how is windows 8

[msi_mpower_z77]

hey i am a windows 7 ultimate 64 bit user but i was jw if its worth swiching to windows 8 is it any better or is it better for gameing whats so good about it

[dchen12]

From personal experience, I've only noticed the fast boot times on my desktop. Haven't heard any scenarios where gaming performance increased on windows 8 and I haven't noticed any either. There have been new features such as their storage system. One thing I've found really useful is the option to pause the transferring of files.

If you have a laptop, I'd definitely switch to take advantage of the faster boot/wake times.

Takes some time to get used to but you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly.

[msi_mpower_z77]

From personal experience, I've only noticed the fast boot times on my desktop. Haven't heard any scenarios where gaming performance increased on windows 8 and I haven't noticed any either. There have been new features such as their storage system. One thing I've found really useful is the option to pause the transferring of files.

If you have a laptop, I'd definitely switch to take advantage of the faster boot/wake times.

Takes some time to get used to but you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly.

i have a gameing desk top

[GoodBytes]

Windows 8 has a learning curve that you need to pass over. But once you do, and you know how to customize everything, Windows 8 becomes really enjoyable to use. Many that uses Windows 8 and hate don't even know you can customize the Start Scree, by pinning anything you want, like your programs or folder, and place things how you want, and they just whine all day.

I would say, if you do get it, expect 2-3 weeks before you get used to it.

On a desktop the best way to see Windows 8 new Start screen, is: Start Menu but full screen + ability to pin anything you want and unpin what you want (also ignores most uninstall items, and readme files that programs insist on dumping on the start menu), + gadgets which are the metro apps live tiles.

Here is mine on my desktop:

http://www.helpweaver.com/dss.png

While I never got the chance to finish installing all my games, you can see my Games section grow, and have direct access to my game without the need of Steam. There is also apps which I did not try yet, which make you nice Steam game tiles like this app:

http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-pin-steam-games-as-tiles-on-windows-8-start-screen/

Here is what is cool about Windows 8

-> Super Fast to near instant boot (for near instant boot, you need a motherboard that support fully UEFI, SSD (of course), and have your graphic card firmware set to GOP (the graphic card will no longer work with BIOS system once set. Contact your graphic card manufacture to see if you can have such firmware as they don't put it by default, with the exact model number of your card. Please note that even if you have the latest gen GPU, if the manufacture didn't put a firmware chip large enough to support GOP, your card won't support GOP). If you don't want to go through that trouble or have the requirements, you still get to enjoy super fast boot.

-> New Task Manager with a few new features

-> Free unlimited music streaming of 30 million song and growing practically each week, in high quality. So why buy music? (after 6 month since your first login with your hotmail/live/outlook account it's 10h per month). For 10$ a month (or 100$ a year - 2 month free), you get unlimited all the time free music stream AND download, Ads free on the program, and yuo get to use the Zune desktop software which uses the same store to listen and download music. Personally, I download about 10-12 albums a month. I like a song, I get the entire album. So much saving compare to iTunes. It must be noted however, that downloaded music can only be played currently on Microsoft devices so: Windows XP/Vista/7/8, Windows RT, Windows Phone 7/8 and Zune MP3 player. Soon, Microsoft will release an iOS app and Android app which will allow you to listen to the music on those devices.

-> Storage Space. Got disk? Make RAID 1 or 5 or just have 1 large disk drive from form all little drives. You can also include SD card, USB drives, etc. While it not as fast than using RAID card, this is essentially free, and isn't picky with the drives. Old new, IDE mixed with SATA, mixed with other HDD form another SATA controller, different speed, no mater it takes it. Linus made a video on it:

-> More responsive OS, and is lighter. Yes, somehow Microsoft was able to pull another miracle like they did with Windows 7, and make it leaner, faster and even more responsive.

