Windows 7 works great even to this day, but there are versions of Windows that have been released since then. There is now Windows 10 and Windows 11. Today, I will cover if Windows 10 is better than Windows 7, and why.
Overall, Windows 10 is better than Windows 7. It has a more modern looking user interface. Windows 10, however, is 15% slower than Windows 7 on average, which is an issue for older and lower end computers with less RAM, and a slower processor (CPU).
For newer computers or older computers with more RAM, and a faster CPU the difference in speed is not really noticeable, so either is perfectly fine.
Below, I will show the results of independent tests that tested how much slower Windows 10 is compared to Windows 7, and other versions of Windows.
As well as, how the specific specifications of a computer such as RAM, and the processor speed (CPU) determine whether Windows 10 or Windows 7 is a better option.
When Windows 10 Is a Better Option Than Windows 7
Windows 10 has a better looking user interface. But, Windows 10 uses more resources than Windows 7, which means it’s slower.
An independent test was done for each of the different versions of Windows. The tests were a timed test to see how long it took to do each of the following processes:
- Starting up – from pressing the power button to getting to log in screen
- Logging in
- Logging off
- Opening a Microsoft Office program
- Opening a program
- Opening a website
- Copying a file to a new location
- Opening a game (minecraft)
- Loading a level in a game (minecraft)
- Rendering a video in a video rendering software
- Shutdown time
Each of these processes were timed individually for all of the different versions of Windows. Here’s the table that shows the total time it took for each operating system:
(Ordered from fastest to slowest)
| Version of Windows | Total time for all of the processes tested |
| Windows 8 | 01:52:00 |
| Windows 11 | 02:01:25 |
| Windows Vista | 02:14:00 |
| Windows XP | 02:27.75 |
| Windows 7 | 02:58:75 |
| Windows 10 | 03:52:25 |
You can see that Windows 10 was the slowest at loading compared to all of the other versions of Windows including Windows 11. This is surprising because, in general, newer versions of Windows use more resources.
Therefore, it would be assumed that Windows 11 would be slower. But, in fact it appears Microsoft has made various improvements to how Windows 11 works, and it’s a lot faster. Almost twice as fast as Windows 10.
Minimum RAM to run Windows 10 smoothly and well
If you have 4GB of RAM or less, then Windows 7 is a better option than Windows 10. Windows 10 requires 8GB at a minimum to run smooth and fast. Otherwise, it will be a bit frustrating to use because it will take so long to load.
Even though Windows 10 has a better looking user interface – based on most people’s taste – Windows 7 still has a very good looking user interface.
In fact, some people prefer it. Windows 7 also doesn’t have any drawbacks compared to Windows 10. So, you aren’t losing out on any functionality.
Windows Vista is the best for low end computers [unless it’s for gaming]
Windows Vista is considerably faster than Windows 7. But, funnily enough it has a virtually identical user interface to Windows 7. The one drawback of Windows Vista over Windows 7 is that most games are not supported on Windows Vista.
Therefore, if you intend to use your computer for gaming, and want to play the most popular games like Fornite, and Dota 2, then you should Windows 7. Almost all modern games are available for Windows 7 but not Windows Vista.
On the other hand, if you only want to use your computer for work, school, or university, then Windows Vista is a far better option because it’s a lot faster. And will be smoother and more enjoyable to use because it loads so much quicker.
Resources Used For Each Version of Windows When Sitting Idle
The computer used to perform the tests is about middle of the range, at the time of writing (2022).
If you have a much slower computer – one that is old and has less RAM, and a slower processor, then it’s best to use one of the versions of Windows that requires the least amount of RAM, and uses less of the processor.
There are minimum system requirements for each version of Windows. However, based on my experience, even though your computer has the minimum system requirements for a version of Windows recommended by Microsoft, it does not mean it will load quickly or smoothly.
Each version of Windows requires a small amount of RAM, and a percentage of the processor just when sitting idle.
Here’s a table that shows how much RAM, and what percentage of a processor each of the different Windows operating systems uses when it’s doing nothing, and sitting idle.
| Version of Windows | Percent of the CPU, and amount of RAM when idle |
| Windows XP | 853.0MB of RAM, and 0% of the processor |
| Windows Vista | 1.GB of RAM, and 1% of the processor |
| Windows 7 | 1.20GB of RAM, and 0% of the processor |
| Windows 8 | 2.20GB of RAM, and 4% of the processor |
| Windows 10 | 2.54GB of RAM, and 10% of the processor |
| Windows 11 | 2.77GB of RAM, and 25% of the processor |
This is important because when you’re using a computer normally it’s typical that you will have more than one program open at once.
Each program you have open increases how much of the processor and RAM is being used. And the more of the RAM and processor are being used the slower a computer gets.
It’s a big factor if you have a small amount of RAM, and a reasonably slow processor. But, it is far less noticeable if you have a lot of RAM, and a faster processor.
Windows 10 is better than Windows 7 if you have a better computer
Very good computers can be purchased second hand. And because computer components get faster and cheaper every year, there are a tonne of second hand components, and whole computers out there.
A computer can be used for very simple things like creating documents, checking emails, and watching a few videos here and there. Whereas, they can be used for very resource intensive things like playing the latest computer games, or rendering and editing videos.
