Advantages and Disadvantages of Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 have become quite a common topic among PC users. Some of us are marveling at the modern UI of windows 8 and the newer release, windows 8.1, while others are keen to find an excuse to hate windows 8 and 8.1. You will have to look no further than this post to find reasons to like or hate windows 8.1

First, reasons to consider Windows 8.1-

·         Modernistic User Interface

·         Exceptionally fast Operations System.

·         Improved performance to that of windows 8.

·         The feature “fast boot”, when enabled can boot up your PC under 4 seconds! Provided your hard disk is not too slow. It works like the hibernation mode only that ir doesn’t use up 4 GB of your hard disk space!

·         Microsoft has finally added the start button, though the start menu is not back, considering the wide criticism about Microsoft’s approach to a new OS, Windows 8.

·         On right clicking the start button, you can directly go to power options (shut down, restart, sign out etc.), that was not there in Windows 8.

·         There are many more useful inbuilt apps than that in Windows 8 (though not certainly as many as android apps!!)

·         The Windows media center is also improved and supports a wider range of audio-visual file types.

·         Improved firewall and security features.

·         Better networking, connectivity and compatibility to different connections like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi etc.

·         The all new directx 11.1 that allows user to render scenes that are larger than their GPU memory.

·         Improved “Windows Smartscreen” that works quite fine protecting you from harmful softwares, though it can be quite annoying at times. 

·         The start screen have been improved with the tiles more organised and you can also easily resize them.

·         You can personalise windows even better with new personalisation options that includes the start screen. Your desktop wallpaper can also be the background of the start screen.             

·         Microsoft, probably keeping in mind about it’s desktop users, have created a option that will directly show the desktop instead of the start screen. This option can be enabled from the navigation tab.

·         Windows 8 users can directly upgrade to windows 8.1 from the windows store free of cost!

·         New shortcuts that can quite come in handy.

·         Minor bugs fixed that were in Windows 8

·         New algorithm for copying files so that you will not have to use third party software like teracopy for better file transfer speed.

·         Windows 8 comes with a feature that Microsoft calls “Windows to go”. With this, you can install Windows 8 on a Pc via USB thumb drive. It requires the thumb drive to be 32 GB and preferably a USB  3.0 one.

·         ISO images can now be mounted without any third-party application in Windows 8 and 8.1

Now for the disadvantages-

·         The start screen works better with touch sensitive interface in phones, laptops and desktop monitors. So a common user will find it a bit awkward.

·         The new UI will take some time getting used to, especially for those users who still use Windows XP( Microsoft has officially removed support and updates for windows XP, so most old users will have to move on.) Even Windows 7 users find it difficult getting used to windows 8 and 8.1 mostly due to the missing start menu(though a third-party software

·         Some settings have been so well organised, new users waste hours searching for them. In their approach to sleek look, Microsoft have overdone the organising so new users are at a loss finding them.

·         Many pre-installed apps are not used at all and the use up quite some space of your hard disk.

·         Those of us having a metered internet connection find windows 8 and 8.1 frustrating. Connect your internet connection for a few minutes and poof!!!! 50 MB of your free usage is gone! And who is the culprit? The useless apps that are rarely used. Even with the firewall, you cannot always block the apps from accessing the internet unless you are a tech guy!

·         The system requirements are a bit on the higher side, so low end PCs will have to wait.

·         Missing Windows Experience Index in Windows 8.1, for those of us who want to rate our computer and chose component upgrades accordingly. (You can download the WEI though)

Note- The reason there are less disadvantages to counter the advantages is that I’m a fan of Windows 8.1. Even from the point of view of a new user, I can’t find Windows 8.1 faulty except some areas.

More about FAST BOOT option-

As stated earlier, the Fast Boot option works like the hibernation mode. But unlike the hibernation mode, it doesn’t use up approx. 4 GB of your hard disk. What is does actually is that it creates a file listing all startup services and application and creates a cache file for them. It even arranges the start-up applications according to their priority, for example, it will load the antivirus first, then other misc. apps. This caching system uses negligible amount of your hard disk space and also ensures that your PC can boot up as fast as it can.