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In these economically trying times we all have a need for entertainment, but also a need to be frugal. With the release of a new generation of rather expensive game consoles, it’s fair to ask what you get for your hard-earned money.
Should you buy a next-generation console or stick with something older and more affordable? Is buying the most expensive game consoles worth it?
Table of Contents
Putting All the Options on the TableWhich consoles are we talking about here? The “most expensive” consoles mentioned in the title of this article are the PlayStation 5 (with disc drive) and the Xbox Series X. Both of these consoles cost $500. At least they do in key territories before sales tax is added. That’s a lot of moolah!
Then there are cheaper options from the same generation of consoles. There’s the PlayStation Digital Edition, which lacks a disc drive, for $399. On the Xbox side of things there’s the Xbox Series S for $299. The Series S also lacks a disc drive and has a much less powerful graphics chip than its more expensive brother, the Series X.
Next, we have the (now) last-generation console choices. The PlayStation 4, Playstation 4 Pro, Xbox One S and Xbox One X. The PS4 Pro and Xbox One X are mid-generation upgrades to these older consoles that improved the graphical power somewhat.
We’re not going to include the Nintendo Switch here, because it’s not really competing in the same space as the other two consoles. If you’re wondering whether to get the Switch or the Switch Lite, check out the Biggest Differences Between Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch.
Understanding the Benefits of the Latest ConsolesWhat’s the big deal with these new expensive consoles anyway? Here’s a summary:
Super-fast solid-state storage for short load times and new game design possibilities.
Much faster CPUs. making 60 frames per second the new norm, with 120 frames per second possible in some titles (with a compatible TV!).
Significantly better GPUs, allowing for 4K or near-4K image quality and ray tracing.
Backwards compatibility with previous generation games, as well as significant enhancements to those older titles.
If you buy one of these new top-end consoles, you’re getting crisper graphics, much smoother motion and improvements to games you already own and love. Apart from the cost, it’s all positive from a gaming perspective!
Now that all the options are on the table and you know what splashing some cash will get you, let’s go through each major decision in turn.
Xbox or PlayStation?Both Sony and Microsoft have pretty compelling gaming platforms and there’s no such thing as a universally better choice. For an in-depth comparison between these two console brands, have a look at Playstation vs Xbox: How To Choose What’s Right For You.
In the end, this is a personal choice that depends on what types of games you like to play, what your friends are playing, which online service you like more and which brand speaks to you. It also matters whether you care about taking your existing game collection into the next generation or not.
For most people, comparing the two brands of consoles isn’t all that useful since you’re unlikely to be choosing from a neutral position. What’s more important is the choice of making the jump to the most expensive model for your chosen brand or not.
Our Recommendation: Listen to your heart.
PlayStation 5 Digital vs Playstation 5 With Disc Drive?When it comes to the PlayStation 5, there are two models to choose from. Both are identical in every way, except that the Digital Edition lacks a BluRay drive and costs $100 less, so you make no sacrifices in terms of game fidelity or next-generation performance.
Sounds like a good deal, right? Well that $100 “saving” might actually be a bad deal for you and a great deal for Sony. By saying no thanks to the drive, you give Sony total control over video game pricing.
You lose access to retail price competition, used games, PS4 disc-based games and the ability to play 4K BluRay movies. We don’t think these sacrifices are worth the $100 saving. One could easily make that money back and more through price savings. However, if you’re sure that these specific sacrifices are ones you can live with, then the Digital Edition is a more affordable option in the short term.
Our Recommendation: Buy the standard PlayStation 5
Series S or Series X?The Series S is a full $200 less expensive than the Series X flagship console. However, unlike the two PS5 models, you’re giving up much more than just a disc drive. The Series S has a (slightly) slower CPU and only one third of the GPU power. However, the Series S targets (up to) a 1440p rendering resolution. It’s best to think of it as a 1080p console to avoid disappointment.
If you have a 1080p television and aren’t planning on upgrading to 4K any time soon, the Series S is a fine choice. Losing disc access creates similar issues as it does on the discless PS5. However, Microsoft does have its Game Pass service, which goes a long way to making up for that.
You can play all the same games as the Series S. You get the same backwards compatibility support as well. Games should play at the same frame rates as the Series X as well. The main differences will be a lower resolution and perhaps slightly dialled-back graphical settings.
The choice here really is based on budget. The Series X is clearly and objectively superior. The difference is undoubtedly worth $200. So if your budget allows for it, get the more expensive device.
Our Recommendation: Buy the Series X if you have the choice.
Sticking With the Last GenerationIf you own a PS4, PS4 Pro, One S or One X you shouldn’t feel too much pressure to upgrade. If you’re happy with the resolution and frame rates of these consoles you can still expect new games to be available on your console for a year or two.
If you don’t own any of these more expensive game consoles, the choice becomes harder. It’s better to buy the latest generation console now if you’re a new buyer. Since you’ll be set for the next five years. If you buy one of the outgoing consoles, even at a good price, you’re going to want a replacement much sooner.
Thanks to the backwards compatibility of both the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, it makes less sense to hold onto their predecessors. While visual quality on the outgoing machines is still fine, they suffer from poor framerates. Which is perhaps the largest and most immediate quality of life improvement.
Are the most expensive game consoles worth the asking price? Absolutely. Are they worth it to you? That’s a different question. We think the long list of gameplay experience improvements over the cheaper generation of consoles is substantial. Not to mention that you’ll have a hard time building a gaming PC with these specifications. Then again, a gaming PC might actually not be that much more expensive if you factor in lifetime costs!
