perhaps the main “computer” questions of recent months: which is better - Windows 10 or Windows 8.1?

Negative changes

Speaking about what you should choose, it’s worth first considering those features of the OS that were missing in new version. First of all, you won’t find the snap function, or rather, it has changed so much that many may not find it very convenient. Now you can't securely pin a metro app to the edge of your desktop so that it can't be covered by other windows.

There are other features as well. You should decide how lazy you are to make a few clicks in order to return the OS to its usual form. In particular, by default, metro applications are launched in windows and will have to be expanded; secondly, “Start” no longer opens in full screen, but this can be fixed with one click.

This is what the Start Menu looked like, aka the desktop in Windows 8

But in Windows 10, the Start menu has returned to a more standard appearance

Positive changes

Firstly, now the interface is no longer so fragmented - all applications work in a single space and there is no need to constantly switch between classic and modern desktop modes.

However, if you liked this feature, don’t forget to rate it new opportunity creating desktops - many will find it very successful.

Finally, one of the advantages is that all applications will work equally well regardless of which operating system you choose - Windows 8 or Windows 10. Perhaps the lack of snap is the only disadvantage that users of the previous version will be able to notice in the “top ten” "

Now you can evaluate the new product.

The recent announcement of a fresh operating system from Redmond caused a great wave of discussions among our readers. Possibility of free updating, collection of information about users, replacement of the seemingly eternal browser Internet Explorer and even jokes about Bill Gates's ability to count to ten, all this became the subject of active discussion and debate. However, today we will focus our attention on a slightly different question that is primarily of interest to the gaming community: “so, what can the “ten” do in games?

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when considering installing Windows 10 is that its main trump card - DirectX 12 - remains unavailable. The first games using the new set of APIs should appear towards the end of 2015, but for now the only application that can demonstrate the potential of DirectX 12 is a synthetic benchmark from Futuremark. Therefore, at this stage we will compare operating systems from Microsoft in games that are currently popular, find out how quickly and efficiently the developers of drivers for video cards work and try to understand whether it makes sense to upgrade to Windows 10 right now if most of the time You spend your PC exploring virtual worlds.

Testing methodology


The main participants in testing were three operating systems Windows latest generations: Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64, Windows 8.1 Pro x64, Windows 10 Pro x64. The official image of each OS was installed on solid state drive GoodRAM SSD Iridium Pro 240GB, after which all available updates from their Windows Update center were downloaded. The latest versions of drivers for hardware components were installed in the same way. The role of graphics adapters was taken by ASUS MATRIX-GTX980-P-4GD5 and MSI R9 290X Lightning, which made it possible to use accelerators from two different camps. Both video cards, together with central processor Intel Core i5-4690K did not lend itself to additional overclocking and operated at the nominal frequency set by the manufacturer.

The complete test bench configuration looks like this:

  • processor: Intel Core i5-4690K (3.5 GHz, 6 MB);
  • cooler: Zalman CNPS10X Flex (NF-A15 PWM fan, 140 mm);
  • motherboard: MSI Z87M Gaming (Intel Z87);
  • RAM: GoodRAM GY1600D364L10/16GDC (2x8 GB, 1600 MHz, 10-10-10-28-1T);
  • video card No. 1: ASUS MATRIX-GTX980-P-4GD5 (GeForce GTX 980);
  • video card No. 2: MSI R9 290X Lightning (Radeon R9 290X);
  • system disk: GoodRAM SSD Iridium Pro 240GB (240 GB, SATA 6 Gbit/s);
  • auxiliary storage: ADATA SX900 256GB (256 GB, SATA 6 Gbit/s);
  • power supply: Chieftec CTG-750C (750 W);
  • monitor: LG 23MP75HM-P (1920x1080, 23″);
  • operating system No. 1: Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64;
  • operating system No. 2: Windows 8.1 Pro x64;
  • operating system No. 3: Windows 10 Pro x64;
  • GeForce driver: NVIDIA GeForce 355.60;
  • Radeon driver: ATI Catalyst 15.7.1.
FPS measurements were carried out in two synthetic tests and 10 real gaming applications. The screen resolution was 1920x1080 pixels. The frame rate per second was recorded using in-game benchmarks or using the Fraps utility v.3.5.99. Each test scene was repeated five times to minimize possible error, after which the average result was displayed. The final graphs show the values ​​of minimum and average fps.


