Which windows is better for home. Windows Mobility Center: presentation mode. Which version of Windows is best for gaming

These groups have been waging an almost equal struggle for market monopolization for a long time, and this struggle is expected for a long time - it is difficult to single out a favorite in it. Let's try to figure out which product is the best quality.

Windows

At the moment, there are three current versions of the OS of this corporation - 7, 8, 10. Windows XP has already gone out of fashion - now it is installed mainly on old computers. The newest version is Windows 10, but not the most popular version from the company. Windows 7 is firmly in the ranking of the most used systems: 52% of personal computers in the world are served by it.

Windows operating systems are optimized, their work is stable on most computers, with older versions of XP and 7 being the most preferred. The Windows product is not the most secure, so if you use the Windows OS, you need to take care of installing licensed security software.

Many users compare operating systems by interface. Windows does not lose to its competitors - a large selection of data visualization themes, window animations and translucency create a pleasant contrast. Newer versions of Windows have retained elements of the very first systems from this manufacturer, which beckons the user.

One of the key advantages is the ability to install programs to perform a wide variety of tasks. This applies to office programs and gaming applications, as well as other applied areas.

linux

Here, manufacturers have decided to release many versions that have a special purpose. The most widely accepted Linux product is Ubuntu. It has become popular with Linux, as it is the most optimal for home use.

The Linux product is unique in that you can change everything in the system settings in such a way that the system will be completely rebuilt taking into account the parameters of the PC. This fact provides the highest performance, and in this component, Linux is the undisputed leader among OS manufacturers. Linux also has the advantage of being highly reliable and secure, as distributions provide many mechanisms to restrict access to user information.

As for the appearance, it can be customized in any way. Linux has a lot of options for choosing an interface - from simple and strict to complex and colorful, with a lot of effects. One of the most important details for Linux is that in order to effectively manage it, the user must learn to work on the command line.

Many professional programming applications are written on the Linux kernel. But as for the choice of applications for performing applied tasks, everything here is not as rich as that of competitors.

macOS

macOS desktop

The "OS" itself occurred along with the appearance of the first products from Apple, respectively, is used on these devices. Now the most recent edition of MacOS is version 10.

MacOS are oriented to a certain hardware standard, so their performance is the highest among all available operating systems. It is worth noting that the high performance of systems for MacOS is a distinctive feature - all products of this manufacturer are characterized by very stable and productive work. MacOS systems are very reliable, the cumulative number of viruses for this platform is not very high, and you should not worry about installing additional security software.

Most users are sure that MacOS is the most convenient and attractive operating system, judging by the user interface. The manufacturer pays a lot of attention to this component, and it is not surprising that they are superior in this component over their competitors. Developers apply a huge set of technologies that are aimed at harmonizing and improving the appearance of controls. Interestingly, the company regularly requires developers of third-party software to use the most similar to the standard "Mac" style of application design, so that users work in the new program in the same way as in the familiar one before.

DOS

FreeDOS desktop

There are few users left who remember these operating system developers. It must be remembered that they became innovators in the field of OS development, inventing the whole operation of the operating system. Yes, competitors have gone further, having improved all the developments of DOS, but the developers of the first OS have now begun to come up with innovations for previous developments. Since the early 2000s, DOS has released a couple of OS emulators for PCs, but they were not recognized by users due to low performance and the lack of most of the necessary features for modern OSes.

However, DOS remains necessary for many users. DOS software is the best option for those users who want to use old computers with new applications. To do this, the developers launched FreeDOS and DJGPP, which included several programs that are popular today - a file manager, a text editor, a web browser, an email client, etc. In other words, DOS products are still usable on older PCs.

Safety and reliability

In general, Windows, Linux and MacOS are competing for the title of the best OS group - DOS has already ceased to compete with more modern developments. In the field of reliability and safety of work, the most optimal products are Linux and Apple. The best distribution in this component for Linux is Ubuntu. Experts believe that systems with a Linux kernel are preferably used as a custodian of critical information, since protection against unauthorized intrusions to the information stored in the system is very strong. By the way, users themselves need to be very careful when assigning passwords and long paths to their desired files - otherwise you can lose them.

Unlike Linux and MacOS distributions, Windows clearly loses in reliability and security. The Windows product still remains with the title of the most unreliable operating system. Third-party security software is released regularly, but system protection is at its lowest level, and if you value the security of your information, Windows should not be chosen as the OS for your PC. As for MacOS, the security here is also at the highest level.

