Do I Need To Upgrade To Windows 8? An Average Users Guide ...

Using any type of computer-related technology comes with the inevitable questions of when specific components or software should be upgraded. Because the pace at which the software that runs on these devices advances so quickly, the requirements needed to run them will usually change pretty rapidly. With hardware, some of the most frequently upgraded components are the CPU, RAM and the hard drive. These items make the most impact on whether or not newly introduced programs will run quickly and effectively.

However hardware is not the only consideration that needs to be taken into account when it comes to computer upgrades. The base piece of software, the operating system, is also an important part of the computer?s ability to run programs effectively. As such, knowing the best time to upgrade the operating system is crucial to ensuring the best computing experience.

Since Microsoft is by far the most popular and widely used producer of operating systems, keeping a close eye on new releases of its products is usually pretty important to many computer users. This makes it possible to examine the new features that will be offered with a new release and decide if they are significant enough to warrant an upgrade for each consumer?s personal computing needs and style. Because each person?s computer use is highly individualized, the answer to that question for one person is not always the same across the board.

Here are a few categories to look at when making the decision on whether or not it is time for an upgrade to your OS. These considerations are ones that many average personal and business computer users will usually find applicable during the decision-making process.

Cost

Upgrading to a new operating system usually involves a significant investment in the form of the cost of the software itself. As with most consumer products, this cost is usually at its highest when the item is first released. However, Microsoft has decided to make the cost factor less of an obstacle by providing a discount of $40 until the end of January of 2013 to customers who opt to purchase and download the software directly from their site.

When Windows 7 was first released, the cost for an upgrade to the Home Premium edition was $119. This cost jumped to $199 for the Professional version and $219 for the Ultimate. This cost went even higher if you purchased the full version, needed for computers without any operating system on them whatsoever. Today, three years after Windows 7 was released, the cost for an upgrade to it will usually run you around $70 for the Home Premium edition. As a result, with the $40 discount that Microsoft is offering, you will be able to purchase the Windows 8 upgrade for close to the same price if their pricing structure stays the same.

Touchscreen Oriented

If you are planning on running any device that supports the touchscreen interface, such as a tablet, an upgrade to Windows 8 is a sure bet. Many of the tablets that are currently available are powerful enough to run Windows 7 and as a result ship with this OS preinstalled. If you have a tablet that is already running the Windows family of operating systems, upgrading it to Windows 8 is a virtual no brainer.

This is due to Windows 8?s extensive support for touchscreen devices. The user interface itself, labeled Metro, is almost completely designed with touchscreen devices in mind. However, this is not to say that if you have a home PC or laptop that you should necessarily skip over upgrading to Windows 8. As with most previous operating systems, the choice exists to switch to a more classic interface style.

Support

If you are running older versions of the Windows OS family, one thing you will want to consider is the support that is offered by Microsoft. Support means whether or not Microsoft will be providing updates and help with the version in question. With Windows XP, anything prior to Service Pack 3 has already lost its support, with support for SP3 running out in August of 2014. Some versions of Windows Vista have also already lost support, so it is a good idea to check to see whether or not your version is still covered.

Enhanced Experience

Windows 8 will introduce quite a few new features, aside from the ones previously mentioned in regards to touchscreen devices, that really do make it worth upgrading to. One of the chief reasons is that Windows 8 will not require you to upgrade any of your hardware in order to run it. Many new OS releases require more powerful computers in order to run them. Windows 8 is slated to use even less resources than what was required to run Windows 7.

Another attractive feature, sure to enhance your computing experience, is that the boot time with Windows 8 has been drastically reduced from what you will find with other versions. Some high-end computers have clocked this time at a mere six seconds!

All in all, choosing to coordinate an upgrade of your OS with the release of Windows 8 seems like an excellent decision to make. There is little doubt in my mind that the October 26^th release date will prove to be a flurry of activity culminating in one of Microsoft?s best release events to date.

Source: http://www.techtous.com/blog/do-i-need-to-upgrade-to-windows-8-an-average-users-guide-about-upgrading/

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