Which os is better for a brand new build for my gamer girlfriend? (Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 8.1 or wait for Steam OS)

[TwistedDruid]

Which os is better for a brand new build for my gamer girlfriend? (Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 8.1 or wait for Steam OS)
She will mainly be using this as a gaming machine hooked to her TV.
Mobo: ASUS Z87I-DELUXE
CPU: i5-4670K
RAM: G.Skill 8GB DDR3-2400
PSU: NZXT HALE82 V2 550W
GPU: MSI 2GB GTX 770
Case: Bitfenix Prodigy M (White)
SSD: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB

Its for our anniversary and I want to give her a good build but I run Windows 7 and heard Windows 8 is better for SSD.

Any advice?

 

[Outlander_04]

IMO Win8

If you use 7 OEM it can be activated only on the original hardware .

Win 8 dropped that restriction and you can take it off the original machine and use it on another computer . I think the limit is a total of 3 computers[ but only one at a time ]
Use the 64 bit version
Once you get to the metro screen just right click and uninstall all the hopeless full screen apps
Then install a start button program like Start8 or the free Classic Shell [ I use this ] and your comp behaves the same as 7
But with the faster speed of 8

 

[TwistedDruid]

I'm buying the OS disc retail so it will be for her system only. I was curious about gaming on Win 8

IMO Win8

If you use 7 OEM it can be activated only on the original hardware .

Win 8 dropped that restriction and you can take it off the original machine and use it on another computer . I think the limit is a total of 3 computers[ but only one at a time ]
Use the 64 bit version
Once you get to the metro screen just right click and uninstall all the hopeless full screen apps
Then install a start button program like Start8 or the free Classic Shell [ I use this ] and your comp behaves the same as 7
But with the faster speed of 8

 

[Outlander_04]

Gaming on Win 8 is just the same as gaming on 7 .

Maybe a tiny bit faster but the difference is more theoretical than anything you'd notice .

I believe one or two games had issues running under 8 , but I never had any problems and presumably patches fixed those that did already

 

[g-unit1111]

Steam OS isn't going to be a real OS, it's just a client delivery system similar to what's on the Amazon Kindle Fire. It's not going to compete with, nor is it designed to compete with Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, or any variation of Linux or Android. If anything Valve will make a new version of Steam that will install a variation of Steam OS over Windows. Windows 7 Ultimate is just a waste of money - if you need anything over what Home Premium offers, it's Pro or nothing. Otherwise you just waste money.

 

[TwistedDruid]

Well I have a OEM disc of Windows 7 Ultimate from work thats why I would have used it. I thought that games running in the Steam OS, due to it being linux, have been noted to run faster, smoother, then in a Windows operating system.

Steam OS isn't going to be a real OS, it's just a client delivery system similar to what's on the Amazon Kindle Fire. It's not going to compete with, nor is it designed to compete with Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, or any variation of Linux or Android. If anything Valve will make a new version of Steam that will install a variation of Steam OS over Windows. Windows 7 Ultimate is just a waste of money - if you need anything over what Home Premium offers, it's Pro or nothing. Otherwise you just waste money.

 

[KingKnight]

Windows 8.x IMO Don't be afraid of change, I personally think they did a step in the right direction with windows 8 giving it a more modern look since I am a kinda of a new comer from Mac,I used previous versions of windows but I sticked with macs until now that I realized what they were becoming and jumped into pc's and its been an amazing journey for me so far. From what I heard, windows 8 (1 Boots up faster (2 Performs better/slightly better in most games. I think windows 8 is more kind of an interesting step towards next windows. There are also rumors of start menu coming back in the next version of windows 8.2/x.

 

[g-unit1111]

Well I have a OEM disc of Windows 7 Ultimate from work thats why I would have used it. I thought that games running in the Steam OS, due to it being linux, have been noted to run faster, smoother, then in a Windows operating system.

From my understanding though is that it's not going to be a full Linux distribution in the same way that Android isn't really a full Linux distribution. Steam OS is not going to be a full replacement for Windows, Ubuntu, or any other operating system for that matter. Android is based on Linux, and so is Steam OS. But Steam OS is going to be more of a client delivery system that's tailor made for gaming, much like the Fire OS variant that's on the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, that's tailor made for Amazon specific applications.

 

[KingKnight]

I'm not sure, but it seems like Steam OS is going to be pretty much the same thing as Steam in "Full Picture" mode.

 

[Ijack]

Windows 8. No doubt about it. Better performance and a wider choice of games.

 

[KingKnight]

lol, am I the only one who voted?

 

[Outlander_04]

The voting choices are too weird to choose

There is no reason to use pro or ultimate versions of Windows OS unless you know the added features you will use, and on a gaming build the answer is NONE OF THEM

 

[TwistedDruid]

"realized what they were becoming" haha thats a great qoute lol

Windows 8.x IMO Don't be afraid of change, I personally think they did a step in the right direction with windows 8 giving it a more modern look since I am a kinda of a new comer from Mac,I used previous versions of windows but I sticked with macs until now that I realized what they were becoming and jumped into pc's and its been an amazing journey for me so far. From what I heard, windows 8 (1 Boots up faster (2 Performs better/slightly better in most games. I think windows 8 is more kind of an interesting step towards next windows. There are also rumors of start menu coming back in the next version of windows 8.2/x.

 

[TwistedDruid]

King: I've played around with Windows 8 and I doubt she will have a problem adjusting to the interface. I have like the metro UI since my Zune and Zune HD. I was more interested in the performance of it.

Outlander: Well I was going to get Pro with Media Center for her to be able to connect to the NAS that we have for media. Ultimate is over kill but I have it to use instead of buying a Home Premium disc.

G-unit: I think I'll wait on Steam OS then until I can see how it all comes together with media integration. I just mainly wanted someone perspective on it who has used it.

 

[Outlander_04]

King: I've played around with Windows 8 and I doubt she will have a problem adjusting to the interface. I have like the metro UI since my Zune and Zune HD. I was more interested in the performance of it.

Outlander: Well I was going to get Pro with Media Center for her to be able to connect to the NAS that we have for media. Ultimate is over kill but I have it to use instead of buying a Home Premium disc.

G-unit: I think I'll wait on Steam OS then until I can see how it all comes together with media integration. I just mainly wanted someone perspective on it who has used it.

If you know why you need pro it becomes a reasonable purchase .

All too often people post here suggesting they are getting Ultimate versions thinking they are buying extra performance .

As for the win 8 interface : I use a windows phone and really like it . But the OS interface just doesnt work on a desk top . Some of the concepts , like full screen apps are ruinous for the user experience . I want email and browser , and photo imaging program all open at once ......

But it is easy to modify to make it behave like 7 . That way you get all the enhancements and very few of the down sides . Havent seen a metro screen for months

 

[KingKnight]

As all the other people said you can get the start menu back and other stuff back with simple and fast programs either free or paid for a small amount

 

[Tomcat-29]

I'd stick to win 7 as win 8, to me, appears very uncomfortable in use since it's made for touch screen systems

 

[TwistedDruid]

I'd stick to win 7 as win 8, to me, appears very uncomfortable in use since it's made for touch screen systems

Thanks for the late reply. I appreciate it, I went with Win 8 and its great. I switched my own rig to it too. I've noticed 20fps difference between the two and Win 8 is running the SSD better then Win 7. Also she likes the apps start menu (Netflix, Steam Tiles, Office). I had mine set to start in desktop but in the end switched it back, the start menu grew on me and it wasn't that had to adjust.