All available graphics settings are set to high. Additionally, the command was written in the console fps_max 0 to remove the built-in fps limitation. The test scene covers the beginning of the game: running around the map, starting control of runes, and a fight on the center line.





In GTA V, the maximum image quality parameters are selected, MSSA 2x anti-aliasing and tessellation are enabled. Additionally, options for loading detailed objects and shadows at a longer distance are activated.






Game version - 1.07. Preset - “Extraordinary quality.” All additional parameters are included except proprietary technologies from NVIDIA: HBAO+ and NVIDIA HairWorks. The test scene is a horse ride through a ruined village at the beginning of the game, lasting a total of 60 seconds.



The image quality is high. Additional options such as HBAO+ and “depth of field” are disabled.


The frame rate was measured based on the results of the in-game benchmark. Graphics settings according to the “Ultra” preset without any changes.


Screen resolution - 100% (1920x1080 pixels). Maximum settings graphics that provide MSAA 4x anti-aliasing and the SSAO lighting processing algorithm.




Image profile - “maximum”, SMAA anti-aliasing and lighting processing according to SSBC technology.


Ultra image quality preset. Testing took place both using an in-game benchmark and with the participation of Fraps programs. The latter helped to more accurately determine the minimum fps.


Game version - 9.9. Once again, all sliders are set according to the preset “Maximum” profile.


The in-game “Tank Battle” test was used as a test scene. “Cinematic” picture quality mode. Anti-aliasing in 6x mode is activated. Test results

Before we begin analyzing the test results, it is necessary to clarify the issue of short-term fps drops in games when using Windows 10, which some users experience. In my case, a similar situation could be observed in Battlefield 4 and Grand Theft Auto V. The solution turned out to be quite simple - just disable the p2p system Windows updates Update Delivery Optimization (WUDO), which is basically active in the Home and Pro versions. You can do this in the section Windows settings Update. I can’t say 100% that this is the reason, but the steps described above ensured that there were no lags in gaming applications throughout the entire testing.



The final 3DMark Fire Strike graph can be safely used in advertising company aimed at supporting a new product. Regardless of the chosen video card, it was possible to obtain uniform “ladders”, indicating the superiority of newer versions of the OS over their predecessors, provided that identical configuration PC. In practice, the situation is somewhat different, as we will see as we progress through the material.



The first real gaming application immediately demonstrated mixed results. The video card from NVIDIA managed to improve its performance in Windows environment 10, relative to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. The maximum advantage reaches 9.7%. A more interesting situation developed with a representative from the red camp: the best minimum fps was also achieved in Windows 10, while the average fps turned out to be higher in the older “seven”. Windows 8.1, in this case, took the position of an outsider.



In Grand Theft Auto V, the Radeon R9 290X shows, although not large, a stable increase in fps in new generations of the OS. For the GeForce GTX 980, similar behavior is typical only with respect to the minimum frame rate, where the gaps are more noticeable and range from 15% between Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 to an impressive 28.3% between the “ten” and “seven”. Windows 8.1 again brings up the rear.



The results obtained in one of the best RPG games of 2015 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - are distinguished by high density. For the Radeon R9 290X, the difference was only one frame per second, which can be attributed to a possible error. The GeForce GTX 980 is most productive when paired with Windows 10, which provides it with an 8.1% handicap over the popular Windows 7 in terms of minimum fps.



Overall, the environment in Dying Light is similar to what we saw in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, only now the difference in the results of the GeForce GTX 980 is more obvious. Windows 7 is capable of providing a minimum fps of 77 frames per second, in Windows 8.1 this figure is already 83 fps, and Windows 10 guarantees an increase of another 4 frames. For the Radeon R9 290X, the OS used does not play a significant role.



Here we come to one of the most discussed games on Windows 10. As difficult as it may be to guess, the reason for the negativity from users was the lower level of performance in the new operating system from Microsoft. Our testing partially confirms this. The graphs show a decrease in the performance of the GeForce GTX 980 by an average of 7%, both in terms of minimum and average fps. If your system has an accelerator from AMD installed, then on the contrary, you can count on an additional boost of 1-3%.



Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the first game where the benefits of installing Windows 10 will be immediately noticeable, although this only applies to owners of AMD graphics adapters. The minimum frame rate increased from 45.5 fps to 66.18 fps, which is an increase of 45%. To ensure the reliability of the result, the built-in benchmark was repeated more than ten times and the game was even reinstalled - the data was confirmed. The GeForce GTX 980 turned out to be completely indifferent to the version of the installed operating system.



In Far Cry 4, the GeForce GTX 980 card, running under Windows control 8.1 and Windows 10 showed parity of results, but both systems were inferior to the performance of the “seven”. You can expect to get the most out of the Radeon R9 290X with Windows 10 or Windows 7. It seems that Windows 8.1 doesn't the best choice for the gamer of today.



For tankers, Windows 10, like its older sister Windows 8.1, is not of particular interest. In the best case, performance will be at the level of the proven Windows 7, and in the worst case, performance will decrease by 6-8%.

New test participant


If we have already begun testing current operating systems, then it is worth remembering one more participant - an alternative for Windows promoted by Valve. We are, of course, talking about SteamOS. Over the past year, the range of games available for this OS has expanded significantly. More and more often you can find announcements of new games, the release of which is planned on two competing platforms at once.

Since SteamOS is built on Linux, DirectX resources are not available to it as such, but the winner in the “OpenGL vs DirectX” confrontation is known in advance. In any case, we compared the capabilities of SteamOS in two computer games ah, more recent than Metro Last Light and Half Life 2. They became a simulator of equipment from the Second World War War Thunder and steampunk first-person shooter BioShock Infinite. The decisive factor in choosing test applications was that these games have built-in benchmarks, because there is no full-fledged analogue of the Fraps utility for SteamOS yet.



First, let's look at the productivity of Microsoft platforms. In the case of the GeForce GTX 980, Windows 10 was 2-5% faster than Windows 7. The final fps indicator of Windows 8 is located somewhere in the middle. The Radeon R9 290X runs faster under Windows 7, outperforming its peers by an average of 3%.

As for SteamOS, it lags and lags noticeably. An average frame rate of 41 fps can be achieved on a significantly cheaper video card than the R9 290X, if you play under Microsoft's OS. And in general, Radeon products are definitely not the best choice for building a Steam Machine. Problems arise already at the stage of installing the operating system, when SteamOS cannot independently select the correct video driver and in order to somehow improve the level of performance, you have to update it in manual mode via terminal.



In BioShock Infinite, Windows 7 proved to be the sole leader. It is noticeably ahead of its competitors in terms of minimum fps, be it GeForce GTX 980 or Radeon R9 290X. SteamOS is lame on both legs and the graphs eloquently reflect this. The gap with products from Redmond can be as much as 73%.

Analytics

Analyzing the graphs presented in the review, it becomes clear that the leader may vary depending on the specific test application. A lot depends on installed video card and the video drivers it uses. Therefore, to make it easier for readers to decide on the advisability of switching to Windows 10, a general histogram of the “Total Average FPS” was built.

Final average fps



What do we have in the end? Windows 8.1 gains outsider status in the eyes of gamers. It’s quite strange that the operating system, released back in 2013, was never able to surpass the level of its predecessor. Windows 7, on the contrary, feels cheerful and confident. It became the leader in performance when the system was equipped with a Radeon R9 290X video card and was slightly behind in tests with the GeForce GTX 980.

There is nothing bad to say about Windows 10, despite the early stage of its life cycle. It is somewhere faster, somewhere slower than the “old woman” Windows 7, but overall it is on the same level with it. Further improvement of the new OS by Microsoft engineers, together with support from video driver developers for current graphics adapters, will definitely secure Windows 10’s position as a leader. The only sad thing is that to achieve this goal, Microsoft itself resorts to not entirely humane methods, removing Windows 7 and 8.1 from the list of supported platforms for its exclusives. The implementation of DirectX 12 is certainly a step forward, but a shadow of doubt about the artificial nature of the limitation still remains.

Speaking of DirectX 12. At the beginning of the material, we mentioned that there is a test that can demonstrate the potential of the API capabilities, and we tested our equipment in it.



