What is the latest windows. Which version of Windows is better, which one to choose for installation on a laptop (computer)

Good day to all. Today I want to talk to you about which system is better to install on your computer. I’ll say right away that the article will be focused on Windows OS, since it is better for the average “ordinary” user to use it. Unlike systems such as Linux and the like, it is much clearer and will be much easier to understand.

So my answer to the question is, what system to install to your computer it sounds exactly like this: Windows. Choose and install Windows for yourself. But of course, this article is not over, but just beginning, because you still need to decide which version of Windows to choose.

We will not analyze old Microsoft developments, such as Windows 98 or Windows 2000. I don’t think anyone will want to install them; these are systems from the last century. Today, the most used systems are Windows 7, 8, XP and Vista. We will talk about them, I hope my descriptions and recommendations will help you, and as a result, deciding which Windows to choose for your computer or laptop will be much easier.

Let's start with "XP" and end with "Eight".

Operating system Windows XP was released in 2001. And in the period from 2003 to 2011 it was the most popular in the world. Its maximum market share was around 76 percent, which was achieved in January 2007. From here we can immediately conclude that the system is good.

I've been using Windows XP for about two years, and I can tell you that, despite the fact that it came out a long time ago, today it still copes well with everyday tasks. But it is worth remembering that new programs and games that come out do not necessarily work on XP. Application developers are increasingly focusing on Windows 7 and above.

I would not recommend installing Windows XP unless necessary. There are, of course, exceptions, for example, this system is good to install on older computers, since the system requirements for XP are not large. But there are very few people with old PCs anymore, so the described system is no longer needed.

Operating system Windows Vista appeared on the market in 2007, but did not live up to user expectations. It did not become very popular and its maximum market share was approximately 18 percent in October 2009.

In my opinion, the only thing in which it is better than the good old Windows XP is its design, various interesting effects and the like, and for everything else it is only worse. Although I haven't used Vista and I may be wrong. But the fact that a lot of different software does not work on Windows Vista is true. I read it on the Internet and therefore immediately switched from XP to Seven. I’ll tell you about it now.

Operating system Windows 7- This is the most popular version of Microsoft today. It was released in 2009, and this time it met our expectations. Although many call “Seven” a revision of Vista. I agree, the systems are very similar. But I can tell you that Windows 7 is a really great system. It is much more stable, it does not need to be reinstalled as often as it was with XP. It also works much faster.

When I was using Windows XP and decided to try Seven, I was honestly surprised. Programs run much faster and freeze less often, but even if this happens, the frozen program can be disabled through the Task Manager program, and in XP this feature did not always work. It happened that on XP everything froze so badly that only the “Reset” button on the system unit helped.

Operating system Windows 8- This is the latest version of the line. What can I say about it after a couple of months of use? This is a modified "Seven". In Windows 8 they came to a flat design, removed shadows and volume. In general, everything is going according to the trend. It works even faster. The fact that it doesn't have a Start button is actually nonsense. It’s no worse, you get used to it very quickly. And a little later there will be an update, where the Start button, as I understand it, will be returned.

The new Metro interface in Windows is cool, to say the least. But I didn’t notice that it somehow greatly simplified working on a PC. The only thing I liked about Windows 8 was that it was even faster!

Which Windows should I choose? The answer is now up to you. I described four versions of Windows to you, I think now it will be easier for you to decide. As for recommendations, I would not recommend installing Windows XP or Vista. Better pay attention to the latest operating systems Windows 8 and Windows 7.

Work in it, after some time switch to G8, and it seems to me that you will very soon understand what you like best.

This is where I end my article. I hope now the questions what system to install, and which Windows to choose are not very difficult for you and you have already decided what exactly to choose.

The next step after purchasing a laptop is choosing an operating system. An unsuitable option does not allow you to use all the capabilities of your PC or work comfortably. In this article we reveal the key points in choosing an operating system for a laptop.

The laptop consists of two parts - hardware and software. Hardware is the processor, memory, screen, keyboard, software - all applications. The main component of the software is the operating system.

The OS serves as an intermediary between the computer, executing programs and the user. The operating system provides applications and the user with a set of universal services:

loads programs into memory for execution
receives and executes user commands.
organizes interaction with a printer, scanner, network

Windows or Linux

More than 90% of the operating system market is occupied by Windows OS. Users receive better support for computer hardware, a larger number of application programs than for Linux, and almost 100% the ability to consult with specialists in case of problems.

For the average user, the choice is clearly in favor of Windows. Exceptions include cases of using a laptop for work and training in the IT field. But user preparation when using Linux is higher.

