How long before we will not be able to even use WIN 7 for game and other things?

[ERIC J]

I did a google search and really could not find anything to answer this?
Tried WIN 10 and REALLY did NOT like it at all! seriously i tried but i just do not like it,
Did not like the interface or the spying it does!
So if i stay with 7 long long before i am "forced" to go to 10?(Microsoft said 10 is the last version to be made?)

 

[gilbadon]

All the new titles that come out in 1+ years will be directX12 compatible only. You will be forced to go to windows 10 to have directx12.

 

[pasow]

That depends on how high the adoption of Win10 is and how willing to support older platforms devs are. it wasn't until years after Vista released that XP stopped being able to play practically all games and it took DX11 to do it. even then, most DX11 titles support a DX9 run time. given Win7's end of life is 2020, and Win8.1 will not be getting DX12 with an EOL of 2023, i'm expecting games to support it for a few more years.

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

Once developers embrace DX 12 full speed ahead, expect the change to be pretty drastic. The real need for DX 12 wasn't because game studios had a lack of features, it was because DX 11 was tapped out performance wise, and that was holding back what could be done with newer hardware. AMD saw this and pushed out their Mantle API, which may or may not have been what made Microsoft decide to work on their DX API after 11.

The reason DX 10 didn't spur much adoption to Windows Vista or 7 was because it didn't bring game changing performance to the table, just some pretty effects, which actually gobbled up much of the performance gains if you used them.

The performance gap between AAA games using DX 12 and older rendering paths may end up being so significant that support for DX 11 and older doesn't last very long. Why should developers waste their time optimizing for multiple code paths? They barely even optimize for two different GPU architectures as it is. I wouldn't hold my hopes up of getting another 2 years out of Windows 7 or 8 for playing new titles at this point.

 

[ERIC J]

Once developers embrace DX 12 full speed ahead, expect the change to be pretty drastic. The real need for DX 12 wasn't because game studios had a lack of features, it was because DX 11 was tapped out performance wise, and that was holding back what could be done with newer hardware. AMD saw this and pushed out their Mantle API, which may or may not have been what made Microsoft decide to work on their DX API after 11.

The reason DX 10 didn't spur much adoption to Windows Vista or 7 was because it didn't bring game changing performance to the table, just some pretty effects, which actually gobbled up much of the performance gains if you used them.

The performance gap between AAA games using DX 12 and older rendering paths may end up being so significant that support for DX 11 and older doesn't last very long. Why should developers waste their time optimizing for multiple code paths? They barely even optimize for two different GPU architectures as it is. I wouldn't hold my hopes up of getting another 2 years out of Windows 7 or 8 for playing new titles at this point.

Wow really not even 2 more years?
I ask because right now the upgrade to 10 is free for one year for those that have 7 or 8 now as you already know.
so what you are saying is that IF i decide to keep using 7 and 8 until they officially
make it so i have to go to 10 i will have to pay for windows 10 for my three PC's?
Maybe i should keep using 7 and 8 until close to the end of the "free upgrade" offer then grab the upgrade while it is still free and i dont have to pay for the full versions of 10.(i have 3 Pc's total,two gaming towers and a laptop)
What are the majority of other gamers doing that like me did not think too much of 10?

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

If you don't avail yourself of the free Windows 10 upgrade offer within the first year, you can always pay the same price as anybody else that needs a license at the time. Expect it to cost between $90 - 120 for OEM, and more for a full retail license. If no games ever show up using DX 12 that you want to play, you can essentially ride Windows 7 / 8 into the ground around 2020 - 2022.

I've heard a lot of people upgrade then roll back. That's fine until DX 12 titles are the norm, at which point, there really isn't anything you can do if you want to enjoy them except to bite the bullet and deal with Windows 10.

I personally think that the Windows 10 OS under the hood is probably a great thing, but the implementation is the biggest disaster Microsoft has ever put forth, hands down. Also, as a Media Center user, am not actually able to upgrade my primary machine until a proper replacement is actually available. I have upgraded everything else. I can tolerate the beta-like nature of 10 on my other rigs until such time as it is finally a commercial ready product, and am learning how to get around in the step backwards that is Windows 10.

 

[ERIC J]

If you don't avail yourself of the free Windows 10 upgrade offer within the first year, you can always pay the same price as anybody else that needs a license at the time. Expect it to cost between $90 - 120 for OEM, and more for a full retail license. If no games ever show up using DX 12 that you want to play, you can essentially ride Windows 7 / 8 into the ground around 2020 - 2022.

I've heard a lot of people upgrade then roll back. That's fine until DX 12 titles are the norm, at which point, there really isn't anything you can do if you want to enjoy them except to bite the bullet and deal with Windows 10.

I personally think that the Windows 10 OS under the hood is probably a great thing, but the implementation is the biggest disaster Microsoft has ever put forth, hands down. Also, as a Media Center user, am not actually able to upgrade my primary machine until a proper replacement is actually available. I have upgraded everything else. I can tolerate the beta-like nature of 10 on my other rigs until such time as it is finally a commercial ready product, and am learning how to get around in the step backwards that is Windows 10.

Thanks for all the info! I will take my chances and stay with 7 and 8.1 for now until like you said i am no longer able to play the games i like due to dx12 being the dominant requirement,
at that time i will go with win 10 pro not home like i had tried as a free upgrade from my existing OS.

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

I wouldn't spend extra on the Pro version unless it's added feature support is something you need. Generally there is little added benefit to folks who aren't connecting to domains.

 

[ERIC J]

I wouldn't spend extra on the Pro version unless it's added feature support is something you need. Generally there is little added benefit to folks who aren't connecting to domains.

I like the ability to Defer the updates,, you cannot do that is the basic version.