A while ago, I decided to try out Windows 8.1 on my Surface Pro 2. I thought that it might be faster, or I might get better battery life out of it. I downgraded from Windows 10 using a recovery image, and booted into Windows 8.1. I had no idea how much I would love Windows 8.1.
Once I finished the setup and installed all of the updates, I figured I would get my regular applications. I got Firefox set up and everything. I also managed to get the Windows Store working just fine. After a while, I got bored of Windows 8.1 and decided to try a different operating system (coming in another post later). After trying that operating system out, I decided to go back to Windows 8.1.
What I Love About Windows 8.1
Windows 8.1 has many features that I love about it. First of all, it is really fast. I never knew how fast my system could be, as I used Windows 10 on it which slowed the device down. Windows 8.1 made my machine much faster than Windows 10. Second, I got better battery life out of Windows 8.1. I was able to get through a whole school day without it getting below 60%. With Windows 10, most of the time I would be around 40% at the end of the school day. This was probably due to the fact that Windows 8.1 typically has around 50-60 processes running in the background compared to Windows 10's 150.
There are many other things I love about 8.1. Windows 7 applications weren't fully removed or replaced like they are with Windows 10, so I could use the control panel to update Windows again. Windows 8.1 also has the UWP (Universal Windows Program) Platform, so I could play many games such as Flow and Crossy Road.
Another great thing about Windows 8.1 is the way that multitasking works. You can split UWPs to the side of your display while also having the desktop open. This opens up much more workflows, like having a PDF on one side in full screen while having LibreOffice Writer on the other. The gestures also feel really nice, as you swipe from the left to split or close an app, and you swipe from the right to open the control center, where you can adjust brightness and network connectivity.
I also set up Windows 8.1 with Brave, a Chromium based web browser, and its SSBs (Single Site Browsers). SSBs are like iOS apps, since you only have one website you can visit in a window. I found that Brave's SSBs are better than Firefox's SSBs, since Brave's SSBs have extension support while Firefox's SSBs do not. These Single Site Browsers help make my Surface Pro 2 feel more like a tablet while also providing me with an easier way of managing apps.
What I Miss From Windows 10
Windows 10 was an alright operating system. Certain Windows 8.1 UWPs do not work anymore or do not exist for 8.1. Windows 10 also included a more touchscreen friendly Mail and Calendar app, which support Google OAuth2 login. I also couldn't get the Music app to work after reinstalling Windows 8.1, while on Windows 10 the Groove Music player would work out of the box.Will I Switch Back to Windows 10?
I have decided that Windows 8.1 is just too great to give up. Eventually, when Windows 8.1 support ends, I might switch to Windows 10, or I might just stay on 8.1 until the end of the device. Windows 8.1 is faster, more touch friendly, and overall just a better operating system than Windows 10 in my opinion. Feel free to post in the comments if you think Windows 8.1 is better or Windows 10 is better. Thank you for reading my article.
No comments:
Post a Comment