Windows 10 is silly fast, even when compared to Yosemite

[Mnowell69]

You could say that i did it the hard way. I started with win 7 which had then been updated to win 8 (which i originally got when it first came out YUK) I never got a windows 10 icon in the taskbar so i had to upgrade to 8.1. Then i was able to update (yet again) to windows 10. I had to reinstall the bootcamp drivers to fix the screen lighting controls but everything went without a single problem. TBH i've never had any problems with Yosemite apart from the fact that it's designed by a child (not that i'm saying children are bad, my daughter could have done a better job!!) and that it's slow.

 

[AFEPPL]

Installed absolutely seamlessly and it runs very well, I'm impressed.

 

[Renzatic]

I am installing Windows 10 on my Surface 3 (non-Pro) right now. It will be interesting to see whether Windows 10 can make this US$ 499 tablet/laptop blazing fast. If that happens, well, then I think Apple should be even more concerned about the shrinking iPad sales...

I want to hear about your experiences with this. I'm leaning more and more towards a Surface, either the Pro or the regular old not-Pro depending on what I end up deciding my priorities are, and I'd like to know how it runs with Win10 on it.

Like I know a lot of people have claimed Win10 sucks for tablets, but to me, the only good thing that's gone is the Charms Bar, everything else looks about the same.

 

[bbfc]

It is super quick on my MBP. I'm using it now. It's very impressive the more I use it. Still a few annoyances and typical Windows-problems, but I like it.

 

[petvas]

I have installed it on VMWare and while I believe it to be much better than Windows 8, I cannot share the excitement. I don't see anything for a Mac user that would make me switch over. It's good though that Windows is a valid option for many many users. The only thing I like more than on OS X is the File Explorer..

 

[skaertus]

Yep same here. I have a late 2013 rMBP 13" with the SSD. Yosemite is Ok but app loads takes ages. I then bootcamped and installed W10 with a fresh install. In comparison Windows 10 absolutely flies and everything is instant. I am really impressed and seriously considering jumping over permanently. Well done Microsoft you have done a great job.

I do have a 15-inch retina MacBook Pro (early 2013 model) and Yosemite is not as fast as I expected it should be. I also use Windows 8.1 on BootCamp and it is way faster than Yosemite. I tried putting Windows 10 and the wi-fi didn't work due probably to drivers issues, so I went back to 8.1. And, yes, 8.1 is still faster than Yosemite.

People may say Windows gets slower with time. Perhaps it was the truth a few years ago, but I am not so sure anymore. My current Windows installation is a year old, and it is still fast and zippy. My Yosemite installation, however, is sluggish.

Two things to consider, though:

• Apps really load faster under Windows 8.1. This is perhaps most apps are written for Windows and then translated to Mac (such as Google Chrome, for instance), so lots of unecessary code slowing down the apps. In addition, some Mac developers may have less funds available to make better Mac apps, since the potential revenue is lower than the one Windows developers expect (due to the fact that there are far more Windows users than Mac users and, therefore, the potential market is way bigger). It is just speculation, though. I don't know the real reason, but apps are loading faster on Windows.
• OS X drags a lot of graphical resources. When I run OS X on my 15-inch retina display at a resolution that resembles 1920x1200 (which means, OS X renders images at 3840x2400), then it is slow. When I run it at 1440x900 (rendering at 2880x1800), then it is much better. The thing is, I like running it at 1920x1200, so I can have more real estate to work on. When I connect my 27-inch external monitor (at 2560x1440), then it is faster (as it renders images at 2560x1440) than running on my retina display. The bottom line is: the way OS X renders images for retina displays may be very nice for the purposes of keeping the aspect ratio, but it demands a lot from the hardware. Windows, on the other hand, does not have these issues.

I installed Windows 10 on my Surface 3 (the non-Pro version, with the Atom processor). I am impressed. Windows 8.1 was OK but lagged a bit. Windows 10 flies. Microsoft did a great job. But Yosemite, well, all these graphic resources were overkill. I am disappointed at Apple in this respect.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

I do have a 15-inch retina MacBook Pro (early 2013 model) and Yosemite is not as fast as I expected it should be. I also use Windows 8.1 on BootCamp and it is way faster than Yosemite. I tried putting Windows 10 and the wi-fi didn't work due probably to drivers issues, so I went back to 8.1. And, yes, 8.1 is still faster than Yosemite.

People may say Windows gets slower with time. Perhaps it was the truth a few years ago, but I am not so sure anymore. My current Windows installation is a year old, and it is still fast and zippy. My Yosemite installation, however, is sluggish.