Laptops for Windows XP

Windows XP was released in 2001 and has become the standard for a reliable, stable and secure operating system. Today, XP is used on new laptops that are equipped with single-core processors and up to 1 GB of RAM.

Conclusion: Windows XP is an acceptable operating system for laptops with limited memory and outdated graphics, suitable for office use.

Why we skip Vista

After the successful Windows XP, the unsuccessful Vista appeared. The system had many errors, inflated hardware requirements, constant “brakes” and freezes.

As a result, proven XP was installed on laptops with Vista pre-installed. After the failure, Microsoft did some serious work. A new OS has appeared with better performance with lower hardware requirements. This was the final verdict on Windows Vista.

Choosing the optimal version of Windows 7

Almost half of computers run Windows 7. Reason: Windows 7 is faster than Vista and Windows XP. If the laptop is equipped with at least a 2-core processor and the amount of RAM is more than 1 GB, the choice in favor of Windows 7 is obvious.

When choosing a 32 or 64-bit version, they are guided by the amount of RAM. If the RAM is up to 4 GB inclusive, the OS “sees” a little more than 3 GB. Then it’s better to stick with the 32-bit (or x86) version.

The latter requires more memory to operate. The transition to a 64-bit version of the operating system is relevant when the installed memory capacity is 6 GB or more.

Windows 8 and difference from Windows 7

For most programs there is no difference between 8 and 7. Accordingly, the performance of Windows 7 and Windows 8 is almost the same.

The main difference is the desktop design. Windows 8 was created at the peak of tablet popularity, so the interface is focused on them. In version 8 there is no Start button on the taskbar, in 8.1 it appears again, but the classic menu does not return. There is no point in installing Windows 8. This is confirmed by less than 8% of computers that use the OS

Windows 10 – when there is no choice anymore

Microsoft Windows 10 is the last OS released according to the old scheme. The main difference from previous versions is that Microsoft supports Windows 10 with constant updates, which have become impossible to disable. As a result, users have the latest version of the system installed.

This is part of the strategy to transition to the “Windows as a service” model, when the system changes constantly through updates, without releasing new versions.

The official OS requirements remained at the same level as for 7 and 8. There is no point in installing Windows 10 on laptops that run Windows 7 normally.

Old laptops may experience problems after installing Windows 10:

The touchpad does not work correctly
Old printer and scanner won't connect
Wi-Fi disappears

Added to this are privacy concerns: under the terms of the license, Microsoft can dispose of user data.

New laptop models work best under 10. If the manufacturer's official website only has drivers for Windows 10, opt for the 64-bit version of the system.

Before Microsoft released Windows Vista, Windows XP had a virtual monopoly and was unparalleled in terms of efficiency. XP was a real breakthrough in the OS market due to its simplicity, versatility and efficiency. After the announced release of Windows Vista, users pinned their hopes on the fact that it would be a revolutionary project, but the new operating system had a number of serious flaws that cast a shadow on the manufacturer’s image. To improve its reputation in the eyes of users, Microsoft developed the Windows 7 project, which became an excuse after failure.

Comparison of Windows XP and Windows 7

Before making a detailed review and comparison of each operating system, it is important to determine the most significant parameters for the user. When comparing operating systems, you need to focus on speed, performance and efficiency. In this comparison, licensed versions of operating systems were taken. So, let's begin.

Operation speed

If we talk about installing the OS on a computer, the time is approximately the same. The average installation time for Windows XP is 14–16 minutes, and Windows 7 is 13–17 minutes (measured on the same PC with average specifications). XP loads almost twice as fast as its “little brother”. Thus, the average time for the 32-bit version of Windows XP is 14 seconds, the 64-bit version is 21 seconds, x32 and x64 versions of Windows 7 load in 34 and 37 seconds, respectively. Shutdown of both OS is approximately 7 seconds.

Windows 7 uses 5 times more RAM, which can significantly reduce the speed of a computer with weak technical characteristics. Also, Windows 7 files take up 4 times more hard drive space, and the 64-bit version of this OS takes up 7 times more. Therefore, it requires more memory to operate, which can cause slowdown on older PCs.

The performance of programs is practically the same on both operating systems. The Windows bit depth - x32 or x64 - has a greater impact. Testing with software utilities confirmed this, with the exception of the 3D Mark test, which showed a slight lag in Windows XP performance. Testing computer games in online and offline modes showed that they run faster on Windows XP than on Windows 7.

Video: comparison of operating system speeds

Performance

Performance assessment was carried out using special utilities, including the already mentioned 3DMark of different versions and a new development from the same manufacturer - AquaMark 3. Performance testing for computer games showed that Windows XP is almost 2 times more productive than Windows 7.

