- Running Windows 7, Windows XP or Windows Vista? Upgrade to Windows 8 with Windows 8 Pro
- Startup quickly
- Customize your Start screen with Live Tiles
- Stay safer with Windows Defender
- Encrypt your data with Bitlocker
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- Platform: Windows 8
- Media: Software
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Product Description
Amazon.com
If you currently have a personal computer running Windows 7, Windows XP or Windows Vista then you can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro (Professional). With Windows 8 Pro, you can connect and share your files. Windows 8 Pro also adds enhanced features if you need to connect to company networks, access remote files, encrypt sensitive data, and other more advanced tasks.
The new Windows 8 start screen is your personalized home for items you use the most and can be customized according to your user preferences. Windows 8 Live tiles provide real-time updates from your Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail accounts. Along with the new Start screen, the lock screen now includes e-mail, calendar, and clock widgets.
To access your PC, Microsoft has replaced a standard PIN or password with a swipe gesture; unlock your PC by clicking or swiping preset locations you’ve selected on the lock screen. New functions also allow you to search for your favorite software programs, open, close, hide, resize, or run multiple apps simultaneously with the swipe of a finger or a swipe of the mouse.
Windows has also made changes to make your PC more secure by boosting its existing security features and adding "SmartScreen," which acts to prevent suspicious programs or apps from being installed or running on your machine. Finally, Windows 8 also gives you the ability to "refresh" itself to give users a new starting point and a cleaner version of Windows.
You can upgrade to Windows 8 from Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 8 Release Preview, Windows 8 Consumer Preview, or Windows Developer Preview, but you might not be able to keep all of your files, software programs, and settings. The following table shows what you can keep during an upgrade, depending on the current version of Windows you are running. If you choose to boot from removable media, you won’t be able to keep your software programs, Windows settings, or personal files when you upgrade.
| Upgrading from: | What you can keep: |
|---|---|
| Windows 8 Preview | Personal files |
| Windows 8 Developer Preview | Nothing, but your old files will be saved in the "windows.old" folder |
| Windows 7 | Software programs; Windows settings; personal files |
| Windows Vista | Windows settings; personal files |
| Windows XP | Personal files |
System Requirements
- 1 GHz processor
- 2 GB RAM
- 20 GB available hard disk space
- 1366 × 768 screen resolution
- DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM driver
Additional Requirements to Use Certain Features
- Internet access (fees may apply)
- For touchscreen, you need a tablet or a monitor that supports multi-touch
- Microsoft account required for some features
- Watching DVDs requires separate playback software
- Windows Media Center license sold separately
- To access the Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768
- To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768
FAQ
Can I upgrade from a Windows operating system older than Windows XP?
If you want to upgrade from an earlier Windows operating system than Windows XP (for example, Windows 95 or Windows 2000), you'll need to purchase the Windows 8 System Builder. You won’t be able to keep any files, settings, or software programs when you install the new operating system.
Can I upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version of Windows 8?
If your PC has a 64 bit-capable processor (CPU) but is currently running a 32-bit version of Windows, you can install a 64-bit version of Windows 8. You also won't be able to keep any files, settings, or software programs when you upgrade from a 32-bit to a 64-bit version.
If I upgrade and select "keep nothing," how can I restore my files after the upgrade?
If you're running Windows Developer Preview or Windows 8 Consumer Preview when you upgrade, or if you choose the option to "keep nothing" when you upgrade, your files won't come with you to Windows 8. However, you might still be able to copy your files over after you upgrade. If you don't reformat your hard drive during installation, your files are saved to the Windows.old folder, where you can retrieve them after the upgrade.
If I change my mind, can I uninstall Windows 8 and go back to a previous version of Windows?
Not exactly - To go back to your previous version of Windows, you'll need to format your hard drive and then reinstall the previous version of Windows from the recovery or installation media that came with your PC. Typically, this is on a DVD. If you don’t have recovery media, you might be able to create it from a recovery partition on your PC using software provided by your PC manufacturer. Check the support section of your PC manufacturer’s website for more info. After you install Windows 8, you won’t be able to use the recovery partition on your PC to go back to your previous version of Windows.
How can I tell if my devices (keyboards, mice, webcams) will work with Windows 8?