-> Increase game performance. Ok this one is a bit tricky. If you have new hardware with a fancy GTX 500 or 600 series, with a fancy Core i7 processor, you won't see anything truly visible, as confirmed by review. You do have increase performance in most games, but just a tad. HOWEVER, if you have old GPUs, like what I have a GTX 260, or what I have on my over 4 years old laptop, a Quadro NVS 160M 256MB (equivalent to a GeForce 9300M but with 256MB of memory instead of shared), you do see a much greater performance. Under Win7 64-bit, I was unable to play StarCraft 2 at above medium settings to continue to have 60fps. Now I can play StraCraft 2 under ultra settings at 55-60fps. And I saw similar bump in other games as well.

-> Ability to open the Command Prompt or PowerShell elevated credential or normal, form any folder and will open to that path. (This depending on how this is important to you or not). This is thanks to the collapsible ribbon bar. It also has access to other stuff easilly from there.

-> Ability to load ISO's file. No need to get Virtual drive like Daemon Tools.

-> Big imrpovements on Multi-monitor support with task bar spreading on multiple screens with several options on how do you want the task bar to behave based on where programs and folder are

-> More power efficient (good for laptop. This means increase battery life)

-> File History, allows you to go back in time over a file, folder or drive. While you had something like this on Windows 7 Pro and Ultimate, it was very limited. This is much more expends and properly stores the previous version on a separate drive or network computer/server

-> Windows Defrag renamed to Windows Optimize Disk, which support SSD's now. It will defrag HDD's and execute TRIM on SSD's manually making sure it garbage collects properly, and scans the entire SSD for this.

-> If you decide to make your account link to a Microsoft Account, you can have your Windows settings in sync over the cloud between your multiple devices an computers using the same account. So if you change the background on your desktop, it will do the same on your laptop assuming it has Windows 8 or tablet (assuming it has Windows RT or 8)

-> Ability to re-install Windows, in Windows, by wiping everything or keeping your personal files

-> Hyper-V Virtual machine

-> Large Disk support. Support without hack required by the HDD manufacture or you, 2TB HDD's or more

-> Reduce restart form Windows Update, and stop bugging your to restart (will give you 2 days grace period before bugging you, so you have more chances of restarting your computer or turning it off, so you reduce significantly from seeing it)

-> Metered Connection support, and imrpoved wireless and wired networking.

-> Auto switch between better network connection automatically (if you are on a metered one (3G), it will switch to wireless as soon as it detects one you previously connected to automatically, And it will pass a wireless one to a wired one as soon as you plug it.

-> PowerShell 3.0

-> Pause/resume and merge file transfer with detail graph view:

Notice the 3 file transfers, where the user click on the Pause button on the 2 of the bottom to push out faster the first one

-> Improved file collision detection

Where where there is a collision, it asks you which one you want, and it puts in bold the differences.

Also it no longer asks you in the middle of a transfer, but rather at the end.

-> Multi-language support

-> Micorosft is converting slowly XBox 360 Arcade games to the Windows Store for PC.. well at least the popular ones so far. We don't know if it just select few, or everything. As Microsoft never annonced anything, don't have hopes up. See it as a potential bonus.

-> DirectX 11.1

-> VHD support with write.modify content from VHD's

Now there is more, but it's more IT related.

Windows 8 PRO (highest edition of Windows 8, there is no Ultimate edition) Upgrade is until Jan 31st is 40$ Canadian (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows/buy?ocid=GA8_O_WOL_Hero_ShopHP_FPP_Null), Yes, you can clean install with it. After that it will be 200$.

Also you can get until Jan31st, Windows Media Center and DVD playback codec support for free as it was in WIndows 7. Microsoft removed Media Center and DVD playback codec to reduce the cost of Windows 8, and made it a separate add-on at a nominal fee or 15$. Until Jan 31st, it's free. So enjoy!

[msi_mpower_z77]

Windows 8 has a learning curve that you need to pass over. But once you do, and you know how to customize everything, Windows 8 becomes really enjoyable to use. Many that uses Windows 8 and hate don't even know you can customize the Start Scree, by pinning anything you want, like your programs or folder, and place things how you want, and they just whine all day.