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Is Playstation Now Worth It?
Game streaming services have grown in popularity, but few have the impact of Xbox Games Pass. Sony tried to compete with PlayStation Now, but the initial version of the service left a lot to be desired. Between the high price point, performance issues, and smaller library, PlayStation Now had its share of critics.
The PlayStation Now service has seen changes in recent years. These changes have made people re-evaluate whether PlayStation Now is worth it. Between an improved library, lowered price, and huge performance improvements, PlayStation Now is definitely worth it.
Table of Contents
If you are a certain kind of player, that is. This review looks at the game library, performance, and more of PlayStation Now to help you decide whether it is worth trying out for yourself or not.
PlayStation Now Has Over 800 GamesPlayStation Now has games from the PS2, PS3, and PS4 era. It’s a great choice for players that want to explore classic titles from past consoles. The PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 games are only available via streaming, but changes to the service have reduced the lag that previously rendered many of the games unplayable.
With a strong enough connection, you can play almost any title without lag getting in your way. Even if your connection isn’t great, titles like Dark Cloud 2 are perfectly playable even with a bit of lag. You’ll just want to avoid shooters, as the lag on those can cause shots not to register.
The collection of games is updated each month, but the pickings for older games is a bit slim. The PlayStation 2 titles are particularly limited, but there are several major games worth checking out including Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life and Red Faction.
The PlayStation 3 titles include several RPGs including entries from the Atelier series and the Batman: Arkham Asylum trilogy, as well as BioShock.
The PlayStation 4 dominates the service, but that is often a mark in the plus column for gamers that want to play modern games that may be a few years old. PlayStation Now has begun to carry much newer games for a limited time, allowing subscribers to check out titles like Metro Exodus and Just Cause 4.
If your connection isn’t great but you want to try out the PS4 titles, there’s good news: You can download them directly to your hard drive and play them without any lag at all. This option is only available for PS4 games, though.
You Can Stream PlayStation Now Games To PCIf you are a PC player but you want to see what the fuss is all about with PlayStation games, you can now stream PlayStation Now games to PC. It’s a great way to experience titles you might have missed before. You’ll need a compatible controller (preferably a DualShock 4) to play the games, however.
The minimum recommended speed for PS Now is a 5 Mbps download speed, but faster is better. Make sure you have as little ping as possible, as well. Try to use an Ethernet cable to establish a direct connection to reduce lag.
PlayStation Now Is $9.99 Per MonthPreviously, PS Now charged $19.99 per month. Though that isn’t necessarily a bad price point, other streaming services charge less. Xbox Games Pass only charges $9.99 per month for the console version and $14.99 for the console and PC version.
With that in mind, Sony adjusted their price point and now charges only $9.99 per month for PS Now, making it a much more attractive prospect for gamers. It also gives players a seven-day free trial to try the service out and decide for themselves if it’s worth keeping.
Is PlayStation Now Worth It?If you had asked this question even a year ago, the answer would have been a resounding “no.” Now, though? Sony slashed the price of the service in October of last year and has ramped up the addition of games to the service. Each month, PlayStation Now gets a little better.
While it’s still a long way from competing with Xbox Games Pass, PlayStation Now is on the right path. If the library continues to grow and becomes more curated (much like the Games Pass library), PS Now will be a contender for a must-have streaming service.
The free trial makes it worth checking out, if nothing else. It doesn’t take much. All you need is a PlayStation Network account with a registered form of payment, a DualShock 4 controller, an active PS Now subscription (or the free trial), and an active broadband connection. Give it a shot for seven days and see what you think.
If you want to play PS2, PS3, and PS4 games with no commitment, then PlayStation Now is definitely worth it.
Cookie Clicker Grandmapocalypse Strategy – Is It Worth It
The Grandmapocalypse event has a few different stages. Each one changes the spawn rates for event effects and makes the Grandmatriarchs in the background increasingly demonic.
Awoken is the first stage. It unlocks Wrinklers and Wrath Cookies for the first time. Displeased is the next stage and increases the spawn rates for the new items. Angered/Appeased is the last stage and increases spawn rates, adds Elder Pledge and Elder Covenant to the game.
Wrath Cookies appear like a typical cookie colored red. They have the chance to give you a variety of status effects that change your CpS for the duration. They appear instead of golden cookies 33 percent of the time in stage 1, 66 percent of the time in stage two, 100 percent of the time in stage three.
Wrinklers look like tiny worms crawling to your giant cookie. They can stack until you have ten on the cookie, and each one drains away some of your CpS. When you get rid of them, though, you get the CpS you lost back plus interest. You gain wrinklers more quickly in each subsequent stage of the Grandmapocalypse.
If you purchase the Elder Spice upgrade, you can have two additional Wrinklers on your cookie.
Elder Pledge is an upgrade that stops the Grandmapocalypse for a limited period. You can only buy it in the last stage.
Elder Covenant is an upgrade that permanently stops the Grandmapocolypse. When you choose this, it reduces 5 percent of your CpS permanently. However, you can take it back in the future and get that 5 percent back.
Doing so returns you to the stage of the Grandmapocalypse you were on when you first used the Elder Covenant.
To trigger the Grandmapocalypse, you have to have seven types of grandmas unlocked. These are the farmer, worker, miner, cosmic, transmuted, altered, and grandmas’ grandma. Once you have these, you’ll get the Elder Achievement.
