Windows 8 Versus Windows 7: Game Performance, Benchmarked

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I see plenty of games using DX11, maybe not as extensively as I would like but seeing as the new round of consoles is due this year, that should encourage greater use of DX11 too.

That is where Windows 8 is supposed to shine though, not needing the same memory requirements as Windows 7 so being a more viable upgrade from XP for older hardware.

My biggest problems with Windows 8 is that its more ugly, I liked Aero and even have my Linux machines using that style. I know appearance shouldn't matter, but somehow it just makes it feel more clunky in use.

But by far the biggest problem is that all file associations are mapped to Metro apps. Why when I click on a PDF from the desktop would I want it to open full screen in WinRT? If I am in the desktop, I want to STAY in the desktop. If I am in Metro I want to STAY in Metro. The constant switching between is what makes the experience infuriating.

True, I should be able to change all file associations back to desktop apps, but why should I have to go to that hassle? By the time I get my laptop back to how I like it I will probably be due to buy a new one and have to do it all over again. Whereas Windows 7 I was perfectly happy with how it works from a fresh install.
 
I'm so tired of deciphering everybody's BS. This one reads like the management of MS decided to make Windows 8 run faster for gaming than Windows 7. But only a tiny bit faster, so that the marketing can make more money on claiming Windows 8 is faster than on making it significantly faster for real.

This is what sucks. Instead of making better software, the company is faking it. At the same time they push hidden agendas like touchscreens, so that everybody needs to replace his HW to use this new Windows productively.

HW drivers don't even get finished, let's keep away stable. This is too much of business, too little of software quality. Although it's good that software is made for money, it shouldn't be driven by money. This is an ethical issue which has a largely negative impact on the whole society.
 
[citation][nom]anonymous123454534[/nom]Instead of making better software, the company is faking it. At the same time they push hidden agendas like touchscreens, so that everybody needs to replace his HW to use this new Windows productively.[/citation]

I think you are actually giving them more credit there than is due, as even WITH a touch screen its not like it makes Windows 8 as productive as Windows 7, at least not without considerably fiddling with file associations, etc.

For example, even though I HAVE a touch screen it makes no sense that when on the desktop the default action for opening an image file is to drag me kicking and screaming into WinRT. Like many people I am used to double clicking an image to preview it, sometimes even side by side with another image, being able to click next or use other navigation, which suddenly is completely different once I am in WinRT.

If I am in the desktop, I should stay in the desktop, if I am in WinRT, I should stay in WinRT. This really is a no-brainer, as in whoever decided this was a good idea is an idiot.

This is really the huge problem with Windows 8, the fact it has you switching between what effectively is two completely different operating systems, optimised for completely different control schemes.

Its absolutely fine having both supplied in Windows as standard, what isn't fine is how the defaults are defined as it makes a LOT of work for the average user to get it back to what they are used to.
 
”Sound a little like Apple's closed platform?”

What do you mean by that it's closed? The App Store on the Mac is *optional* for developers. They can put their software there (and get relatively good exposure and easy buy and install for the users) but loose 30% to Apple. At the same time I still it's better to sell copies of the software than not, and if more buys software through the store than not, how is it bad?

But like I said, it's optional. The software can also be sold on the developers website or it can be both in the App Store and on their website.

I don't see what's ”closed” about it.
 
[citation][nom]star-affinity[/nom]”Sound a little like Apple's closed platform?”What do you mean by that it's closed? The App Store on the Mac is *optional* for developers. [/citation]

Not the Mac. I'm talking about iOS...tablets, phones, ipods. That's a closed platform. 😉
 
People... Gabe Newell is not developing Steam for Linux because Windows 8 is buggy... He's doing it because Windows 8 *has* made it ILLEGAL to download games through Steam, due to their terms of service saying the user can not use any digital distribution software not "approved" by Microsoft, something Steam is not.
 
To me, the terrible visual experience of Windows 8 is enough to make me hate it. I hated Vista for its performance but I loved the aesthetics. I hate Windows 8 for the aesthetics (and the really BAD interface) even if the performance is up to par.
 


There's nothing illegal about using Steam games on Windows 8 anymore than on any other version of Windows and to the best of my knowledge, that would be not at all.
 
[citation][nom]deanjo[/nom]So what you are saying is Apple and Linux users are smarter because they understand that an x86 app won't run on an ARM architecture.[/citation]

OF COURSE! I mean, that totally makes sense because iOS has the same desktop paradigm as OSX and Android uses Gnome, KDE and XCFE!

