Are Windows 8.1's Security Improvements Worth the Upgrade?

[Guest]

Windows 8.1 added significant security enhancements, but how much difference will they make for the average end user?

Are Windows 8.1's Security Improvements Worth the Upgrade? : Read more

 

[razorblaze42]

Even if I could get over the fact of how much I hate the UI ( yes I know I can use desktop mode) I just can't see paying $120 for Windows 8.1. However if they ran the $39-$49 special again I would probably buy it at that price.

 

[omarccx]

Corsair Link doesn't recognize the fans on 8.1

 

[egilbe]

Will Windows 7 get Windows 8.1's improvements?

Windows 7 is build 6.1. Windows 8 is build 6.2. Windows 8 is a Beta of Windows 7 BS UI. Microsoft failed. I'm assuming Windows 8.2 will be a re-skinned Windows 8 without the crappy metro UI

 

[nickul]

For Windows 7 users, the thing that made me upgrade to Windows 8 was Adobe After Effects:
- Impossible to use in Win7, the rendering for previews happened ssoooo extremely slow for each and every frame, that it was hell trying to build a composition.
- In Windows 8, on the same hardware, nothing at all changed, Aftereffects works like.. 1000% better (I KIDD YOU NOT!), and it's a real pleasure to work in it now.

How they've managed to bring such a ginormous improvement is beyond me, but GG Microsoft!!! and with such improvement on this part, it was easy to presume that such improvements exist throughout the OS, not only in this regard.

 

[bigshootr8]

If modern ui/metro is still in the OS I won't touch the OS with a ten foot poll. Windows 7 Pro 64bit for a LONG LONG WHILE

 

[warezme]

Why does MS try so hard to hide the fact that Windows RT is not a real Windows OS but a port that runs on ARM? ARM is the processor run on the majority of smartphones. It is a smartphone OS and no x86 compiled software will ever be compatible with an RT Windows device without having to be ported.

 

[ohim]

@bigshootr8 if you took the liberty to try 8 you would have known that 99% of the time you won`t even see the metro UI, that leaves you with a new better OS than 7 ... i don`t get the guys who cry about it. And the funny thing is that eventually you`ll get used to the new start anyway. You might say about metro apps... well.. nobody forces you to use those, you can install your own regular apps as you do on 7.

 

[coolitic]

Honestly, if they both are only for touch screen, WHY ARE THERE 2 VERSIONS!?!?!

 

[clonazepam]

I think some purists are concerned we're going to call all pc programs and applications - "apps". They are diehard traditional PC enthusiasts, and dont want "mobile culture" creeping into their turf.
I made all this up. I was considering the upgrade to Windows 8.1, I'm just not ready to pay for it yet. I like my OS with a little more age on it.

 

[schnitter]

I already like Windows 8 more than Windows 7 and I don't have a touch screen. That said, I upgraded to 8.1 and the following happened:

PROS
-I can name my groups on Metro UI
-I can boot to Desktop

CONS
-Battlefield 4 only works on Google Chrome now
-Corsair Link stopped working
-Corsair Vengeance 1500 headset drivers no longer worked and the new beta drivers blast volume to hell at a mere 2/100 volume
-FIFA 14 stopped working, had to re-install
-I can no longer configure the background on Metro UI

Hope Software catches up to the OS because I am tired of having to fix things to work again... too much security lol.

 

[SteelCity1981]

so basically all the security improvements according to this article related to Windows 8 vs Windows 8.1 since many security issues had to deal with the touch screen interface in Windows 8. Furthermore with good free anti-virus programs like avg, avest etc.. and good frie malware programs like malwarebytes etc... that do as good of job if not better protecting your pc from threats then and windows built in security software can do, then there really isn't a need to upgrade windows for those reasons alone. Hopefully windows 7 finally gets an sp2 if some of the future security features from Windows 8.1 gets implemented in Windows 7.

 

[shahrooz]

windows 8.1 + classic shell v4.x (win 7 start menu) > win 7

 

[danwat1234]

You can get Windows 8.1 with it's enhanced security features, without the touchscreen features (no UI change). Just install start8.

 

[s997863]

nope.
"security upgrades" are never worth upgrades. if you have specific problems, buying a new OS is no solution.
This site should help guys learn more about computers but I guess it's more profitable to keep repeating the same marketing articles of companies over & over without writing critically about how nonsense their claims are & simply posting whatever they say with no opinion. "Latest software gives you better protection!".

 

[jimmysmitty]

Will Windows 7 get Windows 8.1's improvements?

Windows 7 is build 6.1. Windows 8 is build 6.2. Windows 8 is a Beta of Windows 7 BS UI. Microsoft failed. I'm assuming Windows 8.2 will be a re-skinned Windows 8 without the crappy metro UI

So then 7 was just a reskin of Vista. Since Vista was build 6.0. Therefore 8.1 is just a reskin of Vista.

Great logic.

@bigshootr8 if you took the liberty to try 8 you would have known that 99% of the time you won`t even see the metro UI, that leaves you with a new better OS than 7 ... i don`t get the guys who cry about it. And the funny thing is that eventually you`ll get used to the new start anyway. You might say about metro apps... well.. nobody forces you to use those, you can install your own regular apps as you do on 7.

Sad thing is, and they wont admit this, but the majority of those people who complain about Metro and praise the start menu probably rarely use the start menu.

I didn't realize how little I used it until I went to Windows 8.

nope.
"security upgrades" are never worth upgrades. if you have specific problems, buying a new OS is no solution.
This site should help guys learn more about computers but I guess it's more profitable to keep repeating the same marketing articles of companies over & over without writing critically about how nonsense their claims are & simply posting whatever they say with no opinion. "Latest software gives you better protection!".

Because its the truth. And the majority of the users are not going to know how to not click on crap adds anyways.

 

[apache_lives]

jimmysmitty said it perfectly +10000

 

[evilaaron11]

I currently have a windows 8.1 tablet and it's great. At first, I thought I would just like it for using touchscreen apps and such, but once I got a keyboard and mouse for it, it actually works quite well. If I had a desktop, I could easily get by with just using desktop applications. Seriously, the metro UI is just a funky looking start screen. I really don't understand why people hate it so much.

 

[techguy911]

Windows 8.1 won't run on amd x2 64 cpu's, security is not based on just the OS but what is loaded, having an old version of java and flash won't make you any safer than XP.

 

[soldier44]

Win 8 is not worth the upgrade let alone 8.1 Sticking with what works Win 7 ultimate.