Next, you need to unlock the Bingo Hall and Research Center for one quadrillion cookies. Once it’s active, start buying upgrades.
You need:
Specialized Chocolate Chips
Designer Cocoa Beans
Ritual Rolling Pins
Underworld Ovens
One Mind
Once you have One Mind unlocked, the game’s background will show grandmas known as the Grandmatriarchs. They lose their teeth and look older in this phase.
The next stage requires purchasing an upgrade called Communal Brainsweep. You’ll notice the Grandmatriarchs start to turn red and have more animalistic teeth.
Finally, purchase Elder pact to move to the final level of the Grandmapocalypse. The Grandmatriarchs look like demons. The news reports tell you that the world is ending.
You cannot downgrade from one stage to the one below it.
The Grandmapocalypse isn’t something you want to work up to early in your game — and not only because it’s expensive. You should already have a high CpS when you trigger it since the boosts from research affect your CpS rate by percentages.
It’s also great to have a lot of grandmas before purchase the Mind One upgrade. Doing so ensures you’ll get many boosts when you unlock the research options that directly scale off the number of grandmas you have.
The best way to manage the Grandmapocalypse isn’t to rush through the stages. Instead, it’s about whether your playstyle is active or passive.
Many players prefer to stay in the Awoken stage for the longest. You still get the benefits of Golden Cookies for the most part since only 33 percent of them turn to Wrath Cookies. Though Wrinklers spawn more slowly, they still spawn, and you can get the full numerical benefit by letting them attach to your cookie. If you’re an active player, consider this strategy.
Going for the upper research options and raising your Grandmapocalypse level also comes with other benefits. For example, you can unlock research upgrades like Arcane Sugar, which increases your CpS by five percent.
Elder Nap: You get this the first time you use the Elder Pledge.
Elder Slumber: If you use the Elder Pledge five times, you get Elder Slumber.
Elder Calm: You get this after using the Elder Covenant and ending the Grandmapocalypse.
Itchscratcher: After you burst one wrinkler, this achievement should appear.
Wrinklesquisher: You get this for bursting 50 wrinklers.
Moistburster: This achievement comes after you’ve burst 200 Wrinklers.
One of the main benefits of moving through all the stages of the Grandmapocalypse is that you can unlock other research upgrades as you go.
Bingo Center Upgrade: This makes every grandma you have four times more efficient. If you’ve purchased a lot of grandmas in your current run, this can be a significant production boost.
Specialized Chocolate Chips : This gives you an extra one percent boost to your cookie production.
Designer Cocoa Beans : This gives you an extra two percent boost to your cookie production.
Ritual Rolling Pins : This makes your grandmas twice as efficient.
Underworld Ovens : This upgrade increases your cookie production by three percent.
One Mind: You get an additional 0.02 CpS per grandma. This also triggers the first stage of the Grandmapocalypse.
Exotic Nuts : This multiplies the number of cookies you’re baking by four percent.
Communal Brainsweep: This triggers the second stage of the Grandmapocalypse and gives each grandma an additional 0.02 percent boost to CpS per grandma.
Arcane Sugar: This gives you an additional 5 percent CpS.
Elder Pact : With Elder Pact, each grandma gets an additional 0.05 boost in CpS per portal.
The additional efficiency these upgrades give you can help you make more cookies per second in your bakery. That’s one of the reasons why it’s good to upgrade to the final stage unless a lot of your CpS comes from golden cookies.
If you’ve had enough of Wrinklers and Wrath Cookies, you can make the Grandmapocalypse end temporarily or permanently.
The Elder Covenant ends it permanently but with a price. Your CpS is reduced by 5 percent for the rest of your game. If you want to return to the Grandmapocalypse after using the Elder Covenant, you can revoke it by spending 6.66 billion cookies. You get 5 percent of your CpS back if you do this.
The grandmapocalypse is definitely one of the weirdest in-game events this game has to offer and it sure does offer quite a lot. Ascension for example adds a whole new sense of enjoyable replayability like none other. That thing just blows your mind how fast you can churn cookies in the next ascension and the next one and so forth.
Ginger Grammar Checker Review: Is It Worth It In 2023?
Ginger Grammar Checker
Adrian Try
Effectiveness: Misses significant errors
Price: Premium plan $89.88/year
Ease of Use: Underlines errors, pops up corrections
Support: Help Center, video tutorials, web form
Why Trust Me for This Ginger Review?
I make my living writing. Although there are editors that find and remove errors I make, I prefer they don’t see any in the first place. Unfortunately, that’s rare, but I do my best. Part of my strategy is to run everything through a grammar checker—currently the free version of Grammarly—to pick up anything that my eyes and a normal spell check have missed.
I’ve been happy with the results, and have strongly considered subscribing to Grammarly’s Premium plan for some time. It’s a little expensive, though, and Ginger is almost half the price. I’m keen to find out if it’s a reasonable alternative, so I’ll run it through the same tests I used when evaluating Grammarly and ProWritingAid.
Ginger Grammar Checker: What’s In It for You?
Ginger Grammar Checker is all about helping you find and fix spelling and grammar mistakes. I’ll list its features in the following four sections. In each subsection, I’ll explore what the app offers and then share my take.
1. Ginger Checks Your Spelling and Grammar Online
Ginger Online will check your spelling and grammar in the text fields of most web pages, including services like Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Significantly, it doesn’t work in Google Docs; you must either use their online editor or use a different grammar checker. Additionally, its browser extensions are only available for Chrome and Safari, leaving Windows users with a single browser choice.
