picking OS for new rig, Win7 or Win8.1?

[Mnemonic]

Hi guys, I intend to build a new gaming / simming rig. Not getting into details completely, specs are following:

- Intel Core i7 4770K (presumably will be overclocked to 4.5 GHz)

- 16 GB RAM

- GeForce GTX 770, 2 GB VRAM

Also, I want to use M.2 (NGFF) SSD for the OS. I want to keep my simulators on a separate SSD (SATA3), presumably from Samsung 840 Pro Basic series.

 

I want my peripherals to be fully supported:

- HOTAS Warthog

- Thrustmaster Cougar MFDs

- Simped vario F-16 USB pedals

- TrackIR 5

 

Support of HOTAS Cougar would be nice as well, but not necessary.

I just ordered TUSBA F-16 module, to use Cougar Throttle independently, new stuff should work fine on any Win.

 

Sims I want to use:

- primary - DCS

- Falcon BMS

- IL2 BOS

- FSX (with many addons including Switzerland Pro from Aerosoft, A2A modules, PMDG NGX 737, REX)

- ROF

 

Would be good if runs:

- Orbiter (2005, 2010)

- Condor (still uses DirectX 7)

- AeroflyFS

- Falcon AF

 

Now the only question is worrying me so far is to what version of Windows should I choose.

I heard there are some issues for Cougar MFD's support, as well as people experience blue screens with FSX when using Windows 8.1.

What OS would you recommend?

- Win7 64bit Home Premium

- Win 8.1 64bit

 

OEM versions of either of them comes for about 100 bucks at my place. So price-wise no difference. I know for sure everything supported on Windows 7. Should I avoid 8.1?

Anybody have the experience with similar HW, peripherals and software on Win8.1?

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited January 3, 2014 by Mnemonic

[Abburo]

On a configuration quite similar to yours I went for 8.1. No problems, no BSDs.

 

Therefore I will recommend you to get rid of hibernation feature right after installation:

C:\>powercfg.exe /hibernate off - run it as administrator

This "feature" has a very nice behavior, so sometimes configurations you are done are lost due to restoration of an old file version. Just keep in mind that Windows 8.1 is using this feature as default for shutting down in order to have the next start more quickly. Even so, at your computer description you will feel almost no difference in OS start up time.

 

Regarding USBs this is related only to system power management. You can get rid of it by changing power scheme to maximum performance. Any other issue on that part is mostly related to hardware malfunctions.

 

Windows 8.1 is a very powerfull and solid OS. Still, coming to it from any other versions require an accommodation period due to the strange touch like interface mostly. Anyway, you can choose to start directly to desktop but you have to keep in mind that windows 8/8.1 /desktop is an application for the "Metro" interface and not opposite as many people think.

[SkateZilla]

Windows 8.1 Spring Update will return the full start menu/taskbar.

 

Windows 8 has advantages over windows 7, but suffers set backs in the GUI for users that are not able to adapt to the Metro Interface, it Frustrates users to the point where the user no longer wants to use the new OS.

 

I have no issues with Windows 8.1, But I Use Windows 7 Ult Simply because I need my Start/TaskBar and other things That arent available on Windows 8 due to software limitations. (Nothing DCS or Gaming Related)

Edited January 3, 2014 by SkateZilla

[cichlidfan]

I have an OEM copy of 8.1 waiting to go onto my flying rig but the MFD issue is holding me back. Aside from that I am not aware of any other significant issue.

[Bee_Sting]

Win 7

[PoleCat]

Windows 8.1 Spring Update will return the full start menu/taskbar.

 

Windows 8 has advantages over windows 7, but suffers set backs in the GUI for users that are not able to adapt to the Metro Interface, it Frustrates users to the point where the user no longer wants to use the new OS.

 

I have no issues with Windows 8.1, But I Use Windows 7 Ult Simply because I need my Start/TaskBar and other things That arent available on Windows 8 due to software limitations. (Nothing DCS or Gaming Related)

 

Been using 8.1 and 8.0 before that. With all due respect, there are numerous programs that give you back the start menu under 8.1.

