Screen refresh rate 60 or 75. Monitor matrix overclocking - theory and practice

There are many similarities between the familiar Windows 7 and the latest Windows 10, but there are many more differences. Introducing comparative review two systems so you can decide which one is closer to you.

Windows 7 and Windows 10: what are the similarities and differences?

Windows 10 is Microsoft's attempt to keep all sorts of devices running the same OS in sync with each other. This includes computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and XBox game consoles. Windows 7, in turn, is designed exclusively for PCs and laptops. With this in mind, the "ten" has a lot of things that are not in the "seven", but there is also enough in common.

• The main difference is, of course, design. Windows 10 is optimized for the monitor, for the touchscreen. Windows 7 is only designed to have computer mouse and has a start menu. The next version, Windows 8.1, radically changed the user interface, dramatically depriving users of the Start button and replacing it with "live tiles". In Windows 10, the Start menu returns, but it is combined with a set of tiles, which makes the new OS convenient for users of any device.
  Windows 7 design

  

• Another difference between Windows 10 and Windows 7 is search function. Search in Windows 7 allows you to search for files and applications on your local computer. In Windows 10, the search area is expanding: the user can search the Internet directly from the desktop, as well as the store Windows applications store. Besides, in new system There is voice search, carried out using the Cortana assistant.
  Search in Windows 7

  

• Another difference - file management. Both Windows 7 and Windows 10 use File Explorer, but it's much more convenient and informative on the new system. File Explorer in Windows 10 has a "ribbon" of features, just like the modern one Microsoft Office, and the copy and paste windows display the speed of the operation in the form of graphs. Windows 10 also took all this from Windows 8.1.

  

• The big difference between the two systems is notifications. In Windows 7, every application throws its own pop-ups on the screen, plus there is a notification area in the lower right corner of the screen. In the top ten, in turn, all notifications of the system and applications are collected in one feed and, in addition, are ordered by time.

  

• A major innovation compared to Windows 7 is made in terms of workspace management. Windows 10 finally brings the virtual desktops that Android users are used to and Mac OS users and Linux fans have been used to for a long time. Windows 7 does not yet have them, although there is already support for multiple monitors.

  Virtual Desktops in Windows 10

• Windows 7 is wildly popular among hobbyists computer games. Windows 10 intends to take over the palm. The system includes DirectX 12, which provides a significant increase in gaming performance, as well as comprehensive integration with the XBox through a built-in application with connection to XBox Live.

  Windows 10 features from XBox

Windows 7 and Windows 10: comparison table

You can list the innovations of Windows 10 for a long time: Snap Assist, synchronization of desktops between different devices, logical grouping and hard drives, and much more. Especially for you, we provide a table that will allow you to evaluate the capabilities of the two systems in comparison.

Comparison table of Windows 7 and Windows 10

	Windows 7	Windows 10
Developer	Microsoft	Microsoft
Release date for OEM	July 22, 2009	July 15, 2015
Release date for users	October 22, 2009	July 29, 2015
Update method	windows update	Windows Update, Windows Store, Windows Server Update Services
Platforms	IA-32, x86-64	IA-32, x64, ARMv7
Kernel type	hybrid	hybrid
License	Proprietary	Proprietary
previous version	Windows Vista	Windows 8.1
next version	Windows 8	No
Support	Until January 13, 2015	Until October 30, 2020
Extended support	Until January 14, 2020	Until October 14, 2025
Price	~12 000 rub. (Pro)	~14 000 rub. (Pro)
System requirements
CPU	IA-32 or x86-64, frequency from 1GHz	IA-32 or x64, frequency from 1GHz
RAM	IA-32: from 1 GB x64: from 2 GB	IA-32: from 1 GB x64: from 2 GB
Video	DirectX9 capable GPU with WDMM version 1.0 driver (optional, required for Aero only)	GPU with DirectX9 support and WDMM driver version 1.0 or later
Screen resolution	From 800 x 600	From 800 x 600
Input Devices	Keyboard, mouse	Keyboard, mouse, touchscreen
Free disk space	IA-32: from 16 GB x64: from 20 GB	IA-32: from 16 GB x64: from 20 GB
Functionality
Start menu	The start menu, which includes a list installed apps and search bar	Combo start menu that includes both a list of applications and Windows Live Tiles
Help & Support	Windows Help
Built-in browser	Internet Explorer 8	Microsoft Edge
Safety	Password protection	Biometric user identification
Cross-platform	PC, laptops	PC, laptops, tablets, smartphones
Search	Search bar in start menu and explorer, search within local computer
Conductor	Favorites feature that allows you to navigate to frequently visited folders	Quick access feature that allows you to jump to recent files and folders
multitasking	Switch between multiple running applications	Snap Assist: Launch up to 4 apps on one screen and fast switching between them
List of current tasks		Task View Button
Virtual desktops	No	Eat
Integration with XBox	No	Eat

It's no secret that today Windows 7 is gaining more and more popularity among PC users who prefer operating systems from Microsoft. Why is this happening? There are several reasons. One of which is that the system works faster, while consuming fewer resources than. Microsoft's programmers really decided to put more effort into Windows 7 than they did with Vista - which, in fact, was one of the company's biggest failures in recent times. The second reason is that Windows 7 can be installed on almost any modern computer, even a netbook, and it will work on it. System requirements are quite modest.

