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What Windows should be good for my laptop ?
Muiredhach
Member UncommonPosts: 4
in Hardware
I have this laptop:
https://www.pcgarage.ro/notebook-laptop/acer/156-travelmate-5760z-b9604g75mnsk-procesor-intel-pentium-b960-22ghz-4gb-750gb-linux/
Win 7 or Win 8.1 ?
https://www.pcgarage.ro/notebook-laptop/acer/156-travelmate-5760z-b9604g75mnsk-procesor-intel-pentium-b960-22ghz-4gb-750gb-linux/
Win 7 or Win 8.1 ?
Comments
Except that if you use UEFI BIOS, there is no way to go into safe mode while booting it up if your Windows refuses to start. Good luck re-installing it everytime it encounters a start-up crash which it will do a lot from my experience with it. It's not at all stable for an above average user who likes to install tons of things on the PC.
Even Microsoft Engineers call Windows 8 as "The new Vista" internally. Google it up.
I have learnt my lesson finally after installing Windows 8/8.1 upto 4 times each time thinking that the new updates will make it usable.
Like many things, "Usable" is a relative term. The Windows 8.1 UI is horrible for Desktop users. If your laptop has a touch screen, then the Metro UI is OK, but you still have the issue of half your UI being a Desktop and half your UI being a Tablet, with little or no interaction in between. If you are a gamer, then it's even worse because the Tablet apps will just keep running in the background forever, eating resources whether you want them to or not. They will also do things like wake your computer up from sleep mode to say "Good Morning", while simultaneously preventing it from going to sleep.
It's like a car with a really good engine, but it uses a series of levers and switches to drive instead of the steering wheel, gas and brake pedal that everyone is used to.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
To me honestly, "Usable" means to not to have to install the damned thing every month. All the things you said above, i can live with as i have plenty of RAM to let some nonsensical programs run. I also purchased "Start8" from Stardock when Win8 came out which essentially nullifies the Metro problem. What i couldn't do was stop it from crashing at boot after a few days of use which i can't live with.
I've not seen the crash issues up to this point. In most cases, Win 8 actually runs better and turns in slightly better performance numbers over Win 7. Constant crashes would certainly nullify anything you wanted to do with the system though. Could it be a previously undiscovered hardware issue?
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
It depends on what you are going to feel more comfortable with. Both will run fine on that laptop. Win 8 is going to have their new "Metro" UI that you will have to deal with, and if you are unfamiliar with it, it's going to be annoying at the very least. Win 7 is going to have the familiar Windows interface and you won't have to d!ck around with it to get it to do what you want instead of what it wants.
If you go with Win 8, I would suggest reading up on the new interface, the steps it takes to get Win 8 to run in "Desktop" mode, and watch some videos to familiarize yourself with the changes to the UI that you will have to use, regardless of the changes to the system you make.
If you plan on gaming, be sure to familiarize yourself with how to kill the Tablet apps that come with the system, and how to get rid of them if they refuse to stop running in the background. With only 4GB of ram, you're going to want every bit of it dedicated to the game you are running, not to the stupid "Alarm" app telling you "Good Morning".
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Windows is 8.1 is better, its faster, leaner, better optimized (especially with your 4gb ram) and also for battery life for your laptop. (everyone likes to mention its a tablet OS so its awesome with batteries!)
Waa waa waa ui. (dont you get tired of hearing that same tired argument?!?) Its really easy to use windows 8, sure whn you rfirst turn it on youll be greeted by a metro screen but thats easy enough to change, you'll still goto websites and download regular .exe you wont be forced to use any tablet apps if you dont want too (netflix app works better though!).
If the ui scares you that much get start8 or one of the other things that make it looks like old school windows and be happy. Its silly not to get the better operating system because you would need to learn how to operate arolund a new UI (which is mostly the same).
This, unless you dont like to use touch screens on a laptop.
W8 often requires 2-3x more commands/clicks to open a certain window like control panel) compared to Windows 7, as this OS is really 2 different OS trying to work together. (the 'classic' desktop interface without start button+menus vs the "metro" interface are different for example).
This is a touch screen OS, MS was years ahead thinking everyone would throw their desktop/laptop PCs out of the window in favor of the tablet generation.
In short:
Windows 7: user friendly, although older
Windows 8: touch screen OS; gets a much needed update to suit keyboard+mouse users (demanded by the W8 community) although much later this year.
"going into arguments with idiots is a lost cause, it requires you to stoop down to their level and you can't win"
Windows 7 = B2P
Windows 8 = B2P with a cash shop and advertising.
So listen to bud. Personally I'm waiting on windows 9, hopefully MS learned a few lessons
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Seems like if it was all that great it would have outsold Windows XP by now.
Win 8 has technical advantages even over Win 7, not the least of which is performance gains, but it has UI issues and they aren't limited to just "getting used to it".
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Windows 8.1 64-bit
Unless you can get Windows 7 at a deep discount, that's the only time I would really consider it. Last I looked though, Windows 8 was slightly less expensive. If your paying the same price, may as well get the extra year or two of patch support.
Sure, it has some warts, but nothing that is impossible to avoid if you want to.