New computer, Winows 7 or 8?

[monkeychic]

In building a new computer for use with photoshop, would windows 7 or 8 be preferable? I presently use an old computer with XP.

 

[Ed B]

monkeychic wrote:

In building a new computer for use with photoshop, would windows 7 or 8 be preferable? I presently use an old computer with XP.

We just bought a new computer for my wife and decided to go with Windows 7. We bought it from Dell and (believe it or not) we actually paid about $40.00 more than the same system with Windows 8 would have cost.

Just heard too many bad things about Widows 8 and decided to keep things simple and safe.

I've used Widows 7 on a laptop for a few years and have no complaints about it.

I have read that you can configure Windows 8 to act like Windows 7 but, just the same, popular opinion rates 8 as one of Microsoft's epic failures.

I'm sure there are a lot of people who would disagree with the failure comment but in this case we decided to side with the majority.

 

[DuaneV]

Nobody is going back in time, so stick with whats current. Windows 8 is great, its BASICALLY the same as 7. No HUGE differences. A lot of people complain about it (hell, I hated it when I first got it because it was different) but then you get used to it. I use the old, traditional desktop view and really have no need for the apps window, so really, there isnt any noticable difference. A few little differences here and there, but nothing big. My laptop that I ran until last November had XP, my desktop 7 and the new laptop has 8. 8 is better.

 

[Ed B]

DuaneV wrote:

Nobody is going back in time, so stick with whats current. Windows 8 is great, its BASICALLY the same as 7. No HUGE differences. A lot of people complain about it (hell, I hated it when I first got it because it was different) but then you get used to it. I use the old, traditional desktop view and really have no need for the apps window, so really, there isnt any noticable difference. A few little differences here and there, but nothing big. My laptop that I ran until last November had XP, my desktop 7 and the new laptop has 8. 8 is better.

I told the OP everyone wouldn't agree with me :-D

You may be right about Windows 8 but I can think of at least 3 Windows operating systems that did cause people to "go back in time".

Windows gets it right about every other try and Windows 8 follows an very good system.

 

[hotdog321]

I'm still quite satisfied with my Win 7 Pro, so never bothered to "upgrade." I'd ask this question over in the "PC Talk" forum. There are some very helpful and knowledgeable folks over there. I think there may be a download available that will make Win 8 give you a Win 7 looking desktop.

 

[yardcoyote]

I'd stick with 7 Pro. A very good OS, very stable, and MS is committed to support for a number of years. My gear runs in a combination of XP (one of the truly great ones) and 7 Pro, which stands up well next to it.

IMHO, the world of computers is about to take a big turn-- the next five to ten years are going be years of major change in both hardware and software and nobody is really sure what things are going to look like at the end of it. I personally am planning to finish my transition to 7 Pro and then stick with it as long as I possibly can on my main desktop system and my work laptop, and not buy into any of the transitional stuff if I can help it. I want to make one big step in 5 years or however long it takes, not a bunch of little ones. Of course, I am notoriously not an early adopter-- I got my very first digital camera less than 18 months ago.

 

[dradam]

monkeychic wrote:

In building a new computer for use with photoshop, would windows 7 or 8 be preferable? I presently use an old computer with XP.

Whatever you do, don't bother to pay EXTRA for Win7. It's the previous generation and Windows 8 is in most ways equal to or better than 7. I get that some people don't want to bother to learn a slightly new interface and if you'd prefer 7 (which is more like XP) or don't see a need to upgrade that's just fine. But, in my opinion, there is no reason to avoid 8, especially if it's going to cost you more.

 

[MrScary]

Win7 Pro or Ultimate...Forget 8 for now, as it's a FLOP throughout the World.

 

[monkeychic]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Not sure which way I'll go yet. There seems to be mixed reviews. Is there different versions of 8 as in 7 like Pro or ultimate?

 

[Henry Falkner]

I have read the discussion so far.

One of the first things commented about Windows 8 was that it is optimised for touch screens, specifically on the Microsoft tablet variety.

Over the years I have upgraded a number of laptops from the Windows version that they came with to the next. Generally, the hardware tolerated one upgrade, but if a re-install was required from scratch, it was a pain. You had to start with the disks the machine came with, then update from the upgrade disks, then update in the correct sequence through all the service packs (Windows XP).

I recommend to use the version of Windows that came in the same time frame as your hardware (may be more complicated with home assembled hardware). With laptops in particular, there may be little benefit to upgrade to a version that was not around when you bought it.

The most knowledgeable hardware outlet here in Auckland New Zealand is PB Technologies. Last time I looked (two weeks ago), they offered laptops with Windows 7 Pro installed, with an option for Windows 8. But they also offered a range of tablets, many of them supporting the Android operating system.

Henry

 

[yooperguy]

I bought a new laptop last November (Black Friday special) for $250, and it came with Win 8. I wanted to be able to run photo editing software, so I didn't want a tablet computer. My cheap Asus laptop has a dual core Pentium (remember those?), but it runs 64-bit and performs like the Intel i3 chips. I don't need a lot of power, but Win 8 has not been that bad, to me. You can easily change to the Desktop mode after it boots up, but you will be missing the Start button to get to your normal sort of operations. You can download/install some third party apps that will give you back a Start button, but Windows 8.1 is due out this fall, and it will bring back the Start button, from what I've read so far.