CPU: 1 GHz (32-bit/64-bit).
RAM: for 32 bit system 1 GB, for 64 bit 2 GB.
Hard disk requirements: 16 GB for 32-bit OS, 20 GB for 64-bit OS.
Graphic arts: if you want to enable Windows interface Aero, you will need a graphics card that supports DirectX 9 with WDDM driver version 1.0 or higher; The card must have 128 MB of memory.
(data taken from the Microsoft website. http://windows.microsoft.com/ru-RU/windows7/products/system-requirements)

What is WDDM? Without going deep into technical details, let's say that this is a video card driver built a little differently than before (ie a driver with a new architecture). Resulting in graphics system became more stable and safer. Also, the Aero interface will only work correctly with this type of driver. Like it or not, Microsoft's commercial ploy or not - this is a long debate, and it is beyond the scope of the article. I will only note that almost all Radeon or Nvidia cards released after 2004 support this driver model, and the drivers themselves can always be downloaded from the manufacturer's website.

Versions of Windows 7

Installing the system on a PC is very simple and generally does not differ from Vista. And it should be noted that system requirements for a 64-bit system, they are somewhat overestimated - it can also work on 1 GB of RAM. Below in the article, the pros and cons of 64-bit versions, as well as "which is better - 32-bit or 64-bit version" will be considered.
Windows 7 comes in several editions (releases). Data on them are given in the table:

Possibilities versions	Initial (Starter)	home Basic (Home Basic)	home extended (Home Premium)	professional (professional)	Maximum (Ultimate) and Corporate (Enterprise)
improved taskbar and jump lists	+	+	+	+	+
Windows Search	+	+	+	+	+
Joining home group	+	+	+	+	+
Archiving and recovery	+	+	+	+	+
Support Center	+	+	+	+	+
Control devices (Device Stage)	+	+	+	+	+
Streaming broadcast media files, including Play To technology	+	+	+	+	+
Support Bluetooth	+	+	+	+	+
Faxes and scanning	+	+	+	+	+
Base set of games	+	+	+	+	+
Dispatcher credentials	+	+	+	+	+
Aero Snap	+	+	+	+	+
"Live" sketches in the taskbar	-	+	+	+	+
Rapid switching users	-	+	+	+	+
Connection to wireless networks on the fly	-	+	+	+	+
Shared access to connection to Internet	-	+	+	+	+
Support several monitors	-	+	+	+	+
Center mobility Windows (without regime presentation) *	-	+	+	+	+
Aero Glass and extended navigation in Windows (Aero Shake and Aero peek)	-	-	+	+	+
windows touch (touch and handwritten input)	-	-	+	+	+
Creation home groups	-	-	+	+	+
Windows Media Center	-	-	+	+	+
Playback and editing DVD video	-	-	+	+	+
extended set of games	-	-	+	+	+
Scissors, Notes	-	-	+	+	+
Windows Sideshow (on additional display)	-	-	+	+	+
Custom Printing locations	-	-	-	+	+
Joining domain and group politicians	-	-	-	+	+
Connections to remote desktops (host)	-	-	-	+	+
Extended archiving (network and group politicians)	-	-	-	+	+
Encrypting file system (EFS)	-	-	-	+	+
Center mobility Windows: mode presentations *	-	-	-	+	+
Autonomous folders	-	-	-	+	+
Windows XP mode	-	-	-	+	+
BitLocker and BitLocker To Go	-	-	-	-	+
AppLocker	-	-	-	-	+
Direct Access	-	-	-	-	+
BranchCache	-	-	-	-	+
Multilingual custom interface (linguistic packages)	-	-	-	-	+
"Corporate" search	-	-	-	-	+
Improvements in deployment virtual media (VDI)**	-	-	-	-	+
Download from virtual hard drives (VHD)	-	-	-	-	+

* Windows Mobility Center is only available for laptops and netbooks
**Windows 7 Ultimate is not licensed for VDI scenarios, but these features add to the experience remote connection to this OS
*** The table is based on information from Microsoft:
http://windows.microsoft.com/ru-RU/windows7/products/compare?T1=tab20

But you can see such signs (or similar ones) on any site where Windows 7 is mentioned. And, frankly, for the average user they are not very informative: it turns out that you need to take the Maximum (you can’t buy Corporate - this version is not for free sales). But do you need it? Let's try to figure it out...