Classic shell is one of them. Functionality can easily be almost identical to Windows 7 for the average user with very little effort.

 

IMHO 8.1 is a better all around OS then 7. It's time.

 

Out

[Lange_666]

Been using 8.1 and 8.0 before that. With all due respect, there are numerous programs that give you back the start menu under 8.1.

Classic shell is one of them. Functionality can easily be almost identical to Windows 7 for the average user with very little effort.

 

IMHO 8.1 is a better all around OS then 7. It's time.

 

Out

 

+1

[Pikey]

If you have to make a purchase then there is no point investing in an older OS unless the money isn't important.

 

But...

 

As for 8.1 being "better", I only see 'different'. It's worth a discussion on what you found, I'd like to hear what 8.1 does that 7 doesn't in terms of all the games/apps that the OP listed. All my games and apps run just the same, the only difference is the UI which to me, personally, drives me insane. It makes accessing the filesystem, the OS config slower by mouse although all the original keybinds work like Windows-E and so on if you are an advanced user or touchscreen enabled.

 

Whoever thought that listing all your apps on one page vertically and horizontally with icons is better than listing them in the brief list format of the older start menu needs their head checked - launching an app in 8.x is slower and you need to create shortcuts for all your apps to do it like you used to.

 

I gave my opinion since reading the thread it looked a little one sided :)

[Mnemonic]

Thanks guys! Some valuable opinions here!

 

...also I would consider going with a Radeon R9 290 (non "X" version) it is about the same price(at least for now) as the GTX 770 but considerably faster.

This is interesting. Original R9 290 cost in Switzerland almost as GTX 780, which I would say too much, but newer generation with aftermarket cooling like this Saphire comes bit cheaper, 100 bucks more than GTX770, but it just came up. Should be better cooling than stock one, especially in my case (Bitfenix Prodigy).

I didn't yet ordered videocard so I consider options.

 

Is DCS any good on Radeons? Are there any issues with drivers / settings?

 

If you have to make a purchase then there is no point investing in an older OS unless the money isn't important.

Price for both OSes at my place is exactly the same.

Support from MS for Win7 valid till 2020 which doesn't make it old OS.

 

But...

 

As for 8.1 being "better", I only see 'different'. It's worth a discussion on what you found, I'd like to hear what 8.1 does that 7 doesn't in terms of all the games/apps that the OP listed.

 

I'm afraid some of my devices will clearly have problems, as well as potentially FSX and DX7 based sims (Orbiter, Condor), but not sure about these.

 

Whoever thought that listing all your apps on one page vertically and horizontally with icons is better than listing them in the brief list format of the older start menu needs their head checked - launching an app in 8.x is slower and you need to create shortcuts for all your apps to do it like you used to.

 

I must say I'm not a fan of new UI either.

 

I gave my opinion since reading the thread it looked a little one sided :)

 

Appreciate that!

Edited January 4, 2014 by Mnemonic

[Gerg]

Id go with Win 7.

 

Win 8.1 is designed and optimized for tablets and touch and MS moving a load of the systems config into that Xbox looking menu makes changing some options and settings a nightmare, done purely (probably) to up the ad revenue MS gets from every time you use the Start Screen.

 

Theres also all the crap and spam that comes built right into the default Metro apps that have ads on every other page and start streaming ads onto the Start Screen, even doing it in background connecting to ad servers even when never using Metro.

 

Its also impossible to fully disable the Metros sneaking about even when using a Start Menu replacement. Its one of the only things on the Pc that cant be turned off and ends up wasting resources spinning in background even if never used.

 

You can make Win 7 just as fast as Win 8 if you disable 3/4 of the services and use hibernate when you want to shutdown, just like MS did to Win 8.

 

Win 7 was a fixed and optimized Vista. Win 8 is a more optimized Vista again thats also having to multitask with a xbox/phone touch based interface designed as "an ad serving platform", so Balmer said.

