Nowadays, fast-developing communication and information technologies trigger an explosion of data on a scale millions of times larger year-to-year, yet your effort and strain on data management also rises. So you might need to find ways to make your computer both more powerful and easier to use. That is what Microsoft's new Windows 7 Operating System was designed to do.
Windows 7 has better ways to find and manage files—like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews—to help you speed through everyday tasks. It's designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to. With 64-bit support, you can take full advantage of the latest, most powerful processors. Great features like HomeGroup, Windows Media Center, and Windows Touch make new things possible.
Build a Windows 7 Ultimate system, and explore all the great features today!
Help Prevent Theft or Loss of DataUse BitLocker and BitLocker To Go to better protect your valuable files – even on removable drives like USB and "thumb" drives.
Windows XP ModeRun many existing productivity and business programs designed for Windows XP – additional necessary software is available for download, free-of-charge from Microsoft.
Save Time and Money Resolving IT IssuesTake advantage of the powerful diagnostics and troubleshooters built into Action Center to resolve many computer problems on your own.
Interact with any Compatible Device Connected to Your ComputerDevice Stage makes connecting and working with devices easier than ever with a single interface to manage devices and run common tasks. Plus, the new Devices and Printers folder shows you everything connected to your PC, making it a handy way to check on a printer, music player, camera, mouse, or digital picture frame (just to name a few).
Connect Multiple PCs, with or without a ServerUse Domain Join to connect PCs quickly and more securely to your wired or wireless domain network.
Automatically Back up Your FilesProtect your data from user error, hardware failure, and other problems. You can back up your files to an external hard drive, secondary hard drive, writable CD or DVD, or to a network location.
Pros: After struggling with Vista on my laptop I vowed to use XP as long as I could. After trying 7 for a while, I didn't hesitate to buy it. On a modern system (one from the last few years) it feels just about as responsive as XP. Memory usage is much lower than Vista, drivers are ready this time (only had to install video/ soundcard drivers), and it looks great. I didn't think I'd like the new design, but it looks good with minimal tweaking. I'm mostly a Linux guy, but I'm not afraid to admit this is a great Microsoft release. This is what Vista should have been.
Cons: Though it's lighter on resources than Vista, it is of course heavier than XP. Most 32 bit apps work well under x64, one or two of my games had problems that I have to find solutions for. I still think Windows is very expensive for an operating system. There is still a shortage of native 64 bit Windows programs.
Overall Review: My friend got Windows 7 working on an aging Dell laptop form 5-6 years ago. It's not lightning quick, but it works well. Network activity feels so much faster than XP; my WoW ping time actually dropped after I switched.