What to put - 32-bit or 64-bit?

Here we consider the situation that we put on home computer for solving typical household tasks: watching movies, simple work (like typing in MS Word), the Internet, games.
On most sites, it is advised to install the 64-bit version, citing the fact that it “works faster”. Opponents of the 64-bit system motivate their position with a "problem with drivers." In fact, now there is practically no such problem - for more or less modern equipment, you can almost always find a 64-bit driver. In some cases, 32-bit ones also get up - but this is fraught with slowing down the system or even dropping it into " blue screen of death". Therefore, it is better to install only 64-bit drivers.
In fact, for home computers, the performance increase is not as significant as we would like, it is clearly visible in mathematical calculations, for example, but in everyday life it is practically not noticeable, moreover, given that most programs are now 32-bit, it can happen slow down your computer. This is due to the peculiarity of the execution of 32-bit programs in a 64-bit system. Therefore, on this moment it is more desirable to install a 32-bit system (since a 32-bit analogue of a 64-bit program can almost always be found, and the reverse is not always true).
For home computers, there is one exception to the rule - you need to install a 64-bit OS if the amount of RAM on your computer is more than 3 gigabytes. 32-bit systems cannot address memory over 4 GB, in fact - no more than 3 GB (a feature of memory allocation). You can enable "advanced" addressing (PAE), but this is a "crutch" that does not always work.
Conclusion: if you have 4 GB or more, we install 64-bit Windows 7, in other cases we install 32-bit.

Deciding on the edition of Windows 7

Not everything is clear here - even "home" users have different needs. Therefore, we will explain the features of each edition, based on the table above. As you can see, in the table the “features” of the system are grouped in such a way that the next edition contains all the features that were in the previous one (unlike the table on the Microsoft website - it is grouped into categories (“entertainment”, “opportunities”, etc.). .d.), but the comparison is somewhat difficult.Therefore, who needs to look at the categories - you are welcome here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/ru-RU/windows7/products/compare?T1=tab20
All editions allow you to simultaneously run an unlimited number of applications (as long as your computer resources are enough).

Note. All links to the Microsoft website that will be in the article are recommended to be opened in Internet Explorer.

Windows 7 Starter

Improved Taskbar and Jump Lists is a feature that allows you to quickly jump to frequently used files. The content of the jump list depends on the specific program. To view the list of jumps, you can click right click on the program icon in the taskbar or call it from the Start menu:
The improved taskbar is a redesigned look (compared to previous versions of Windows) with improved functionality(which are expanded in more "advanced" editions).
Windows search: file finder on your computer. Includes indexing services to speed up file searches. Available in the top right corner of the window.
Joining a homegroup: provides the ability to join a computer to a homegroup. HomeGroup is a tool that makes it easy to set up file and folder sharing and printer sharing in your home network(i.e. between computers in your apartment/house). MirSovetov readers should understand that Windows Starter only supports joining a homegroup, not creating one!
Backup and restore: a program designed to back up important files (both yours and system ones) so that they can be restored if necessary. You can choose which files and folders to back up. You can also make an emergency copy of the entire system (system snapshot) with installed drivers, programs ... In order to have fewer problems with reinstallation if something happens.
Support Center: built-in program for displaying important Windows notifications requiring the user's attention. These notifications pop up mainly when there are any violations in the system that threaten its security or normal functioning, as well as when updates are available on the Microsoft website. The Action Center also offers ways to resolve problems and routine maintenance of your computer, allowing you to keep it running normally.

Device management: When you connect a device, a window may be displayed that groups the most frequently used functions for this device. For example, if you have an MFP (printer-scanner-copier), then when it is connected, various scanning and printing options may be displayed. IN early versions Windows it was spaced in different menus which still need to be reached. An example of how this function works on the Microsoft website:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/device-stage
Streaming media files, including Play To technology: streaming is when a file is played on one computer (broadcast server), and the other computers act as receivers. It turns out something like a radio broadcast, but in local network. PlayTo technology allows you to choose on which computer to play the specified file, i.e. allows you to personalize the broadcast. You can admire the PlayTo technology by downloading a demo video from the Microsoft website:
http://windows.microsoft.com/ru-RU/windows7/products/features/play-to
Bluetooth support: support for Bluetooth devices.
Basic set of games: a standard set of games (Klondike, Minesweeper, Spider ...).
Credential Manager: allows you to work with user accounts (add, change the name, set a password and other features associated with the account).

Aero Snap: very, according to MirSovetov, a useful feature: quick resizing of windows when dragging them to the screen borders. For example, when you want to view two word document at the same time: before you had to adjust the dimensions manually, now you just drag one document to the left, and the second to the right side of the screen. When "dragging" windows from these positions, the windows will restore their original size. Oddly enough, there is even on systems that do not have an Aero interface.

