Windows XP or Winfows 7 for games?

syncosised · 05-01-2010 1:27pm #1

I'm doing my usual New Year's format, and this is something I've always wondered about. For playing games, which would be better, XP or 7? Ignoring that some of the newest games refuse to play on XP, from a pure performance standpoint, which would be better? XP generally uses less resources, but 7 has the newest DirectX and better integration of games. What do you guys think?

Kinetic^ · 05-01-2010 1:33pm

What games will you be playing?

While some of the newer games refuse to be played on XP, some of the older games refuse to be played on Vista/7. So it really depends on what games you'll be playing.

Saying that, older games like Commander Keen & Quake have worked fine for me via the steam client.

syncosised · 05-01-2010 1:38pm

Nuts, just noticed I have a typo in the title and I can't change it!

The vast majority of stuff I play is through Steam. The newest game I bought in a box was Red Alert 3, and that works fine on both XP and 7. If only for Steam games, would you find much of a performance boost either way?

Deano12345 · 05-01-2010 1:38pm

Kinetic^ wrote: »

What games will you be playing?

While some of the newer games refuse to be played on XP, some of the older games refuse to be played on Vista/7. So it really depends on what games you'll be playing.

Saying that, older games like Commander Keen & Quake have worked fine for me via the steam client.

He could get Windows 7 Pro and run XP mode to play the games that dont work on 7

Kinetic^ · 05-01-2010 1:40pm

I've recently bought some old games like Quake etc and they work fine for me in Windows 7 under steam. Even BF2 through steam says windows XP 32bit only but runs fine for me under Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit.

Deano12345 wrote: »

He could get Windows 7 Pro and run XP mode to play the games that dont work on 7

It doesn't work for games afaik.

syncosised · 05-01-2010 1:48pm

I have access to XP Pro and 7 Pro. From what I've read, XP Mode doesn't seem to be that suited to games. It seems the general consensus is that from a pure performance standpoint, there's no major difference between the two?

Kinetic^ · 05-01-2010 2:36pm

XP will perform better but with 7 you have the optional DX10+ so I'd go with 7.

monkeypants · 05-01-2010 2:42pm

If you have copies of both, why not dual boot it? When my new laptop arrives (crossing fingers for today

) I'll be putting a copy of XP on there.

syncosised · 05-01-2010 2:47pm

I'll be putting Ubuntu on as well, triple booting isn't something I want to do! I had considered it though.

Kinetic^ wrote: »

XP will perform better but with 7 you have the optional DX10+ so I'd go with 7.

Thanks for the advice, I was thinking that too. I'd better get started, I'm putting in a new hard drive too!

monkeypants · 07-01-2010 9:38pm

Well, the new laptop didn't arrive and I'm not able to game, but I'll give my 2c anyway.

I never had any problems with getting old games to work with Vista. Check online and you'll see how others got around problems. Running as Administrator and in XP compatibility mode seem to be the common ones. I even had DOS games running in DOSBox.

SeanRyan747 · 08-01-2010 9:22pm

Just wondering why you wouldn't consider Windows 7 as it is basically just a way better version of Vista. I've been using it for four months now and find it excellent although I'm not much of a game player.

Capt'n Midnight · 08-01-2010 9:37pm

monkeypants wrote: »

If you have copies of both, why not dual boot it? When my new laptop arrives (crossing fingers for today ) I'll be putting a copy of XP on there.

Just make sure you have a transferable license, remember you can't move XP OEM to another machine EVER
(also if you upgraded an OEM machine you can move the upgrade off it either)

RolandIRL · 08-01-2010 11:23pm

just to say that win7 pro users won't be able to play games on XP mode. it turns out that they don't work
From the Virtual PC Help:

Windows Virtual PC does not support applications that require 3D graphics, which means that consumer applications such as games are not appropriate for use as virtual applications

Tried running games myself and they don't work. but for old games (ie that won't install on win7 but will on XP) that don't change the registry and if you have no other computer, you could just copy and paste the game folder into any area on the win7 computer from the virtual machine. Done that with a couple of games like halo and unreal tournament and they work perfectly

slowlydownwards · 09-01-2010 1:38am

syncosised wrote: »

I'll be putting Ubuntu on as well, triple booting isn't something I want to do! I had considered it though.

Google it a bit... much simpler than it appears, especially when you'll have the partitioning power of linux under your figertips. I'm triple booting ATM, some cr4p from cupertino (for testing purposes), mint and xp. You are putting in new hd (more space) so there's nothing to lose.

naughto · 09-01-2010 2:14am

whats wind 7 like for xbox live.i play on xbolive through shearing the internet connection throught the laptop then run a cable to the xbox.i had vista for awhile while mine was geting fixed and it was a ****er to get it to work yet it was the same thang as xp.looking to change the laptop as its well ****ed so any onw know what window7 is like ???

Windows XP or Winfows 7 for games?

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