The advantage of DirectX 12 over DirectX 11 (both in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode) is really huge, but the gap over Mantle is not so great, only 14.6%. In any case, the data obtained should not be taken at face value. This in no way means that we will soon witness a tenfold increase in fps in computer games, which can already be seen today in the example of Battlefield 4 using Mantle technology.

conclusions

The Windows 10 operating system from Microsoft has proven itself to be a fast and stable platform for games. First of all, owners of Windows 8.1 should think about the possibility of an upgrade, for whom such a step will mean a free increase in performance in a number of gaming applications, and the control interface will seem familiar and familiar. For adherents of the “people's” Windows 7, there are no compelling reasons to switch to the new OS yet. A massive update among participants in this category will most likely occur at the end of 2015 - beginning of 2016, when several interesting projects with DirectX 12 support will be released.

In the end, I would like to touch upon the issue of further prospects for the development of the SteamOS platform. It's quite difficult to find and highlight any benefits from purchasing or building a Steam Machine yourself. The main problems are the lower performance of system components in gaming applications, a limited list of available games, and difficulties in compatibility with AMD video cards. If the user is faced with the task of getting some kind of analogue of a game console, where the keyboard and mouse will not be in demand, then Windows installation and activating the Big Picture mode in the Steam client looks much more promising, because as soon as you need to customize SteamOS for yourself, you will not only have to connect the hated keyboard, but also get acquainted with the list of commands for the Linux terminal.

Before you choose which system to use, Windows 8 or 10, you need to know how they differ. Let's look at the differences that everyone can encounter, and not at the system subtleties that are important only to developers.

Comparison criteria

When choosing the system on which you will work in the near future, do not forget to pay attention to the following points:

  • appearance, design. It is worth considering that the color scheme can be customized and the interface can be personalized using system settings and third-party programs;
  • performance. Different versions systems will solve the same problems on the same computers in different times: some OS will take more time, some less;
  • device support. Some modern devices work only with the latest version of Windows, and outdated ones do not always work with it. Although the last Windows problem 10 solves using compatibility mode;
  • presence of functions. Microsoft's support for Windows 8 has officially ended, so new technologies and services invented by the company are not being added to the old operating system.

By comparing the two versions according to the criteria described above, you can understand which version is right for you. Feedback from people who have tested both Windows will also help you make the right decision.

Minimum Requirements

Minimum requirements are a list of the “weakest” components that make up the computer, the presence of which is necessary to install the system. If your graphics card, processor, or any other component doesn't meet the minimum requirements, you won't be able to upgrade to the new Windows. The only way out is to replace it with a modern and more productive analogue.

The minimum requirements for Windows 8 and 10 are the same. Although the latest version of the system has acquired a wider range of functions, good optimization made it possible not to raise the minimum productivity bar:

  • 1 GHz processor;
  • RAM - 1 GB or 2 GB for 32 and 64-bit systems, respectively;
  • HDD or SSD disk with 16 GB or 20 GB of free memory for 32 and 64-bit systems, respectively;
  • The video card must support DirectX version 9 or higher.

Design comparison

Windows 8 is very different from other versions as it has an innovative tile design. There is no traditional desktop; access to applications is provided through rectangular tiles. The user has the right to drag them, change colors and dimensions.

Windows 8 has a tiled design

Since the appearance of the G8 caused a lot of disapproval, Windows 10 returned the usual design: a desktop with shortcuts and the Start menu. The only difference is that now the system search string located in a separate tab. The interface is similar to the presentation of Windows 7, but slightly modernized: unnecessary elements have been removed, system settings are organized and intuitive, window frames are flat and rectangular.


In Windows 10, the desktop and Start menu, familiar to Windows 7 users, have returned

Which design is better and more convenient is up to you to decide. It is recommended to watch several videos comparing the appearance of one and the other system in order to understand how it looks in reality, in motion, and not in pictures.

Performance

You can find many tests on the Internet, their meaning is as follows: the same components are taken, the same versions of several systems are installed, and the same tasks are performed on them. As a result, the time it took for each version to cope with them is compared.

Speed ​​of system processes

The graphs presented below clearly illustrate how quickly Windows 7, 8 and 10 cope with the work. From them we can conclude: in most cases, the “ten” wins.