 

Im using 8.1 atm but will be going back to Win 7 once i make space for backups. I dont even think id use 8 if the Start menu returned as i dont want that Metro Win RT running non stop in background earning cash for MS ad revenue.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Gerg

[PoleCat]

Id go with Win 7.

 

Win 8.1 is designed and optimized for tablets and touch and MS moving a load of the systems config into that Xbox looking menu makes changing some options and settings a nightmare, done purely (probably) to up the ad revenue MS gets from every time you use the Start Screen.

 

Theres also all the crap and spam that comes built right into the default Metro apps that have ads on every other page and start streaming ads onto the Start Screen, even doing it in background connecting to ad servers even when never using Metro.

 

Its also impossible to fully disable the Metros sneaking about even when using a Start Menu replacement. Its one of the only things on the Pc that cant be turned off and ends up wasting resources spinning in background even if never used.

 

You can make Win 7 just as fast as Win 8 if you disable 3/4 of the services and use hibernate when you want to shutdown, just like MS did to Win 8.

 

Win 7 was a fixed and optimized Vista. Win 8 is a more optimized Vista again thats also having to multitask with a xbox/phone touch based interface designed as "an ad serving platform", so Balmer said.

 

Im using 8.1 atm but will be going back to Win 7 once i make space for backups. I dont even think id use 8 if the Start menu returned as i dont want that Metro Win RT running non stop in background earning cash for MS ad revenue.

 

I could not disagree more. The same sort of rhetoric was prevalent when users were switching to Windows 7 from Windows XP and before that from Windows 98 to Windows XP.

 

Windows 8.1 is the next obvious step in computing and I find it to be more reliable then Windows 7. It runs everything I ran on Windows 7 just as well and in some cases better. I set it up so it behaves and appears much like windows 7. I boot directly to the desktop where I have a start menu that I use to launch any program I want just like Windows 7. Having more options does not mean you have to use them.

 

I have been recommending and installing Windows 8.1 for my customers who are buying business workstations for both peer to peer and domain environments as well as gaming machines for home use and they seem surprised that with so little initial effort how easily you can have all the options available in the new OS while maintaining the look and feel of the former. There are options and applications for use in Windows 8.1 that go well beyond Windows 7 capabilities, plain and simple. And yes that means more resources are used for these options and applications just like every OS before it. Services can be controlled just like under Windows 7.

 

Any one reading this thread I would suggest you try Windows 8.1, and really work with it before passing judgment. It is in fact a fine operating system that has some substantial improvements over its predecessor.

 

"Change has no constituents".

 

Out

[PoleCat]

 

Whoever thought that listing all your apps on one page vertically and horizontally with icons is better than listing them in the brief list format of the older start menu needs their head checked - launching an app in 8.x is slower and you need to create shortcuts for all your apps to do it like you used to.

 

 

Respectfully, the person that thought this probably envisioned that the OS would be used on multiple platforms as it is. It is touch enabled so obviously you need multiple methods of accessing the menus.

 

Also you do not need to do anything except install classic shell for your start menu when using a PC, laptop or non touch device. Apps launch just as fast for me under Windows 8/8.1 as they did under Windows 7 when using classic shell. It's a new world, multiple devices etc...It is no longer just a desktop PC world. This should be obvious to everyone but the criminally insane. :music_whistling:

 

Out

Edited January 4, 2014 by PoleCat

[Mnemonic]

also I would consider going with a Radeon R9 290 (non "X" version) it is about the same price(at least for now) as the GTX 770 but considerably faster.

 

I found this thread: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=117316&highlight=R9+290

 

An I guess I'll stick with PNY GTX 770:

http://www.amazon.com/PNY-GeForce-DisplayPort-PCI-Express-VCGGTX7702XPB/dp/B00CZ7Q028

770 as reported should be faster than 290 in DCS, also quieter, cooler and less power hungry.

 

Moreover I plan to play with one screen so far, I guess just Full HD.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Mnemonic