I would say, if you do get it, expect 2-3 weeks before you get used to it.

On a desktop the best way to see Windows 8 new Start screen, is: Start Menu but full screen + ability to pin anything you want and unpin what you want (also ignores most uninstall items, and readme files that programs insist on dumping on the start menu), + gadgets which are the metro apps live tiles.

Here is mine on my desktop:

http://www.helpweaver.com/dss.png

While I never got the chance to finish installing all my games, you can see my Games section grow, and have direct access to my game without the need of Steam. There is also apps which I did not try yet, which make you nice Steam game tiles like this app:

http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-pin-steam-games-as-tiles-on-windows-8-start-screen/

Here is what is cool about Windows 8

-> Super Fast to near instant boot (for near instant boot, you need a motherboard that support fully UEFI, SSD (of course), and have your graphic card firmware set to GOP (the graphic card will no longer work with BIOS system once set. Contact your graphic card manufacture to see if you can have such firmware as they don't put it by default, with the exact model number of your card. Please note that even if you have the latest gen GPU, if the manufacture didn't put a firmware chip large enough to support GOP, your card won't support GOP). If you don't want to go through that trouble or have the requirements, you still get to enjoy super fast boot.

-> New Task Manager with a few new features

-> Free unlimited music streaming of 30 million song and growing practically each week, in high quality. So why buy music? (after 6 month since your first login with your hotmail/live/outlook account it's 10h per month). For 10$ a month (or 100$ a year - 2 month free), you get unlimited all the time free music stream AND download, Ads free on the program, and yuo get to use the Zune desktop software which uses the same store to listen and download music. Personally, I download about 10-12 albums a month. I like a song, I get the entire album. So much saving compare to iTunes. It must be noted however, that downloaded music can only be played currently on Microsoft devices so: Windows XP/Vista/7/8, Windows RT, Windows Phone 7/8 and Zune MP3 player. Soon, Microsoft will release an iOS app and Android app which will allow you to listen to the music on those devices.

-> Storage Space. Got disk? Make RAID 1 or 5 or just have 1 large disk drive from form all little drives. You can also include SD card, USB drives, etc. While it not as fast than using RAID card, this is essentially free, and isn't picky with the drives. Old new, IDE mixed with SATA, mixed with other HDD form another SATA controller, different speed, no mater it takes it. Linus made a video on it:

-> More responsive OS, and is lighter. Yes, somehow Microsoft was able to pull another miracle like they did with Windows 7, and make it leaner, faster and even more responsive.

-> Increase game performance. Ok this one is a bit tricky. If you have new hardware with a fancy GTX 500 or 600 series, with a fancy Core i7 processor, you won't see anything truly visible, as confirmed by review. You do have increase performance in most games, but just a tad. HOWEVER, if you have old GPUs, like what I have a GTX 260, or what I have on my over 4 years old laptop, a Quadro NVS 160M 256MB (equivalent to a GeForce 9300M but with 256MB of memory instead of shared), you do see a much greater performance. Under Win7 64-bit, I was unable to play StarCraft 2 at above medium settings to continue to have 60fps. Now I can play StraCraft 2 under ultra settings at 55-60fps. And I saw similar bump in other games as well.

-> Ability to open the Command Prompt or PowerShell elevated credential or normal, form any folder and will open to that path. (This depending on how this is important to you or not). This is thanks to the collapsible ribbon bar. It also has access to other stuff easilly from there.

-> Ability to load ISO's file. No need to get Virtual drive like Daemon Tools.

-> Big imrpovements on Multi-monitor support with task bar spreading on multiple screens with several options on how do you want the task bar to behave based on where programs and folder are

-> More power efficient (good for laptop. This means increase battery life)

-> File History, allows you to go back in time over a file, folder or drive. While you had something like this on Windows 7 Pro and Ultimate, it was very limited. This is much more expends and properly stores the previous version on a separate drive or network computer/server

-> Windows Defrag renamed to Windows Optimize Disk, which support SSD's now. It will defrag HDD's and execute TRIM on SSD's manually making sure it garbage collects properly, and scans the entire SSD for this.

