Windows 7 or 8: advantages and disadvantages of the versions
If you have to choose between Windows 7 or Windows 8, we will help you make your decision. In this article, we present the advantages and disadvantages of the two versions.
Windows 7 vs. Windows 8: There are these differences
The decision is often made for you whether you want to install Windows 7 or Windows 8 on your device. The manufacturer now ships new computers with an OEM version of Windows 8. If you still want to install Windows 7 later, we will show you in another article how you can use two operating systems at the same time.
- The first difference between Windows 7 and the successor version is the price. You will receive a license for a Windows 7 Home Edition 64 bit from around 23 euros. The original version 8 is no longer available from Microsoft, instead there is Windows 8.1. The standard version of Windows 8.1 64 bit costs around 92 euros.
- Before you purchase Windows 7, keep in mind that support ended on January 13, 2015. Security updates will continue until mid-January 2020, after which you will no longer receive protective measures from Microsoft for your operating system.
- If you have a computer with touch control, you need Windows Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate in Windows 7. Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 devices are designed to be operated by touch.
- For Windows 8.1, the computer must have at least 1 GB of RAM and a processor with 1 gigahertz. Very old devices may not be able to handle it.
Advantages and disadvantages of Windows 7 and 8.1
If you want to install older software, there is a risk that the programs will not be supported by Windows 8. Unless there are newer versions of the software, you can solve this problem with a virtual machine on which you are installing Windows 7.
- In addition to the price and hardware question, Windows 7 and 8 differ in design. The latter has the so-called Metro surface, which is strongly geared towards touch input. The start menu via the Windows button has been removed. Various apps bring you back the start menu in the new Windows version.
- One advantage of Windows 8 is the faster system start compared to Windows 7.
- If you have little RAM, you can also benefit from Windows 8. It takes up less space than Windows 7.
- Windows 8 has an internal store where you can download programs. To do this, you need a Microsoft account. If you don't want to provide this email address and data, read another practical tip on how to set up Windows 8.1 without a Microsoft account.
If you prefer neither of the two versions, we will explain how to install the successor Windows 10.