Video: operating system performance comparison

Basic operating system tasks were tested using the HD Benchmark utility. Graphics and processor performance in Windows XP were higher by a minimal margin. But the hard drive performance turned out to be significantly lower than on Windows 7.

Which operating system to choose

Numerous tests have shown that Windows XP works a little faster than Windows 7. As for filling the OS with software and basic utilities, Windows 7 wins here. Which is natural, since this version was released later.

Windows 7 has a flaw that can harm laptop owners. After installing this OS, the laptop battery begins to quickly lose capacity, and after a while a notification appears about the need to replace it. Reinstalling the OS will not fix this error in any way, and the only way out of the situation will be to replace the battery. This problem does not occur on all laptops, but the likelihood of its occurrence is high.

On older PCs with low performance, Windows 7 is slow, so XP is the best option for them. For more powerful computers, it is recommended to use Windows 7, as it has greater functionality and supports DirectX 10. The issue of the interface is extremely subjective, since both operating systems are similar, and here everything depends only on the personal preferences and tastes of the users.

Microsoft ended support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014. Since the OS has no official updates since this date, it has become vulnerable. This is especially true for the Internet. The only methods of protection against hacking and viruses for Windows XP are commercial programs and antiviruses. Every year, the likelihood of errors in this operating system increases more and more.

How to switch from Windows XP to Windows 7

Before changing the OS, you need to decide on the version of Windows 7. Different versions differ in bit depth (x32/x64) and set of utilities. It is recommended to choose taking into account the system requirements of the computer and the purpose of its use, since some versions have a set of utilities that are important for a work PC and unnecessary for a home computer. Having decided on the version, download the OS image (it is better to download the licensed version from the official website) and write it to a flash drive or disk. This is done using the UltraISO utility.

How to install Windows 7

There are two ways to reinstall Windows: direct reinstallation and via BIOS. Direct installation is carried out via a disk or flash drive on which an image of the operating system from the desktop is recorded. Just run the installation and follow the prompts to reinstall Windows.

Open the OS media through the BIOS. Restart your computer and when the dark screen appears, press the key to boot the media (on different PC models this may be Esc, Tab, F2, F9 or F10).

In this case, to open the flash drive boot menu, you need to press F12 (bottom)

Select your Windows media and press Enter.

Select from the connected media a flash drive or boot disk with Windows 7 installation

The Windows 7 installation menu will appear on the monitor with prompts following which you can reinstall the OS.

Following the prompts, we reinstall the operating system

Video: how to install Windows 7

Good day to all!

Quite a lot of questions always surround the choice of Windows OS: which one is better, which one is faster, and what should I choose for my old laptop, and for my PC, but one OS monitors you, and the other doesn’t, etc.

In this article I want to express my opinion about choosing an OS. I think that the topic will be very useful for many. Even experienced users often change Windows and cannot settle on any specific version (let alone those who are not so familiar with PCs).

Also, the article will probably find a response from those who recently bought a computer/laptop and are looking for the optimal system (so that everything works well and does not slow down).

Perhaps it's time to start (otherwise the introduction is too cumbersome).

Selecting the OS version for a laptop/PC

If we are talking about a laptop...

First of all, you need to go to official site manufacturer of your device and see which Windows operating systems are there drivers. Because if there are no official drivers for the OS you want, many problems in the future are possible: you will have to look for them from “folk” craftsmen (and in most cases they are not stable), failures and crashes are possible, some functions may not work at all.

For example, the screenshot below shows the official DELL website with a driver download section for the Inspiron 7572 laptop model. As you can see, official support is only available for Windows 10 64-bit and Ubuntu. The choice is small, and it has already been made for you...

The note!

I would like to add that in some cases, drivers for Windows 10 OS install and work on Windows 7/8 OS, and in some cases they do not. With tricky installation methods (for example, through importing various backups), they can cause serious errors, and you will have to reinstall the OS...

About the choice between x86 and x64 OS (32/64-bit)

If at the dawn of the advent of x64 systems there were many problems with them, now all this is in the past. For them it’s the same as for x86 - thousands of programs have been released and everything works fine.

The main difference between these systems (if we discard everything unnecessary for the average user) is the amount of RAM supported.

If you have more than 3 GB of RAM - install x64 system. The fact is that the x86 system will not see and will not use more than 3 GB of RAM (if you have 8 GB, say, then 3 GB will be visible and used, and 5 GB will be “lying” as dead weight).

If you have 3 GB RAM or less - it is also possible to install an x64 system, but I would not recommend it. An x86 system is generally less demanding than a similar x64 system. Therefore, in order to improve performance, with this amount of RAM it is better to choose x86.