Hovering over an error displays a corrected version of the whole line. Unlike other grammar checkers, suggestions are placed over the word rather than under it. Unlike Grammarly and ProWritingAid, Ginger doesn’t show an explanation of the error, just the correction.
So far, I’m quite disappointed with Ginger’s performance. I thought the Premium version might find more errors, so I subscribed. I tried again, but unfortunately, it made no difference at all.
Since I can’t test Ginger with a long document in Google Docs, I copied and pasted a 5,000-word article into its online editor. It took over five minutes for the entire document to be checked.
I also tested it in Gmail and was a lot happier with the result. Most errors were found, including contextual spelling and grammar. This time, corrections appeared below the word instead of above—not a big deal, but inconsistent all the same.
Unfortunately, it didn’t find all the errors. “I hop you are welle” is left as is, which is completely unacceptable.
My take: Ginger works online, but only if you use Chrome or Safari, and Google Docs isn’t supported. In my experience, Ginger identifies fewer grammar errors than Grammarly and ProWritingAid. I’m quite disappointed with the results; so far have no reason to choose Ginger over them.
2. Ginger Checks Your Spelling and Grammar in Microsoft Office for Windows
If you’re a Windows user, you can use Ginger on your desktop as well (Mac users are limited to the online experience.). A desktop app is available that works as both a standalone app and a plugin for Microsoft Office.
You won’t see an additional ribbon in Microsoft Office as you do when using ProWritingAid. Instead, Ginger replaces the default spell checker and provides live corrections as you type.
Rather than using the familiar Microsoft interface, Ginger’s interface is overlaid at the top of the screen. Instead of giving multiple alternative corrections, it provides just one, though in most cases, it’s the right one.
If you use a different word processor, you’ll have to copy and paste the text into Ginger’s desktop or online app to get corrections; the app doesn’t offer any way to open or save documents. Alternatively, you could type your text directly into the app using it as a primitive word processor.
You can’t format text from within the app. Any pasted formatting is retained, though, while any styles or images will be lost. A menu bar on the left allows you to access features to write, translate and define text, and shortcuts under “More” lead you to further resources online.
Ginger’s settings allow you to choose between US or UK English, set a hotkey to launch the app (the default is F2), select the font and font size used to display text, and whether to autostart the app with Windows and turn on Live Corrections.
As you type in the app, any errors are highlighted automatically. Hovering your mouse cursor over one of those words displays all of the recommended corrections for that line just as the online version does.
Alternatively, by hovering over each suggestion, you get the opportunity to correct errors one by one.
My take: Using Ginger in Windows seems to be the best method with long-form text since there is a risk of losing your styles and images if you copy and paste the text from another word processor. Can Grammarly do the same thing? Yes. Grammarly’s interface feels a little bolted on, though.
3. Ginger Checks Your Spelling and Grammar on Mobile Devices
While it’s not the focus of this review, it’s good to know that you can use Ginger on your mobile devices. There’s an app for iOS and iPadOS, and a keyboard for Android.
My take: Ginger seems to be taking mobile platforms seriously and offers full functionality on its iOS and Android apps.
4. Ginger Suggests How to Improve Your Writing
Like many grammar editors, Ginger claims to go beyond correcting errors: they want to help you write content that is clearer and more readable. It does this by offering numerous tools and resources.
The next tool is unique: the sentence rephraser. It takes sentences from your text and displays, when possible, several different ways to phrase them, which is helpful when looking for a more precise way to express a thought. I was excited about the possibilities of this feature, but it does less than I hoped.
Here are some suggested ways to rephrase the sentence, “Most writers will receive significant help from a quality grammar checker.”
“Most writers will get significant help from a quality grammar checker.”
“Most writers will receive substantial help from a quality grammar checker.”
In this example, rather than rephrasing the entire sentence, just one word is being replaced by a synonym each time. Not earth-shattering, but potentially helpful. I tested tons of sentences; in each case, only one word was replaced or added.
Unfortunately, many rephrasings are not helpful at all. One sentence had a contextual spelling error that the app had missed, and Ginger chose a synonym for that wrong word, leading to nonsense.
“It’s the best grammar checker I’ve scene.”
“It’s the best grammar checker I’ve vista.”
Another sentence with a missed grammar error produced two alternatives with equivalent grammar errors:
“Mary and Jane finds the treasure.”
“Mary and Jane discovers the treasure.”
“Mary and Jane finds the gem.”
Finally, Ginger offers an online “personal trainer” at chúng tôi When I visit the page, I’m told that I have 135 items to practice, and Ginger has given my English skills a score of 41.
Unfortunately, both answers seem to be incorrect. Surely the correct wording is, “My son believed in Santa Clause until he was 8.” But I understand that Ginger wants me to select the correct spelling of “believes,” so I choose the second button. I went on to complete each question successfully.
I’m doubtful how helpful these resources will be to writers and professionals. They seem to be aimed at school students and adults who are learning English and may be of genuine help to that sort of user.
My take: Ginger’s coaching tools seem aimed at those who are still learning English and will be of limited use to writers wanting to improve their readability and style.
Reasons Behind My Ratings
Effectiveness: 3/5
Ginger will find a range of grammar and spelling issues, but in my experience, it also misses a lot of significant errors. I don’t feel I would have the same peace of mind using this app as I would its competitors. Moreover, the Personal Trainer seems aimed at those learning English rather than professional writers.
