Windows 7 faster than Vista, leaps XP in single bound
By Jonathan Schlaffer
Windows 7 beta 1, Vista and Windows XP have been compared in real world speed tests. Windows XP is faster than Vista but it turns out that Windows 7 is faster than both and is also capable of running on lower end hardware than Vista.
ZDnet ran some comparison tests among the operating systems, which included local file transfers, network transfers, file compression, installing Office and burning discs.
The tests were run on two systems one with an AMD Phenom 9700 processor with an ATI 3850 graphics card and 4GB of memory and the other was a lower end desktop with a Pentium E2200 with a Geforce 8400GS and 1GB of memory.
Windows 7 installed faster and performed faster on both systems than either XP or Vista. The final code of Windows 7 should be even more robust and faster than the beta version. Should be does not necessarily mean it will be.
The author carefully notes that “Windows 7 is not XP and never will be.” Windows Vista or Windows 7 is not geared for the user who is put off by activation systems and DRM.
Comparison with Linux operating systems will no doubt show up at some point. Windows 7 is already geared to deliver a platform that is easy to use and is backwards compatible with all things Vista and brings more reliability to the table.
Questions over the new UAC system exist and it’s not clear if Microsoft has remedied all those issues or not. At least there won’t be any complaints over low-end computers not being able to run the fancy user interface because of changes to how it’s rendered or driver support this time around.
Unlike with the early versions of Vista there seem to be little to no complaints about Windows 7. But it is in the hands of a few advanced users right now so anything can still happen when it hits the masses.
Related:
Entry was posted
on Saturday, January 3rd, 2009 at 9:16 am
under 
Print This Post
Read more entries by Jonathan Schlaffer.
Stumble It!
January 3rd, 2009
If you are interested in more details about running Windows7 in real world, I have started a blog about it. Right now I have only described some of the new services and tested if some of the more popular Vista registry tweaks will apply. My attempt at installing applications came to a screeching halt when trying to install Alcohol and Daemon tools which both fail. I am now looking for and testing other apps for mounting iso images. There are several compatible with Windows 7, however none that seem to be able to emulate copy protection systems……
January 3rd, 2009
The question remains can it run on lower end systems like 800 Mhz with 256 MB of ram?
We still run Windows 98SE on a computer or two at work. The rest we use are all XP Pro at minimal specs at best.
The average spec seems to be 1.3 Ghz with 256 or 512 MB ram. You can see why we never upgraded to Vista.
I’ll wait until it is released and all the bugs are worked out of it and thats if I need a new computer.
No compelling need here for Windows 7, but it is nice to see good reviews so far of Windows 7.
Good Luck Microsoft…you sure need it….
January 4th, 2009
“Windows Vista or Windows 7 is not geared for the user who is put off by activation systems and DRM.”
That is to say, neither Vista nor Windows 7 (AKA Vista Mk II or Mojave) are geared for the majority of users. Microsoft remains a software business that knows very little about either business or software.
January 4th, 2009
When will it hit the real world?
January 4th, 2009
“That is to say, neither Vista nor Windows 7 (AKA Vista Mk II or Mojave) are geared for the majority of users. Microsoft remains a software business that knows very little about either business or software.”
What color is the sky on your world?
January 4th, 2009
“Microsoft remains a software business that knows very little about either business or software.”
…
Or user interfaces.
January 4th, 2009
“Microsoft remains a software business that knows very little about either business or software.”
Emballmer even said that he doesn’t see Android as a potential problem. After the announcement that Android and Google are coming to netbooks. This coming from the head honcho who didn’t see the netbook market coming or the need for a lightweight OS for that market.
lol you gotta wonder where their priorities are.
January 5th, 2009
“lol you gotta wonder where their priorities are.”
Microsoft only worries about another OS if it is going to be a viable Server product. Apple has no lightweight OS suitable for netbooks, or a netbook product. Microsoft doesn’t make hardware and Apple does. How clueless are they for missing out on the netbook craze?
January 6th, 2009
“Apple has no lightweight OS suitable for netbooks”
This article is about Windows 7 beta 1, Vista and Windows XP, and mentions Linux in passing. For someone who stridently demands that others keep their posts on-topic, you are remarkably quick to rush off onto a hobby-horse tangent.
Repeat after me: “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”.
January 6th, 2009
See Ralphs comment, see article is about Microsoft. See obtuse which should have your picture as an example.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obtuse
Looking foolish for stating this:
““Microsoft remains a software business that knows very little about either business or software.”
about the company having 99% of commercial transactions and Office tasks running on their software wasn’t enough for you?
January 6th, 2009
Ken,
You are very quick off the mark replying - do you have a pager that goes off when I post here?
Seriously though, I know that you don’t *really* think I’m obtuse, any more than I would really think such a thing of you - we simply have differing opinions that are strongly held.
I hope you had a good Christmas, and I’m glad to see you with us in 2009, and still as feisty as ever. I look forward to sparring with you through this year
January 6th, 2009
Hugh,
Back atcha. I look forward to watching you flail away at windo…err I mean windmills for another year.
I’m currently running the 7 beta, so far, much better than Vista.
January 16th, 2009
im buying this if it stays the same i love fast computers who does’nt and for the person saying windows don’t no crap there gay because there way better then apple at least they have better compatablity then any oter operation systiom and i mean apple linex not xp!
January 19th, 2009
No much difference in Visa and Win7.
http://techfreakindia.blogspot.com/2009/01/is-windows-7-faster-performance-of.html
January 21st, 2009
hugh,
if you asked the majority of windows users whether or not they cared about DRM in any form they would look at you as if you were speaking greek. so before you go around claiming that people who bitch and moan about something as trivial and *slightly* inconvenient as DRM make up the majority of windows users, take a good look in the mirror, then outside your window into the real world, then in the mirror again… and yea, thats right, you dont even come close to representing the majority of users. if you really cant stand DRM then feel free to use xp for the next several years while the AVERAGE user begins to take advantage of newer technology, whether its over 3 gb of RAM or software that makes full use of 64bit
January 22nd, 2009
“Apple has no lightweight OS suitable for netbooks”
Why couldn’t they just port the iPhone OS for use on a netbook, should be light enough and give most users what they need. Its based on Darwin just like full blown OS X.
Running Windows 7 myself and so far it has exceeded my expectation. Boots and runs faster than Vista so far it seems good. I’m just wondering if since it is a beta if there are some services and such not running that will be in the final release.