How to find out the current OS, its bit depth, amount of RAM:

open Explorer (key combination WIN+E);
open "This PC" (located in the menu on the left in Explorer);
in any free space of the “This PC” window, right-click and select “Properties” from the pop-up menu;
A window will open in which you can get all the information you need about the OS, processor and RAM (see screenshots below).

About versions Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education

By and large, for most users there is practically no difference which of these versions to choose (the main difference here is for various enterprises and companies, where there are certain problems with the legal registration of this whole “business”, and the need to use remote access to corporate networks, setting up various system policies, etc.).

If we talk about Windows 10, then:

Home is the main version of the OS intended for ordinary users. It differs from the Pro version in the lack of support for remote access, group policies, data encryption and a number of special features. functions. By and large, all these extras. functions, in most cases, are simply not needed on a home PC;
Pro - all the same functions as in Home, only there is support for BitLocker disk encryption, support for Hyper-V virtualization, multiple desktops, Azure Active Directory (a function for working with cloud services). As I said above, all this is practically not used at home;
Enterprise (or Ent for short) - this version is used in large companies. It has a certain number of unique functions, for example, such as Direct Access, cloud hosting, Remote Desktop (remote access), etc.
Education - version for educational institutions. Almost the same version as Ent, only this one lacks Cortana (voice assistant).
Mobile - this version is intended for mobile devices: smartphones, tablets, netbooks, etc. It is aimed at small devices with a screen diagonal of no more than 8 inches, and fully supports touch screens.

About choosing between Windows XP/7/8/10

In general, it is wise to choose an OS not only based on your personal desires, but also based on the availability of official drivers (as I said above) and the requirements of the OS itself. It makes no sense to install modern Windows 10 on a weak machine - and constantly suffer from brakes and freezes...

Below I will give the min. those. requirements for each OS, and I will express my brief reputation for each of them.

Windows XP

The legendary OS, which occupied the palm for about 10 years! Compared to all operating systems that came before it, it has become very stable (the number of errors and crashes has decreased significantly. Windows 98 had to be reinstalled almost every month), friendly to people new to PCs (many actions are quite simple and understandable, there is detailed help on performing many tasks). Perhaps these two qualities allowed it to become one of the most popular OS!

As of today, Microsoft has stopped official support for this OS, so I would recommend installing it on a PC only in exceptional cases: when there are no drivers for a newer OS; old PC with low specifications; or you need this specific OS to run a specific program (although in this case you can resort to ).

Minimum requirements:

Pentium processor with a frequency of 233 MHz;
At least 64 MB of RAM (at least 128 MB recommended);
At least 1.5 GB of free hard disk space;
CD or DVD drive.

Windows 7

The most popular OS today. Mainly due to the fact that:

low system requirements (especially by modern standards). Many users who worked with Windows XP also work with Windows 7;
the system is very stable and reliable;
high performance (the system is optimized for laptops, which are now very popular);
supports many devices without installing drivers (this is generally the most convenient thing! Imagine, if you previously reinstalled Windows XP, then your network card did not work because there was no driver for it, and if the card does not work, it means there is no Internet. A vicious circle - you cannot download the driver you can, because the card does not work, and the card needs a driver. With Windows 7, the likelihood of such a problem is MUCH lower)!

Recently, I must note, Windows 7 has begun to lose its popularity: firstly, all new laptops and PCs come with Windows 10 pre-installed; secondly, many manufacturers do not release drivers for Windows 7 for their new hardware; thirdly, not all modern equipment works in it.

But overall, I think it will be one of Microsoft's main products for several more years...

System requirements:

1 GHz processor;
1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit) random access memory (RAM);
16 gigabytes (GB) (for a 32-bit system) or 20 GB (for a 64-bit system) on HDD;
DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver version 1.0 or higher.

Windows 8

This system introduced users for the first time to a new type of design: when you turned on and loaded the OS, you were presented not with the usual desktop, but with a tiled menu (as in the screenshot below).

On the one hand, it’s convenient, on the other hand, it’s convenient on mobile gadgets, but not on PCs/laptops. Because of this tiled menu, the system was subjected to merciless criticism, and I think that is why it did not become such a popular product...

Overall, the system is very stable, productive and reliable. Its capabilities are not inferior to Windows 7 (and rather superior: there are recovery tools, a built-in antivirus/defender, improved performance).

By the way, according to my personal tests and observations, this OS is the fastest when installed on a disk, when loading Windows and shutting down the PC (although it only gains a few seconds when loading, but still...). Together with the SSD drive, the system simply “flies”...