Windows 8 generally works with the same peripheral devices and apps that work with Windows 7. In some cases, a device or program might require an update. The best way to tell if your devices will work before you upgrade is to run Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant, a free program that scans your current hardware, software programs, and devices for compatibility.
Product Description
Microsoft Windows 8 Pro (Upgrade)
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451 of 531 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
BEFORE YOU UPGRADE: stop by the Microsoft website and run the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant (link in the comments). This program will comb through your system and offer you detailed analysis of what will and won't upgrade. It offers links to articles that explain in detail what you may need to do, and it can save you a lot of headaches. For example, I have a laptop with no USB drivers--yet! I now have a link to the manufacturer's website that I've bookmarked and when drivers become available I'll upgrade that machine too.
Windows 7 has been a well-received OS, so the case for upgrading to Windows 8 has been difficult for Microsoft to make. While the look and feel of Windows 8 is strikingly different, for the most part it boils down to one huge change: the Start Menu that we have had since Windows 95 is no longer a menu. Icons are now displayed as tiles of varying widths in a full-screen splash. Some of this makes sense in that some of today's programs are more like the Windows Desktop Gadgets we've seen in Vista and 7: rather than needing to be launched, they idly stream information to you, and need a bit more room to be easy to read than the older Start Menu could have allowed for. If you've used Windows Media Center, Office 2010, or an XBox 360, you've already been interacting with similar interfaces. This sort of UI has been slowly making its way into Microsoft's products for a while now.
UPDATE: Amazon customer Robert Haines says that there is a program called "Classic UI" that would restore the old look, so if you're dead-set on new code that skips the new UI, you might want to try that. There is also a program called "Pokki Menu" that will let you make your own customizations and last, Stardock makes a (paid) program called "Start8" that will also roll back the Start screen.
The Windows 8 desktop looks exactly like it did in Windows 7 and Vista, except there's no Start Button: you're expected to press the Windows key or move your mouse to the bottom corner of the screen to launch the tile dashboard. The desktop has the tray of running programs you're used to in earlier versions, shows you wallpaper, and offers access to the Windows Explorer for looking through the files on your hard drive. All programs can be launched directly off the tile screen, and while Windows 8 apps always run in full-screen, older programs run from within the Desktop and can be resized. We have a version of Internet Explorer accessible from the desktop that looks just like IE 9 did in Windows 7, then we have a version of Internet Explorer in the tile screen that looks entirely different. Some parts of the Control Panel have the tile look and feel and the options cascade left-to-right like the Home screen in any MS Office 2010 or 2013 product. Other parts of the Control Panel look exactly like they did in Windows 7 and before. Unfortunately, I haven't found a good pattern for this yet: you may flip from one side to the other in order to do something like troubleshoot a network problem.
Performance-wise, Windows had been slowly moving away from always-running programs that drain performance to background services that would launch programs as needed...but this too started to get unwieldy. Microsoft have stripped several services out of Windows 8 which by default makes the OS more efficient than 7. Any machine that could run 7 can also run 8. Programs that used to run, shut down, then have to be fully re-launched to run again are instead put in a standby mode so they can launch faster when called again. The Windows Vista and 7 "Aero effects" that gave your windows a glassy sheen and rounded corners used graphics and CPU to run, so they've been stripped out of the tile UI in favor of simple color schemes and blocky edges (though you can still see a subdued glassy effect on the Desktop). Interaction with Windows in this new look and feel is easier if you have a touchscreen or you're using a tablet, and if you're a Windows Phone user the territory is already pretty familiar. The downside for mouse users is that you occasionally spend time hunting along the edges of the screen for scrollbars and dragging screens around to be able to interact with everything. My chief complaint with Windows 8 hasn't been with the Tile layout so much as the fact that the scroll bars are too skinny.
For some features, time will tell. I've found the Tile UI version of the browser to be less compatible and more cranky with websites, but I expect that to change given time. I like the fact that security/antivirus are rolled into the OS without me having to take care of them or be interrupted with update notifications. The OS runs Windows Updates on a schedule that's far less aggressive than previous versions and won't nag you about rebooting when it needs to. I've been told that the performance for gaming is supposed to be greater simply by virtue of a cleaner codebase, but I haven't seen anything substantially different on the PC apart from faster boot-up and shut-down times (I did benchmark my machine with 3DMark11 and, after some adjusting, noticed a higher score). The basic applications like Weather, Photos, Stocks, Mail, and more are very user-friendly, but solely within the context of the new look & feel: expect little familar ground and a lot of new territory, and the assumption that you should be using a touchscreen. If you have a Windows Live account and/or SkyDrive, these can integrate fully into the OS: so much so that you would sign in to the computer with your Windows Live/Hotmail account and everything you do would be synced to Microsoft's cloud if your account has SkyDrive.