-> If you decide to make your account link to a Microsoft Account, you can have your Windows settings in sync over the cloud between your multiple devices an computers using the same account. So if you change the background on your desktop, it will do the same on your laptop assuming it has Windows 8 or tablet (assuming it has Windows RT or 8)

-> Ability to re-install Windows, in Windows, by wiping everything or keeping your personal files

-> Hyper-V Virtual machine

-> Large Disk support. Support without hack required by the HDD manufacture or you, 2TB HDD's or more

-> Reduce restart form Windows Update, and stop bugging your to restart (will give you 2 days grace period before bugging you, so you have more chances of restarting your computer or turning it off, so you reduce significantly from seeing it)

-> Metered Connection support, and imrpoved wireless and wired networking.

-> Auto switch between better network connection automatically (if you are on a metered one (3G), it will switch to wireless as soon as it detects one you previously connected to automatically, And it will pass a wireless one to a wired one as soon as you plug it.

-> PowerShell 3.0

-> Pause/resume and merge file transfer with detail graph view:

Notice the 3 file transfers, where the user click on the Pause button on the 2 of the bottom to push out faster the first one

-> Improved file collision detection

Where where there is a collision, it asks you which one you want, and it puts in bold the differences.

Also it no longer asks you in the middle of a transfer, but rather at the end.

-> Multi-language support

-> Micorosft is converting slowly XBox 360 Arcade games to the Windows Store for PC.. well at least the popular ones so far. We don't know if it just select few, or everything. As Microsoft never annonced anything, don't have hopes up. See it as a potential bonus.

-> DirectX 11.1

-> VHD support with write.modify content from VHD's

Now there is more, but it's more IT related.

Windows 8 PRO (highest edition of Windows 8, there is no Ultimate edition) Upgrade is until Jan 31st is 40$ Canadian (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows/buy?ocid=GA8_O_WOL_Hero_ShopHP_FPP_Null), Yes, you can clean install with it. After that it will be 200$.

Also you can get until Jan31st, Windows Media Center and DVD playback codec support for free as it was in WIndows 7. Microsoft removed Media Center and DVD playback codec to reduce the cost of Windows 8, and made it a separate add-on at a nominal fee or 15$. Until Jan 31st, it's free. So enjoy!

ugh i think im just gona stay with my windows 7 ultimate

[dchen12]

Windows 8 has a learning curve that you need to pass over. But once you do, and you know how to customize everything, Windows 8 becomes really enjoyable to use. Many that uses Windows 8 and hate don't even know you can customize the Start Scree, by pinning anything you want, like your programs or folder, and place things how you want, and they just whine all day.

I would say, if you do get it, expect 2-3 weeks before you get used to it.

On a desktop the best way to see Windows 8 new Start screen, is: Start Menu but full screen + ability to pin anything you want and unpin what you want (also ignores most uninstall items, and readme files that programs insist on dumping on the start menu), + gadgets which are the metro apps live tiles.

Here is mine on my desktop:

http://www.helpweaver.com/dss.png

While I never got the chance to finish installing all my games, you can see my Games section grow, and have direct access to my game without the need of Steam. There is also apps which I did not try yet, which make you nice Steam game tiles like this app:

http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-pin-steam-games-as-tiles-on-windows-8-start-screen/

Here is what is cool about Windows 8

-> Super Fast to near instant boot (for near instant boot, you need a motherboard that support fully UEFI, SSD (of course), and have your graphic card firmware set to GOP (the graphic card will no longer work with BIOS system once set. Contact your graphic card manufacture to see if you can have such firmware as they don't put it by default, with the exact model number of your card. Please note that even if you have the latest gen GPU, if the manufacture didn't put a firmware chip large enough to support GOP, your card won't support GOP). If you don't want to go through that trouble or have the requirements, you still get to enjoy super fast boot.