System requirements:

CPU. 1 GHz* or higher supporting PAE, NX and SSE2;
RAM 1 GB (for 32-bit system) or 2 GB (for 64-bit system);
Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit);
Video adapter: Microsoft DirectX 9 with WDDM driver.

Windows 10

The newest and most modern system in the Windows line. It has the best stability and reliability (though, in my opinion, it is still inferior in performance to Windows 8).

Many people criticize the system because it "tracks" users. This is partly true... On the other hand, users are “tracked” by browsers, search engines, many programs, and some sites on the Internet (I don’t track).

However, now on the network there are many assemblies of systems with pre-configurations, where everything unnecessary is disabled (including surveillance). I think this minus can be crossed out...

In general, if you have modern PC/laptop, I think there should be no problems with installing and using this OS.

Therefore, if you have 2 video cards and you often play, I would recommend Windows 7, or install 2 systems at once (at least keep in mind that in some games Windows 10 will not switch the built-in adapter to a discrete one, and the brakes may begin) .

There are also some problems with supporting old programs: they are not stable and crash. If you switch to this system, perhaps the solution is to use a virtual machine: .

Otherwise, this system is rightfully considered the best, and its championship (in my opinion) is just around the corner (unless Microsoft releases a new OS).

Those. requirements:

Processor: at least 1.5 GHz or SoC;
RAM 1 GB (32-bit systems) or 2 GB (64-bit systems);
Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit systems) or 20 GB (64-bit systems);
Video adapter: DirectX version no lower than 9 with WDDM 1.0 driver.
Display: 800 x 600.

The article raises a provocative question - so I’ll ask you not to be too rude in the comments.

Good luck to everyone and make the right choice!

In ancient times, when processors were only 32-bit, the question “Which Windows to choose” did not cause any problems. All versions of Windows were 32 bit. It was enough to choose Windows in accordance with your financial capabilities or professional needs: “Home”, “Professional” or “Corporate”. But with the advent of 64-bit processors, the situation changed a lot, since 64-bit versions were added to the 32-bit versions, as well as the pricing policy “Initial”, stripped down and “Maximum” with the maximum number of bells and whistles, and a lot more... . The use of 64-bit processors made it possible to install more than 4 GB of memory on computers, which immediately affected the capabilities of the Windows operating system and the volume of new programs.

I would like to note right away that Windows is not only and not so much an operating system, but a graphical interface to the operating system and a package of utilities to expand its functionality. So for simple home use, when choosing any build of Windows, there is no big difference functionally. Therefore, you can use almost any version. And yet, there are features of some assemblies that you simply need to know so as not to purchase something that you do not need at all.

Example of the "Start" version of Windows 7

The "starter" version exists only in 32-bit form and only supports up to 2 GB of RAM. So if you have 3 or more GB of memory, the “Initial” version simply will not suit you, no matter how many bits and cores your processor has. Well, that’s her limitation.

As you noticed, we suddenly talked not only about the bit capacity of the processor and operating system, but also about the amount of memory. Ordinary users, as you should understand, are not interested in the capacity of processors and operating systems at all. Often they know absolutely nothing about it and don’t want to know. Well, the computer works and it works, but it doesn’t matter what or how. But it was no coincidence that I drew the numbers 32/64 in the first picture. (see above)

Personal impressions are often discussed on the Internet about which version of Windows works better. One says: “I still have XP running, I’m happy and have no intention of upgrading.” Someone praises the seven. Someone eight, especially 8.1. There are those who shout: “Windows 10 has been working for me for six months now and I’m not complaining.” In many cases, they are all right, but they do not take into account the fact that this all happens on completely different computers. It's hard to criticize if the installed version of Windows matches the hardware and works well. But this does not always happen. Different pieces of equipment are manufactured by a variety of manufacturers. And it does not always fit well with other elements made by other manufacturers. We cannot influence some things. And some we are able to control and change, and I would say we should.

Everything has its time

Windows 32 bit did not see 4 GB and they decided to install Windows 10 64 bit, but they came across one of the latest versions, newer than 1511. It just doesn’t want to be installed on the old computer. And everything seems to be there:

1 GHz processor;
memory 4 GB;
disk space 20-32 GB;

and ten 64-bit is still not installed. In the processors section, Microsoft explained that new versions of Windows will not support older processors. And the newer Windows is, the fewer older processors it will support. There is also a correspondence table. Which indicates which Windows will work with which processors. For example, my processor supports only 15 out of 76 instructions. Of course, it cannot implement all the capabilities of a completely new operating system.

In general, as I said before, the new operating system is better suited for new equipment. Look carefully at the correspondence table. And according to Microsoft's decision: if you want a new OS, buy a new computer. And what is this if not a corporate conspiracy?