Therefore, it’s a bit overkill to get the latest computer, if you have simple needs. Provided it performs well enough that it isn’t too slow.
So, you can get a reasonably old computer, or use slower components, you can still get a very good user experience on Windows. Provided, you don’t install a version of Windows that has a high demand for resources.
In general, based on how slow and how fast each of the different versions of Windows run for a slower computer, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP are the best options.
And for computers that have very high end specs you should use Windows 10 or Windows 11. Windows 11 is a better option because it’s faster at loading, but is worse for having a bunch of different applications open.
Whereas, Windows 10 is slower at loading but is slightly better if you like to run a lot of programs/applications at once.
Is Windows 7 Better Than Windows 10 for Gaming
Gaming requires a lot of computer resources, therefore the version of Windows you should use makes a big difference. Here’s a rundown of whether Windows 7 is better than Windows 10 for gaming.
As a general rule, Windows 7 is better than Windows 10 for gaming. But, if you have a computer with more than 16GB of RAM, Windows 10 is better. Windows 10 has a better looking user interface. If your computer has less than 16GB of RAM, games will run much better on Windows 7.
Most popular games are available on Windows 7. The table below shows the most popular game titles:
| Game title | Can it be installed on Windows 7 |
| Dota 2 | Yes |
| Starcraft 2 | Yes |
| Minecraft | Yes, but have to buy the Java edition |
| World of Warcraft | Yes, 64 bit Windows 7 only |
| League of Legends | Yes |
| Fortnite | Yes |
| Overwatch | Yes, 64 bit Windows 7 only |
| Counter Strike | Yes |
| CS: GO | Yes |
| Grand Theft Auto | Yes, 64 bit Windows 7 only |
From the table you can see that most games can be installed and played on Windows 7. However, some require a 64 bit version of Windows 7, and won’t work with a 32-bit version. This article
from Microsoft explains where to see if your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit.
Virtually all computer games push a computer to the limit. And use almost all of the RAM, and processing power. Therefore, for a game to run fast and smooth you should use the version of Windows that is best for the specs on your computer.
The most modern computers, or computers with very fast CPUs, and a lot of RAM can run any version of Windows.
Whereas, if your computer only meets the minimum system requirements, or is a little bit over then you should use a version of Windows that runs the fastest, and uses the least amount of resources.
In virtually all cases this is Windows 7 for computers with low specs, and Windows 10 for a computer with fairly decent specs.
Can You Still Use Windows 7
There are now a few versions of Windows that have come out since Windows 7, and Windows 7 was released in 2009. So, here’s whether Windows 7 can still be used in 2022 and beyond.
As a general rule, you can still use Windows 7. Windows 7 no longer provides updates and Microsoft does not offer customer support for it. But, it still works perfectly fine. It’s the best version of Windows for lower end PCs that are for gaming.
Windows 7, Windows XP, or Windows Vista are the best versions of Windows for low end/older computers.
Windows 10 is also very good, however, it is a lot slower than Windows 7, XP, and Vista.
Older computers or computers with a low amount of RAM, and a slower processor are typically too slow to run Windows 10. Therefore, Windows 7, XP, or Vista are better options.
Does Windows 10 Perform Better Than Windows 7
Windows is the most used operating system on computers, however, each new version of Windows adds new features, and is better looking. However, these new features and the display does use more computer resources. So, here’s whether Windows 10 performs better than Windows 7.
Overall, Windows 10 does not perform better than Windows 7. Windows 7 is 15% faster than Windows 10 at opening programs, starting up, and installing programs. Windows 10 also uses 50% more RAM when sitting idle compared to Windows 7.
Interestingly, if a computer maxes out the RAM and the processor it will cause programs to freeze. When this happens they won’t be usable and say ‘Not Responding’. And you need to manually close them using the task manager.
Windows 10 uses more of the processor when sitting idle compared to Windows 7.
- Windows 10 uses: 2.54GB of RAM, and 10% of the processor
- Windows 7 uses: 1.20GB of RAM, and 0% of the processor
Then when you open a program it will use more of the RAM, and the processor. So, if you have a few programs running at once on a computer with a slow processor and less RAM, then programs on Windows 10 are more likely to crash.
However, if you have a computer with ‘good’ specs, such as, 16GB or RAM, and a fast processor, it won’t make much of a difference whether you have Windows 10 or Windows 7.
Is Windows 10 Slower Than Windows 7
There are a range of different processes on a computer such as opening a program, installing a program, logging in, and shutting down.
The faster an operating system is to do each individual task the total time adds so that it takes much longer to do anything on a computer. So, here’s a summary of whether Windows 10 is slower than Windows 7.
On average, Windows 10 is 15% slower than Windows 7. However, if a computer has 16GB of RAM or more, neither Windows 10 nor Windows 7 is faster. For a low end/old computer, with 16GB of RAM or less, Windows 7 is better to use because it will perform significantly faster.
Windows 7 is more lightweight and loads faster than Windows 7 for low end PCs. But, for computers with more than 16GB of RAM, the amount of resources Windows 10 needs won’t make a noticeable difference.
It’s like if you have $500 and something costs $250, you would think a lot harder about buying it. Whereas, if you have $10,000, and something costs $250, you’ll be far less worried about spending $25. Because it’s a much smaller percentage of the total money you have.