Hello, first of all sorry if I put this into the wrong section I couldn't find one for operating systems.I'm building a PC and don't know what OS is better for my PC. I will be mainly be gaming on my PC. I will probably be able to get Windows 7 for free from a friend (they work in IT and get free copies of windows 7 as a perk) but at the same time I hear games run better on windows 8.1 and also windows 8.1 will be supported for longer. You will probably call me crazy for asking since I can get Windows 7 for free or pay £82 for the Windows 8.1 but should I go for Windows 8.1 or Windows 7? .
If you can get Win7 for free. GET WIN7! Then upgrade to a much later OS in the future. Win7 is still really really good at this current time.
amd apu's run noticeably better under windows 8... other than that application performance is roughly the same for everyone else.
I vote the same as berserker.
I will probably be getting an i5 4670. Anyway thanks for your quick response and help. I was thinking of getting windows 7 but just wanted to make there wasn't a big performance boost in games on windows 8.1 before I ask my friend to try and get a copy.
I have been using 8.1 for a few weeks now. I enjoy it.
Windows 7 is a great operating system especially if its free. I have never used windows 8.1 before so I can't speak for that.
Sorry to interject, but are you saying there is a legal means to acquire WIN7 for free? I ask because I would love to get my Dad to upgrade from vista, but he's a poor senior and I'm not doing so hot myself.
I've used both OSs and I'm still all for Win7, ESPECIALLY if you can get it for free. I've looked into the gaming performance boost aspect for Win8/8.1 and it isn't significant at all and definitely not worth choosing it over Win7. So I would definitely go for the Win7.
If you can get your hands on Windows 7 I would go with that!
I personally have had poor luck getting windows 8/8.1 to work stably on any machine for a long period of time without large amounts of hassle and bug chasing. Not saying that it is a bad OS but %$^& it, thats exactly what I'm saying, I'm biased lol. 8 is a massive headache for me.
OP had the option to get it for free. You could use a Linux OS? If you're in education, you could get a free copy, or a discount. Or there's that other way
I second that. The only benefit so far I've seen with 8.1 over 7 is the startup time, which can easily be negated by getting an SSD.