Photo gallery: comparison of speeds of system processes Windows 7, 8, 10

Comparison via programs

For performance comparison there are also special programs, which specifically load systems with various tasks, and then produce results on all points. According to the findings of these programs, Windows 10 wins in most cases.

Photo gallery: comparison of Windows 7, 8 and 10 performance using programs

Comparison in applications

Another way to determine the winner is to analyze the speed of the most popular applications: Excel, Mozilla browser, Adobe Photoshop etc. According to the results of these tests, the tenth version of Windows is not always the first, but it is not far behind.

Photo gallery: Windows 7, 8 and 10 app performance comparison

Video: Windows 7, 8 and 10 gaming performance comparison

Differences in Features

Some functions of Windows 8 moved to the tenth version, others remained only in it, and others appeared only in the “ten”. The list below will help you understand what this or that Windows can do.

Virtual tables

Built-in support for virtual desktops only appeared with the release of Windows 10. previous versions operating system, it was possible to work with multiple tables only after installing third-party programs.

By creating as many desktops as you like, you can divide the programs you use between them. For example, a browser and notepad will be open on one table, a photo and video editor on the second, and some kind of game on the third. In other words, the need for multiple desks may arise for people who work on many applications simultaneously, or for those who share their computer with other people and want to give them a separate desktop.


You can create multiple desktops in Windows 10

Video: How to use virtual desktops in Windows 10

Charms Bar

Charms Bar is a Start or Start menu that varies greatly across the Windows in question. In the “eight”, by pressing the key with the Windows logo (a square divided into four squares), the user brings up a whole set of tiles, providing access to applications and news. The menu opens in full screen and can be scrolled wide. The list of tiles located in the menu is initially proposed by the system itself, but can be changed by the user in the future.


Charms Bar occupies the entire screen and consists of tiles

In Windows 10, the Start menu has taken on a more familiar appearance, although with a slight difference - the search bar, which helps you search for applications by name, has been moved to a separate window. By default, Charms Bar opens in a small tab that takes up about 1/6 of the screen and contains a list of all the programs in the computer's memory, as well as advertising and news tiles. The appearance, number of folders and blocks can be configured manually.


In Windows 10, the start menu is smaller and different appearance resembles the Start menu in Windows 7

At the same time, Windows 10 has full screen mode, activation of which will lead to the menu starting to open across the entire monitor.

Sync with OneDrive

OneDrive - cloud service, allowing you to store copies of many computer elements. To work with it you will need an account Microsoft entry. You can send your photos, videos, some types of files, and even backups systems with the help of which broken Windows can be restored in the future. The technology is supported in both Windows 8 and Windows 10.


Personal data can be stored on OneDrive so that if your computer breaks down, it can be easily retrieved

Video: how to use One Drive

Standard browser

As with all previous systems, Windows 8 uses the standard Internet browser Explorer. Although it has been improved for a long time, it still lags far behind all popular browsers in terms of performance and the number of supported technologies. Of course, IE is capable of performing standard functions, such as viewing news and videos, but most users are in a hurry to replace it for many reasons.


Windows 8 uses the outdated Internet Explorer browser

Windows 10 has introduced a replacement for the unsuccessfully updated Internet Explorer - Microsoft Edge. This browser is faster, more beautiful and simpler. Modern design and support from many modern technologies makes it competitive. He's probably still worse than most free analogues, but it’s already more pleasant to use.


Windows 10 features an updated and competitive Edge browser

Voice assistant

The voice assistant, named Cortana, appeared in the desktop version only in Windows 10. It is present in mobile version Windows 8 Mobile, but it was not available in the PC edition of Windows at this stage.

Using the assistant, you can open applications by voice, request data, perform some actions, for example, minimize or switch tabs, search for information on the Internet, etc. But you will need a microphone through which Cortana can hear you.


Windows 10 has Cortana, a voice assistant that lets you do simple steps using only your voice

At the moment, the assistant is not available in the Russian edition of Windows, so you will have to select a language supported by Cortana during system installation or after that by going to its settings. Full list The languages ​​with which the assistant can interact can be found on the official Microsoft website.