Price: 4/5
Ginger is almost half the price of Grammarly, and similar in cost to ProWritingAid, WhiteSmoke, and StyleWriter. However, it doesn’t offer the accuracy of some of those other apps.
Ease of Use: 4/5
Support: 4/5
The official website includes a searchable Help Center covering General, Android, iOS, and Desktop topics. These explain how the app works and answer queries relating to billing, subscriptions, privacy, and registration. Video tutorials show how to install and enable Ginger. You can contact the support team via a web form, but phone and chat support are not available.
Alternatives to Ginger Grammar Checker
Grammarly ($139.95/year) plugs into Google Docs and Microsoft Word via online and desktop apps to check your text for correctness, clarity, delivery, engagement, and plagiarism.
ProWritingAid ($79/year, $299 lifetime) is similar and also supports Scrivener (on Mac and Windows). It’s included with a SetApp subscription ($10/month).
WhiteSmoke ($79.95/year) detects grammar errors and plagiarism in Windows. A $59.95/year web version is also available, and a Mac app is in the works.
StyleWriter (Starter Edition $90, Standard Edition $150, Professional Edition $190) checks grammar in Microsoft Word.
Hemingway Editor is free on the web and shows how you can improve the readability of your text.
Hemingway Editor 3.0 ($19.95) is a new desktop version of Hemingway for Mac and Windows.
After the Deadline (free for personal use) offers suggestions about your writing and identifies potential errors.
Conclusion
There’s nothing more embarrassing than pressing “Send” on an important email just before you notice a spelling or grammar error. You’ve wasted your only opportunity to give a positive first impression. How do you prevent this? A quality grammar checker can help, and Ginger promises to make sure your text is clear and correct.
It works online (with Chrome and Safari), in Windows (but not Mac), and on your iOS or Android mobile device. It scans your emails or documents and displays any errors you missed.
You can use Ginger’s basic features online for free. You’ll need a premium subscription to use it on your Windows desktop, access unlimited grammar checks, and use the sentence rephraser, text reader, and personal trainer. This costs $20.97/month, or $89.88/year, or $159.84 biyearly.
There’s no trial period for the Premium plan, but there is a seven-day 100% refund for first-time purchasers. Ginger also offers significant discounts from time to time. A few days after I subscribed, I noticed that they had a 48-hour sale with 70% off all plans—so keep your eyes open.
How does Ginger Grammar Checker live up to its promises and compare with similar apps? The review above should have given you the answer. I don’t recommend Ginger. See the Alternatives section for better options.
Windows 7 Vs Windows 11: It Is Worth The Upgrade Now?
Windows 7 vs Windows 11: It is Worth the Upgrade Now? We found some amazing facts about these two operating systems
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Windows 11 and 7 are very different as these are the operating systems released in different eras.
As many people are still using Windows 7, you may be curious about the differences between the old and the new OS.
Windows 11 has come up with many new unique features and performance benefits, while Windows 7 was the best OS.
You will find in this article gaming, security, compatibility, and performance information.
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Download and Install Fortect on your PC.
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If you are curious about the facts that we have found after comparing Windows 11 vs. Windows 7 and want to know if you should upgrade or not, go through this article.
Microsoft released Windows 11 on October 5, 2023. Since then, this OS has given mixed experiences to many users. However, despite having a strict hardware requirement, it has achieved a significant market share in the past few months.
When Windows 11 is gaining its userbase, many people are still using Windows 7 and are not sure whether they should upgrade or not.
If you want, you can see this guide on using Windows 7 forever.
Windows 7 was indeed an excellent operative system and a massive success for Microsoft, especially after getting so much criticism for Windows Vista; it was overdue.
This company also got massive success for Windows 11’s immediate predecessor. So even though the new OS is considered a replacement for Windows 10, we want to focus on the other side for a specific group of people.
We have used Windows 11 and 7 to find out the differences and some other precious answers. The article is based on our research and the feedback from different users worldwide.
Windows 11 vs. Windows 7 – Key differences ➡ System requirementsCompared to other Windows operating systems, Microsoft maintains strict system requirements for Windows 11. They even have a PC Health Check tool to check the compatibility of your PC with this new system.
Though this new OS is compatible with most recent PCs, there may be a slight incompatibility for some specific systems because of the TPM requirements.
Unlike previous Windows versions, the new one requires TPM 2.0 enabled or the Microsoft Pluton as a security processor.
Here are the critical hardware requirements for Windows 11:
Processor: 1 GHz or faster with two or more cores 64-bit processor
RAM: 4 GB or better
Storage: 64 GB
Security Processor: TPM 2.0 or Microsoft Pluton
Graphics Card: DirectX 12 compatible or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
Display: 720p with 8 bits color support or better
The PCs built within the last four years should be capable of running this new operating system. But, many users have not been able to install it due to the strict security processor requirements.
If you are interested, read the differences between Microsoft Pluton and TPM.
Even if you don’t have these security modules, you can still install Windows 11 without TPM 2.0.
On the other hand, the Windows 7 system requirements were very straightforward. Therefore, anyone could run this OS if they have a PC with the same or better configurations as the following specs.
Processor: 1 GHz or faster 32 or 64-bit processor.
RAM: 1 GB for 32 bit and 2 GB for 64 bit.
Storage: 16 GB for 32 bit and 20 GB for 64 bit
Graphics Card: DirectX 9 compatible GPU with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
When Windows 7 came out, people did not have to face difficulties running this OS like now when people are facing problems running the current Windows OS.
