The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Alienware 15 windows 8.1 or windows 7?

    Discussion in '2015+ Alienware 13 / 15 / 17' started by RatioKiller, Feb 12, 2015.

  1. RatioKiller

    RatioKiller Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Hey guys, I am about to order an Alienware 15, but I was wondering should I get it installed with windows 8.1 or windows 7? Thanks.
     
  2. Orlbuckeye

    Orlbuckeye Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    39
    Messages:
    572
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Well Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for either but you may want to get Windows 8.1 since it's closer to what Windows 10 will be.
     
  3. Alienware-Wasserman

    Alienware-Wasserman Company Representative

    Reputations:
    75
    Messages:
    194
    Likes Received:
    74
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Personally, I'm preferring Windows 8.1
    It's become stable and it is faster than Windows 7, you can also customize the look on 8.1 in case you don't like the layout.
    And as Orlbuckeye pointed out, you will be getting the free upgrade to Win10

    I hope you find this information useful.
     
  4. MrD1sturbed

    MrD1sturbed Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    50
    Messages:
    566
    Likes Received:
    36
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Did you get the FHD or UHD screen? If it is the UHD, then I would definitely recommend 8.1. Win 7 doesn't scale nearly as well as 8.1, and if you plan to use the touchscreen it works best with 8.1's Metro UI.
     
  5. bumbo2

    bumbo2 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    324
    Messages:
    1,612
    Likes Received:
    104
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Go with windows 8.1 pro!
     
  6. sabricaze

    sabricaze Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    66
    Messages:
    666
    Likes Received:
    36
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Nope. Win 8.1 may be faster, but after a day of using it, I'm going back to Win 7.

    I wanted to give it a chance. Really. But it's a sh*t.
     
    Spartan@HIDevolution likes this.
  7. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

    Reputations:
    9,436
    Messages:
    58,194
    Likes Received:
    17,909
    Trophy Points:
    931
    Either way you will likely be moving to 10 in not too long.
     
  8. drebkb

    drebkb Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    16
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I'd go 8.1, i like it a lot actually, main reason i ordered a Windows laptop not a Mac.
     
  9. Red Pyr4mid

    Red Pyr4mid Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Okay but in terms of games compatibility/performances what will you choose? Reading Steam forums seems that Windows 7 is still better for most of the titles. I play DayZ.
     
  10. Ramzay

    Ramzay Notebook Connoisseur

    Reputations:
    476
    Messages:
    3,185
    Likes Received:
    1,065
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Hopefully you have reasons for hating it beyond the start menu. Because a simple free download fixes that.
     
  11. steviejones133

    steviejones133 Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,172
    Messages:
    10,077
    Likes Received:
    1,122
    Trophy Points:
    581
    Personally, I'd go Windows 7.......SP1 is supprted by MS till Jan 14th 2020.
     
    Spartan@HIDevolution likes this.
  12. Spartan@HIDevolution

    Spartan@HIDevolution Company Representative

    Reputations:
    39,619
    Messages:
    23,562
    Likes Received:
    36,877
    Trophy Points:
    931
  13. RatioKiller

    RatioKiller Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Thanks for all the help everyone, I decided to go with windows 8.1 as it was included in the final price. If I wanted windows 7 it would have costed an additional 8.000 yen / ~$80 USD. Hopefully the laptop comes soon... I live in Japan.