What will I be missing out if I upgrade and stick to Win XP SP3?

[RealTime]

Win7 is a great OS with lots of polish etc. but feature and functionality-wise, you wouldn't be missing much. If you don't have an SSD you don't need it for Trim support and DX11 is pretty much useless for such a slow GPU. The memory, well that depends if you actually ever use that much memory. If you ever upgrade to an SSD or a proper GPU, you'll basically have to get it not to cripple them.

One think I really like about Win Vista/7 is vsync on desktop. Stops all those flash games, animations and movies from tearing.

More memory won't hurt his performance, and it's so cheap why not?

Whether he has a 'proper' GPU or not, the benefits of Windows 7 run the gamut, from increased compatibility and capability of add-ons, to higher performance in every category.

Get Windows 8 Beta. Then just buy Windows 8 when it comes out. No sense in buying 7 only to buy 8 soon, or to just end up being behind again.

I find fault with this statement because we don't really know the exact implications of Win8 on the desktop. Windows 7 is the best OS for his purposes. It's proven, it's stable, it's available right now, and it's a marked improvement over WinXP.

[FoodStampz]

Buy Windows 7. It's not even a competition between XP and Win7. Win 7 is, beyond any measure or doubt, the best OS Microsoft has ever produced. Maybe the best PC OS ever.

What will you miss out on? Hmm.

The question you should be asking is, what are you missing out on right now?

^ This.

It's easily the best. My work laptop is XP and I hate it so very badly. Especially considering it came with 7 but the morons installed their corp image of xp on it. Ugh

[Thresher]

TBH, I'd not worry about 8 and just buy 7. Microsoft are making mistake after mistake with 8! Too tablet orientated and the sleek Aero interface no more to name just a few.

No more Aero = Fail. Where's the Thumb's Down smiley when you need it?

[red_dog007]

I find fault with this statement because we don't really know the exact implications of Win8 on the desktop. Windows 7 is the best OS for his purposes. It's proven, it's stable, it's available right now, and it's a marked improvement over WinXP.

I understand what you are saying, but the same could have been said for Windows 7 when it was in beta and that beta was pretty awesome, zero complaints or problems.


Plus haven't all the benchmarks with Win8 putting it faster than Win7 in almost all categories by a good bit?

Win8 is free atm. I used Win7 beta on a new build until I could buy it and got it for $30 because it was new and I am a student.

[RealTime]

I understand what you are saying, but the same could have been said for Windows 7 when it was in beta and that beta was pretty awesome, zero complaints or problems.


Plus haven't all the benchmarks with Win8 putting it faster than Win7 in almost all categories by a good bit?

Win8 is free atm. I used Win7 beta on a new build until I could buy it and got it for $30 because it was new and I am a student.

Beta testers of Vista touted it as the best, most advanced OS ever as well. We all know how that turned out.

Let me be clear, I have very high hopes for Windows 8. But the fact is that MS haven't the greatest track record of the Beta --> Retail transition. Yes, Windows 7 turned out to be every bit as good as the Beta. But it was also primarily designed for desktop use. Windows 8 is an entirely different beast and we cannot say with any certainty that it will translate to the desktop world very well.

Windows 8 is free until the Beta ends. And we have no idea if the OP has access to the discounts you received.

Win7 is his best bet.

[Gordo]

Go Win7 - it's a no-brainer!
The only reasons I'm still on XP32 is it's an old PC which, although cutting edge in it's time, is well past running 7, I hate re-installing things as I always eem to forget backing up something important and it still does everything I want from it - although that's not much compared to some of you chaps
Heck, I barely play any games of late as nothing seems to appeal that much and spent enough on crap in the past.

[Mahoujin Tsukai]

I don't want to move to Win 7 yet. Don't like having to get used to using a new OS.

I've done some research and it seems that Intel graphics chips have problems with HDCP win Windows XP. I'll put off the upgrade until I'm ready to buy Windows 7 64-bit.

[RealTime]

I don't want to move to Win 7 yet. Don't like having to get used to using a new OS.

I've done some research and it seems that Intel graphics chips have problems with HDCP win Windows XP. I'll put off the upgrade until I'm ready to buy Windows 7 64-bit.

So, even though everyone is saying upgrade from XP, you simply don't want to?

Windows 7 takes less time to get used to than a new BIOS. It is the same interface as XP, with many improvements.

I simply cannot fathom why, after 2 pages of posts telling you why you should upgrade, you would even consider sticking with XP. To each their own, but you are missing out on a lot more than HDCP.

Cheers.

[LuckyNV]

I don't want to move to Win 7 yet. Don't like having to get used to using a new OS.

I've done some research and it seems that Intel graphics chips have problems with HDCP win Windows XP. I'll put off the upgrade until I'm ready to buy Windows 7 64-bit.

Once you go to Win7 you will never want to use WinXP again. Ever.

[DuranXL]

I'll put off the upgrade until I'm ready to buy Windows 7 64-bit.

"until I"m ready" Buuuhuuhuuuu ;( ;( Cry some more.
Get win7 or stfu & gtfo