Difference in Windows 7 gaming performance - then and now

[It's Not Lupus]

This is probably me being crazy but...

Has the gaming performance of Windows 7 remained the same (from RTM to the latest updates), or has there been any updates that reduced its performance (perhaps to make Windows 8/8.1 look good)?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

My conspiracy /spidey sense is tingling.

 

[pmv]

While I'm sure MS get up to various kinds of 'sharp practices', and can be ruthless in pursuit of the 'bottom line', I just don't see what you suggest as being their 'house style'. I would be very surprised indeed if that were true, it just seems far too petty and low-rent a tactic for them.

Obviously what happens is they put more effort and resources into improving the product that offers the largest potential income stream. That's what anyone would do, really. (I expect they resent having to mess around doing anything at all to XP at this point and are set to have a big party when it goes EOS!).

So 7 is not going to be a priority and, perhaps, if some other necessary change makes its performance slightly worse as a side-effect they won't be inclined to move heaven-and-earth to undo that. But _deliberately_ making it worse? That seems overly cynical.

 

[blankslate]

So 7 is not going to be a priority and, perhaps, if some other necessary change makes its performance slightly worse as a side-effect they won't be inclined to move heaven-and-earth to undo that. But _deliberately_ making it worse? That seems overly cynical.

This. MS might not have any interest in improving Windows 7 anymore but deliberately messing up an OS they put out is counterproductive since they have business clients that have only just recently or are in the process of moving from XP to Win 7.

Also they'd run the risk that someone would whistleblow on it or that someone with extra time on their hands would find out.

Besides all they have to do is not include new gaming features in Win 7 and eventually people will find a way to live with the newer OS they publish.

 

[BrightCandle]

Why not test it and see? Should be easy enough to get hold of a pre service pack Windows 7 install and test a bundle of games/benchmarks and then install all the patches and do the same thing. I suspect you will find that overall, with drivers and OS updates performance has improved quite a bit in the lifetime of the OS.