Two things to consider, though:

• Apps really load faster under Windows 8.1. This is perhaps most apps are written for Windows and then translated to Mac (such as Google Chrome, for instance), so lots of unecessary code slowing down the apps. In addition, some Mac developers may have less funds available to make better Mac apps, since the potential revenue is lower than the one Windows developers expect (due to the fact that there are far more Windows users than Mac users and, therefore, the potential market is way bigger). It is just speculation, though. I don't know the real reason, but apps are loading faster on Windows.
• OS X drags a lot of graphical resources. When I run OS X on my 15-inch retina display at a resolution that resembles 1920x1200 (which means, OS X renders images at 3840x2400), then it is slow. When I run it at 1440x900 (rendering at 2880x1800), then it is much better. The thing is, I like running it at 1920x1200, so I can have more real estate to work on. When I connect my 27-inch external monitor (at 2560x1440), then it is faster (as it renders images at 2560x1440) than running on my retina display. The bottom line is: the way OS X renders images for retina displays may be very nice for the purposes of keeping the aspect ratio, but it demands a lot from the hardware. Windows, on the other hand, does not have these issues.

I installed Windows 10 on my Surface 3 (the non-Pro version, with the Atom processor). I am impressed. Windows 8.1 was OK but lagged a bit. Windows 10 flies. Microsoft did a great job. But Yosemite, well, all these graphic resources were overkill. I am disappointed at Apple in this respect.

You would have died if you used Cheetah or Puma.

 

[skaertus]

You would have died if you used Cheetah or Puma.

Why? I still used Windows at that time. And it was Windows 98 transitioning to Windows XP. And Windows 98 was, you know... not really good in terms of stability.

My first OS X was Leopard. Yes, I am sort of a newcomer to the Mac world.

 

[ATC]

Agree with the general sentiment here, W10 Pro x64 is flying on this old unsupported 24" iMac. Loving it so far. Only wish MSFT would hurry up and allow extensions for Edge because browsing without ad-block is like stepping on a Lego.

 

[maxsix]

Installed absolutely seamlessly and it runs very well, I'm impressed.

My experience mirrors yours and I'm delighted. The long wait was certainly worth it.

That said it won't be my primary OS, I'm simply too partial to OS X. But given the fact I must use windows for some of my work ver 10 is a very encouraging change.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Why? I still used Windows at that time. And it was Windows 98 transitioning to Windows XP. And Windows 98 was, you know... not really good in terms of stability.

My first OS X was Leopard. Yes, I am sort of a newcomer to the Mac world.

Because if you find Yosemite slow then Cheetah would have driven you mad. It was so sluggish whenever there was an update users asked 'is it snappy now?' Which gave birth to the running joke about snappiness that you probably noticed.

 

[skaertus]

Because if you find Yosemite slow then Cheetah would have driven you mad. It was so sluggish whenever there was an update users asked 'is it snappy now?' Which gave birth to the running joke about snappiness that you probably noticed.

Cheetah being slow is ironic at least...

 

[Renzatic]

And Windows 98 was, you know... not really good in terms of stability.

Pfft. I could keep my old Win98 machine up for HOURS back in the day. Once, I even managed to go a full 72 hours without seeing a BSOD.

Don't know why everyone's so hard on good ole Windows 98. It wasn't so bad once you got past the burning, and the screaming, and the HEYNICELADY!

 

[minisuds7]

Just adding my 2 cents here: Windows 10 is running circles around Yosemite on my 2013 i7 MacBook Air. Just wish Apple would put out a better trackpad driver (yeah I know that won't happen).

 

[QuarterSwede]

Windows 10 is quick and they've finally fixed some of the design issues. I'm glad to see a simplified Settings (modern control panel) but I don't find Cortana to be nearly as useful as people claim. From my tests Siri was giving me better results and that was surprising given the reviews I've read.

The one thing that keeps me from going back to Windows is its inherent frameworks.
1) Registry kludge thanks to devs
2) DLL Hell
3) Installation and, more importantly, uninstallation hell. Although, I will say that being able to finally right click and choose uninstall is a godsend.

Until Microsoft fixes those issues I'm still not interested in making it my main OS.

I will give them kudos for making parental controls worth a damn. You have fine control over everything a child can do with activity weekly reports. That is fantastic for the school PC we've got. If only Apple would give users more fine control over restrictions.

 

[skaertus]

Just adding my 2 cents here: Windows 10 is running circles around Yosemite on my 2013 i7 MacBook Air. Just wish Apple would put out a better trackpad driver (yeah I know that won't happen).

Yeah. Windows 10 is running faster on my Atom-based Surface 3 than Yosemite is on my Core i7 15-inch retina MacBook Pro.

 

[paristexas]

..on the speed theme, win10 takes 7,8 sec to get to the logon screen then takes more 10 sec to get to the desktop, OSX takes 7,8 sec to get to the logon screen and then just 1, 2 sec to get to the desktop... so the only annoyance so far is that 10 sec, normal?