UPDATE: Amazon customer AJ points out that although Windows 8 Pro may in the future require you to purchase a license for Windows Media Center separately, right now you can get a serial key for free via the Windows 8 site: just go to the Windows 8 "Add Ons" section. You may request up to 5 serial keys using different e-mail addresses and Microsoft will e-mail them to you within 24-48 hours.
Windows 7 has been a well-received OS, so the case for upgrading to Windows 8 has been difficult for Microsoft to make. While the look and feel of Windows 8 is strikingly different, for the most part it boils down to one huge change: the Start Menu that we have had since Windows 95 is no longer a menu. Icons are now displayed as tiles of varying widths in a full-screen splash. Some of this makes sense in that some of today's programs are more like the Windows Desktop Gadgets we've seen in Vista and 7: rather than needing to be launched, they idly stream information to you, and need a bit more room to be easy to read than the older Start Menu could have allowed for. If you've used Windows Media Center, Office 2010, or an XBox 360, you've already been interacting with similar interfaces. This sort of UI has been slowly making its way into Microsoft's products for a while now.
UPDATE: Amazon customer Robert Haines says that there is a program called "Classic UI" that would restore the old look, so if you're dead-set on new code that skips the new UI, you might want to try that. There is also a program called "Pokki Menu" that will let you make your own customizations and last, Stardock makes a (paid) program called "Start8" that will also roll back the Start screen.
The Windows 8 desktop looks exactly like it did in Windows 7 and Vista, except there's no Start Button: you're expected to press the Windows key or move your mouse to the bottom corner of the screen to launch the tile dashboard. The desktop has the tray of running programs you're used to in earlier versions, shows you wallpaper, and offers access to the Windows Explorer for looking through the files on your hard drive. All programs can be launched directly off the tile screen, and while Windows 8 apps always run in full-screen, older programs run from within the Desktop and can be resized. We have a version of Internet Explorer accessible from the desktop that looks just like IE 9 did in Windows 7, then we have a version of Internet Explorer in the tile screen that looks entirely different. Some parts of the Control Panel have the tile look and feel and the options cascade left-to-right like the Home screen in any MS Office 2010 or 2013 product. Other parts of the Control Panel look exactly like they did in Windows 7 and before. Unfortunately, I haven't found a good pattern for this yet: you may flip from one side to the other in order to do something like troubleshoot a network problem.
Performance-wise, Windows had been slowly moving away from always-running programs that drain performance to background services that would launch programs as needed...but this too started to get unwieldy. Microsoft have stripped several services out of Windows 8 which by default makes the OS more efficient than 7. Any machine that could run 7 can also run 8. Programs that used to run, shut down, then have to be fully re-launched to run again are instead put in a standby mode so they can launch faster when called again. The Windows Vista and 7 "Aero effects" that gave your windows a glassy sheen and rounded corners used graphics and CPU to run, so they've been stripped out of the tile UI in favor of simple color schemes and blocky edges (though you can still see a subdued glassy effect on the Desktop). Interaction with Windows in this new look and feel is easier if you have a touchscreen or you're using a tablet, and if you're a Windows Phone user the territory is already pretty familiar. The downside for mouse users is that you occasionally spend time hunting along the edges of the screen for scrollbars and dragging screens around to be able to interact with everything. My chief complaint with Windows 8 hasn't been with the Tile layout so much as the fact that the scroll bars are too skinny.