➡ Features comparison
Design and UI
When you compare these two different Windows operating systems, the first difference is the design and UI.
On Windows 11, Microsoft has eliminated many legacy designs and introduced new UI types with a different appearances. For example, even though Windows 7 also had the rounded corner, for its successors Windows 8, 8.1, and 10, MS did not follow this design pattern.
After a long time, Microsoft brought back the rounded corner in UI elements. But, it is very different than the past operating systems.
Windows 7 used a frosted glass effect for transparency on some parts of the UI. In contrast, Windows 11 transparency effect is very different. It uses a blurry effect in the UI using the colors of your desktop background.
This is called Mica material which is a part of Microsoft’s fluent design language.
When you move a Window that uses this modern UI element, it changes the color based on the position compared to the desktop background using the blur technique.
This is primarily to make it look fresh and modern without reducing performance and battery life.
This new fluent design is visible in most built-in Windows 11 apps, settings, file explorers, context menu, etc. Though some of the apps are still using legacy designs, these will get a new look over time, like the Notepad got its fluent design a few weeks ago.
Built-in apps, start menu, and settings.
Windows 11 has a very new and different Start Menu than Windows 7. Microsoft has moved the start menu to the middle instead of the left side for the first time. However, you can quickly move it to the left.
The new start menu may cause inconvenience to the legacy Windows users. However, Microsoft has made it this way to make Windows more comfortable for the latest Windows users familiar with the smartphone UI.
In the new OS, you also can pin and unpin apps in the start menu, while it was not possible in this way in the old Windows versions.
The Control panel is the center of Windows 7, where users can tweak certain things on the operating systems. But, Windows 11 has a dedicated Settings app which is very different than the control panel.
Users can do most things from this new settings app. Nevertheless, this modern Windows OS still has that control panel as some features are not available in the Settings yet. Once it is sorted out, MS will eliminate the Control Panel.
Most Windows 11’s built-in apps are not significantly different from Windows 7’s ones. The main difference you will notice is in the UI. Also, there are some additional and completely built-in apps you will find like Mail and Calendar, Photos, etc.
Widgets
On the other hand, Windows 7 widgets are constantly visible on the desktop. Unfortunately, these also look very different and have some limitations in terms of functionalities and performance.
If you miss the live tiles of Windows 10’s start menu, you should look into the Windows 11’s widgets, as this new feature replaces these live tiles. If you need, you can easily disable the devices by tweaking a simple function.
Multi-Tasking
Windows is traditionally very compatible with multi-tasking. However, the latest version of this OS has brought some significant changes that can take your experience to the next level.
To work on multiple windows simultaneously, you had to organize each of them manually on Windows 7.
However, on Windows 11, 6 predefined layouts automatically organize each opened app and window. This feature is called snap layout. It has more to offer than this automatic window management.
One of the best things is that it remembers which apps were opened last time, particularly layouts that make it easier to do your work more conveniently.
Dual or multiple monitor setup, switching between desktops, everything has got much more improvements on the latest OS. But, remarkably, when you connect the second monitor, Windows will restore the layout style you used last time with that display.
The new File Explorer on the latest OS has the long waited tabs feature. Now, it is more convenient to interact with multiple folders.
Touch Support
In the early days, Windows was not that touch-friendly. Windows 7 had pen & touch support. It was not as convenient to use as the modern versions of Windows.
Since Windows 8, Microsoft has focused on touch screen devices aggressively. In Windows 11, it has received significant improvements.
On both touch-supported laptops and tablets, the new os can give an excellent experience as there are new gestures aimed to navigate between apps and interact more conveniently.
The new touch keyboard is also very much tablet friendly. Now, you can type without facing difficulties due to the large size of your screen.
App support
Windows 7 supports only legacy Windows apps, including the Win32 ones. But, Windows 11 has a dedicated app store, and it supports different types of apps, including the modern UWP apps.
The new app store, known as Microsoft Store, has got a new design. Now, it is easier to find out your desired apps.
Various software makers are releasing their apps on this store. So, the new OS has been rich in in-app support and availability.
Windows Subsystem for Android
One of the best features of Windows 11 is the Windows Subsystem for Android. It allows you to run an Android app on your PC or laptop without requiring a third-party emulator.
You can only install apps using the Amazon app store though it is also possible to sideload Android apps using an unofficial medium like ADB tools.
The Android app support is yet to be available as an entire release. However, according to the various sources, it will be within the next few weeks.
One of the things is that not all PCs are compatible with this feature. So, if you think the third-party emulators will be irrelevant, that’s not correct.
There are some differences between Windows 11 vs. Android emulators. However, many users will still use these tools to run Android apps on PCs.
Windows Subsystem for Linux
On Windows 7, there are no such features. As a result, it has no way to use anything of Linux within this Windows OS except the virtual machines.
This feature was first introduced in Windows 10 that has been carried out for Windows 11.
Collaboration features
When MS started building Windows 11, it considered the needs of business users with high priority. That’s why the latest OS gets many collaboration features.
Microsoft Teams has come as a built-in feature for this OS. Else, many features help users share and discuss things quickly with the team members.
Windows Sandbox
If you know about the virtual machine, you will like the Windows Sandbox feature of Windows 11. It was first released on Windows 10. The Windows Sandbox allows you to open a virtual Windows system isolated from the main OS.
It helps test various software and do some critical tasks where security matters. Unfortunately, there are no such features for Windows 7. You will need to rely on third-party tools that may not be as good as the built-in one for that OS.