Demonstration (video) on the Microsoft website:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/snap
Also, you can't change the desktop wallpaper in Starter Edition. The initial version is usually delivered on netbooks, but it is quite possible to replace it with some more powerful edition on them. There are also restrictions on the launch of some applications, for example, some games do not run under this OS.

Windows 7 Home Basic

Includes everything that is in the Primary, and in addition to this a number of features.
"Live" thumbnails in the taskbar: when you hover and hold the cursor over the program icon in the taskbar, a window thumbnail appears showing what the program is currently doing. This window can even play video. There can be several thumbnails for one program if several windows are opened in it. In short, this is something like screenshots of a window in the taskbar:

Fast User Switching: support for switching to another user without first closing all windows and programs of the current user.
Connecting to wireless networks on the fly: when left clicking on the icon wireless networks the taskbar displays a list of available wireless networks (and information about them in tooltips) that you can connect to
Internet Connection Sharing: the ability to access the Internet of the same network connected to the Internet.
Multi-monitor support: working display Windows desktop and programs on other monitors connected to this computer; There are various display options. These options can be accessed by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting "screen resolution":

In this case, the system has one monitor. If there were several of them, then next to the monitor with the number 1, a monitor with the number 2 would appear, in the "screen" drop-down list, you would be asked to select the desired monitor.
Windows Mobility Center: this is for laptops and netbooks, allows you to access quickly used tasks specific to this type of system:

In this edition, there is no support for equipment for showing presentations (the ability to connect projectors).

Windows 7 Home Premium (Home Premium)

Includes everything that is in Home Basic, plus some functionality on top of that.
Aero Glass and enhanced navigation in Windows (Aero Shake and Aero Peek, Aero Snap): Aero Glass is a semi-transparent window display style and animation, with the ability to customize translucency, colors, and more. "under yourself". Aero Shake is hiding all windows except the selected one. To restore all windows, simply “shake” the active window. Demo (video):
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-RU/windows7/products/features/shake
Aero Peek - "x-ray" for windows - allows you to look "through windows", while the outlines of windows remain on the screen, but their contents disappear (except for the selected window). Demo (video):
http://windows.microsoft.com/ru-RU/windows7/products/features/peek
Windows Touch (touch and handwriting): designed for tablet computers. Allows you to work with the system by clicking on the interface elements on the screen.
Create a homegroup: what's happened home group- see the corresponding paragraph in the description of the features of the "initial" edition. In this edition, in addition to joining, you can already create home groups. The fundamental difference is that in the “initial” edition it was impossible to select files and printers that need to be shared in this way, but in this one it is possible.
Windows Media Center: program for quick access to Windows multimedia features: watching and recording TV, watching videos and photos, listening to music… Optimized for use on touch screen devices.
DVD video playback and editing: if you can play a DVD on any editions, if necessary, delivering the appropriate codec, then here this codec is already out of the box, and is also available under the name DVD Studio.

Extended set of games: chess, mahjong, backgammon and others are added to standard games.
Scissors, Notes:"scissors" allow you not only to, but also to select any area of ​​the screen and take a screenshot only from this area. Notes are something like "stickers" on the desktop for memory. This feature will be useful for MirSovetov readers who own tablet PCs - you can take notes by hand.
Windows Sideshow (on secondary display): technology for receiving and displaying data from a computer on other displays. For example, displaying a photo from a computer in a photo frame.

Windows 7 Professional (Professional)

Includes all the features of Home Extended, added a number of others.
Location Based Printing: Let's say you use a laptop and connect it to the network at work. There is a printer at work, there is a printer at home. Previously, you had to reconfigure the printer every time, or, at best, select the appropriate default printer. With this Windows feature remembers which network the printer is connected to and, when reconnecting to this network, automatically restores the settings for it.
Domain Join and Group Policies: allows you to configure group policies (sets of rules according to which the Windows environment is configured, typical for multi-user systems) and the ability to add a computer to a domain (a domain is a group of computers with the same security policies).
Remote Desktop Connections (host): allows you to remotely connect to a computer and work for remote computer as if you were behind him.
The prefix "host" means that the computer can act as the one to whom you connect using the remote desktop feature.
Advanced backup (network and group policies): everything is the same as in regular archiving, but the ability to archive network settings and group policies is added to this.
Encrypting File System (EFS): allows you to encrypt your files and folders from other users (when using file NTFS systems). How and why to encrypt is rather a topic for a separate article.
Windows Mobility Center: a presentation mode has been added (what is a "mobility center" - see the description of the Home Basic Edition) makes it possible to display an image on a projector:

Offline folders: the ability to automatically copy the contents of the server files to the disk of the local computer; the user will be able to access the files even if the server on which they are stored “falls out” of the network. Windows periodically syncs files in offline folders with the contents of files on the server.
Windows XP Mode: allows you to run Windows environment 7 operating system Windows XP. And work with it as if you had it installed - i.e. install programs there, run games for XP, etc. At the same time, there is a "transparent" connection with Windows 7: for example, you can easily copy files from Win7 to Win XP (and vice versa) simply by dragging them from the Win7 desktop to Win XP and vice versa.
Also, this function can work as a program launcher in the Windows 7 environment: Windows window XP does not open, but all the conditions under which the program would work on real XP are emulated, which is not achieved by the options on the "compatibility" tab. In fairness, it is worth noting that there are few such programs.
This feature requires Virtual installations PC - virtualization tools.