For some features, time will tell. I've found the Tile UI version of the browser to be less compatible and more cranky with websites, but I expect that to change given time. I like the fact that security/antivirus are rolled into the OS without me having to take care of them or be interrupted with update notifications. The OS runs Windows Updates on a schedule that's far less aggressive than previous versions and won't nag you about rebooting when it needs to. I've been told that the performance for gaming is supposed to be greater simply by virtue of a cleaner codebase, but I haven't seen anything substantially different on the PC apart from faster boot-up and shut-down times (I did benchmark my machine with 3DMark11 and, after some adjusting, noticed a higher score). The basic applications like Weather, Photos, Stocks, Mail, and more are very user-friendly, but solely within the context of the new look & feel: expect little familar ground and a lot of new territory, and the assumption that you should be using a touchscreen. If you have a Windows Live account and/or SkyDrive, these can integrate fully into the OS: so much so that you would sign in to the computer with your Windows Live/Hotmail account and everything you do would be synced to Microsoft's cloud if your account has SkyDrive.
UPDATE: Amazon customer AJ points out that although Windows 8 Pro may in the future require you to purchase a license for Windows Media Center separately, right now you can get a serial key for free via the Windows 8 site: just go to the Windows 8 "Add Ons" section. You may request up to 5 serial keys using different e-mail addresses and Microsoft will e-mail them to you within 24-48 hours.
207 of 248 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy upgrade process, Ubuntu dual-boot friendly, fairly steep interface learning curve...
October 28, 2012
Amazon Verified Purchase
This review largely separates the Windows 8 upgrade/installation experience from the user interface experience. While I consider myself a power user of Windows 7, this didn't come only in its use since upgrading to that OS three years ago . Any proficiency I enjoyed as a Windows 7 user evolved from much longer experience acquired during the evolution of its predecessors (going back to Windows 95). Windows 8 offers a much different user interface (at least to "start" with...pun intended) that relies less on on your prior expertise with earlier Windows operating systems. Much of it will be familiar to users of earlier Windows versions, but it has enough differences to remind you frequently that this is *not*the Windows OS you've become --for better or worse-- familiar with. Because of this, I'm going easy on assessing it until I've had a more time using it for my normal productivity tasks (but so far, I'm lukewarm on the interface).
Since this is an *upgrade* version of Windows 8, this review emphasizes the *upgrade* process, which is not the same as a review focused on the overall user experience. So far, I'm neutral at best on the changes the latter. Lets just say I won't be in a hurry to upgrade all of my existing Windows 7 machines to Windows 8.
Bottom line: This was by far the easiest, most intuitive Windows upgrade I've performed. This is compared with many Windows upgrades and fresh installs going back to 98, ME, Vista and 7. It took less than an hour and successfully retained my existing applications and data files.
What's in the box?
(1) 32-bit installation DVD
(2) 64-bit installation DVD
(3) a product key card
(4) a single page getting started guide
Windows 8 system requirements are essentially the same as Windows 7 (which were generally LESS demanding than Vista and XP requirements). I installed Windows 8 over Windows 7 on a 5-year old Dell XPS 420 with a 32-bit 3 GHZ Intel Core2 Duo processor, 4 GB RAM and an ATI Radeon HD 2600 video processor. Total upgrade time took less than an hour.
The installation process went as follows after inserting the installation DVD:
(1) "Preparing": took about 3 minutes to check for and download updates online.
(2) Windows 8 offered to either preserve your existing applications data files (and some settings) or do a fresh install. I chose to retain my applications and data. In either case, you'll want save --and have access to-- backup copies of your data files and application media/files BEFORE you go through the upgrade and installation.
(3) The install processes ran on my machine for about 28 minutes, then went through a series of restarts. During this time a "percentage complete" message ran on the monitor.
(4) After a final, farewell appearance of a Windows 7 desktop and another restart, Windows 8 went into a "getting ready" process. At this point it presented options for:
-personalization
-wireless network connections
-express or custom setup
-some privacy-related settings and registration options with Microsoft (these defaulted to not sharing or not required...which is good!)
(5) It then proceeded to a "finalizing" process. At this point is when the upgrade process really shined: it recognized an existing Linux/Ubuntu 12.04 partition on my hard drive and the existing Windows/Ubuntu dual-boot options. It not only preserved Ubuntu functionality, but offered options for selecting your default OS and delay options for the boot loader display.
After finalizing and restarting, Windows 8 recognized all my existing peripherals. All of my existing data and applications were available with no problem. Boot time is about 45 seconds and shutdown time is about 21 seconds.