➡ Windows 11 vs. Windows 7 – PerformanceBoth Windows 11 and Windows 7 are excellent operating systems from Microsoft. Though these are from two completely different eras, they are still comparable in many ways.
When we talk about performance, it is tricky to compare these two versions of Windows. Windows 7 was one of the best-performing operating systems of its time. Anyway, it is the best performing Windows OS for the old systems till now too.
However, due to various reasons, the Windows 11 performs better on modern computers with decent specifications.
This latest variant has many performance-boosting features that utilize modern hardware more robustly. So, users see noticeable performance differences compared to the ancient Windows 7.
Compatibility
One of the critical things about the performance of both operating systems is their compatibility. You can use Windows 7 on old and modern devices. But, some drivers of the most current devices may not be available for this OS.
So, this operating system works best on old PCs. Windows 11 performs excellently on the latest hardware. If your computer doesn’t have TPM 2.0 or the Microsoft Pluton, this version will not work. Though, when TPM or Pluton is there, it will work best.
➡ Windows 11 vs. Windows 7 – GamingThe old Windows 7 was a prime choice for gamers a decade ago because of its performance, latest DirectX support, etc. Microsoft always focused on gaming with high priority.
With Windows 11, this company has shown its willingness to provide an outstanding experience to gamers. It has got several gaming features that make gaming even better on PCs. We have found that Windows 11 can provide more FPS while gaming in many cases.
The most significant gaming features this OS has brought are the following ones:
DirectStorage
This new technology makes NVMe SSDs transfer game data directly to the GPU rather than to the CPU. As a result, it reduces the rendering time significantly faster.
To utilize this feature, a user must use PCIe 3.0 or 4.0 SSDs. Microsoft also has planned to bring this feature to Windows 10.
Auto HDR
Auto HDR is another excellent feature that is very appealing to gamers. It makes the older game titles look better on Windows 11 PCs. However, it requires the developer to create an HDR-compatible release.
When you launch a compatible game and have a compatible device, it will automatically prompt you to enable Auto HDR.
Game bar and Gaming tab
Windows 11 has a dedicated gaming tab in the Settings app where you can tweak various settings related to games. For example, you can enable game mode from there, configure screen capture settings, and tweak options for the Game bar.
The game bar was first introduced in Windows 10. In the latest OS, it has received significant improvements.
Xbox Game Pass
This latest Windows also has a dedicated Xbox app to access specific titles if you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
➡ Windows 11 vs. Windows 7 – User experienceWhen we talk about the user experience, Windows 11 will always do better than Windows 7, except in some situations.
In low-end devices, Windows 7 may perform better. But, in the actual usage, you will face many issues. Most of the flagship software makers have already stopped supporting this ancient operating system. Web browsers do not work well on this OS as well.
Though Google Chrome will support this old Windows OS for a few more weeks, it will stop working. We have personally tested Chrome and other compatible browsers on this OS and found that many websites show security warnings.
So, even if you notice slightly better performance in some specific cases, Windows 7 is not very good in terms of user experience in 2023.
On the other hand, Windows 11 is the latest OS from Microsoft. The industry is focusing on this OS more than previous MS operating systems. In modern compatible devices, Windows 11 works very smoothly.
There are many built-in features, including some for gamers; always put this OS on the top.
Windows 11 will always be a better choice for security and compatibility with modern software, at least for the next few years.
However, Users still complain about a few things. For example, the new start menu looks better. But, it is missing some features that we saw in Windows 10. For example, the taskbar doesn’t support drag and drop yet.
Else, by default, the start menu and the start button are in the taskbar’s middle. So when you pin a lot of apps in the taskbar, it will look weird and does not give an enjoyable experience to the power users.
Fortunately, you can always put the start menu and pinned apps on the left, like Windows 7.
Microsoft has been taking users’ feedback seriously. As a result, we see that the preview builds are getting some changes. The missing features, mainly the start menu tweaks and drag and drop, will be landed on the full release of Windows 11 within a few months.
In terms of user experience, Windows 11 will always do better and get regular improvements. On the contrary, it will not happen with the old Windows 7 as it has already passed its lifecycle.
➡ Dual boot Windows 11 and Windows 7You may need to use both operating systems for some reason. For example, some older software did not get an update for a long time and may not work on the latest Windows OS.
In this case, you may want to use Windows 7 and your preferred modern OS. Then, it is possible to do the dual boot easily.
We already have a dedicated guide to dual boot Windows 11 and 7. You can see the instructions from there and do it at your convenience.
➡ Should the Windows 7 users finally upgrade to the latest OS?The answer is primarily positive. Windows 7 is obsolete in this era. So, it is not a good idea to stay with this legacy OS anymore. However, if you do not have a plan to build or buy a new computer, you can stay with this OS a few more times.
However, if you plan to upgrade your hardware, it’s the right time to choose the latest Windows 11. After being released, it was a bit less performing. But, over time, this OS has gained significant performance improvements.
➡ Can you make Windows 7 look like Windows 11 and vice versa?Yes. You can. Several themes and tools are available to make your older Windows OS look like the latest Windows 11. For this, you can use Windows 11 Skinpack.
There is also Windows 7 Skinpack that will make any modern Windows look like the Windows 7.
However, installing such themes and tools may come with a minor performance penalty depending on the system you have been using. Nevertheless, if you want, you can get the vibe of the different operating systems by using such tools.
If you are on the latest OS and want to change its look, look at these best Windows 11 themes and skins.