A note for the pro. Starting with this version, the distribution kit includes such useful snap-ins as lusrmgr.msc (Local Users and Groups Management), gpedit.msc (Group Policy Editor), secpol.msc (Security Policies).

Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise (Ultimate, Enterprise)

versions include everything that is in the Professional, and to this:
BitLocker and BitLocker To Go: these are means of protecting and encrypting data on hard drives (BitLocker) and USB drives (BitLocker To Go). Talking about how it works and how it is configured is beyond the scope of this article. Most home users do not need these programs (unless you work with data, access to which an outsider is highly undesirable).
AppLocker: this addition to group policies, which determines which applications can/can't run on computers on the network. A tool for administrators, controlled from the Windows Power Shell console, there is absolutely no need for the average user, if only to prevent children from running toys. But this is from the "gun on the sparrows" - there are more convenient means.
Direct Access: allows access from home internal network organizations using a dedicated server. Again, the average user does not need.
BranchCache: caches data from remote servers on local network resources. Saves working time on downloading files, sometimes improves the performance of web applications. Why is this on a home computer?
Multilingual user interface (language packs): allows you to install localization packs, as a result of which a native language can be selected for each user on one computer. Relevant for transnational offices.
"Corporate" search: search on the organization's network, incl. in databases, etc., with a high degree of correspondence between the output and the requested one.
Improvements in the deployment of virtual environments (VDI): a technology that allows you to save on application licensing (and something else) - when deployed on the same server virtual computers, users work with them just as if they were "real".
Booting from virtual hard disks (VHDs): virtual HDD- this is a file, one might say, an image, which has its own file system, data, etc. Mainly used in virtual machines. But with this function, you can boot Windows 7 from such a file. Allows you to have several without much copies of Windows, independent of each other, on one "real" (physical) hard disk.

Yes, I would like to note that Windows Media Player is available in all versions of Windows 7. Also, recently it has become possible to choose desired browser at Windows installation 7 (the so-called “browser selection dialog box”), almost all popular browsers are provided to choose from (Opera, Chrome, Firefox, IE…).

Which version of Windows 7 should you choose?

This concludes the description of the "chips" of various editions. Let's summarize. But before that, let's break the audience of users into groups. The division is rather arbitrary and characterizes the main range of tasks that the user solves in everyday life. The partition itself was somehow imperceptibly derived by the author over 7 years of work in the field of IT, perhaps it is somewhat subjective:

• Category 1: Beginners / Regular Users. They are either just starting to learn the basics of working with a computer, or they use a computer as a typewriter and to surf the Internet. Periodically watch movies, listen to music;
• category 2: Advanced users / Interested. It is no longer enough for them to “just work” with a computer, they are looking for ways to make this work faster, more convenient, easier. And also in many cases they are trying to understand “how does it work” and “what else can be done”;
• category 3: IT professionals / IT students. For them, the computer is a profession. They do everything with it - from driving nails with a computer to development large systems management of something and security systems. They tend to require more features from the operating system.

For category 1, the best choice, according to MirSovetov, would be Windows 7 Home Premium - it has everything you need for work and entertainment, and even a little more. At the same time, you do not overpay money for functionality that you do not need, which you will not use anyway.
For category 2, this edition is also attractive, although Windows 7 Professional would have been suitable for them. But "Professional" costs almost 1.5 times more than "Home Advanced".
Category 3 is more suitable for Windows 7 Professional - very often they need features that are only in "Professional".
Windows 7 Ultimate can be advised to those who work in a large organization at least system administrator or wants to encrypt data with BitLocker out of the box without the hassle of purchasing and configuring third-party software that may not always work as expected (i.e. may not be compatible with this version of Windows).
Why do not we advise any of the readers of MirSovetov "Initial" and "Home Basic"? Because, in our opinion, these are slightly inferior systems, greatly curtailed and devoid of useful features which are often needed in today's world. It's just a matter of saving money. In addition, the "Initial" edition is not sold in Russia and the CIS.
All of the above is not presented as the ultimate truth, the choice is yours, given that many do not buy Windows, but download from various Internet resources - there is no question of saving money here. Well, for those who honestly buy an OS, they should approach the choice of the editors responsibly, because the money is yours and overpaying for something that you will never use is at least stupid.
Exceptions (where without them!). If you have Tablet PC or device with touch screen- you'd better install at least Windows 7 Home Premium. If you need a presentation function (problem-free connection of a projector) - then, it would seem, your choice is "Professional"? Not necessary. Of all the features of this edition, only one function is needed - and for this you need to pay almost twice as much? Wouldn't it be easier to use a third-party utility - it comes with almost every projector and laptop?

