Windows 8: Review

Microsoft released there latest Operating system also known as Windows 8 yesterday. Over the last 10 months different iterations of Windows 8 were released which kind of gave initial impressions about how windows 8 will work. Basically this OS has nothing different from Windows 7 except for one change which is the start menu is now call the Start Screen.

Start Screen

The Start Screen instead of displaying the list of stuff you have installed on your computer, displays it in a nice live and iconic way. Microsoft calls it Live tiles. Basically it is a very intuitive way to navigate through all the software that you have installed. I have been using Windows 8 since the release of developer preview and I must say Windows 8 has basically alot of improvements over its predecessor Windows 7.

Less Memory Consumption Compared To Windows 7

Windows 8 handles Memory very efficiently which is the key improvement. The minimum requirements to run Windows 7 on a machine was at least 2GB of ram but this is not the case with Windows 8. You can run it on a machine with 1GB of ram with all its effects and 3d transitions enabled, which you couldn't do in Windows 7 in twice the minimum memory required for Windows 8.

Fast Boot Times

Boot times have also improved. Infact Microsoft claims and has shown off in a youtube video that Windows 8 can boot well under 8 sec with a cold boot. Keep in mind that Cold boot means the battery was off the laptop and the computer was completely shut off. 

Modern UI

Microsoft calls the new Start Screen the Modern UI. And In my opinion it is a very good step towards future computing. Future is all about mobility and by introducing Modern UI in Windows 8, Microsoft is heading in the right direction. People have been complaining that the new Start Screen is lame but the truth is I myself and my friends find it very useful because it gives you the flavor of both tablet and traditional desktop computing. As a gamer, I use traditional desktop. For light sweet gaming and entertainment, I use Start Screen apps. 

Microsoft App Store

Microsoft now introduced its own Apps Store which is a very good feature for people who want to buy stuff online without going to some specific site. And Apps Store application comes pre-installed with Windows 8. I have checked it out and I must say it is a heaven for a gamer and software developer. You can buy newly released games and Microsoft products like Office, Visual Studio etc with a few clicks.

Cloud Computing In Windows 8

The introduction of cloud computing in Windows 8 is amazing. Infact when you install the OS, Windows asks you for loging in to your MSN account which will help you to connect to Microsoft Skydrive, which plays a key role in syncing apps and data across all Windows devices. So now forget the hassel of taking your laptop or tablet with you to meetings for presentation. If you have Windows phone, you can access all the stuff that you uploaded from Windows 8 computer right on your phone. Just connect your phone or Microsoft Surface(tablet) and boom you are good to go for presenting your ideas. 

Conclusion: Whether to Upgrade or Not?

I must say that Windows 8 is literally a revolutionary OS. It gives you the flavor of both tablet and traditional PC world. It is fast, fluid and secure. Boot times are blazingly fast and entertainment scores from benchmarking are higher than that of Windows 7. I recommend Windows 8 to every body. It takes a little time to learn to use Start Screen but as most of the people Start Menu just for searching things in the computer, there will be no problem in adopting to the new Start Screen Because the type and search capability is still there. Just type the name of thing you wanna search no matter where you are in Start Screen, Windows 8 will automatically search it for you. Overall it is a solid OS with surprises hidden under the hood. Upgrade to Windows 8, I am sure you are gonna love it!