Xbox Games

At one of the conferences, Microsoft announced that all games released exclusively for Xbox One, will become available in Windows 10. That is, a user who has an account Xbox Live, will be able to purchase a game released for game console, and play it on your computer. The games are not compatible with Windows 8.


On Xbox Live you can buy games from the console and play them on your computer

Disk information

Windows 10 has a built-in service that provides detailed information about what it is spent on HDD space or SSD drive. It shows how many megabytes each program uses, how much space certain files occupy. Of course you can install additional programs on Windows 8 to get the same information, but in latest version system, just go to the computer settings.


Windows 10 can provide detailed information about the disk and programs that are using up space on it

Smart Split Screen

In Windows 8, there are the first signs that Microsoft is working on a feature that lets you split your screen instead of manually dragging windows around and formatting their sizes. It was possible to divide the monitor into two halves: one is given under the desktop and everything that happens on it, and the second is under the windows with system settings and parameters. Convenient, but not entirely practical.


The screen in Windows 8 can be divided into two parts

Windows 10 has a full implementation of this feature. By dragging a window to the left or right side of the monitor and releasing it, you will create a screen that is divided into two parts. The dragged application will go into one part, and the application you select from the list of running ones will open in the other part. After this, using the arrows, you can divide the monitor into 3 or 4 blocks with different programs.


In Windows 10, the screen can be divided into 2, 3 and 4 parts

Increased security

In Windows 10, there are ways to set a password on account became more. With Windows Hello, you can set up the following authentication methods: standard password entry, fingerprint recognition, use graphic key, identification by face. Of course, to analyze a fingerprint, you need a special touchpad, and to scan your face, you need a camera with support for Full HD and an infrared sensor.


You can set face or fingerprint identification to log in to Windows 10

Many disputes still circulate on the Internet on the topic benefits the last operating system from Microsoft before the legendary and beloved “seven”. Of course, everyone must make a choice for themselves - it is influenced by many subjective factors, ranging from simple habits and ending software, which is supported in a particular operating system.

Essential Windows 7

More than 7 years have passed since the release of this operating system, but it is still most popular and used in the world. Microsoft is cyclical in many ways: XP was stable and successful, then a frankly disastrous one was born Vista, which the community received with hostility. Even after numerous patches and updates, Vista has not become better or more stable. And the developers themselves, who at first tried to convince them of the breakthrough of their Vista, soon abandoned this idea and began to create a real good operating system.

In 2009, after the appearance of the seven, the first comparisons of the new system were made with the good old XP. Seven was good optimized, required few resources and thus was loved by users. No one even had a question about which OS to choose - Vista or Seven.

The next OS, Windows 8, was unable to fully replace Windows 7. Users did not like the new navigation and focus on mobile platforms, so the previous operating system was still considered better. Perhaps conservative users were simply frightened by the abruptness of the transition to new concept. The release of update 8.1 did not fundamentally correct the situation. Outdated Windows 7 required a worthy successor. And so it became new ten.

Worthy continuation

Windows 10 continues the series of extremely successful operating systems XP and 7. The new OS gained its share of popularity due to free trial access to it for owners of licensed copies of Windows 7 and 8. The new OS is better than the eight in everything - in performance, optimization and functionality. It is also, like Windows 8, used on mobile devices, tablets, and so on. Let's compare and understand this issue: what is better - the good old “seven” or the completely new “ten”?


Performance Comparison

To identify the fastest OS of the two presented, you need to test them on absolutely identical computers with the same hardware. The following PC configuration was used for testing:

  • Processor Core i5 3.4 GHz;
  • 8GB RAM;
  • Video card GeForce 980 GTX;
  • 1TB hard drive manufactured by Crucial.

On this computer two operating systems were tested in turn. The first test was loading time. Here seven takes the lead by one second: 6 seconds for 10 versus five seconds for 7 Windows. Of course, you shouldn’t take these data seriously, because in everyday life such differences are difficult to notice. But the purpose of these tests is to determine who is better at computing and performing functions.

The next measured action is waking up from sleep mode. Ten it took 10 seconds for this, and the seven took a full 17 seconds. Here the difference is much more noticeable; the previous OS copes with the task almost twice as slow.

