Windows 7 beta 1: Performance. Comparison with Vista and XP

What is the performance of Windows 7 compared to Vista and XP? This is the question that tormented me the last couple of weeks. Let's answer it already.

For a start, make a reservation. I am testing Windows 7 build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400. This is a beta version, and, as is usually found among such assemblies, the beta assemblies usually emphasize stability, not performance. This means that we can hope that the final version will be better than beta.

Instead of conducting a bunch of artificial tests for the performance of these three systems, I decided to give them a few test tasks that we face in everyday life, and which have a more realistic relationship to performance in those tasks in which we need it.

I conducted 23 tests, most of the names of which speak for themselves:

1. System installation - the time spent on installing the operating system.
2. Boot time - the time taken to load Windows to the point where it is already possible to start working
3. Off Time - Average System Off Time
4. Moving Files (100MB) - moving JPEG photos with a total size of 100MB from one hard disk to another
5. Moving Files (2.5GB) - moving files of various sizes (from 1 to 100MB) from one hard disk to another
6. File transfer (100Mb) over the network - transfer 100MB JPEGs from the tested machine to the NAS
7. File transfer (2.5 GB) over the network - transfer 2.5 GB of files of various sizes (from 1 to 100 MB) from the tested machine to the NAS
8. Moving files (100MB) under load - Moving 100MB JPEGs from one hard drive to another while ripping a DVD into ISO
9. Moving files (2.5GB) under load - Moving 2.5GB of different files from one hard drive to another while ripping a DVD to ISO
10. Network transfer of files (100MB) under load - Transfer of 100MB JPEGs from a test machine while ripping a DVD to ISO
11. Network file transfer (2.5GB) under load - Transfer 2.5GB files of various sizes from a test machine while ripping a DVD to ISO
12. Compression of 100MB files using the built-in ZIP-archiver
13. Compress 1GB files with the built-in ZIP-archiver
14. Unpacking 100MB files with built-in ZIP archiver
15. Unpacking 1GB of files with built-in ZIP archiver
16. Install Office 2007 Ultimate from DVD
17. Opening a 10-page Word document with text
18. Opening a 100-page Word document with text and pictures
19. Opening a simple Excel document with simple formatting
20. Opening a complex Excel document with formulas and graphs
21. Burn DVD - Burn a Windows 7 b1 image using CDBurnerXP
22. Opening a 10-page PDF with text using Adobe Reader 8
23. Opening a 100-page PDF with text and images using Adobe Reader 8

These tests will push Windows 7 build 7000 32-bit, Windows Vista SP1 32-bit and Windows XP SP3 32-bit in equal battle. Points are awarded very simply: the winner gets the first place (1 point), second place - two points, the loser - 3 points. Then the points are summed up and the system with the lowest number of points is considered the winner.

I used two machines of different configurations for tests. Powerful (AMD Phenom 9700 2.4GHz, ATI Radeon 3850, 4GB of RAM) and rather mediocre (Intel Pentium D E2200 2.2GHz, NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS, 1GB of RAM).
')
The results are tabulated. Each task lists only prizes occupied by the systems. Hence the same number of points.




Conclusion
In the end I would like to add that the more I use Windows 7, the more I like it. Of course, this is just a beta build, and not a complete version, so it can still change (it is possible that the release will be even faster). Of course, there are still some problems with the interface, new changes in UAC interfere with and make impossible the work of some applications, especially installers, but in general, Windows 7 beta 1 is very stable.

Of course, Windows 7 is not XP and never will be (thank God). And if he turns up words like Activation and DRM, then Windows is not your choice. But if you are looking for a monolithic system that already has everything, then Windows 7 will be a quick and convenient basis for the operation of your software and hardware.

UPD from me (translator): This article is much shorter than previously posted . Here are the tests of classic everyday tasks in the “what's faster” style, and not the “parrot wings” of performance tests. If you still think that this is a repetition, please do not minus - I just remove the article.

UPD2 from me (translator): Anyone who is still interested in benchmark numbers, look at testing build 6959 . The author of the test is the same (Adrian Kingsley-Hughes).