The most gaming system

As mentioned above, in terms of the number of programs in different areas, Windows is the leader, and in the gaming component, this developer is the undisputed leader. Quite a lot of gaming applications are also released for Linux, since these "OSes" are also quite popular in the world, for example, here you can find everyone's favorite Steam. But in the end, in the total volume of gaming applications, Windows will give odds to both Linux and MacOS combined. The system itself has good enough characteristics for uninterrupted and error-free operation of gaming applications on any computer, but, however, this rarely happens.

If you look at Windows distributions, so far users are very cautious about calling Windows 7 the most preferred for games, despite the fact that three new versions of the system have already been released! Of course, the "seven" is a proven system, and therefore it is given more preference by users. But this is not for long - in a year and a half the whole world will start talking about the fact that the eighth and tenth versions of Windows are much better than the seventh in terms of gaming.

The simplest OS

If we take into account all the operating systems available in the world and choose the simplest of them, DOS systems will be the absolute champion here. But if we talk specifically about the three giants of the OS release at the present time, then in simplicity, again, Windows will be ahead of everyone. Simplicity can be different - the banality of development, ease of use, etc. We are more interested in what systems it is more convenient for users to work with. And most of them believe that Windows is the simplest "OS", and starting from its very first versions.

Indeed, Windows is the easiest system to use, but very difficult to develop. MacOS ranks second in terms of usability, as noted by experts. Linux, on the other hand, are the most complex systems, but once you get used to it, you will never go back, for example, to the Windows family.

For weak PCs

Of course, here it is worth giving preference to DOS! However, DOS is quite difficult to find now, therefore, Linux distributions with a lightweight desktop environment (LXDE, OpenBox, MATE, Xfce) are most suitable for weak PCs.

The most optimal distribution for use in weak PCs from the Microsoft family will be Windows XP. In fact, this OS is quite good in that it has good performance and an attractive interface. It is simple enough and quite suitable for playing your favorite classic games even on a weak PC.

The downside is that XP is no longer supported by the manufacturer, and installing this system, you risk picking up a lot of viruses and trojans.

This means that if you actively use the Internet, without additional security software, your PC will not be able to work for a long time. So, think carefully about choosing an "OS" before installing it on your weak PC.

Availability of software installation

And again, the undisputed leader here is Windows! Still, the products from this developer appeared on the market very first, and therefore it is sold instantly. Now only the lazy is not developing programs and applications for Windows, which means that the software will always be available for these operating systems. But it is important to remember: due to the low degree of protection of the Windows OS, you must be extremely careful when installing software on a computer. Of course, you need to use licensed software, and if there is none, then you should know that you are taking risks by installing unwanted programs on your PC with a low level of protection.

Which system to choose in the end

Recently, system developers have done a great job of improving OS versions. Of course, the minimum market share and popularity will be occupied by MacOS, since it is a relatively new product. According to the characteristics, it is not inferior to Windows and Linux. If this product will be in great demand in the future, MacOS may soon become a sales leader.

Linux is a great system for office PCs and for computers that are used for programming and administration. They have high performance, are as safe and reliable as possible in use, but they are too narrow-profile, because these "OSes" are not widely used.

Windows is the undisputed winner in almost every respect among its competitors, and the popularity of the product is understandable. For modern computers, it is Windows that will be the optimal OS, everyone chooses the version on their own. It depends on the user which OS to install - if a computer is needed for work, it is better to install Linux, if for games - Windows. It is necessary to determine all the parameters that you want to receive to a greater extent from the OS - and in this case, you can make the right and informed choice!

According to Roskomstat, Windows has 84% ​​of popularity among Russian users of personal computers. Linux is ahead of MacOS by 3% - 9% versus 6%. This will change if there are strong reasons for attractiveness among users, and system developers are constantly working in this area.