-> New Task Manager with a few new features

-> Free unlimited music streaming of 30 million song and growing practically each week, in high quality. So why buy music? (after 6 month since your first login with your hotmail/live/outlook account it's 10h per month). For 10$ a month (or 100$ a year - 2 month free), you get unlimited all the time free music stream AND download, Ads free on the program, and yuo get to use the Zune desktop software which uses the same store to listen and download music. Personally, I download about 10-12 albums a month. I like a song, I get the entire album. So much saving compare to iTunes. It must be noted however, that downloaded music can only be played currently on Microsoft devices so: Windows XP/Vista/7/8, Windows RT, Windows Phone 7/8 and Zune MP3 player. Soon, Microsoft will release an iOS app and Android app which will allow you to listen to the music on those devices.

-> Storage Space. Got disk? Make RAID 1 or 5 or just have 1 large disk drive from form all little drives. You can also include SD card, USB drives, etc. While it not as fast than using RAID card, this is essentially free, and isn't picky with the drives. Old new, IDE mixed with SATA, mixed with other HDD form another SATA controller, different speed, no mater it takes it. Linus made a video on it:

-> More responsive OS, and is lighter. Yes, somehow Microsoft was able to pull another miracle like they did with Windows 7, and make it leaner, faster and even more responsive.

-> Increase game performance. Ok this one is a bit tricky. If you have new hardware with a fancy GTX 500 or 600 series, with a fancy Core i7 processor, you won't see anything truly visible, as confirmed by review. You do have increase performance in most games, but just a tad. HOWEVER, if you have old GPUs, like what I have a GTX 260, or what I have on my over 4 years old laptop, a Quadro NVS 160M 256MB (equivalent to a GeForce 9300M but with 256MB of memory instead of shared), you do see a much greater performance. Under Win7 64-bit, I was unable to play StarCraft 2 at above medium settings to continue to have 60fps. Now I can play StraCraft 2 under ultra settings at 55-60fps. And I saw similar bump in other games as well.

-> Ability to open the Command Prompt or PowerShell elevated credential or normal, form any folder and will open to that path. (This depending on how this is important to you or not). This is thanks to the collapsible ribbon bar. It also has access to other stuff easilly from there.

-> Ability to load ISO's file. No need to get Virtual drive like Daemon Tools.

-> Big imrpovements on Multi-monitor support with task bar spreading on multiple screens with several options on how do you want the task bar to behave based on where programs and folder are

-> More power efficient (good for laptop. This means increase battery life)

-> File History, allows you to go back in time over a file, folder or drive. While you had something like this on Windows 7 Pro and Ultimate, it was very limited. This is much more expends and properly stores the previous version on a separate drive or network computer/server

-> Windows Defrag renamed to Windows Optimize Disk, which support SSD's now. It will defrag HDD's and execute TRIM on SSD's manually making sure it garbage collects properly, and scans the entire SSD for this.

-> If you decide to make your account link to a Microsoft Account, you can have your Windows settings in sync over the cloud between your multiple devices an computers using the same account. So if you change the background on your desktop, it will do the same on your laptop assuming it has Windows 8 or tablet (assuming it has Windows RT or 8)

-> Ability to re-install Windows, in Windows, by wiping everything or keeping your personal files

-> Hyper-V Virtual machine

-> Large Disk support. Support without hack required by the HDD manufacture or you, 2TB HDD's or more

-> Reduce restart form Windows Update, and stop bugging your to restart (will give you 2 days grace period before bugging you, so you have more chances of restarting your computer or turning it off, so you reduce significantly from seeing it)

-> Metered Connection support, and imrpoved wireless and wired networking.

-> Auto switch between better network connection automatically (if you are on a metered one (3G), it will switch to wireless as soon as it detects one you previously connected to automatically, And it will pass a wireless one to a wired one as soon as you plug it.

-> PowerShell 3.0

-> Pause/resume and merge file transfer with detail graph view:

Notice the 3 file transfers, where the user click on the Pause button on the 2 of the bottom to push out faster the first one

-> Improved file collision detection

Where where there is a collision, it asks you which one you want, and it puts in bold the differences.

