Windows 7 vs. Vista vs. XP - Computer Speed


The first topic we are going to discuss is Windows 7 vs. older Windows (OS) operating systems. Windows 7 is Microsoft’s most recent OS. Windows 7 became available to the public on October 22, 2009, ending the terror named Vista. Microsoft approached the development of Windows 7 differently than previous OS. Microsoft had a solid OS in Windows XP, but Vista fell short of its hype. However, Vista did introduce a stunning graphical user experience that Windows 7 uses. To better explain the differences of the 3 operating systems and to make this article as simple as possible, I have broken the article into a few sections: Article 1 – Computer Speed


Computer Speed

In the first part of this article, I am going to talk about computer speed. I have been asked many times what computer speed is and why it is important. The first and most common speed issue is the start-up process. This process is called the “boot-up” process. This process is measured from the time the power button is pushed; to the time the computer becomes fully operational (i.e. desktop is loaded, programs can be accessed, etc.). The boot-up process can be affected by many things, but mostly it’s the computer’s hardware (hard drive, RAM, etc.). As mentioned earlier, Windows has addressed this issue. Windows XP takes an average of 2-3 minutes to start up; while Vista takes an average of 90 seconds. Windows 7 on the other hand is faster than both of them; best start up time of the three with 30-45 seconds. That’s the fastest Windows OS start up.

The second most common computer speed issue is the reaction time of the computer. If you click on a program to open it and it doesn’t open right away, chances are you are going to click on it again, and again, and again, and …….. you get where I am going. Doing this will cause your computer to “freak-out.” Your computer will try to open the program multiple times. This will drastically slow your computer and can sometimes cause the computer to crash (which is never good). When you click on a program to open, give it a few seconds. If no response is given, try this again.

The third most common computer speed issue I get asked about is Internet speed. Internet speed is not necessarily an issue with the computer. You service provider (ATT, Suddenlink, etc.) controls you internet speed. When it comes to fast internet, the old saying it true; you get what you pay for. Your computer can affect your internet speed, but this is mainly seen in older computers.