Cnet: Microsoft Windows 7 (Professional) Review

The good: Strong design and Microsoft don't always go together, but they do in Windows 7. Users might take a while to get used to the new taskbar and Aero Peek, but they're a pleasure to use.

The bad: Performance is still hit-or-miss in Windows 7. At the ripe age of seven, Windows XP still performs better in some categories.

The bottom line: Windows 7 is more than what Vista should have been, it's where Microsoft needs to go and they went there. How much damage did Vista do and is Windows 7 enough for people to finally abandon Windows XP are questions that nobody has the answers to right now.

[Elven6]

I can't wait for Windows 7!

[phosphor112]

I liked the RC version, though there were lots of people with high end computers that had trouble running Win 7 RC1 with ease. It had a problem (glitch/bug or something) that would make it take literally 30 minutes to boot up Win 7 if you had 4 or more gigs of ram and a vid card that is 512mb or more at the same time. I was trying to get it to work on my brothers new computer the other day, read up on it, and people said, they took out enough memory to get it under 4 gigs, and it would work. Guess what, it did. Hopefully that's fixed by now lol.

[lord_of_balrogs]

Im gonna get myself a laptop next may. PC for me, I really don't like the macbook or the mac tax. Windows 7 looks like a really great OS.

[Major_Tom]

I'm already using it, it's great.

[GWAVE]

I'm not trolling, but we have to remember that Vista received plenty of stunning reviews very early on.

And then the public actually used it...

[SaberEdge]

Windows 7 is awesome. This is the best OS they've ever made.

[evrfighter]

@ Gwave, except for the fact that most of the people your replying to (me included) have already tested it and love it.

Unlike Vista, 7 isn't a memory hog.

I think I'll be going with the 64 bit version of 7.

[verb3k]

Why would someone switch to an all-sluggish ram-hogging piece of bloatware.

[doshey]

dude vista is a all-sluggish ram-hogging piece of bloatware, W7 aint even close to that, i love W7 the day installed it, and before i had been using xp sense it had came till may W7 is great

[whoelse]

And the performance is only going to get better with each service pack.

And I love the taskbar. Yes it's more Mac like but maybe that's a good thing.

[Captain Tuttle]

You're trolling.

[na2ru1]

I love Vista. It has much more navigational flexibility compared to XP. I have 4 GB ram laptop. But when I installed it on my old 1gb ram PC, weren't many noticeable problems either.

[Aquanox]

Never since Windows 95 there's been so much approval for a Microsoft OS. Windows 7 is just how we want the software giant to make their software. Fast, awesome looking, excellent compatibility for appz and gamming and a lot of cool additions.

This is how a market leader must respond to their consumer's criticism.

[NaiNaiNai]

First

WTF happened to all of gwaves bubbles. O.o

and now. I can't wait to use 7, I need a new PC soon anyways and I wanted to try 7 and this gives me a good reason to.

[MEsoJD]

has been amazing.

I haven't booted back into my xp in ages.

[Blaze929]

Yeah I might actually buy Windows 7 or hell, a new PC in general. I tried the RC version and I was really impressed and instantly fell in love with this OS. I think Microsoft has a great one here.

[Major_Tom]

There's a notable increase in performance over win7RC and Windows 7 RTM 16385 MSDN/Untouched.

Everything runs really smoothly and this is the best thing since XP truly. I'm running 64bit and it's great.

And before people call pirating unjust, let me just say, buying vista was unjust. Thanks.

Now just that I say it runs great, it might not run great on your computer. Some of you are expecting to get XP types of results from your piece of crap grandma's computer and that just ain't right.

[BulletToothtony]

people who use it for over a day realize how great it is.. people who hate it have obviously never tried it..

It's like all the hate that the ps3 gets.. It has no games.. blah blah.... Do you own one? "No but that's what the others haters say"

I agree that apple products are a bit overpriced.. but the OS it's beyond great.. Don't hate b4 u try it.

[ThanatosDMC]

I wonder how much it is in campuses. I paid $25 for vista.

[Arthur_]

get it now!

[edgeofblade]

I've been great with Vista... up until recently when I installed a printer. An HP all-in-one. Now it takes a while to boot, to open simple explorers... it's not cool.

I hope W7 delivers.

[crazy25000]

.

[KazumaKiryu]

Same here :)

[villevalorox]

I'll probably buy a new computer for college with windows 7 if the reviews are really good :). It's this or a mac :)

[meetajhu]

Finally after 8 years Windows Xp----> Windows 7!! Woo hooo can't w8!

[v1c1ous]

until Windows 7 SP1

[shqype]

It's your choice, but there's honestly no need.

Windows 7 RC is incredibly stable. And the driver support is excellent as well. I remember searching for days for a special LAN driver for my motherboard for XP after I did a clean install with a new mobo on XP ... as soon as I did a clean install of Windows 7, not only did my internet work, but I had Windows updates waiting for me for the latest version of my LAN driver.

Windows 7 is great and ready for action. Take it from somebody who not only loves XP, but never bothered to install Windows Vista despite having the Ultimate edition with an unused product key.

[Microsoft_Spokesman]

What version will you guys buy?

