Consumer Reports Says: Stick With Windows 7

Most new PC buyers will have Windows 8 pre-loaded, and it is only a matter of time before the new Microsoft OS gets the majority share of Windows installs, however as a current Windows 7 user, should you upgrade? Consumer Reports says that you should rather stick to Windows 7, for now. Here are the quick list of reasons:

1/ Windows 7 works and most users are happy with it
2/ Windows 8 is “all about touch”
3/ You may not like the new User Interface (UI)
4/ Drivers aren’t mature

It’s a compelling list of reasons that will be good advice for a lot of folks. However, I’d like to add that if you can get Windows 8 for cheap (I paid less than $40 with the early discount), the Windows Store for apps and the Metro apps format is the most compelling new feature, especially for novice users. For instance, I can setup my parents with a Windows 8 computer, and for the most part, they’ll know how to search for and download apps that are secure. They are also easy to uninstall. Think of it as iPad simplicity, but on (Windows7-class) PC hardware. The caveat is of course that the number of apps is still somewhat limited, but that is growing quickly.

Hubert Nguyen
Categories: Computers, Shopping
Tags: windows 7, Windows 8