Video: Windows 7 promises faster boots and up to 15% better battery life

Now that Windows 7 has launched into pre-Beta, Microsoft has joined the world in Vista-bashing as they look to differentiate their newest OS from the incumbent. Speaking to its hardware partners at WinHEC, Microsoft is promising faster shutdown and startup times and less power consumption than its beleaguered predecessor despite the two sharing the same code base. In addition to an overall reduction in the number of services launched at startup, faster booting is achieved by loading device drivers in parallel instead of sequentially. Windows 7 also manages wireless radios better allowing them to drop below 100% power draw while managing the connection. And by tweaking the OS kernel, the CPU can sometimes run at a lower frequency and stay idle longer. This results are a minimum of 11% better battery life for Windows 7 compared to Vista -- and we're still only talking about pre-Beta Windows 7 software, mind you. Nice. Windows 7 also promises better memory management. So instead of managing all the background windows, Win7 offloads this to the GPU, for example -- system memory is then free for your applications and data. Check the trio of videos demonstrating these improvements after the break.

Vista vs. Windows 7 Boot Race

Vista vs Windows 7 Management

Vista vs Windows 7 Battery Life

[Josh @ Nov 6th 2008 5:18AM]

Now that's delicious.

[Jon @ Nov 6th 2008 6:32AM]

I know right? Windows 7 looks to be shaping up very well. And yet people will STILL find something to complain about.

[Paul @ Nov 6th 2008 8:05AM]

I can't wait... but we have to wait... which is good because it is keeping me from dropping money on a laptop that I don't need until 7 comes out!

[y3k.nik @ Nov 6th 2008 8:59AM]

I hear ya paul. I keep on whining about my 4 year old dell, and yet waiting for windows 7 is the only thing stopping me from dropping money on a new one.

[Tim @ Nov 6th 2008 10:40AM]

It's delicious if Microsoft can deliver.

One thing that has always been true in the laptop world is that battery life promises have never shaped up the way companies say they will.

[Akber @ Nov 6th 2008 5:16PM]

The question how will it compare to XP and not to Vista which sucks in my humble openion...

[Jeebus @ Nov 6th 2008 12:43PM]

I don't get all the Vista bashing. I have Vista and it's certainly an improvement on XP. Is it a huge improvement? Maybe not, but it's certainly very noticeable in some areas.

[Loonyx @ Nov 6th 2008 1:56PM]

Been using vista since day 1

Problems: 64 bit sux, cause no programs support it. SO having a 64bit processor seems kind of pointless, if the operating system supports it, but no existing programs support it or even intend to support it, because they see no added benefits.

Also in order to get the 64bit. You had to go online and buy it for 10 bux. Did i get my 10 bux back when i installed 32bit on top of it? Nope.

/sob story over.

So far no problems in vista. I had some trouble running Half-Life 2 games CS, etc but you have to tell them to run the *.exe in XP Mode w/e that is. So another stupid part of Vista.

====Aside:===
Play world of warcraft regularly in Vista. No problemo. Play Crysis in vista. No problemo, but game kinda stupid cause, it's not an mmo, so what's the point? If it ain't an mmo, i just don't see what the point of it is anymore? If i want to sit alone and read a book. I'll do that, but why would i want to sit alone and play a game, when i could play with real (figuratively) people.

Since installing 32 bit vista i can edit video again finally.

Wireless adapter that worked fine in XP, had to be removed because the system constantly crashed for no F-ing reason. WGT311 Atheros 4G, resolution disable Wireless adapter, only use wired connection, have since purchased a linksys wireless adapter with no problems to report except too good of signal :)

Audio Adapter: Audigy 128bit MP3 PCI card, constantly crashing pc, only supported by XP, not vista. Had to install BETA drivers for vista which aren't available from Soundblaster.com website anymore douchios at Creative.

What it really comes down to is. Product Support. It used to be you could go out and buy windows 95 and install it over your window 3.0 software and everything worked fine, it might ahve been slower, but it worked. And then you could put windows 98, me, etc on it, and it all worked fine. Now it's like BUY VISTA, BUY VISTA, BUY VISTA. Everyone goes out and tries it and then it's like hey it's broke WTF Mate. And only a poweruser can make it work. You need to buy a computer that comes with vista. And then once you get it. All the game developers and software work better on the XP....so....what's the point? MS? any ideas? You make XP so good nearly blue-screen-of-death proof, and instead of just giving XP a facelift (which it needs, still) you come out with something totally new. And everyones just fUstrated. minus the R, cause they're too pissed off to care about spelling.

No but I'm using Vista right now and it works fine, never crashes (anymore), and everything works fine on it, but then again, i'm a computer geek so I'm probably alone there.