Comments on the interface experience:
I understand some of the initial hostility this OS has received. While the familiar desktop metaphor lives on (and once you are there, the differences between this and previous Windows user experiences are minimal), before you get there, you have to learn to live with a separate "Start" page. Out of the box this page heavily populated with many online services that Microsoft would clearly be interested in driving your attention (and your wallet!) to. The good news is these are easily removable.
Your keyboard's Windows key will become a powerful tool, as it allows rapid switching between the desktop and start screens. If you have a Windows 8 compatible touchpad (like the Logitech T650), then its "gestures" also permit rapid switching.
At this point, I consider myself still learning the new interface. Some features seem less than intuitive (like how to shut down, for example), but look how we've grown accustomed to the "Start" button being the place to go to stop working!
As I write this, I'm learning to master both the new interface and use of a touchpad instead of a mouse. While I'm not yet working as intuitively as I was with Windows 7, the learning curve hasn't been a deal breaker. The start screen seems mostly an invitation to hook users into use of applications tied to a registered Microsoft account, and the cynical (and privacy-minded) part of me doesn't see great value added in this. It also a place to display your frequently used applications, files, folders and system controls for rapid access.
Bottom line: EASY upgrade process, Ubuntu-friendly and a little learning curve. We've certainly had worse new operating systems from Microsoft in the past...
Note: I've since performed a second install on a netbook that did not have sufficient video resolution to display Windows 8 tiled apps that run on its Start screen. Otherwise, this upgrade path was similarly problem free, and similarly retained existing applications and data present under Windows 7.
Since this is an *upgrade* version of Windows 8, this review emphasizes the *upgrade* process, which is not the same as a review focused on the overall user experience. So far, I'm neutral at best on the changes the latter. Lets just say I won't be in a hurry to upgrade all of my existing Windows 7 machines to Windows 8.
Bottom line: This was by far the easiest, most intuitive Windows upgrade I've performed. This is compared with many Windows upgrades and fresh installs going back to 98, ME, Vista and 7. It took less than an hour and successfully retained my existing applications and data files.
What's in the box?
(1) 32-bit installation DVD
(2) 64-bit installation DVD
(3) a product key card
(4) a single page getting started guide
Windows 8 system requirements are essentially the same as Windows 7 (which were generally LESS demanding than Vista and XP requirements). I installed Windows 8 over Windows 7 on a 5-year old Dell XPS 420 with a 32-bit 3 GHZ Intel Core2 Duo processor, 4 GB RAM and an ATI Radeon HD 2600 video processor. Total upgrade time took less than an hour.
The installation process went as follows after inserting the installation DVD:
(1) "Preparing": took about 3 minutes to check for and download updates online.
(2) Windows 8 offered to either preserve your existing applications data files (and some settings) or do a fresh install. I chose to retain my applications and data. In either case, you'll want save --and have access to-- backup copies of your data files and application media/files BEFORE you go through the upgrade and installation.
(3) The install processes ran on my machine for about 28 minutes, then went through a series of restarts. During this time a "percentage complete" message ran on the monitor.
(4) After a final, farewell appearance of a Windows 7 desktop and another restart, Windows 8 went into a "getting ready" process. At this point it presented options for:
-personalization
-wireless network connections
-express or custom setup
-some privacy-related settings and registration options with Microsoft (these defaulted to not sharing or not required...which is good!)
(5) It then proceeded to a "finalizing" process. At this point is when the upgrade process really shined: it recognized an existing Linux/Ubuntu 12.04 partition on my hard drive and the existing Windows/Ubuntu dual-boot options. It not only preserved Ubuntu functionality, but offered options for selecting your default OS and delay options for the boot loader display.
After finalizing and restarting, Windows 8 recognized all my existing peripherals. All of my existing data and applications were available with no problem. Boot time is about 45 seconds and shutdown time is about 21 seconds.
Comments on the interface experience:
I understand some of the initial hostility this OS has received. While the familiar desktop metaphor lives on (and once you are there, the differences between this and previous Windows user experiences are minimal), before you get there, you have to learn to live with a separate "Start" page. Out of the box this page heavily populated with many online services that Microsoft would clearly be interested in driving your attention (and your wallet!) to. The good news is these are easily removable.