 

[oldmacs]

Just adding my 2 cents here: Windows 10 is running circles around Yosemite on my 2013 i7 MacBook Air. Just wish Apple would put out a better trackpad driver (yeah I know that won't happen).

I wish and hope Apple will put some resources into making OSX fast again. Hopefully thats what EL Capitan will do.

 

[Atlantico]

I hate the way the Windows task bar works, especially the grouping of windows. I also find OS X apps to be more elegant. After all these years, nothing has actually changed.
Windows and Android are similar and of course they will always have the biggest market share. OS X and iOS will always feel different..

I know what you're saying, up to and including Windows 7, but Windows 8 and Windows 10 are far far more elegant than any Windows before and for me they're quite tolerable. Not the least because with every iteration Microsoft seems to inch their way closer to something I'd recognize as elegant...ish.

Right now Windows 10 is a bit of a UI mess, with elements from Windows 95 to Windows 7, mixed with the Modern look and feel they are striving for.

Like the modern Settings in Windows 10, which are now more encompassing than the modern Settings in Windows 8, yet the old Control Panel is still hiding there, popping up every once in a while when you pick some advanced settings. It's quite jarring.

Also Windows 10 has the most stupid font rendering I have ever seen, just ... ugly. The anti-aliasing is crude and incredibly basic. Still, Windows 10 is quite tolerable taken as a whole in this Mac user's opinion.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Also Windows 10 has the most stupid font rendering I have ever seen, just ... ugly. The anti-aliasing is crude and incredibly basic. Still, Windows 10 is quite tolerable taken as a whole in this Mac user's opinion.

Wow, how could I have forgotten about that? Yes a million times. It's the worst looking font rendering out there. It's fairly hard to read when you're used to Apple's excellent rendering.

 

[JamesMike]

Things are flying on my SP3, its very fast. I have LR installed on the SP3, I think if I have time, I'll see how using that app is under windows 10

Let us know how it works, looking at getting a SP 3.

 

[Renzatic]

The one thing that keeps me from going back to Windows is its inherent frameworks.
1) Registry kludge thanks to devs
2) DLL Hell
3) Installation and, more importantly, uninstallation hell. Although, I will say that being able to finally right click and choose uninstall is a godsend.

The registry is always has been and always will be contentious topic, but DLL Hell? That hasn't been an issue since Win9x.

I'll kind of give you point three. Most of the time, installing and uninstalling can be a little convoluted, but otherwise works. Though you will occasionally run into issues that make you want to pull your hair out and punch the screen. I'M LOOKING AT YOU, OLD PHOTOSHOP!

Fortunately, the framework for a better system is already in place. Installing/Uninstalling applications through the Windows Store is just as easy as it is on iOS. Thing is, we have to wait for people to start writing universal apps en masse before you can say Windows has truly moved beyond the old standard.

 

[Renzatic]

Wow, how could I have forgotten about that? Yes a million times. It's the worst looking font rendering out there. It's fairly hard to read when you're used to Apple's excellent rendering.

Now this is true. These days, the two things that OSX still has over Windows is the file previewer, and vastly, VASTLY superior font rendering. MS does like its skinny and sharp look compared to the softer, bolder style of OSX, but they could still make huge improvements to it without looking exactly like Apple.

Though you can make it halfway decent. Run through the Adjust Cleartype Text program a few times until you get it looking okay. It'll never be quite as good as OSX, but it can be a lot better than what you get out of the box.

...or you could install something like GDIPP, though they don't always work with everything.

 

[skaertus]

Now this is true. These days, the two things that OSX still has over Windows is the file previewer, and vastly, VASTLY superior font rendering. MS does like its skinny and sharp look compared to the softer, bolder style of OSX, but they could still make huge improvements to it without looking exactly like Apple.

Though you can make it halfway decent. Run through the Adjust Cleartype Text program a few times until you get it looking okay. It'll never be quite as good as OSX, but it can be a lot better than what you get out of the box.

...or you could install something like GDIPP, though they don't always work with everything.

As for font rendering, Microsoft's ClearType seems superior to me in readability on low resolution screens (and that is what it is intended for). But on a retina display OS X fonts are definitely better.

 

[Renzatic]

As for font rendering, Microsoft's ClearType seems superior to me in readability on low resolution screens (and that is what it is intended for). But on a retina display OS X fonts are definitely better.

Huh. That's actually the opposite of what I thought it'd be. I haven't seen Windows on a high DPI screen yet, but I figured its rendering shortcomings would be overcome by having more pixels thrown at it.

edit: I take that back. I have seen it running on an SP3 in stores. Looked decent enough to me, and I figured it'd look that much better the closer you get to the 300 PPI sweet spot.