WITH coming out of hibernation same situation: ten copes with it better than the seven by 6–7 seconds. Let's move on to performance tests of various programs and standard ones for ordinary Windows users software

Program performance

Let's start testing with the package office programs Microsoft Office and determine which operating system copes better with the task. In all utilities of this package both operating systems run equally fast. It is worth mentioning that the eight behaves much worse in this situation.

The browsers chosen for testing were Mozilla And Chrome. Surprisingly, the browser from Google feels much better Windows 7 than by 10. Distinctive feature Windows 10- exclusive browser Edge, which was created specifically for this operating system. The development has paid off: dozens of users don’t even wonder which browser to use. Edge performs better in terms of performance and performance than Chrome and Firefox.

Next comes Adobe products, which are known to be very demanding on PC resources and operating system. In a programme Photoshop CC Windows 10 and 7 show themselves practically the same: 21.8 seconds vs. 21.4 seconds.

Drive performance

For this testing I chose HDD Samsung with throughput 6 Gb/s and 512 GB memory capacity. According to the results of the program CrystalDiskMark, the speed of reading information is not significantly different: 794 Mb/s for 10 versus 786 Mb/s for seven. Disk writing speed varies by 50 MB/s in favor of “ tens».

Computer games

There are many rumors that seven is still better for modern games. It is generally accepted that already released games run extremely unstable on the new operating system.

Games that were released before the release of Windows 10 were selected for testing: Bioshock Infinite, Metro Redux, Crysis 3. In the first two game projects both systems produce identical results: 130 frames per second on the “ten” versus 129 on the “seven”. In Crysis 3, a computer running the Windows 10 operating system took a slight lead (by 5–10 frames per second).

Based on the test, we can draw the following conclusion. The inability of computer games to run on the new OS is a myth. Compatibility and optimization problems were also present on Windows 7, however, this did not prevent gamers from enjoying their games.

The only place where 10s users may experience compatibility problems is with very old game projects that were released even before the release of Windows 7.

Performance Conclusion

Based on the results of all tests, we can conclude that both operating systems cope with basic tasks in approximately the same way. If we compare them as two independent projects, then "ten" looks much better. Firstly, at one time Microsoft needed a certain number of updates before 7 became the most popular and stable operating system. Windows 10, in turn, almost immediately after the release it became fully operational.

Let's move on to the interface and navigation of both systems.

Appearance and interface

Comparing design and comfort is completely subjective. Many users are so accustomed to the navigation and appearance of the “Seven” that it will be very difficult for them to switch to a new generation of operating systems.

The design of the Desktop, windows and menus in the “top ten” is made in “ flat" And " square» Directionality. This trend started back in Windows 8. The “Seven” is the standard of classic design. It is almost impossible to choose the best or worst interface - it's a matter of taste.

In the top ten two modes available: Tiles from Windows 8 and the standard Desktop. There is no trace of anything like this in the old “seven”, as well as support mobile platforms. If you are going to transfer all your existing devices to a system from Microsoft, then the choice is definitely on the side of the “ten”. The Start menu in the new OS is a hybrid between the classic launch and figure eight tiles. Compared to Windows 8, Ten is more user-friendly desktop computers and mouse and keyboard control.

The next plus in the piggy bank - Availability voice assistant . This system performs functions similar to Google voice search and in addition searches for the files and documents you need on your computer’s hard drive. The downside for Russian-speaking users is that Cortana has not yet learned our native language. But for those who at least basic level uses English language, you'll love this feature. Another plus is the new proprietary browser. Although, most likely, this is a criticism of the Internet Explorer developers themselves, rather than Windows 7.

Overall, the new OS looks brighter and more colorful, thereby making it look better on high resolutions. This is a definite advantage for owners of large and modern monitors, as well as tablet users.

Of course, the “seven” is less demanding on the configuration of your computer. However, if you are going to purchase absolutely new system, That be sure to install Windows 10:

  • Firstly, she has great prospects, and the differences in everyday work from the “seven” you are used to will be minimal;
  • Secondly, all future updates, software, games will gradually switch to support only this operating system;
  • Third, synchronization With mobile devices and tablets only available at 10.

Switching from seven to ten, having an average computer or laptop and not planning to update it regularly and in a timely manner, makes sense only out of necessity (for example, support new game or the program you need in Windows 10).

Video on the topic