Also it no longer asks you in the middle of a transfer, but rather at the end.

-> Multi-language support

-> Micorosft is converting slowly XBox 360 Arcade games to the Windows Store for PC.. well at least the popular ones so far. We don't know if it just select few, or everything. As Microsoft never annonced anything, don't have hopes up. See it as a potential bonus.

-> DirectX 11.1

-> VHD support with write.modify content from VHD's

Now there is more, but it's more IT related.

Windows 8 PRO (highest edition of Windows 8, there is no Ultimate edition) Upgrade is until Jan 31st is 40$ Canadian (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows/buy?ocid=GA8_O_WOL_Hero_ShopHP_FPP_Null), Yes, you can clean install with it. After that it will be 200$.

Also you can get until Jan31st, Windows Media Center and DVD playback codec support for free as it was in WIndows 7. Microsoft removed Media Center and DVD playback codec to reduce the cost of Windows 8, and made it a separate add-on at a nominal fee or 15$. Until Jan 31st, it's free. So enjoy!

Double post, sorry.

[dchen12]

Windows 8 has a learning curve that you need to pass over. But once you do, and you know how to customize everything, Windows 8 becomes really enjoyable to use. Many that uses Windows 8 and hate don't even know you can customize the Start Scree, by pinning anything you want, like your programs or folder, and place things how you want, and they just whine all day.

I would say, if you do get it, expect 2-3 weeks before you get used to it.

On a desktop the best way to see Windows 8 new Start screen, is: Start Menu but full screen + ability to pin anything you want and unpin what you want (also ignores most uninstall items, and readme files that programs insist on dumping on the start menu), + gadgets which are the metro apps live tiles.

Here is mine on my desktop:

http://www.helpweaver.com/dss.png

While I never got the chance to finish installing all my games, you can see my Games section grow, and have direct access to my game without the need of Steam. There is also apps which I did not try yet, which make you nice Steam game tiles like this app:

http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-pin-steam-games-as-tiles-on-windows-8-start-screen/

Here is what is cool about Windows 8

-> Super Fast to near instant boot (for near instant boot, you need a motherboard that support fully UEFI, SSD (of course), and have your graphic card firmware set to GOP (the graphic card will no longer work with BIOS system once set. Contact your graphic card manufacture to see if you can have such firmware as they don't put it by default, with the exact model number of your card. Please note that even if you have the latest gen GPU, if the manufacture didn't put a firmware chip large enough to support GOP, your card won't support GOP). If you don't want to go through that trouble or have the requirements, you still get to enjoy super fast boot.

-> New Task Manager with a few new features

-> Free unlimited music streaming of 30 million song and growing practically each week, in high quality. So why buy music? (after 6 month since your first login with your hotmail/live/outlook account it's 10h per month). For 10$ a month (or 100$ a year - 2 month free), you get unlimited all the time free music stream AND download, Ads free on the program, and yuo get to use the Zune desktop software which uses the same store to listen and download music. Personally, I download about 10-12 albums a month. I like a song, I get the entire album. So much saving compare to iTunes. It must be noted however, that downloaded music can only be played currently on Microsoft devices so: Windows XP/Vista/7/8, Windows RT, Windows Phone 7/8 and Zune MP3 player. Soon, Microsoft will release an iOS app and Android app which will allow you to listen to the music on those devices.

-> Storage Space. Got disk? Make RAID 1 or 5 or just have 1 large disk drive from form all little drives. You can also include SD card, USB drives, etc. While it not as fast than using RAID card, this is essentially free, and isn't picky with the drives. Old new, IDE mixed with SATA, mixed with other HDD form another SATA controller, different speed, no mater it takes it. Linus made a video on it:

-> More responsive OS, and is lighter. Yes, somehow Microsoft was able to pull another miracle like they did with Windows 7, and make it leaner, faster and even more responsive.

