With the launch of Windows 7 being only 3 days away, I have compiled a list of reasons why you should upgrade your OS, especially if you are still running on Windows XP. This list should help Windows XP fence sitters to make their choice soon.
Reason No. 5: You can Enjoy your Media through Windows Media Center
If you get Windows 7 Home Premium and above, your OS will come with a Windows Media Center for you to watch movies, play audio files, view photos and get access to Internet TV. Connecting your PC/Laptop to your HDTV will allow you to turn your PC into an all in one media center without a hitch. Best of all, you can purchase a media center remote for about less than RM100 to turn your PC into a full fledged media center.
The latest installment of Windows Media Center on Windows 7
Reason No. 4: You can run Windows XP Programs using Windows XP Mode
When Vista was first launched 3 years ago, many Windows XP users was unsatisfied with the support for programs and drivers that it had. Now with Windows 7, you can download an optional vistualization software called “Windows XP Mode“, which is downloadable here for free.
With Windows XP Mode, you’ll be able to install and run all your XP based programs without any problems on the same machine. However, you will need to ensure that your processor has processor based virtualization support. With this, there are no more excuse for running older applications on Windows 7.
Windows XP Mode running Word 2003 under XP and Word 2007 under Windows 7.
Reason No. 3: You can run your Games on DirectX 10 and 11 with good Frame Rates
Windows Vista promised better looking games with the introduction of DX10, but it came with a big problem: framerate drop and performance issues in complex 3D games. As a result, gamers prefers to stick with Windows XP for gaming as the added DX10 enhancements does not oversell gaming performance.
Now with Windows 7, Microsoft has introduced DX11, but is your gaming performance affected? Based on a few benchmarks being conducted so far on Windows 7 Beta (PCGamesHardware.com, Firing Squad), Windows 7′s gaming performance matches Windows XP and beats Windows Vista in several gaming benchmarks. Take note that these benchmarks were only conducted in the Build 7000 beta version of Windows 7.
I have also ran a benchmark of Street Fighter IV under Windows 7 and I must say I am pretty impressed that it managed to run on 50+ FPS average throughout the entire game in High Quality on my C2D 7250, 8600GT laptop.
Far Cry 2 Benchmark on Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP
Reason No. 2: Windows 7 runs as Quickly and Responsively as Windows XP
Using Vista was a real drag, but after testing out Windows 7 for a month now, I can safely tell you that the performance in Windows 7 matches/is even faster than Windows XP. This is not only based on my experience, but also from other people (fellow colleagues and bloggers) who are already on the Windows 7 train.
With this in mind, it is safe for you to run multiple applications and expect minimal slowdowns unless you have taken up the entire RAM of your PC. With all the additional features available on Windows 7 and minimum hardware upgrade, it is a really good time to upgrade your OS.
Reason No. 1: Improved Productivity with the new Taskbar and Aero Features
And the main reason why you should upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7…. The new Taskbar and Aero functionalities!
With the introduction of the new Windows 7 taskbar now known as the SuperBar, your programs are now grouped together in icons, instead of separate boxes. You can also have a preview of your running programs while hovering your mouse over these icons. Want to close a program without running it at the top of your desktop? Just click on the mini “x” button on the window preview. Want to get the latest list of links or files that you have ran on an application? Just right click on the icon and get the list of latest tasks you have done.
The Jump List with list of media frequently played using Windows Media Player
And not to forget, there are also new Windows Aero features too. Aero shake, aero peek and aero snap are some of the new functions built into Windows 7. Don’t like cluttered windows, just shake the window that you want to work on and all the other windows in the background will minimize. Want to see the current status of your desktop without minimizing your programs? Just mouse over the right side of your SuperBar to view your desktop and click to minimize all. Want to compare products or 2 separate programs? Drag your application to the left or right hand side of the desktop to snap them up.
Comparing products on eBay is now easier with Aero Snap
With all the new features in Windows 7 with minimal sacrifices in terms of hardware, there is definitely no better reason why you shouldn’t upgrade your PC from Windows XP to Windows 7. Check back this blog for Windows 7 events that will be coming to Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya to experience Windows 7 and win great prizes!
Windows 7 was officially released yesterday on the 22nd of October 2009. For Malaysians, hold on as events and roadshows will be coming to major towns near you in November (I have listed down a list of Malaysian Windows 7 events below). Below are some screens from the launch event at New York City yesterday (Images courtesy of CNet News):
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