Your keyboard's Windows key will become a powerful tool, as it allows rapid switching between the desktop and start screens. If you have a Windows 8 compatible touchpad (like the Logitech T650), then its "gestures" also permit rapid switching.
At this point, I consider myself still learning the new interface. Some features seem less than intuitive (like how to shut down, for example), but look how we've grown accustomed to the "Start" button being the place to go to stop working!
As I write this, I'm learning to master both the new interface and use of a touchpad instead of a mouse. While I'm not yet working as intuitively as I was with Windows 7, the learning curve hasn't been a deal breaker. The start screen seems mostly an invitation to hook users into use of applications tied to a registered Microsoft account, and the cynical (and privacy-minded) part of me doesn't see great value added in this. It also a place to display your frequently used applications, files, folders and system controls for rapid access.
Bottom line: EASY upgrade process, Ubuntu-friendly and a little learning curve. We've certainly had worse new operating systems from Microsoft in the past...
Note: I've since performed a second install on a netbook that did not have sufficient video resolution to display Windows 8 tiled apps that run on its Start screen. Otherwise, this upgrade path was similarly problem free, and similarly retained existing applications and data present under Windows 7.
74 of 88 people found the following review helpful
By F
Many of the reviews here do a good job covering the general aspects of Windows 8, so I'm going to just focus on my usage of the OS and how I feel about Microsoft's new GUI.
Before I get started, a bit of background on me: I'm a graduate student, and I've been a power user and early adopter of Windows and Office since the XP days. I usually have at least several windows open, and I often need a few of them to be visible at the same time. I'm pretty open to change, and I like to see where the tech industry is going. For Windows 8, I bought the $15 pro upgrade and did a clean install on my ultrabook (Core i7-2637M, 256GB SSD, 4GB RAM).
Installation was simple and straightforward, much like Windows 7. Note that you must have a key before Windows 8 will install, unlike the built-in 30-day trial in Windows 7.
The first 15 minutes with Windows 8 were absolutely the most frustrating first 15 minutes I've had with any OS, whether desktop or mobile, and I've tried a lot of OSs (Windows, OS X, Ubuntu, Android, iOS, webOS, ChromeOS). After getting thrown into the Metro (tablet-mode) version of Internet Explorer randomly from the Metro settings app and hunting for menu controls and settings in various Metro apps, I gave up and started setting things up in desktop mode, after which things got better.
Now, two weeks later, here are my pros/cons:
Pros:
(1) Noticeably faster than Windows 7 even on a SSD, especially start-up, resume, and shutdown times.
(2) Performance in the desktop is much improved. The OS uses 0.8 GB of RAM at startup, which is much less than under Windows 7. I configure the OS so that most programs don't start up in the background on boot, so the comparison is under similar startup conditions.
(3) Task manager and file transfers are much better, show more detail, and provide more control.
(4) Native .iso mounting.
Meh:
(1) Start screen. The start screen itself isn't bad, but I don't particularly enjoy it either. It does a decent job of acting as a launcher and providing information on tiles, but the information density is pretty low.
(2) File explorer ribbon. I'm not sure what I think of it still, but it's easily collapsible and makes certain operations easier.
(3) Battery life. As far as I can tell, it's about the same between Windows 7 and 8.
Cons:
(1) Windows 8 "Metro" apps. The entire design language is incredibly frustrating with a keyboard/mouse/touchpad. It doesn't help that my touchpad isn't very responsive even with Windows 8 drivers, which isn't a Microsoft problem, but does seem to be a problem with many Windows PCs. Information density is incredibly low in apps, and interface elements are hidden behind gestures/right clicks/corner hovering. The experience is probably better with a touchscreen, but I'm not entirely sure that it would be superior to iOS or Android in terms of simply consuming content due to all the hidden UI elements. If Metro is the future of Windows, then, as a power user, I'll have to explore other options.
(2) Search from start screen. One of the things I enjoyed about the Windows 7 start menu was the search. You could type in letters and it would show you results in real-time, from different categories (programs, files, settings, music, etc.) In Windows 8 Start screen, a search only pulls up app/program results in real-time. You have to use the mouse to select "settings" or "files". Also, once you select "files" and keep typing, the results don't update in real-time; you have to press enter. This is a major step back. I'm aware that you can press Win-F from the desktop to get to the files search directly, but the lack of real-time results from all categories is something that annoys me multiple times a day.
