Windows 7 netbook performance: can MS make it faster?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 25 May 2009 10:31

Opinion and Analysis

Perhaps Microsoft is saving all of its true speed tricks for the final, fully optimised, “release to manufacturing” version of Windows 7. What kind of additional tracking and other testing technologies has Microsoft shoved into the official RC that it can get rid of before the RTM version ships?

Or perhaps it’s just some quirk with the machines I’ve been testing, because there are those out there online that report better experiences with Win 7 RC on netbooks than I’ve been having.

Of course, the netbooks I'm testing only have 1GB, and not 2GB, but then I'm not doing anything taxing - just opening browser Windows, Office 2007 and other software, and as noted things weren't this slow with the beta and other pre-RC versions.

On the other hand, more powerful machines, such as Core Duo and Core 2 Duo systems I’m using with at least 2GB of memory have had no issues whatsoever, with Windows 7 RC screaming along nicely.

But on more powerful equipment, Vista ran more than fast enough too.

Maybe Intel is right – it has been insisting that last year’s crop of netbooks aren’t powerful enough for a smooth Windows 7 experience, and that this year’s Win 7 specific models (and the upcoming CULV systems) are a much better fit.

Although you'd expect Intel to say that - it wants you to upgrade your old netbook for a shiny new and faster one, there's no secret in that.

Well, Microsoft still has at least a couple of months to optimise the heck out of the current Windows 7 code, so it goes like greased lightning on all systems.

After all, we’re not all billionaires able to drop cash instantly. Plenty of us have older machines that just need a simple upgrade.

Which leads us to the next and final point for now – there are reports that Microsoft is considering charging MORE for Windows 7 than Vista!!

If this is true, and reports suggest we’ll know in the next two to three weeks, then a substantial price DECREASE had better be in order, or there’ll be bloody murder, screaming and hell to pay from this side of Kingdom Come to the next.

Honestly, all the Win XP virtualisation surprises and switched off services and lower memory requirements and the rest can all go to hell and never come back - if Windows 7 costs a bomb.

Remember, Microsoft… Linux is free. Macs are cooler and cost more, but hey, they’re worth it, and while they might have 90% few users, there are 90% fewer complaints, too – and not because there are fewer users!

Microsoft: lower the price. Get millions more legal users. Happy users. Activated users. Non-pirate users. Paying users.

Microsoft: Make it faster. Oh, and Microsoft: Make it smaller! Why does Windows 7 still have to be so much larger than Windows XP? Does all that security stuff really take up gigabytes more space?

Microsoft: You haven’t released Windows 7 yet. Get it right… or see your 89% market share dwindle to 8.9%, beaten by Android, Ubuntu, Mac OS or simply never get back to Windows XP’s heights…