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 the Windows Aero interface, you will need a video 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). As a result, the graphics system has become 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 the system requirements for a 64-bit system are somewhat overstated - it can 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:

Opportunities 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	-	+	+	+	+
Centre 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)	-	-	-	+	+
Centre 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 enhance the experience of remotely connecting 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 the Corporate version - 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 a home computer to solve 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 a system slowdown or even dropping it into the “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, at the 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 opposite 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 jump list, you can right-click on the program icon in the taskbar or call it from the Start menu:
The improved taskbar is a modified look (compared to previous versions of Windows) with improved functionality (which is 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. A homegroup is a tool that makes it easy to set up file and folder sharing, as well as printers on your home network (that is, 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 (a cast of the system) with installed drivers, programs ... In order to have fewer problems with reinstallation if something happens.
Support Center: a built-in program for displaying important Windows notifications that require 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 a device is connected, a window may be displayed that groups the most frequently used functions for that 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 earlier versions of Windows, this was separated into 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 transmission, but in a 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 documents side by side at the same time: before you had to adjust the sizes 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: left-clicking on the wireless networks icon in 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: displaying the 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 is a 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 multimedia functions of Windows: 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 feature, Windows remembers which network the printer is connected to and, when reconnected to that 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 on a remote computer as if you were at it.
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 the NTFS file system). 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 the Windows XP operating system in a Windows 7 environment. 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: the Windows XP window 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 the installation of Virtual PC, a virtualization tool.

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 is an add-on to group policies that determines which applications can / cannot 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 you to access from home to the internal network of the organization using a special 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 virtual computers are deployed on the same server, users work with them in the same way as if they were “real”.
Booting from virtual hard disks (VHDs): a virtual hard disk is a file, one might say, an image, which has its own file system, data, etc. It is mainly used in virtual machines. But with this function, you can boot Windows 7 from such a file. Allows you to have several copies of Windows, independent of each other, on one "real" (physical) hard drive at no particular cost.

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 select the desired browser when installing Windows 7 (the so-called "browser selection dialog box"), almost all popular browsers are available 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 / General 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 the development of large control systems for 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 as a system administrator, or want to encrypt data using BitLocker out of the box, without the hassle of purchasing and configuring third-party software that does not always and is able to work as expected (ie. 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 functions that are often needed in the modern 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 a tablet computer or a touch screen device, you should 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

Windows 7 is consistently in demand by most users. Why? It has been tested by time and experience, it is considered one of the most convenient and harmonious filling versions. As a rule, not everyone likes the new eighth version, someone is simply used to the seven, does not want to update it. As for the tenth version of the software, it is surrounded by controversy and gossip, because some consider it the best product from Microsoft, other users stubbornly find its shortcomings.

Which Windows 7 is faster?

But those who decide to install the "seven" are interested in one question - which Windows 7 is the fastest? It will not be possible to answer this question unambiguously - it all depends on where you download the software from, what set of features you need, how powerful your computer is.

Let's see how the different types of Windows 7 differ, which will be the fastest on a PC, and why you need to know about the difference between x64 and x86.

From what source are you installing the system?

This directly affects how quickly and reliably the software functions. Why? There are two types of products - licensed and amateur or pirated builds. In the first case, to get a licensed assembly, you either buy it or get it from reliable sources. The original Windows contains only elements added by the creators, a minimum of errors.

There are other builds, amateur - this is, in fact, the same build, but with third-party elements. They are, for example, additional functions that are not found in pure software, or third-party files that can harm your computer.

If you download the first assembly that comes across, you risk getting an archive with a lot of errors. Accordingly, this will be reflected in the security of your data, the speed of tasks.

We advise you to install original assemblies - you buy it or get it from a friend, it remains your own business. But again, third-party assemblies downloaded from unreliable sources contain errors in the software itself, supplemented by other problems and malfunctions, and do not differ in higher speed.

What are the types of Windows 7?

Each system released by Microsoft comes in different flavors:

• Basic;
• Home regular and extended;
• professional;
• Corporate;
• Maximum.

The basic version immediately disappears for installation due to its limitations - for example, in it you cannot even change the desktop background. Rather, it was created for familiarization, checking the computer.

What is the difference between simple home and extended versions? A simple home version will be the best option for undemanding users, it only supports up to 8 GB of RAM, no domain support, remote desktop, you can only join a local group. In the extended version, management of such a group is available, memory up to 16 GB is supported.

There is no Media Center in the basic home system, which will help turn the computer into a full-fledged entertainment center. Therefore, to get more functionality, you should choose the extended home version.

But do not rush to dwell on it - the professional assembly has a complete set of features, they are quite enough for normal use. The amount of available RAM has been greatly increased - up to 128 GB, you can install an outdated XP emulator, connect to a remote desktop, and much more.