/sarcasm
 
I have been running Windows 8 since it came out. I play Diablo 3, World of Warcraft MOP, Unreal Tournament 3, Skyrim, Portan 1 & 2, Battlefield 2 & 3. The FPS may have gone up only a little, bot load times seem to be cut in half. This article doesn't mention that. Where I am waiting like 10-15 seconds in a WoW load screen under Windows 7, on 8 its like 5-7 seconds. Same for every other game I play. Everything is smoother too, and runs with better consistency. While Windows 7 doesn't crash on a day to day basis, it does act a little quirky. Once you get used to the start screen, it really doesn't bug you as much as one lead you to believe. Its exactly like the start menu only bigger, you can make all the tiles tiny and even organize them so you can sit and look at everything at once rather than having to scroll through a list. Just start typing and it does the same thing as the start menu too. I don't use any metro/modern apps so I have nothing to say here, but I will say this, for all the negative press Windows 8 is receiving, it is a far cry better than Windows Vista, and IMHO better than Windows 7 once you get used to it. People hate change and will cry about it until the cows come home. Even if the changes are really good, people hate change. I would have preferred I set my own start screen background but who cares it works amazingly well and I stare at it about as much as I stare at my Start menu. About 5 seconds to choose an application then I am done.
 
it seems like software that was designed for windows7 is slightly better on windows8. so eventually software that is designed for windows8 will be MUCH better than what we experienced before. DirectX11 is a huge difference, and it works faster and better on windows 8. furthermore windows 8 is as stable, and so much faster from a UX point of view. you can reach programs faster and swap much smoother between applications. to those not upgrading to windows 8 i have one thing to say.. SUCKEEEEERS! 😛 😀
 


The problem with DX11 is that many MANY users refuse to let go of XP.
 
You guys seriously aren't considering the fact that MS and other big companies use these kinds of articles to advertise their products, so you can be sure that the results here are biased.
 


They are not, I have tested it myself.

In other news, if TomsHardware was in MSFT's pocket, then why would all the negativity have come out too.
 
I have to disagree with this article. I upgraded to Win8 immediately after it came out.. I'm just an upgrade addict, I'm sure you guys can understand. Anyways, I upgraded my family's old office computer (Pentium D dual core 2.8GHz, 3gb ddr2 ram, garbage integrated graphics) because Windows XP just wasn't cutting it for them.

So before upgrading to Win8 i was still using the garbage integrated graphics(best it could do is play Netflix streaming on low quality). I eventually upgraded to a 6670 1gb DDR3. After upgrading to Win8 it could no longer stream netflix at all. It was just laggy to the point of being unwatchable at any resolution. After upgrading the graphics card it obviously got better and could stream Netflix in HD, so i went on to test some games out.

Obviously the CPU bottlenecked the hell outta the 6670 but the upgrade was necessary. I popped in my HDD with all my games and tried out MW2(not a very intensive game at all, a 6670 can max it out easily) and i could play on almost max settings at 1280x1024 res(highest monitor output). If i tried absolute max settings it was just too laggy to play, the CPU would max out and dip to about 5-10fps.

I recently popped the exact same CPU into an older system(1gb less ram, older mobo, much worse psu, had a pentium 4 3.2ghz before replacing with the pentium D 2.8ghz) and installed win7 on it because i never had a chance to test it on an old system where every bit of preformance difference is noticeable.

So in addition to changing the OS from Win8 to Win7, lowering the amount of ram, quality of motherboard and PSU i also decided to plug the computer into my 37inch 1080p TV to see how it fairs when i up the quality. I tried MW2 once again and i was able to max it out at 1080p. You heard correctly. Worse specs, higher resolution on windows 7 and it out preforms win8 EASILY. It could have been for any number of reasons but with my personal experience, i will NEVER go back to windows 8.

Plus, the stupid task manager always took ages to open in Windows 8 for me.

and yes, i was up to the latest version of Windows 8 before you ask.
 
I have to disagree with this article. I upgraded to Win8 immediately after it came out.. I'm just an upgrade addict, I'm sure you guys can understand. Anyways, I upgraded my family's old office computer (Pentium D dual core 2.8GHz, 3gb ddr2 ram, garbage integrated graphics) because Windows XP just wasn't cutting it for them.

So before upgrading to Win8 i was still using the garbage integrated graphics(best it could do is play Netflix streaming on low quality). I eventually upgraded to a 6670 1gb DDR3. After upgrading to Win8 it could no longer stream netflix at all. It was just laggy to the point of being unwatchable at any resolution. After upgrading the graphics card it obviously got better and could stream Netflix in HD, so i went on to test some games out.

Obviously the CPU bottlenecked the hell outta the 6670 but the upgrade was necessary. I popped in my HDD with all my games and tried out MW2(not a very intensive game at all, a 6670 can max it out easily) and i could play on almost max settings at 1280x1024 res(highest monitor output). If i tried absolute max settings it was just too laggy to play, the CPU would max out and dip to about 5-10fps.

I recently popped the exact same CPU into an older system(1gb less ram, older mobo, much worse psu, had a pentium 4 3.2ghz before replacing with the pentium D 2.8ghz) and installed win7 on it because i never had a chance to test it on an old system where every bit of preformance difference is noticeable.

So in addition to changing the OS from Win8 to Win7, lowering the amount of ram, quality of motherboard and PSU i also decided to plug the computer into my 37inch 1080p TV to see how it fairs when i up the quality. I tried MW2 once again and i was able to max it out at 1080p. You heard correctly. Worse specs, higher resolution on windows 7 and it out preforms win8 EASILY. It could have been for any number of reasons but with my personal experience, i will NEVER go back to windows 8.

Plus, the stupid task manager always took ages to open in Windows 8 for me.

and yes, i was up to the latest version of Windows 8 before you ask.
 
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