17 best Windows 10 features
On Wednesday, Microsoft will release Windows 10, which it is billing as “the last version of Windows”. That doesn’t mean the company is going to quit making it, but rather there aren’t plans for any massive, overhauled releases of its flagship operating system.
From here on out, Microsoft is treating Windows as a service, rather than as a monolithic piece of software. New features will be added in an iterative fashion, through the Windows Update mechanism. Windows in 5 years may look different, but it will be a slow evolution – rather than a revolution – getting there.
When Windows 10 goes out the door Wednesday, it will be free to those who are running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8.1 for one year. (After July 29, 2016, upgrading to Windows 10 will be comparable in cost to previous Windows upgrades.) And Microsoft has promised that Windows 10 won’t eventually require subscription costs or fees for new features.
As I wrote earlier this month, Windows 10 won’t be available immediately to everyone who wants it on Wednesday. First to get it will be those who participated in the Windows Insider program, running preview versions of the software. Will Dixon, a senior product manager for Microsoft who works on Windows 10 told me last week that more than 5.5 million people have been testing Windows 10, “instead of just a couple thousand in Redmond”. Those folks, who helped make Windows 10 what it is, can install it on Day One.
For months, Microsoft has been pushing out popups on eligible Windows 7 and 8.1 machines inviting users to “reserve” a copy of Windows 10 for download. They’ll get it next, but Dixon said there are 70 million of those reservations. Microsoft plans to roll it out over time to them, being cautious at first.
“As we know our systems are working, we will hit the accelerator”, he said.
Which desktop version of Windows 10 you get – Home or Pro – depends on which eligible version of Windows you currently have. Microsoft offers this handy chart:
Because it’s free, one major barrier to upgrading is removed for many users. But that said, the question remains: Even if you can upgrade, should you?
As always, the answer to a question like this is: It depends. Your comfort level with change, the age and configuration of your computer, your feelings about your current operating system all come into play. Regardless, if you decide to do it, you’ll want to read my guide for getting your PC ready for Windows 10 first.
Let’s apply the “should I upgrade?” question to different scenarios.
If you’re running Windows 8 or 8.1 and aren’t happy with it. A big part of Windows 10’s mission is to heal the wounds created by Windows 8. Microsoft’s developers have made Windows 10 more familiar to fans of the traditional Start menu first introduced in Windows 95, but included some of the better parts of Windows 8, including the use of Live Tiles to show info from key programs. Those who hated the Start Screen in Windows 8 and 8.1 will find it’s still here, but tamed a bit – it’s a part of the old-school Start menu. You can add or remove as many Live Tiles as you like – in fact, you can strip all of them away, so you’re left with a very Windows 7-like Start menu.
For that reason, assuming your computer is powerful enough to handle it, Windows 10 may solve the pain of Windows 8 for you, and you should indeed upgrade.
If you’re running Windows 8 or 8.1 and are happy with it. Here’s the classic “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” scenario. Windows 10’s interface deviates from Windows 8 and 8.1 in that even so-called Modern apps can run windowed; there’s the previously mentioned Start menu reboot; and some gesture features have been removed, such as the Charms bar.
For those who prefer the Windows 8 design, there is an option. Windows 10 switches to Tablet Mode on a touchscreen device when it detects a keyboard is not present, a feature Microsoft calls Continuum. For example, if you’ve got a Microsoft Surface and you remove the keyboard, the interface morphs into something that’s very much like Windows 8, with full-screen apps by default and the tile-based Start screen. But for Windows 8 lovers who want the other benefits of Windows 10 – such as improved security or the ability to stream Xbox One games to your PC – here’s a tip: You can invoke Tablet Mode even when you’re using a mouse and keyboard, on a non-touch-enabled system, from the new Action Center.
I think even contented Windows 8.x users will feel Windows 10 is a decent upgrade. But if you’re happy, it may be worth waiting to take the plunge. You have a full year to take advantage of the free offer.
If you’re running Windows 7 and are happy with it. Many Windows users who wanted to avoid Windows 8 at all costs either never upgraded, or bought newer machines and downgraded to the older OS. Microsoft obviously wants to you move on, but the “you’ll get my Win7 when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse” crowd may be hard to budge.
Many of the considerations for the “Running Win8.x and don’t like it” scenario apply here. But there are a few other things to consider.
Windows 7 is getting long in the tooth. It was released six years ago this month, and Microsoft’s mainstream support ended in January of this year. Extended support ends in January 2020. You’ve got a one-year-free opportunity to jump to a new version, assuming your PC can handle it.
And that’s one other consideration. While Windows 10’s hardware requirements are modest, and are the same as for Windows 8, you wouldn’t want to run it on a system as anemic as this:
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor
- RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
- Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS 20 GB for 64-bit OS
- Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
- Display: 800×600
If your computer is five years old or newer, it should run Windows 10 just fine. Even older systems may be able to handle it as well, depending on their specs.
You should also be aware that if you install Windows 10 on a computer that includes Windows Media Center, it will be removed. Windows Media Center is the component that organizes video and lets you watch TV on your PC with the right hardware. That goes away and there’s no option to re-add it. Microsoft is effectively killing it off.
In fact, there are quite a few features from Windows 7 and 8 that go away in Windows 10. If you desperately need Windows Media Center or any of these features, then don’t install Windows 10.
If you’re running Windows 7 and you aren’t happy with it. Assuming your PC meets the requirements, this scenario is a no-brainer – mostly. You should probably upgrade, assuming your application software and hardware is compatible with it.
Of course, the big caveat here is exactly why you’re not happy with Windows 7. If it’s slow, crashes often, is prone to getting malware or has recurring issues, you may want to take the time to get it in shape before installing Windows 10. If those problems are hardware-based, or have to do with how you use your computer, Windows 10 may not be a panacea.
If you’re a gamer. Chances are, if you’re serious about PC games, you’ve got a system powerful enough to run Windows 10 without problems. Microsoft hopes to use this release of its desktop operating system to build a bridge between its Xbox One gaming console and PCs.
This new version of Windows includes the ability to stream games that run on your Xbox One to your PC, provided it’s got muscular enough hardware. Is your gaming PC in one room and your Xbox in another? No problem – you can now play those games across your home Wi-Fi network from your PC. And while this feature only works with the Xbox One, Microsoft has said it’s working on making older Xbox 360 games capable of running on the newer console.
Windows 10 also features an update to its DirectX graphics system. DirectX 12 allows for even more detailed and realistic graphics, but again, you’ll need a newer graphics card to handle it.
Windows 10 is a great upgrade for gaming (assuming your favorite games will be compatible with it) so long as your PC’s hardware is relatively recent. If it’s older than three years, it’s possible some of these features won’t work. Check with the maker of your system and graphics card before taking the plunge.
One final note: If you don’t like Windows 10, you can revert to your previous operating system. As my buddy Ed Bott points out in item No. 3 in this Yahoo Tech article, the upgrade process is fast and relatively painless – but if you’re not happy, you can go back to whatever you were using before.
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