Accordingly, the Corporate version is useful for offices and large companies, and the Maximum includes all the possible functions of all of the above types, but is very expensive. However, if you are a maximalist and do not want to choose between the advantages of different options, stop at this view.

So which build of Windows 7 is the fastest? In truth, they have the same speed of operation, and everything depends on the capacity of the system.

What is system capacity?

There are 32 and 64-bit systems, this applies to all types, except for the basic version of Windows. Which one will be the fastest?

As a rule, 32-bit systems (also referred to as x86) are installed on a PC with up to 4 GB of RAM. This software is better perceived with average characteristics, it works quickly and efficiently.

The 64-bit (x64) system is slightly faster in some applications, but it requires more than four gigabytes of RAM to display correctly. In the case when the computer has such data, it has a powerful processor, x64 will reveal its potential to the maximum.

If the computer is weaker, has only a couple of gigabytes of RAM, it is better not to trouble it with x64 software - install a 32-bit version that will correspond to its "stuffing".

Note that although x64 is considered more powerful, in practice this software shows almost the same speed. The version with a smaller bit depth does not worse cope with the tasks.

Therefore, the answer to the question of which Windows 7 is the fastest will be the one that corresponds to the amount of RAM and processor power.

In fact, there are no performance secrets - all types of Windows 7 work equally fast. And, of course, once again we advise you to choose the original build or a verified archive from third-party developers if you are downloading "pirated" software. In general, the above knowledge about the differences between bit depth and types of software will be more than enough for a balanced choice.

Should I upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10? Maybe, well, them, these innovations and beauty? Or still keep up with the times? It's a matter of questions that confuses many of today's Windows users.

Comparison of Windows 10 and Windows 7

As an example, take any laptop with decent performance, such as the Samsung R60Y+. Don't be intimidated by the fact that this model is 9 years old - it is a machine with a dual-core processor and 2 GB of RAM. Windows 8 / 8.1 / 10 works very fast on it, which cannot be said about inexpensive and weak netbooks: one of these is the Acer Aspire One 521 with its usual processor and only 1 GB of RAM.

Performance Windows 10 and Windows 7

For comparison, a PC of the following equipment was taken:

Intel Core i5-4670K processor (3.4 GHz - 3.8 GHz);

8 GB RAM (DDR3-2400 RAM architecture);

video card Nvidia GeForce GTX 980;

Crucial MX200 1TB drive;

system block SilverStone Essential Gold with a power of 750 watts.

Startup and behavior when turning on the PC

Windows 8 and 10 versions load faster. This is not a file-by-file loading of the operating system kernel, as it was up to Windows 7, but loading of the last successfully completed session with workable settings and user data. Starting Windows from scratch every time you turn on your PC is yesterday's day for operating systems: this method wore out internal drives faster (SSDs and LiveUSB bootable flash drives, which were less durable than a simple HDD, especially suffered) and greatly overloaded RAM and processor.

After loading Windows 7 shows the classic desktop and taskbar with the main Windows menu. In Windows 8.x, the Start button was hidden, but in Windows 10 it was made more accessible, as in earlier versions of Windows. Most of the tools for configuring and debugging Windows 10 are still readily available, which will be discussed below.

remove the password that was imposed when you first started the "dozens" - in Windows 7 and earlier versions, the password was not forced;

remove the autostart of some Windows components and services, which, as a rule, are not urgently needed, especially if the computer is used for work and entertainment on the Internet;

clear the lists of scheduled tasks that are also not needed;

turn off the slideshow of screensavers and "wallpapers", set a simple Windows design, remove other annoying paraphernalia.

To begin with, using the BootRacer program, the time taken by the OS to start is measured - from the appearance of the Microsoft logo to the display of the Windows desktop.

The best time was shown by Windows 8.1; Windows 10 booted within 6 seconds, Windows 7 within 5 seconds

If the Windows 7 shell had not started from scratch every time, it would have started in just 3-4 seconds. And this is on a PC with a very impressive performance!

Sleep/Sleep and Hibernate Windows

The first mode that allowed you to safely stop Windows without closing programs and without losing data was hibernation - saving the entire current session on the C drive. The more advanced version of Windows, the less time it takes to complete the hibernation command.

