Windows OS version recommended for new builds

[TDeacon]

Hi all,

What is the consensus as to best Windows version, to be used for (AH) gaming over the next 3 years?  I am thinking of Windows 7 64-bit, but am not sure about which version (Home, Pro, etc.) is best.  Then of course I will need 64-bit drivers for stuff like my CH stick and pedals (if they exist…).  

BTW, I did search for this, but the search engine wasn't very successful in finding anything more recent than 2010.  

MH

[Skuzzy]

<snip>
BTW, I did search for this, but the search engine wasn't very successful in finding anything more recent than 2010.  

The search for the board works, but the problem is the amount of posts on our board is causing timeouts during the request.  If you are more specific with your search criteria, then the searches are more successful.

Short of changing bulletin boards, there is nothing we can do about it.

[TDeacon]

The search for the board works, but the problem is the amount of posts on our board is causing timeouts during the request.  If you are more specific with your search criteria, then the searches are more successful.

Short of changing bulletin boards, there is nothing we can do about it.

I know; we discussed this before.   

What do you recommend on the OS?

MH

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Hi all,

What is the consensus as to best Windows version, to be used for (AH) gaming over the next 3 years?  I am thinking of Windows 7 64-bit, but am not sure about which version (Home, Pro, etc.) is best.  Then of course I will need 64-bit drivers for stuff like my CH stick and pedals (if they exist…).  

BTW, I did search for this, but the search engine wasn't very successful in finding anything more recent than 2010.  

MH

My current understanding is that Win7 x64 would be your safest bet for a gaming operating system right now. Also Win8 has proved very fast and functional in my testing with a couple exceptions where games refused to start because they couldn't recognize the operating system version and/or driver used. That I count as a programming failure on their part. AH2 proved to function well with the exception of the automatic updater which had a user right hiccup of some sort. I'm not yet sure if this is 'birth pains' of early consumer preview or a more serious problem á la UAC.

[Krusty]

Avoid win8. It will be the next ME/Vista. It's a friggin' phone OS, and it shows. They built it to save money on developing 2 OSes, so they shafted PC users by making them use the mobile OS also.

There is nothing good about win8 that I've read to date.

[TDeacon]

Win 7 64-bit "Home" or "Pro"?

MH

[100Coogn]

I was using Vista for quite a few years and after much tweaking and process killing, it'd run AH fairly well.  I've recently upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit.  OEM.  This ran AH very well also.  I didn't really have to kill many processes, except superfetch.
Note, I had to increase my RAM from 4 GB to 8 GB, to let Windows 7 have a little breathing room.

Coogan
Win 7+AH= smooth.  (for me anyway. Good luck)

[Krusty]

Win 7 64-bit "Home" or "Pro"?

MH

First look here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/compare?t1=tab15

And glance at the supported memory here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7

Compare the features you want or MIGHT want 5 years from now. Given how fast RAM capacity has been increasing and how cheap the RAM is these days, I went with PRO, so that I could:

1) have more than 16GB ram with x64 install. Note HOME has a 16GB limit. Enough for now, but later? You may want more. Pro maxes at 192 GB of RAM.

2) have windows XP mode. I have the one PC for gaming, and a number of games are older. I wanted the compatibility mode for most use out of a single machine (so I don't have to dual boot to an older OS. or have a secondary machine, or anything).

3) not as important, but it has a couple of features that HOME doesn't, such as some remote desktop support and some networking features, if I recall.


In my opinion, go with Pro if you can at all afford it. For the RAM support alone.

[The Fugitive]

I went with PRO on my new box as well. My son uses "Ultimate", but hes a geek and uses the extra stuff it has

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Avoid win8. It will be the next ME/Vista. It's a friggin' phone OS, and it shows. They built it to save money on developing 2 OSes, so they shafted PC users by making them use the mobile OS also.

There is nothing good about win8 that I've read to date.

Have you actually tried it? LOL!

I recommend you do, it's free you know. Most people seem to bash Win8 because it's a cool thing to do now. 

[Krusty]

I will NOT try it. My bashing is informed bashing. I'm not doing it just to follow the crowd, as you put it.

[Skuzzy]

Have you actually tried it? LOL!

I recommend you do, it's free you know. Most people seem to bash Win8 because it's a cool thing to do now. 

Most people bash Windows 8, including virtually every game developer on the planet, because of the OS itself.  It has nothing to do with being cool.  It has everything to do with how bad the OS is.  It represents a giant leap forward in Microsoft leveraging more control over your computer.

The team developing Windows 8 is the same team that did Windows Vista.  The team that developed Windows 7 is working on what comes after Windows 8.  My bet is on that OS.

However, to shore up any risks, it is best to go ahead and invest in Windows 7 now (while you can still get it), and let Windows 8 die on the vine and see what comes after that.

People who claim people are bashing Windows 8 to be cool offer nothing more substantial than those who mindlessly rant about it.  I take either with a grain  of salt.

If you like to play games, you might pay attention to what every game dev has to say about Windows 8.  None of them like it and for many good reasons.

[gyrene81]

Have you actually tried it? LOL!

I recommend you do, it's free you know. Most people seem to bash Win8 because it's a cool thing to do now. 

i've tried it and it sucks. the only people who like it are those with accounts on every social networking site on the web and stay connected even on their phones. there is zero business functionality.

[Skuzzy]

i've tried it and it sucks. the only people who like it are those with accounts on every social networking site on the web and stay connected even on their phones. there is zero business functionality.

That is the basic nature of Windows 8.  Microsoft seems so disappointed, in the lack of market penetration into the mobile market, they appear to have decided the point of failure is not having a desktop OS which acts like a mobile OS.  The more I look at Windows 8, the more it feels like a mobile OS.  Just wrong for a desktop.

Like Vista though, there will be advocates for it.  Unlike Vista early on, the negative reactions from the technical community, at large, have been significant.  All in all, it does not matter as in the end Windows 8 is going to fail.


Oh, by the way, if you like to play DVD or Bluray based movies on your desktop, then you should know Windows 8 drops support for that feature, requiring you to purchase a third party program in order to do it.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

If you like to play games, you might pay attention to what every game dev has to say about Windows 8.  None of them like it and for many good reasons.

None of the game developers have said Win8 is bad because it's made bad or the code doesn't work. They're scared of the live market place, secure boot and other things Microsoft is doing to take total control of the PC. No developer is excited on the prospect of having to pay Microsoft to sell products.

If MS goes overboard with control, another operating system will replace it and take the crown. Game devs are just freaking out because linux is still not ready for gaming and apple is too expensive for most consumers.