[darth_lord @ Nov 6th 2008 5:18AM]

Does it cut taxes and fix health care as well?

also where are the hot Asian chicks..they have so much to learn about presentation.

[zfurie @ Nov 6th 2008 5:39AM]

To developers' thick eyeglasses, the speakers are THE hot asian chicks!

[Ryan Trevisol @ Nov 6th 2008 7:15AM]

So you're saying Vista = George W Bush, and Windows 7 = John McCain? This doesn't sound good.

[Patriks7 @ Nov 6th 2008 5:20AM]

So if my Acer with XP does 10 minutes on battery.. Windows 7 will do 11.5?
I'll take that!

[emmortal @ Nov 6th 2008 5:25AM]

I think you just might need a new battery :)

[Patriks7 @ Nov 6th 2008 6:14AM]

I'm already on my third one with that Acer.. and I got it at the end of last summer.. :\
Luckily it's not my only laptop :p

[Godfail @ Nov 6th 2008 8:21AM]

Actually, it will do much better than that as Vista is already tuned better than XP for laptops. As much as Engadget and its flock want to bash Vista, you're only going to end up hating on Windows 7 for the exact same reasons. After all, you expect an OS upgrade 5 years later to run faster on machines 5 years older. Get a clue.

[Kevin @ Nov 6th 2008 5:24AM]

hmm... does this mean I can go straight from WinXP to Windows 7? Good. :)

[Magallanes @ Nov 6th 2008 7:31AM]

Admiral Ackbar "It's a trap!"

May be windows 7 will be a nice operating system, fast, not bloated and secure.

or

May be Window 7 will be a "Malibu" Vista with new hat

[Godfail @ Nov 6th 2008 8:23AM]

Why would you even upgrade your OS? If you're still running XP, you may as well face it, you need new hardware.

[Andy TGD @ Nov 6th 2008 8:49AM]

@Godfail

"Why would you even upgrade your OS? If you're still running XP, you may as well face it, you need new hardware."

Well, theres nothing wrong with my hardware. Got me an AMD Phenom(tm) 9850 Quad-Core Processor, 4GB RAM, 1TB HD and an ATI Radeon HD 3450. Had XP installed on it over Vista, mainly to ensure software compatibility and performance (Video Editing Rig). I'd probably consider upgrading to 7 - can't keep holding on to XP forever. Now don't get me wrong, Vista is a perfectly acceptable OS, but I prefer the simplicity of XP (Can't stand UAC on Vista).

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 6th 2008 9:07AM]

... or the extra overhead...

[rock99rock @ Nov 6th 2008 10:29AM]

You know, you can turn UAC off. Its like 4 clicks away.

[Kevin @ Nov 6th 2008 11:06AM]

@Andy:

Same here :) I have a good spec system and have had bought 2 new c2d's systems that came with vista licenses, fortunately it was business so I got XP licenses for free and the both the machines run happily now.

Only problem is my media centre, It's vista and won't take XP, the install crashes :( runs like a dog and before Mr. Smarty pants chips in: UAC is turned off and aero too. It still is dog slow.

[THizzle7XU @ Nov 6th 2008 11:09AM]

Ya dude, UAC takes five seconds to turn off. Just click on your user picture at the top of the Start menu and you're right there at the option.

[Andy TGD @ Nov 6th 2008 1:24PM]

@rock99rock & THizzle7XU:

Thanks for the heads up guys. But I wouldn't want rid of UAC completely - just for it to be user scalable or less chatty. Its still there for a good reason, despite the annoying prompts like every five seconds. :)

@Kevin:
Seems theres a lot of people out there still desperately clinging to XP. Obviously can't blame them, especially if they're businesses. Hopefully the introduction of Windows 7 will change that - unless Microsoft makes a balls of it.

[rock99rock @ Nov 6th 2008 1:56PM]

@Andy TGD

Spybot does a better job of what UAC tries to do. Turn off UAC, then install Spybot. You can configure spybot to be "less chatty" ;)

[Moderis @ Nov 6th 2008 5:27AM]

"faster booting is achieved by loading device drivers in parallel instead of sequentially"

Shouldn't they do it with Vista/XP before even releasing it?
I ques even W98 had same problems?!
whats happened with MS? looks like they get new good ideas only after they get kick in a ass after releasing a product.
or they have no new features to promote and started to fix OS in general.

whats next? in new version of OS, lets say Windows 8, they will get the idea that they can change something in OS so it won't freeze in case there is big HDD/CD/floppy i/o request.

[Case @ Nov 6th 2008 5:51AM]

hahaha Your having a go at them for FIXING PROBLEMS.