I don't run Photoshop, but do use Elements 10, and Lightroom, as well as others I've tried. Running in Desktop mode is pretty much Win 7, although I only used XP on my previous laptop for nine years. Win 8 is designed for use with a touch screen, and my laptop does not have that feature (would have doubled the price). Most complaints are from those that want a laptop that also has to have a touch screen, and most find using a touch screen and a keyboard redundant and less efficient. I agree with them. Touch screens seem to be the preferred direction for input, but not so much for a keyboarded laptop, at least in my opinion. We are seeing more of them on cameras now too. What's the world coming to? ;-)

Dennis

 

[57LowRider]

It's a bit like Intel CPU designs, the "tick-tock" sequence. Tick is generally less than great, they get it right on the tock which follows. Millennium meh, XP good, Vista meh, Win 7 good, Win 8 meh.

 

[skyglider]

monkeychic wrote:

In building a new computer for use with photoshop, would windows 7 or 8 be preferable? I presently use an old computer with XP.

After using Windows 8 for a while, I'm convinced it's really an upgraded faster version of Windows 7. All of the software that runs on my Win7 tower runs fine on my Win8 laptop. Just use Win8 in desktop mode with the free Classic Shell and it will work like a better Windows 7. You'll have the option to play with Win8's "Metro" user interface if you want to.

Sky

 

[Ed B]

skyglider wrote:

monkeychic wrote:

In building a new computer for use with photoshop, would windows 7 or 8 be preferable? I presently use an old computer with XP.

After using Windows 8 for a while, I'm convinced it's really an upgraded faster version of Windows 7. All of the software that runs on my Win7 tower runs fine on my Win8 laptop. Just use Win8 in desktop mode with the free Classic Shell and it will work like a better Windows 7. You'll have the option to play with Win8's "Metro" user interface if you want to.

Sky

Yes, but is it a memory hog/nightmare like Vista?

 

[dradam]

Ed B wrote:

skyglider wrote:

monkeychic wrote:

In building a new computer for use with photoshop, would windows 7 or 8 be preferable? I presently use an old computer with XP.

After using Windows 8 for a while, I'm convinced it's really an upgraded faster version of Windows 7. All of the software that runs on my Win7 tower runs fine on my Win8 laptop. Just use Win8 in desktop mode with the free Classic Shell and it will work like a better Windows 7. You'll have the option to play with Win8's "Metro" user interface if you want to.

Sky

Yes, but is it a memory hog/nightmare like Vista?

No. It's actually better than 7.

 

[Wheatfield]

I have Win7 on my desktop, Win8 on my laptop. I didn't like the Win8 interface (Metro?), so I downloaded Alien Skin (www.alienskin.com), and told it to give me the WinXP appearance. Nothing wrong with Win8 other than Metro.

 

[skyglider]

Ed B wrote:

skyglider wrote:

monkeychic wrote:

In building a new computer for use with photoshop, would windows 7 or 8 be preferable? I presently use an old computer with XP.

After using Windows 8 for a while, I'm convinced it's really an upgraded faster version of Windows 7. All of the software that runs on my Win7 tower runs fine on my Win8 laptop. Just use Win8 in desktop mode with the free Classic Shell and it will work like a better Windows 7. You'll have the option to play with Win8's "Metro" user interface if you want to.

Sky

Yes, but is it a memory hog/nightmare like Vista?

Nope.

I hated Vista that came on my laptop. Win8 is just like Win7 and is not a memory hog.

Also, Win8 is not a hard drive hog like Vista. I had Vista and programs only running in a 64 GB partition and it eventually used up almost all of that partition. I've been running Win8 and all of my programs in a 68 GB partition in my laptop since Dec 2012 and I still have 42 GB of free space in that partition.

Sky

 

[edispics]

Win 8, all the goodness of Win 7, with some better internals such as memory handling, faster startups etc. If you don't like the new UI, no problem. I hate the new UI and simple installed Classic Shell from http://www.classicshell.net/ - Voila, the old faithful Win desktop in all its glory - you can check the screenshots at their site to see what it looks like. Also, it's free and has worked flawlessly since day 1.

 

[Wheatfield]

Wheatfield wrote:

I have Win7 on my desktop, Win8 on my laptop. I didn't like the Win8 interface (Metro?), so I downloaded Alien Skin (www.alienskin.com), and told it to give me the WinXP appearance. Nothing wrong with Win8 other than Metro.

Pardon me, I am getting my software mixed up. I meant classic skin, as was mentioned in a previous post.

 

[Ron Poelman]

and are only used to XP, go Win 8.
In the last 6 months, I have only supplied one Win 8 install,
all the other users were used to Win 7 , so,
there was no reason to burden them with a learning curve.

Win 8.1 facelift is on the way, which should improve things a little,
but, as others have said, there is nothing wrong with Win 8
that Classic Shell won't fix. Install this first,
before the you get hit with the Win 8 environment,
it will be much easier to learn on.

There are a few small benefits to Win 8, but overall there is no reason
for a Win 7 user to change over. Touchscreen on real computers
will die faster than 3D TV.

You haven't detailed out your build, so you may wish
to submit your list to the PC forum for comment ?
I strongly suggest you look at an SSD to improve things generally
and ensure you have plenty of RAM for Photoshop to feed on.
Also keep in mind, decent 24" IPS monitors are now under the $200 mark.