The older the system, the longer it takes for it to hibernate; the best time - 21 seconds - showed Windows 10

Windows hybrid sleep - a cross between hibernation and regular sleep - takes a little less time, and here you can also see the superiority of Windows 10.

In Windows 10, the time it takes for the PC to go to sleep is the least

Windows 7 and 10 system requirements for PC

The following values ​​​​of RAM, video card memory, CPU and space in the system partition (in the case of using one version of Windows, this is usually the C: partition) must be exceeded at least twice, otherwise this is not work on the computer, but torment.

Computer requirements from Windows 7/10 - table

The main factor is the bit depth of the PC. It makes sense to change Windows 7 to 10, for example, in the following situations:

computer performance suffers; the software was updated/replaced - replacing Office 2007 with Office 2013, Photoshop CS1 with CC version, etc.;

I want to try new games that are more demanding on hardware resources; for example, upgrade GTA4 to GTA5, Crysis 2 to Crysis 3, and so on;

a large monitor/projector has been purchased and the PC or laptop acts as a home theater or controls a projector at the university;

the entire “system unit” is being upgraded or completely changed in connection with the launch of 16-channel video surveillance with IP cameras at guarded posts - the PC itself is used as a video recorder: for example, 16 GB RAM, a 1 TB hard drive and an 8 * 3 processor are purchased, 5 GHz.

Which version of Windows is best for gaming

It is necessary that the game does not freeze anywhere - and it does not matter if it is single or multiplayer. Who will like a laptop overheated to failure and noisy at night for half an apartment with its fans, in which your favorite World of Tanks or Call of Duty Black Ops constantly freezes, control of the main character is lost, and you are killed in the game in an easy place ?!

Windows 7, 8 and 10 are only slightly ahead of each other - there would be a powerful and high-speed "stuffing" of a computer or tablet. Most of the games of the last decade require at least Windows Vista, otherwise you are unlikely to play GTA-4/5 or the latest World of Warcraft series on them.

An example is the game Tomb Raider. No noticeable increase in download speed was found.

Tomb Raider boot times are almost the same on all versions of Windows

Windows 10 is slightly behind Windows 7 in Metro Redux and Crysis 3.

Which version of Windows is faster for work apps

As in games, the hardware itself decides a lot here. For example, when you start Download Master, Firefox Portable, Adobe Photoshop, Avant Browser and some others, a screensaver (cover) of the application appears on the screen for a second or two, which you are unlikely to speed up - these programs are configured this way, they maintain the interval for displaying this splash screen before opening its main working window. This is reminiscent of, for example, the intro of the game Call of Duty or Grand Turismo, but, unlike work applications, you can interrupt the demo and start the game by pressing Enter or clicking the mouse.

This is where productivity matters. If for you a computer is not a toy, but a means of earning money, applications should work quickly - for example, Microsoft Office does not slow down when typing documents; the printer, scanner, copier, etc. work quickly; the local network of the enterprise does not “fall off” and does not slow down.

Launching Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge

Internet Explorer 11 and the new Microsoft Edge browser are taken as examples. With every change, Windows IE gets a little faster. Microsoft is right - Edge is much faster than slow-witted IE.

Edge browser loads almost twice as fast as IE regardless of Windows version

Internet Explorer is clunky, yet banks and corporations use it - they don't need Chrome or Opera or Firefox.

Adobe Photoshop startup monitoring

Photoshop throughout history has accumulated so many software modules, templates, filters and settings that it takes a very long time to start even on high-speed machines.

Photoshop download speed on Windows 7 and 10 is almost the same

Further development of Windows did not greatly affect its speed of start.

How did Microsoft Excel perform?

In general, nothing has changed in the performance of Excel.

The speed of Excel 2013 is almost the same in all recent versions of Windows

This is one of those cases where productivity in work applications doesn't change for the better.