Crazy (=

[THizzle7XU @ Nov 6th 2008 11:11AM]

Ya, I mean, why hasn't MS created world peace yet either? Let get on their back for that as well.

Idiot.

[Technex @ Nov 6th 2008 5:30AM]

Yeah, give that to me on Vista please, treat your loyal customers... I'm not going to buy 7.

[John @ Nov 6th 2008 5:42AM]

People said the same thing about upgrading from ME to XP.

[Technex @ Nov 6th 2008 6:08AM]

Yeah but the short space of time and total lack of good updates/support.

Nothing really wrong with the OS, just needs a few updates, but instead of offering it to customers they want to go ahead and change a few lines of code and sell it as a totally new version? Previous ones have been more than just a few changes, at least that's the way I feel...

[Mark Anderson @ Nov 6th 2008 7:41AM]

Sure, and while we're at it would you like me to put a 2008 engine in your 2005 car for free too?

[Technex @ Nov 6th 2008 8:01AM]

Please. I guess the difference is with the pistons in the engine, a few grams off and let's sell it as a brand new version!! Profit!?!

[Godfail @ Nov 6th 2008 8:23AM]

The difference between this car engine/OS analogy is that even if the entire OS was reworked down to the kernel (like Vista), you'd take one look at the GUI and say it's the same.

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 6th 2008 9:12AM]

Just like most consumers buy an Accord, and not a V6 Honda. I don't know where you were looking to go with that Kernel upgrade post, but when you realize (most) people buy cars based on the color, lines, and what it looks like then you realize that it's not all that different of an analogy. Nobody cares about the Kernel in an OS except for a geek, a programmer, or an obsessive fanboy. They buy computers based on look and function. (Will this car look cool, and haul all my kids to soccer? Yes? I'll take it!)

[Decoy @ Nov 6th 2008 5:30AM]

Here is the text from Vista's concession speech.

"My friends, we have come to the end of a long journey. The OS bloggers have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."

"Windows 7 and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt, many of those differences remain."

"I urge all Windows users who adopted me to join not only in congratulating Windows 7, but offering our next OS our good will and honest effort to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences."

[Benson @ Nov 6th 2008 5:37AM]

Oh, so Vista actually does take a long time to start? I thought that was supposed to be my imagination...

[Daza @ Nov 6th 2008 6:47AM]

If you consider a long time a few seconds at most extra than Windows 7, sure.

[maveric101 @ Nov 6th 2008 10:05AM]

boots faster than xp for me...

[Desides @ Nov 6th 2008 5:39AM]

Not impressed by the boot video. They count time from power on to desktop display; the rest of us in the real world count time from power on to "the OS starts responding to my clicks with something resembling speed."

[Shinigami @ Nov 6th 2008 6:50AM]

True. I get desktop real soon but I get to use it in 2 minutes after that...

[maveric101 @ Nov 6th 2008 10:08AM]

Shinigami, you talking about XP? from my experience, thats how XP was. Vista however lets you get clickin' while other stuff loads in the background.

[Purple Haze @ Nov 6th 2008 11:01AM]

Maybe you missed when they said they load services on demand now (end of second video), making the desktop more accessible faster after boot. I think it's a great step forward. And remember it's an alpha version, there's much to improve upon.

[Purple Haze @ Nov 6th 2008 11:02AM]

Sorry, end of first video. Going a bit too fast here. ;)

[kyle @ Nov 10th 2008 2:47AM]

on a clean install of vista, the destop is responsive as soon as it appears. all the other slowdown is from the extra crap you have installed. there is no reason that microsoft should be responsible for that.

however, with the new on-demand service startup, you should see even greater improvements over vista after a system has become clogged with crap.

[Scotty Doo @ Nov 6th 2008 5:40AM]

Excellent...It's going to be a great operating system, don't cock it up MS.

[dreamer @ Nov 6th 2008 5:43AM]

true that... ive tried the 6801 build.... boot speed is fast.. but later on..it condemned my vista...had to reinstall it...but other than that its great!

[cg0def @ Nov 6th 2008 6:00AM]

So MS finally fixed Vista but rather than releasing it as a service pack they will want you pay another $200+? ARE YOU NUTS! And then they wonder why more and more people chose OS X despite the higher hardware cost ...

[Technex @ Nov 6th 2008 6:10AM]

I agree, other than the OSX part, pretty much everything beats that.

If they do go ahead and release this, and start downplaying Vista than I'm switching to ubuntu, perhaps keeping my old Vista's for gaming.

[fehu @ Nov 7th 2008 12:01PM]

Are you sayng that for each osx version they write down a completely new base code?