-> Increase game performance. Ok this one is a bit tricky. If you have new hardware with a fancy GTX 500 or 600 series, with a fancy Core i7 processor, you won't see anything truly visible, as confirmed by review. You do have increase performance in most games, but just a tad. HOWEVER, if you have old GPUs, like what I have a GTX 260, or what I have on my over 4 years old laptop, a Quadro NVS 160M 256MB (equivalent to a GeForce 9300M but with 256MB of memory instead of shared), you do see a much greater performance. Under Win7 64-bit, I was unable to play StarCraft 2 at above medium settings to continue to have 60fps. Now I can play StraCraft 2 under ultra settings at 55-60fps. And I saw similar bump in other games as well.

-> Ability to open the Command Prompt or PowerShell elevated credential or normal, form any folder and will open to that path. (This depending on how this is important to you or not). This is thanks to the collapsible ribbon bar. It also has access to other stuff easilly from there.

-> Ability to load ISO's file. No need to get Virtual drive like Daemon Tools.

-> Big imrpovements on Multi-monitor support with task bar spreading on multiple screens with several options on how do you want the task bar to behave based on where programs and folder are

-> More power efficient (good for laptop. This means increase battery life)

-> File History, allows you to go back in time over a file, folder or drive. While you had something like this on Windows 7 Pro and Ultimate, it was very limited. This is much more expends and properly stores the previous version on a separate drive or network computer/server

-> Windows Defrag renamed to Windows Optimize Disk, which support SSD's now. It will defrag HDD's and execute TRIM on SSD's manually making sure it garbage collects properly, and scans the entire SSD for this.

-> If you decide to make your account link to a Microsoft Account, you can have your Windows settings in sync over the cloud between your multiple devices an computers using the same account. So if you change the background on your desktop, it will do the same on your laptop assuming it has Windows 8 or tablet (assuming it has Windows RT or 8)

-> Ability to re-install Windows, in Windows, by wiping everything or keeping your personal files

-> Hyper-V Virtual machine

-> Large Disk support. Support without hack required by the HDD manufacture or you, 2TB HDD's or more

-> Reduce restart form Windows Update, and stop bugging your to restart (will give you 2 days grace period before bugging you, so you have more chances of restarting your computer or turning it off, so you reduce significantly from seeing it)

-> Metered Connection support, and imrpoved wireless and wired networking.

-> Auto switch between better network connection automatically (if you are on a metered one (3G), it will switch to wireless as soon as it detects one you previously connected to automatically, And it will pass a wireless one to a wired one as soon as you plug it.

-> PowerShell 3.0

-> Pause/resume and merge file transfer with detail graph view:

Notice the 3 file transfers, where the user click on the Pause button on the 2 of the bottom to push out faster the first one

-> Improved file collision detection

Where where there is a collision, it asks you which one you want, and it puts in bold the differences.

Also it no longer asks you in the middle of a transfer, but rather at the end.

-> Multi-language support

-> Micorosft is converting slowly XBox 360 Arcade games to the Windows Store for PC.. well at least the popular ones so far. We don't know if it just select few, or everything. As Microsoft never annonced anything, don't have hopes up. See it as a potential bonus.

-> DirectX 11.1

-> VHD support with write.modify content from VHD's

Now there is more, but it's more IT related.

Windows 8 PRO (highest edition of Windows 8, there is no Ultimate edition) Upgrade is until Jan 31st is 40$ Canadian (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows/buy?ocid=GA8_O_WOL_Hero_ShopHP_FPP_Null), Yes, you can clean install with it. After that it will be 200$.

Also you can get until Jan31st, Windows Media Center and DVD playback codec support for free as it was in WIndows 7. Microsoft removed Media Center and DVD playback codec to reduce the cost of Windows 8, and made it a separate add-on at a nominal fee or 15$. Until Jan 31st, it's free. So enjoy!

To the average or below average user like me, the upgrade generally isn't worth it. I do like some of the new features in Windows 8, but for most it doesn't justify switching.