People's reviews of Windows 10

Somehow, one fine morning, I came across the news about the public access of Windows 10 from the company Melkosoft. Initially, I was very surprised by the release of the 10th after the 8th, but that’s not the point, I immediately downloaded it and started having hemorrhoids, because after a 2-hour installation, a 5-hour search for firewood that would correctly become on system, I came across a crude, unfinished system in which even the explorer does not work stably! Popandos, comrades! The graphic component is very minimalistic and of little interest, almost everything was torn off from the eight, but the start menu was added, conceptually it is a mixture of 7 and 8, to be honest, it’s useless from zero, I would say that I’m waiting for the full version, but it can’t be so after what I saw. Bottom line: Despite the ardent desire to switch to Linux, I rolled back to seven

Qwetyshttp://otzovik.com/review_1424470.html

I have been using the windows 8.1 operating system since 2013 and was completely satisfied, but when I saw a discussion of windows 10 on the Internet on the forums, how beautifully people tell how good and convenient it is, I could not resist and went to the official microsoft website. In general, I downloaded the installation and started installing this system. The installation was not long, like all windows quickly installed, rebooted, and then it started ... Well, of course, I’ll immediately note that the beautiful interface, the icons were replaced with more accurate ones, the taskbar and the main screen. The screen began to freeze , you are looking for settings to adjust and you won’t understand where they are located, I read on the forums that you need to demolish the previous version and I bought a windows 10 image with a license key. In general, I formatted the hard drive and installed windows 10 ... And it started again ... - now I’ll just list what problems did I contact. The store does not work - errors are constantly, the explorer does not work, updates do not work, games and programs do not start - there is always something missing in the library ... All the files that are not enough for the full operation of the PC - it is not possible to find in the Internet specifically for windows 10. As a result, windows 10 was disposed of and the PC returned to windows 8.1

Lengushihttp://otzovik.com/review_1955777.html

Good day. Most of us are used to the Windows 7 operating system, so it is clear that the transition to Windows 8,8.1 and 10 is perceived with hostility. After all, you need to get used to the new, and the old has already been studied up and down. Probably strange, but for me personally, it is the study of the new that excites great interest. The new is not only new problems, bugs and other crap. The new is also a solution to old problems, optimization, improvement, improvements. I have already installed Windows 10 five times, demolished it, returned to 8.1 and 7. But at the moment I clearly decided to stay on the top ten. It's more convenient, it's many times faster than previous operating systems, and yet it's new. In the end, new versions of programs and games are optimized for it. Games do not interest me at all, but still. There was only one unpleasant moment - an annoying message with a proposal to upgrade to the top ten, which appeared with the update of previous versions of the OS. But even he was easy to deal with. It was not necessary to install updates, or it was tedious to remove something from the installed ones. It's a matter of two minutes. Turning on the bluetooth on the keyboard does not work for me, but here there is a very convenient socket. Just right for me. They say that a dozen monitors users and sends data to Microsoft. Well, yes, it is. What's next? It is stupid for an ordinary user to worry about this. Not all are employees of the FSB or similar organizations. Why such paranoia? Terrorists may and should be worried, but ordinary people have no reason. An inflated problem, which, by the way, is solved by installing a small patch that demolishes all kaku, including the cool thing Cortana. I use it with pleasure. I turned off the regular antivirus only and installed my favorite Avast. I don't know the problem. Oh yes, there was one big problem. I have a movie folder. At the moment, its volume exceeds 400 GB, and it was with this folder that Windows was not friends. The bar at the top took a long time to load. Everything hung. The problem was solved simply, in the folder settings I changed the folder optimization from “video” to “common elements”. It's strange that she was stupid with optimizations for video. But I solved the problem, and this is the main thing. Of course, I recommend this operating system. Nimble, cute, easy to handle and set up.

Kosmonaut Mishahttp://otzovik.com/review_2744012.html

Summary: is Windows 10 as necessary as it seems

So, if you have a lot of free time and want to please your eyes with a new design - go ahead! What will change from the fact that the main Windows menu will become not just a menu, but in the form of a tile with large icons and cells of different sizes? You can't argue with statistics: more than half of people still love Windows 7 - it works very well on their computers.

The first requirement for any operating system is functionality, which includes features such as:

support for new devices and faster and more productive equipment - for this, Windows must have all the main drivers that are universal for many brands and models of PCs, laptops and tablets. In particular, this applies to panoramic shooting for Google Street and Yandex Maps - support for the latest "circular" and "spherical" HD cameras with a resolution of each of their matrices of thousands by thousands of pixels;

emergence and development of voice control (Cortana voice dictation in Windows, similar to Siri in iOS, support for OK Google voice search, etc.);

3D technology support: support for 3D monitors, 3D printing. This is gaining more and more popularity. Previously, only text could be printed - now it is possible to print, for example, a toy or a model on a 3D printer, and this is not the limit. With this, Windows 10 should also work smoothly and quickly;

support for multi-display work - used at presentations, lectures, in general when working in any company - and it doesn’t matter what this company releases, be it a new bike or an iPhone;

An abundance of all kinds of settings - a serious impetus to their expansion is given precisely by the new functionality.

