Windows 8.1 Speed

I find Win 8.1 to be very similar to Win 7. On my laptop and desktop I stick with the Windows desktop and don't use the Start screen or the "Modern" apps. On my Windows tablet I use a few "Modern" apps because they work better on a touch screen device without mouse or keyboard.

I don't use it but, for many people, the free program "Classic Shell" will even return the familiar Start menu.

Unless you are installing XP, Win7, and Win8 on the same machine, it will be very difficult to compare performance.

Most likely you're on a new 64 bit PC

strollin wrote:
for many people, the free program "Classic Shell" will even return the familiar Start menu.

Thanks for that tip. I just got a new laptop with Windows 8.1 and sure miss the Windows 7 menu/interface.

Well, at least you don't have to wait too much longer , as WIN 10 will most likely be out the first half of next year, and "may" be a free upgrade? Similar to Apple's OS X Mavericks and Yosemite. If not available for a small nominal charge.

I purchased a low end notebook and can't believe how much quicker it works than my two year old laptop with similar specifications. I don't run comparative tests these days, but it "feels" much quicker. I too would like to return to the Windows 7 interface.

I have a 3 1/2 year old Toshiba Portege with an Intel i5 processor and 4GB of memory set up to dual boot Win 7 and Win 8.1. Performance is about the same for both. I boot up on Win 8 occasionally to see if I can learn to like it. It hasn't happened yet.

For Win 8 machines I install Start8 from Stardock. It gives a perfect Win7 user interfaceMany that I have done that for really like it.

owenssailor wrote:
For Win 8 machines I install Start8 from Stardock. It gives a perfect Win7 user interfaceMany that I have done that for really like it.

Thanks for sharing this. I found this very helpful comparison between Start8 and Classic Shell: Comparison

owenssailor wrote:
... I found this very helpful comparison between Start8 and Classic Shell: Comparison

That's a good comparison but I disagree with the first line of that article, power users don't miss the Start Menu in Win 8 as there are many alternative ways to access your programs. It's non power users that seem to be completely lost without a Start Menu.

My sister (not a power user) recently got a new laptop that came with Win 8.1. I told her to stick with the desktop and to install Classic Shell. She hasn't had any problems using it that way but would have struggled otherwise.