Why I still use Windows 8.1 in 2020...

Despite its unpopularity, Windows 8.1 is still an OS I use as a daily driver. Find out why I'm staying on this 8-year old operating system and what it means for the device I am using it on in 2020.

Why am I using Windows 8.1 despite it being criticized for it's over-emphasis on tablets and difficulty of use? Why don't I upgrade to Windows 10 instead? Watch to find out my response to its criticism.

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:23 Hardware I'm Using and Why it Matters
3:16 Windows 10 Tablet Mode
6:19 Combination of Touch and Desktop
7:54 Other Windows 8.1 features

Playlists:

[Armanii]

"Welcome to a segment called Defending Windows 8.1 because I am a very good person"

[StorkTech]

"When it works it really works
When it doesn't work it really doesn't work"

~TrigrZolt

[champrochan]

No one’s first

No one’s last

But if everyone hates Windows 8








I AM SO MAD

[SuperPenguin]

Windows 8.1 was a time where you can see the design continuity between xbox one, xbox 360, windows mobile and windows 8.1

[matthieustrasseele]

It's way more stable than Windows 10...

[ilcuriosonedelweb]

Windows 8.1 was misunderstood just like Vista. I really love 8.1 because Microsoft NAILED both the desktop and tablet UI experience in one single OS and it was awesome. I never had a Windows tablet before unfortunately so I never managed to get the full tablet UI experience of 8.1, but even then with only mouse and keyboard the gestures were still really nice to use. Sadly 8.1, just like Vista, was ahead of it's time in 2012/2013 because Microsoft thought that tablets and touchscreens were already the future on PC but they were not so this is why this OS got so much hate, quite a shame. Meantime Windows 10 is just
Microsoft trying to fix their "mistake" but failing miserably, resulting in an OS with an identity crisis

Also the performance. Oh my god the performance on 8.1 are something magical, especially on older systems. I've a HP 630 and an ASUS X550EP both with respectively an i3-370M and an AMD A4-5000 and 8 and 12GB of RAM, Windows 10 feels like a brick due to how bloated it is on those systems, using a lot of RAM and CPU for no reason at all, while Windows 8.1 feels light, snappy and fast, using little to no CPU and just 1GB of RAM.
Windows 8.1 is my third favourite Windows OS after XP and 7, but in terms of performance, 8.1 is the best Windows OS Microsoft has ever made

[donthaveaneme]

let me guess,


windows 7 is the best work only for pc and laptop
windows 8 is the great experience for tablet mode

while windows 10 just downgrading all of them, maybe...

edit: um guys, i think i not need any hacks or other utilities. i was kidding bout this comment...

[ozi]

windows 8.1 is one of the best versions for crappy computers. because it was stable and fast on every computer. My computer is too new for 7 so i would install 7 if i could. You can get rid of the "bad" start menu with startisback. windows 10 is just a pain with a hdd.

[ShinyHelmet]

I still use Windows 8.1 on my desktop with the Classic Shell start menu installed. Works great, and the fact that Windows 8.1 is only getting security updates and not feature updates is a massive plus imo. I guess in a couple of years I'll be forced onto the Windows 10 bandwagon, due to EOL of Windows 8.1 or a hardware upgrade, but for now it's actually perfect for my needs.

[hanifavicinna]

I'm still using windows 8.1 on my daily laptop and my sister's pc. Very lightweight os. I never have a touch screen computer, so i never used the touch capabilities on Windows 8.1

[melonademan]

I don’t think Microsoft would remove tablet mode because it would cause such a stir to Surface users and artists in general.

[lukaskob-themightyblueape]

You don't have to drag up the lock screen . Just click or press any key.

[kathleendippert]

("0:04 when you step on a lego")

[XeZrunner]

I'm also using Windows 8.1 but on my desktop. I just like the UI regardless of it not being desktop-friendly. I don't have problems navigating the UI with mouse & keyboard, but more importantly, the entire OS is just super-simple, fast, snappy, responsive.
Not sure where Windows 10 went wrong but it has definitely lost its responsive feel. Windows 8 has no stutter in its UI anywhere.
I wonder if a major Windows 10 UI redesign will fix Windows 10's quirks.

[columbiancoke]

In my opinion, Windows 8.1 was the best. and it still is. Windows 8.1 wasn't really a failure and it was the best.

[FoxBlocksHere]

I've had the -pleasure- agony of using Windows 8 that came built-in with a laptop WITHOUT a touch-screen, and yeah, it didn't feel right.

[MyurrDurr]

Yep, I miss those dang gestures! The same applied to me when Windows Phone 10 came along. I updated to it and it just felt really really boring.
There was no longer a super smooth set of animations, things felt more rigid and clunky in 10. OFC, I reverted back to 8.1 on that phone

[cunnyman]

8.1 has the best iGPU performance of all Windows OSes out there.
My Intel HD was able to do 30fps stable in many games while struggling with the same games with same hardware when using 7, 8 and 10. The performance boost was so odd.

[SeaJay_Oceans]

Windows 8.1 was the very last Operating System put out by Microsoft. After that, Windows 10, 11, etc are Surveillance Systems.
Mircorsoft SS software is designed to collect telemetry on users, collect their data, activities, web visits, documents, etc similar to how android takes all user information, including all their text messages, locations, etc. Windows 8.1 is the last, and final product of the Original Microsoft culture.
Everything after that, 365, etc - it's best to be avoided.

[iamsurajj__]

LMAO I really thought the video ended on 0:16 !!!