Current official prices can be found here:
http://www.microsoftstore.ru/shop/ru-RU?WT.mc_id=StoreCountryToggle_RU

Decide for yourself what better windows 7 or windows 10, everyone can in a practical way. To do this, it is enough to conduct an experiment and put on old laptop new build 1703 for PC. If the old versions of the “tens” worked with a system load comparable to Windows 8 / 8.1, then the latest build has become more gluttonous to the hardware resources of the device. What to say if Microsoft recommends for its future cloud version of "tens" under educational establishments laptops based on at least 4-core Celeron processors with 4 GB random access memory. But this is a “stripped down version of the dozen”, designed to push Chromebooks out of schools. What then to say about the normal operation of a full-fledged "tens" on old devices released during the Vista era. Only Windows 7 works more or less normally with them.

If you are looking for something to replace Windows 10, then you should know, except Linux distributions, you can just use the older ones, but current versions OS. Even Win 8.1, despite the terrible METRO interface, is sometimes more profitable (especially if licensed).

New devices new system

The dispute about which operating system is better - Windows 10 or Windows 7, is resolved only when you have a relatively new device in your hands, which is 2-3 years old. Older ones will definitely work faster on the "seven". Even installing a fast SSD drive will not help (with it, version 7 of the system will become generally lightning fast).

There was a time when streaming flash content played better on Windows 10:

1. video;
2. movies.

However, with the release of more optimized browsers and antiviruses (which significantly “load” the hardware of the device), it is easier to use Windows 7. That is, on old and weak devices, Windows 7 is again more relevant. It can run on devices originally designed for Vista with single-core Celeron processors, while newer systems will not even install on this configuration.

When choosing what to install on your computer - Windows 7 vs Windows 10 - you should proceed from the hardware of your device and personal aesthetic wishes.

After all, the remark that not all users like the interface of the tenth windows will not be news.

Privacy & Protection

In every banner, Microsoft claims that new Windows 10 has become more secure and secure that it is ready to offer the user much more than the old "seven". But is it really so? Something similar was said about XP in 2001, whose share of the network is now higher than that of Windows 8.1.

By security, we mean “patches” that cover potential OS vulnerabilities, and regular anti-virus software. Put good antivirus on Windows 7, and you simply don't need Windows 10. And universal metro apps have not become popular since the G8 (2012), they are also perceived as a tribute to universality with mobile platforms.

In addition to security itself, a large number of users are interested in the level of confidentiality of the new system.

And in this aspect, the “ten” of all releases have enough problems. The corporation knows literally everything about users. Not many will like someone to know his browser history, all the passwords and texts he typed on the keyboard, view personal photos and videos. Although Microsoft claims that it encrypts all data, is it really so?

Glitches and automatic updates

To ensure up-to-date antivirus protection, continuous improvement of functionality Microsoft abandoned the practice of giving the user a choice when downloading updates. From now on, they are downloaded and installed automatically, without the knowledge of the user. In the first releases, this caused a lot of problems for users who lost unsaved data on reboots or suffered bugs that came with each new update. Utilities were even released by third-party specialists that disable automatic updates, spying, and removing METRO apps.

Moreover, Microsoft's innovation (the so-called cumulative updates) is not so much designed to help the user, but to help the corporation reduce the load on its servers. If earlier updates came to the device only as needed, now large (400-500 MB) packages are loaded every Tuesday. And since by default each PC with 10 on board shares updates with computers over a local network, such packages are needed only so that the PCs update each other themselves, loading the corporation's servers less.

Built-in Skype, viewing 3D content

The new release of dozens 1703 finally allows on the local account the user to update metro applications and download extensions for the EDGE browser. In the assembly integrated Skype, there are applications for developing and viewing 3D content. However, is it really needed if only specialists are engaged in it, and a standard browser since IE6 has been used by a very small percentage of users? Of course, if you have a license for Windows 10 and new computer, then returning to Windows 7 is stupid, but you should not specifically look for a more outdated OS.

Each device should work on what it was designed for. The laptop worked on XP - most likely, on Win7 it will work with difficulty. If the PC was under Vista or 7, you don’t need to torment it with the “ten”, if there is no urgent need for it. After all, all games and programs are released specifically for this OS, but with optimization for the top ten.

If you make a rigorous comparison of what you will lose by betting the old system, it turns out that nothing special.

There is absolutely no point in buying the "tenth Windows" on purpose.