[Voozi]

I'm just getting the normal home edition.

The other features offered in Pro & Ultimate don't really appeal to me nor do I see myself using them.

[phosphor112]

School will be offering a mass student liscensed version for like 20 bucks.

[Raf1k1]

I've already pre-ordered Win7 Pro for £89.99

[yorkie]

I'll stick with XP

[Darkspade]

Windows 7 blow XP away, It's the true update that should have came instead of Vista.... If you can I'd update the day of launch.. I have a High end Computer and I have had know problems at all other then driver support from 3rd party but there has always been away around it... I'll be picking up the Ultimate day one

[yorkie]

I honestly dont see what I'd gain from upgrading. I no longer use my PC for gaming and every piece of software I use works just fine with XP, I know where everything is and basically am really comfortable with XP. So I dont see the point of shelling out for a O/S that would only get used in the same way as my current O/S does i.e. I boot up my PC and launch whatever program I need to use from my desktop.

[RockmanII7]

I'll get this when/if I get a new computer

[KingEamon]

It does look like a good upgrade but IMO $300 for an os is just too expensive. I doubt I'll be using it unless I buy a new laptop anytime soon

[Kyur4ThePain]

Both XP and Vista are better for MS Office than W7 and they boot faster.

[FragMnTagM]

and have noticed no difference in speed. I have a dual boot config with 7 and Vista and notice no difference. Unless you are trying to troll, give some proof please...

[claney]

FragMnTagM

did you even read the article?
if you want to know where he got his info
from its in the f'ing article, in a nice
graphic form!

[colonel179]

I have a 4yo Vaio desktop and I installed W7, I have never seen that computer running so smooth since it was new.

Even though I am a Mac user, I would like to run W7 with booth camp on my Mac Pro, I just don't know which would be better: Professional or Ultimate

[Boty]

your computer generally will run rather smooth due to a lack of background Processes and installed running applications. Don't be fooled.

[DevastationEve]

Well that certainly is true, but software improvements are also culpable. For instance a reformat and install of the original xp from 2001 might not go as smooth as the same but instead installing xp sp2.

A new OS ALWAYS breathes some life into your PC, but so does a reformat I guess. Just don't expect it to be the ONLY thing you'll have to do to get your system working, since a lot of the time there will be components that the OS install disc didn't come with drivers for.

[Omega4]

Forget Windows, Mac Snow Leopard FTW!

Cant wait till September

[Simon_Brezhnev]

did i read this right lol

[xGrunty]

Windows 7 is def going to be worth it. This is what Vista should have been, only better.

Still have Linux around too xD

[Boty]

Windows 7 is looking pretty sweet!

[kaveti6616]

What exactly does XP do better than Windows 7? And can Windows 7 be upgraded through service packs in order to perform said tasks better than XP?

EDIT: Never mind, I read the article. I'm surprised that after seven or so years Windows XP still performs as well as it does. I'm using it right now, and I have never suffered a Blue Screen of Death on it. Anyways, Windows 7 will provide a decent springboard for Microsoft to get back in this endless game against Apple.

[ThaGeNeCySt]

I'll get it when the pro tools / ie8 issues get sorted out.

[shqype]

Anybody still using IE is a sucker.

Windows 7 with Firefox 3.5 is a beautiful thing :)

[No_NaMe]

its like a 5/5.

WINDOWS 7 ROCK!

[SaberEdge]

Yes it does. I love it.

[El Botto]

Thats like MS reviewing their own shiat.

Fking pathetic. And bots are going to buy that joke too! Hahaha
The fact is that the article points out the bottomline: Windows XP still the best. So thanks but no thanks, Im sticking to Windows XP until Google OS for PC comes out.

[richie007bond]

Am using Windows 7 and its Fantastic, ive never looked back, this is the OS for the next decade no doubt about it.

[-Mezzo-]

It's a mighty fine rating but i am still staying with Xp which i believe is the best since Windows 98.

[Mikey Mike]

everything else is Vista with a new face. I have the RTM version and took it off for the simple fact it is unstable. The only good side it is faster than Vista, however the task bar is a joke. My next computer will be a mac.

[KionicWarlord222]

*looks at Windows 7 review*

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[darrensworld]

I'm going to stick with xp, my software setup is too ingrained into xp and many of my after effects and 3d app plugins don't work with vista and i doubt they will work with 7. I'm going to wait, i may install 7 on my next mac via dual boot. For now, my workstation stays xp.

[japwow]

I pre-ordered Home Premium UPG for $69.99 .

[Loxhart]

Wow, that's a pretty good score from Cnet there.

[GEESE]

I'm dual booting the release candidate and I like it allot, but of course my WoW and other games are all on the vista partition. Now I know Vista has had a bad rap, but for me, all my games run perfectly. If I switch fully to Windows 7 on release, will games run perfectly? (older games)

[andron666]

I'll keep my Linux Mint setup, thank you very much...

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

Only 4.5 out of 5? Microsoft still have a long way to go. I'll wait for Windows 7 SP1.

[Sir Ken_Kutaragi]

They gave 'Vista' 3.5/5??? And everyone KNOWS it should of got 1/5!!! ;-D