(3) File associations, Metro app problems, etc. Other reviews here and on the Internet have covered all the odd behavior of the new Metro apps. Since I've spent as little time with Metro apps as possible, I will leave others to describe all the details.
(4) Lack of Start button on the desktop. I'm not sure why, but I really dislike having to hover over a corner to get to the Start screen, and I don't want to reach for my keyboard if I'm mousing around while flipping through papers with my other hand. The entire concept of hovering to expose a previously hidden interface seems annoying unless it provides a substantial benefit, like the window thumbnails in the Windows taskbar. Here, it seems unnecessary, especially since the taskbar is still there. This is easily fixed with Classic Shell, but Microsoft should not have taken it out in the first place. It would have preserved the most consistent element of Windows as well, which isn't a big deal in itself to me, but would probably help with wider acceptance of Windows 8.
The Xbox Music app, in particular, was very disappointing as a Metro app. I really wanted to like the idea of built-in free streaming, but I installed Spotify after only a few minutes with the app when I realized how much effort and scrolling was required to find and play a song. I agree with other reviewers who say that the app is a downgrade from the old Zune program, which I mostly liked. It probably helped that the old Zune program could run in a desktop window and could be easily controlled from the taskbar without completely disrupting my other activities and going full-screen. There were plenty of other instances where I felt that Metro apps should somehow be able to run in a window on the desktop, rather than having the desktop be an "app" in the new interface.
I also own an Android phone, Android tablet, iPod Touch, and iPad, so I understand what Microsoft is trying to compete with. However, I must disagree with the idea that one OS can be both a power OS for heavy-duty keyboard/mouse work and a mobile OS for content consumption. Unlike many of the naysayers, I have no doubt that with some improvement from Microsoft and support from developers, the average consumer can learn to live completely within Metro and be happy with the new interface. However, Microsoft seems to have forgotten about the corporate and power users that drove their ascent to dominance in the 1990's - after Microsoft decided to commit to the concept of windowed, overlapping programs instead of full-screen/tiled programs. Oddly, Microsoft has come nearly full circle with Windows 8, in a bad way. I think that ideally, the Metro and desktop interfaces would be kept completely separate, with Metro apps possibly appearing on the desktop in windows and in the taskbar.
In sum, I cannot recommend Windows 8 over Windows 7 for power users or for traditional, non-touchscreen computers. I've come to accept the Start screen, but Metro apps are useless, and I will stay in the (slightly improved) desktop environment as much as possible. I think that Microsoft still has a lot of work to do if it insists on bridging the gap between tablets and traditional computers, and I hope that Microsoft is able to better divide "apps" and "programs" with the next version of Windows instead of attempting to force a phone/tablet UI onto workstations in the name of consistency between consumption and productivity.
Before I get started, a bit of background on me: I'm a graduate student, and I've been a power user and early adopter of Windows and Office since the XP days. I usually have at least several windows open, and I often need a few of them to be visible at the same time. I'm pretty open to change, and I like to see where the tech industry is going. For Windows 8, I bought the $15 pro upgrade and did a clean install on my ultrabook (Core i7-2637M, 256GB SSD, 4GB RAM).
Installation was simple and straightforward, much like Windows 7. Note that you must have a key before Windows 8 will install, unlike the built-in 30-day trial in Windows 7.
The first 15 minutes with Windows 8 were absolutely the most frustrating first 15 minutes I've had with any OS, whether desktop or mobile, and I've tried a lot of OSs (Windows, OS X, Ubuntu, Android, iOS, webOS, ChromeOS). After getting thrown into the Metro (tablet-mode) version of Internet Explorer randomly from the Metro settings app and hunting for menu controls and settings in various Metro apps, I gave up and started setting things up in desktop mode, after which things got better.
Now, two weeks later, here are my pros/cons:
Pros:
(1) Noticeably faster than Windows 7 even on a SSD, especially start-up, resume, and shutdown times.
(2) Performance in the desktop is much improved. The OS uses 0.8 GB of RAM at startup, which is much less than under Windows 7. I configure the OS so that most programs don't start up in the background on boot, so the comparison is under similar startup conditions.
(3) Task manager and file transfers are much better, show more detail, and provide more control.
(4) Native .iso mounting.