Gaming PCs and new operating systems

When a user's computer is used solely for gaming and surfing purposes, then the best solution would be to use a newer operating system. This to corporative clients need strict support for outdated software, work with papers. For a simple user good windows' is the one that is newer. Moreover, users, as usual, will use its capabilities by a maximum of 10%. Users rarely use regular software:

• browsers;
• players;
• antiviruses.

They are always trying to replace them with third-party free or even hacked counterparts, the same most often happens with the OS.

If we talk about gaming power, then the latest releases of the "tenth Windows" offer for gamers wide opportunities: this is both a new DirectX library and a more optimized "game mode". On Steam, subscribers for the most part have moved to a newer OS a long time ago. And according to their statements on the forums, new games work with the "ten" much better than with its predecessors. By definition, a gaming computer has a lot of RAM, powerful processor and a video card, as well as a fast drive, here the voracity of the “tens” is almost imperceptible.

Painful choice: what to do?

Before choosing which Windows to buy, weigh the pros and cons. And if version 7 is almost impossible to find in stores, then 10 is quite expensive. Better put a test build with a slow update circle and see how it works on your device, evaluate if the game is worth the candle. Very often it turns out that users, having overestimated the capabilities of their device, install an operating system that is not quite compatible with it and then complain about it.

You can not thoughtlessly install systems that are only nominally suitable for your device.

Literally one incorrectly working driver can cross out all the achievements of the system and turn work for a PC into a real punishment.

But if "frills" and imaginary security are not so important to you, it is better to install a less demanding OS, and by definition it is Windows 7.

What operating system to install

Some laptops are sold completely clean: there is no OS on them. And what then is better to put? Now the world has not converged like a wedge.

At the moment, there are, in fact, three types of OS:

• windows;
• macOS;
• linux

And each of them has its own characteristics of use.

And yes, they all have different prices. However, this is not the key factor.

Performance also depends on the hardware in your laptop.

Nevertheless, you can always choose the best option even for a not strong powerful device.

The range is now more than wide.

Windows

The most common operating system in the world is Windows.

It also produces most games and applications. However, there are misunderstandings with her.

Each PC user at least once had to reinstall the system due to various problems, system slowdowns, and so on.

So, we can say that the development of Bill Gates has become the most popular and the most problematic, oddly enough.

At the moment, Microsoft supports several versions of this OS -, (8.1) and.

The latter, by the way, is the most common in the world, even though the main support has been discontinued.

Let's figure it out in order, what is better to install on a laptop 12 diagonals, for example.

Windows 7

It was released back in 2009. So it is not surprising that by 2020 the company is going to completely stop supporting this product.

However, this OS will good choice for old or low power computers.

System requirements

Architecture	32-bit	64-bit
CPU	1 GHz IA-32	1 GHz x86-64
RAM	1 GB	2 GB
video card	with support for DirectX 9.0 and higher
Free hard disk space, GB	16	20

Thus, this option is quite suitable for your laptop. Programs will get up easily.

For non-advanced users, there should not be any major difficulties.

Everyone can understand the design. Moreover, the style Windows design Aero no longer surprise anyone.

Security is average, so do not neglect the installation of an antivirus.

However, you should not consider this operating system for the long term. Now you can find something better.

Windows 8 (8.1)

This version went on sale in 2012. Following it, two years later, 8.1 appeared as an update.

In the latter, some mechanisms have been improved, conflicts have been debugged and power consumption has improved, which, in principle, is important for your laptop.

When Windows 8 was first introduced to users, many said that it would be awkward to run on a PC, that it was designed for tablets and other touch screens.

However, it turned out that you can safely work with a regular cursor.

The design was still a little unusual for users of the seven and XP. However, this is one of the features of version 8.1.

In addition, there is an app store.

It is not very large, but you no longer have to search the Internet and download some programs. The process is streamlined, so to speak.

However, this OS will already be a little more demanding in the internal component of your computer.

But you will get a slightly more functional product.

System requirements

• - 1 GHz* or higher with PAE, NX and SSE2 support
• - 1 GB (for 32-bit) or 2 GB (for 64-bit)

In fact, the figure eight is already a thing of the past.

Owners of this OS can easily switch to new version, tenth.

In fact, support for 8.1 itself will be discontinued in the next few years.

So, perhaps, this option, although relevant, is not very practical in the long term.

Windows 10

This operating system is the latest in model range OS from Microsoft. The company has worked hard on it.

In addition, a way to popularize the system itself was specially thought out. This was done through free updates.

They were limited in time, but many users took advantage of this opportunity.

Appeared on the market "Ten" in 2015. Among its advantages at the moment is constant and continuous support.

That is, developers are working to improve the stability and performance of the system.

By the way, you can not refuse these updates. Not that you can't resist. You simply will not be given a choice - turning off updates in Windows 10 is tantamount to calling for rain.