Windows 11 has solved many limitations that we saw in its predecessors. Microsoft is also improving this OS with each new update.
For some fantastic features, better capability to utilize modern hardware, and game-changing features in terms of both performance and security, Windows 11 is the ultimate choice for PC lovers.
Not only the Windows 7 users but also any other Windows users should consider upgrading to Windows 11. It is worth it.
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Google One Explained: Is It Worth Subscribing To?
If you have a Gmail address, you can also access Google’s entire suite of online services. That includes Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and more.
Unfortunately, free users only get about 15GB of free storage to cover all of the storage for those services. A Google One subscription plan lets you pay for extra storage, offering more benefits. But is it worth subscribing to?
Table of Contents
How Google Drive Storage WorksThe storage with your Google account is unified, except for compressed Google Photos. This means that your emails, Drive contents, device backups, and anything that has to be stored in the cloud count against the total pool.
If you’re just a mail user and dabble a little in Google Docs, then the 15GB storage is probably enough for you. However, if you’re taking full-quality photos and videos with your snazzy smartphone camera, you may also find your cloud backups eating into that drive quickly. So there’s a case for those invested in the ecosystem.
Storage Plan PricingGoogle One offers three tiers of storage to new subscribers:
5TB Plan: For $25 per month or $250 paid annually, you get five terabytes of storage, with all the perks on lower tiers, except you now get 10% back on Google Store purchases.
10TB Plan: At $50 a month or $600 per year, you get lower perks but no annual discount.
20TB Plan: At $100 a month or $1200 per year, you get lower perks but no annual discount.
30TB Plan: At $150 a month or $1800 per year, you get lower perks but no annual discount.
Family Group SharingGoogle One allows you to share your storage allocation with up to five family members for a total of six members.
There’s no household restriction in our experience with the service. The different members don’t have to be different. We’ve used Google One with multiple accounts belonging to the same user. This makes it easy to share storage across your other Google accounts.
Adding or removing members is simple. From the Google One app or home page, simply go to
Getting Expert Help and Support PriorityGoogle’s services are excellent when they work correctly, but things can go wrong now and then. It’s easy to depend on tools like Google Drive and Google Docs, but you aren’t entitled to timely support if you’re a free user.
The best place for free users to go is the community forums where other users can help. But if you’re a Google One subscriber, you get priority access to Google experts who can help you in minutes or hours.
Most people will never need this feature, but if your work or business relies on Google’s products, this access to priority help is worth the entire price of a Google One subscription.
Premium Google Photo EditingThe Google Photos app is a simple interface to let you see and manage photos that have been backed up to your Google account. Many people may not know that you can also edit your photos right there in the app.
You’ll find several “Suggestions” to spruce up your photo in one fell swoop. These include Dynamic, Vivid, Color Pop, Luminous, Afterglow, and others.
These features won’t work with just any phone, however. You need Android 8.0 or iOS 14 and at least 3GB of RAM, regardless of your operating system.
The Google One VPNVPNs (Virtual Private Networks) create encrypted data tunnels through the web so that neither your ISP nor anyone on the same Wi-Fi network can spy on your browsing.
Free VPNs are usually dangerous or perform poorly, so many people fork out a monthly fee for fast and reputable services. If you’re a Google One subscriber on the 2TB plan or higher, you can also access Google’s VPN service. There’s no one in the world with the global network infrastructure of Google, so their VPN is undoubtedly good.
However, it’s currently only available on iOS and Android phones, with plans for Windows and macOS still in the pipeline. Also, if you want to use a VPN to unblock content restricted in your country, Google’s VPN won’t be much help there. On the other hand, if you wish to protect your privacy on your smartphone, it’s a fantastic perk. Speaking of perks…
Google One Perks (AKA Member Benefits)Depending on your country, Google One offers an ever-rotating selection of extra benefits. Some may be from third-party partners, and others are from Google themselves.
You might get free Google Play Store credit to spend on content like movies or apps. You may also receive free Google hardware, early access to Google stuff, or big members-only discounts. It’s hard to quantify whether this should be part of Google One’s value proposition since benefits are unpredictable and currently seem US-centric.
Getting Google One for FreeGoogle sometimes partners with companies like Samsung to bundle a Google One plan with handsets or mobile contracts. For example, Three (a UK network operator) offers its subscribers three months of the 100GB plan.
What Happens to Data When You Unsubscribe?If you downgrade your Google One account, cancel it, or otherwise lose access to your expanded data, Google will adjust your quota accordingly. However, your data won’t disappear. You have at least two years to either download and delete your data yourself or pay to expand your storage again.
While you’re over your quota, you can’t upload or create new files. You won’t be able to sync anything, and you can’t edit or copy any of your files. So don’t be worried that you might suddenly lose your data if you can’t pay or your card expires, and you don’t notice!
Is Google One Worth It for Mac and iOS Users?There’s plenty to like about Google One, even if you’re an iPhone or Mac user. There’s a macOS version of the Google Drive desktop client just like Microsoft Windows, and mobile apps are available for the iPhone and iPad.
We think Apple customers would be far better off buying their additional cloud storage through iCloud. The integration of Apple devices with iCloud goes beyond what Google can do on the platform, so if we had to choose as Apple users, that would be the sensible choice. Of course, you can use both at the same time!
Who Should Subscribe to Google One?This subscription service is undoubtedly an incredible deal, even if you only look at it from a dollars per gigabyte perspective. Still, anyone who relies on Google’s tools and apps will benefit significantly from paying a little to expand their unified storage space.
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