The list threatens to become endless. As huge as it was, people were waiting for new features, new features from Windows 10, and not just new splash screens and shining panels, mosaics and animations, which Gates never skimped on. Since Microsoft is unlikely to release a new version of Windows (under the name 11 or Prima), all hope is for updates to Windows 10, which will bring to mind what is already there.

Video: Windows 10 settings

Updating Windows to the "top ten" is not such an important matter. If you don't need Cortana, virtual desktops and other "bells and whistles", stay on Windows 7, in any case, you won't lose anything either in work or in leisure.

Which Windows is better to install on a computer or laptop? This question is asked by users most often and it is one of the most difficult. There is the following list of currently popular operating systems: Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1, Windows XP, Windows Vista.

General information

1. Win 7;
2. Windows XP;
3. Win 8;
4. Windows vista.

Let's shorten this list.

OS versions 8 and 8.1 do not have significant differences and, in general, are the same, so version 8.1 is not subject to consideration in this article.

Windows Vista should be removed from the list, as it is an intermediate version before the development of the seventh Windows.

It is necessary to establish clear requirements for the operating system for a laptop or computer.

It is better to install a system on a computer that meets the following two main requirements:

1. Appointment of a PC or laptop;
2. The equipment of a PC or laptop (how powerful a PC has a filling).

The choice of which Windows is better to install depends on the second criterion, since the computer must meet the requirements of the OS.

In accordance with this conclusion, it is possible to divide the PC into 2 following categories:

1. For Windows 7 and 8 (requirements for these operating systems are the same);
2. For Windows XP.

If the computer has a processor with a clock speed of at least two gigahertz and the amount of RAM is more than 2 GB, then it is better to put a seven or eight. Otherwise, it is better to install the XP operating system.

If the PC parameters for OS 7 and 8 match, it is better to install the 8th version, because. it has a user-friendly interface and excellent features for work. Possible inconveniences of working in the new interface, due to user habits, are very easy to solve by transferring the look of the new system to the usual one, as in XP or in the seven.

Now let's answer the question: "Which system is better to install in accordance with the requirement" Purpose of the PC "? This requirement is very conditional. Often users asking a similar question mean their home personal computer. In this case, the purpose of the computer is home and it is better to install a cheaper "Home" edition of the OS. Since in the extended versions "Professional" and "Maximum", which cost twice as much, there is simply no need for home use. In this case, the user pays for additional functionality that he will never use.

Specifically, say “which Windows is better to install?” without knowing the exact configuration of a single computer is impossible. Therefore, it is recommended to install Windows 7 and 8, since XP no longer has support from Microsoft. It is better to install Windows 8.1 "Home" for the home, because. it has all the required features for personal use and no extra ones. There is no need to buy a gas truck to drive to the hardware store to buy a few milliliters of gasoline for your lighter.

However, not all users can afford to install a modern operating system due to insufficient computer power. Therefore, consider the only correct option in this case - XP.

Choosing Windows XP

This OS from our "top" list is the oldest and at the same time has a nice interface and high speed and stability. It is ideal for installing it on weak PCs with less than 2 GB of RAM and a processor frequency of less than 1.8 GHz.

Choosing Windows 8.1

As mentioned above, this is the most rational option if the PC has decent resources, but now a serious competitor to Windows 10 appears for it, which most people will rather like, because. has, unlike the figure eight, a convenient look, like the seventh version. Recall that the eighth was a shock to many, due to its original interface and the lack of a Start button.

Choosing Windows 10

It appeared in 2015 and combined the advantages of the 7th and 8th OS, and also works not only on a PC, but also has the ability to successfully function on smartphones, tablets, netbooks and laptops.

This system is also better for game lovers, as it provides a high speed of their work, and the developers have taken care of the ability to connect to any device with the tenth version of the system.

According to Microsoft, this OS is more secure than the previous ones. For example, the Windows Hello feature specifically defines user biometrics to help protect your computer from intruders.