In addition, installing an operating system on a laptop is not difficult.

It is no longer necessary to have a disk, as it was with the seven. It is enough to download the system itself from the site, create installation media and install.

However, do not forget to buy a key (it can now be purchased separately). Well, or activate the OS by other methods.

Windows 10 has learned to work with screens with higher resolution, and also supports two desktops. That is, those who work with the image and video, this OS will be to your liking.

And the OS is already more functional than its predecessors. This is evidenced by many factors, in particular, it is confirmed by special tests.

By the way, the company said that the Ten will be the last in the line of this family.

However, this does not mean that nothing new will appear on the market.

It's just that this OS will be constantly modified. Support will not end. This means that there will always be plenty of updates.

When the system first came out, it was often called raw.

However, at the moment it is quite suitable for most modern PCs. So, it’s better to install exactly the top ten on a 12 ’’ laptop, even despite the shortcomings.

Of course they are. Like other products from Microsoft, this version also has the ability to fail. Less than its predecessors, but still.

Yes, and some users complain about espionage by the OS. There were even several lawsuits.

If you don't like Windows 10 collecting information about you, you can turn it off. You just have to fiddle around with the settings.

System requirements

• Processor - 1 GHz* or higher with PAE, NX and SSE2 support
• RAM - 1 GB (for 32-bit) or 2 GB (for 64-bit)
• Hard disk space - 16 GB (for 32-bit) or 20 GB (for 64-bit)
• Video adapter - Microsoft DirectX 9 with WDDM driver

That is, they do not differ from previous versions. So, you do not have to upgrade hardware to install the operating system on .

macOS

In addition, not all programs run on macOS.

Of course, now there are a lot of analogues and developers create special versions for this OS, but keep in mind that not everything will work. So avid gamers should probably stick with Windows.

In principle, macOS is very easy to use. Moreover, it works quite quickly, it rarely hangs.

If you're worried about not having a MacBook, take it easy.

You can install an operating system on a laptop. Yes, you will have to play around a bit, but you have to pay for a stable product either in time or in the traditional way.

One of latest versions - macOS Sierra and OS X El Capitan.

And in the first one, support for Siri, an assistant, has already appeared. In general, each updated version offers its services to the user.

Unlike Windows updates often visible to ordinary users.

For example, on macOS Sierra provides better interaction with Apple Watch and the iPay system.

This way you can see what new features have been added.

linux

Not many people have heard of Linux. In fact, it is precisely the system under this name that does not exist.

Everything works on the basis of distributions. And don't be afraid of this word.

It is not difficult to install this operating system on a laptop.

Just download from the official website of the OS and create an installation . On top of that, you won't need to break anything or buy keys.

This OS is completely free. True, during installation you will be offered to make a charitable contribution, but this is all absolutely according to your desire - there is no obligation here.

Yes, of course, Ubuntu is not the most widespread system in the world.

Games on it won’t stand up much, so gamers can pass by.

But such a system is not pretentious, it easily gets up on low-power computers.

The absence of .

As with macOS, it is even more disadvantageous for attackers to target an audience as small as Ubuntu users.

This OS is very different in appearance from Windows. It is even closer to Apple's development in this regard.

Managing Ubuntu is easy. Most of all, users are only bothered by the location of the “close” and “minimize” buttons. They are on the left side, while Windows is on the right. However, you can easily get used to it.

Ubuntu is pretty stable. For work and leisure, this system is a very good option.

And if you take into account that you don’t have to pay for it and support is provided in any case, then the OS claims to be a good place in the review.

In addition, on this OS you can learn to program. Even dummies will sometimes have to open a terminal and write elementary code to update “sudo apt-get update”.

And many research centers and companies use Linux-based systems.

The reason for this is availability, stability and low resource requirements.

Thus, Ubuntu and its other counterparts (Kubuntu, Debian, and so on) are a good alternative. Especially if you use your laptop mostly for work and Internet surfing.

However, this system also has enough alternative programs for those that work only on Windows.

And, besides, through the special Wine software, you can work with some applications with .exe permission, you can even try to install your favorite games.

If you can’t figure it out in any way, this OS has quite a powerful user support.

Before posting your question on the forum, make sure it hasn't already been answered.

It often happens that a problem like yours has long been sorted out.

So what's the best way to install?

As mentioned earlier, it all depends on the purpose of your computer.

Windows is the most common. It is also loved by gamers, designers and all other users who deal with various programs.

For connoisseurs, macOS is very suitable. It is stable, offers great functionality, has good performance and speed.

In addition, it works great synchronization with all products from Apple.

For advanced users or those who want to have a stable simple system, in fact, for nothing, Linux-systems will be the best choice.

For everyday tasks, this is a great offer. As well as for slightly outdated devices that cannot pull Windows 10.

What operating system to install?