Meh:
(1) Start screen. The start screen itself isn't bad, but I don't particularly enjoy it either. It does a decent job of acting as a launcher and providing information on tiles, but the information density is pretty low.
(2) File explorer ribbon. I'm not sure what I think of it still, but it's easily collapsible and makes certain operations easier.
(3) Battery life. As far as I can tell, it's about the same between Windows 7 and 8.
Cons:
(1) Windows 8 "Metro" apps. The entire design language is incredibly frustrating with a keyboard/mouse/touchpad. It doesn't help that my touchpad isn't very responsive even with Windows 8 drivers, which isn't a Microsoft problem, but does seem to be a problem with many Windows PCs. Information density is incredibly low in apps, and interface elements are hidden behind gestures/right clicks/corner hovering. The experience is probably better with a touchscreen, but I'm not entirely sure that it would be superior to iOS or Android in terms of simply consuming content due to all the hidden UI elements. If Metro is the future of Windows, then, as a power user, I'll have to explore other options.
(2) Search from start screen. One of the things I enjoyed about the Windows 7 start menu was the search. You could type in letters and it would show you results in real-time, from different categories (programs, files, settings, music, etc.) In Windows 8 Start screen, a search only pulls up app/program results in real-time. You have to use the mouse to select "settings" or "files". Also, once you select "files" and keep typing, the results don't update in real-time; you have to press enter. This is a major step back. I'm aware that you can press Win-F from the desktop to get to the files search directly, but the lack of real-time results from all categories is something that annoys me multiple times a day.
(3) File associations, Metro app problems, etc. Other reviews here and on the Internet have covered all the odd behavior of the new Metro apps. Since I've spent as little time with Metro apps as possible, I will leave others to describe all the details.
(4) Lack of Start button on the desktop. I'm not sure why, but I really dislike having to hover over a corner to get to the Start screen, and I don't want to reach for my keyboard if I'm mousing around while flipping through papers with my other hand. The entire concept of hovering to expose a previously hidden interface seems annoying unless it provides a substantial benefit, like the window thumbnails in the Windows taskbar. Here, it seems unnecessary, especially since the taskbar is still there. This is easily fixed with Classic Shell, but Microsoft should not have taken it out in the first place. It would have preserved the most consistent element of Windows as well, which isn't a big deal in itself to me, but would probably help with wider acceptance of Windows 8.
The Xbox Music app, in particular, was very disappointing as a Metro app. I really wanted to like the idea of built-in free streaming, but I installed Spotify after only a few minutes with the app when I realized how much effort and scrolling was required to find and play a song. I agree with other reviewers who say that the app is a downgrade from the old Zune program, which I mostly liked. It probably helped that the old Zune program could run in a desktop window and could be easily controlled from the taskbar without completely disrupting my other activities and going full-screen. There were plenty of other instances where I felt that Metro apps should somehow be able to run in a window on the desktop, rather than having the desktop be an "app" in the new interface.
I also own an Android phone, Android tablet, iPod Touch, and iPad, so I understand what Microsoft is trying to compete with. However, I must disagree with the idea that one OS can be both a power OS for heavy-duty keyboard/mouse work and a mobile OS for content consumption. Unlike many of the naysayers, I have no doubt that with some improvement from Microsoft and support from developers, the average consumer can learn to live completely within Metro and be happy with the new interface. However, Microsoft seems to have forgotten about the corporate and power users that drove their ascent to dominance in the 1990's - after Microsoft decided to commit to the concept of windowed, overlapping programs instead of full-screen/tiled programs. Oddly, Microsoft has come nearly full circle with Windows 8, in a bad way. I think that ideally, the Metro and desktop interfaces would be kept completely separate, with Metro apps possibly appearing on the desktop in windows and in the taskbar.
In sum, I cannot recommend Windows 8 over Windows 7 for power users or for traditional, non-touchscreen computers. I've come to accept the Start screen, but Metro apps are useless, and I will stay in the (slightly improved) desktop environment as much as possible. I think that Microsoft still has a lot of work to do if it insists on bridging the gap between tablets and traditional computers, and I hope that Microsoft is able to better divide "apps" and "programs" with the next version of Windows instead of attempting to force a phone/tablet UI onto workstations in the name of consistency between consumption and productivity.
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