K-Lite Codec Pack is a utility to fix your media play/record issues

This package of utilities helped me restore my Windows 8.1 PC audio capabilities. 

K-Lite Codec Pack Full upgrades your system's media capabilities with a full package of high-performance audio and video codecs that can play just about anything. This free pack is more than a collection of filters: It also includes a variety of tweaks, options, and extras. Multiple installation and setup options let you choose the whole pack or only the components and file associations you want. K-Lite Codec Pack Full works with many media players, including Windows Media Player and the included Media Player Classic.

Pros

Setup tweaks: Choosing advanced setup enables a huge range of options and tweaks like HDMI or S/PDIF audio pass-through and multiple surround-sound settings. K-Lite Codec Pack's installer can find and remove conflicting, obsolete, and broken codecs and filters, too.

Codec Tweak Tool: The Codec Tweak Tool runs when setup finishes or on demand from the Start Menu. It lets you change any setup options and tweak codec performance individually.

Start Menu extras: K-Lite's Start Menu folder also holds Media Player Classic, a large Configuration menu, Help resources, and a Tools menu with extras like GraphStudioNext and MediaInfo.

Cons

Conflicts and invalid paths: Some filters and other components balked during setup; we followed the setup wizard's recommendation and removed them from the Windows Registry, rebooted, and ran the Codec Tweak Tool.

Bottom Line

You may need to experiment with many tweaks and settings to extract the maximum performance from K-Lite Codec Pack Full. But we're impressed with its ability to optimize your PC's audio and video capabilities.

About the K-Lite Codec Pack

The K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of DirectShow filters, VFW/ACM codecs, and tools. Codecs and DirectShow filters are needed for encoding and decoding audio and video formats. The K-Lite Codec Pack is designed as a user-friendly solution for playing all your audio and movie files. With the K-Lite Codec Pack you should be able to play all the popular audio and video formats and even several less common formats.

General strong points:

• It is very user-friendly and easy to use.
• It is updated frequently. So it is always up-to-date with the newest and best components.
• The pack provides an excellent out-of-the-box experience for novice users, while at the same time offering many options for expert users to tweak things.
• All included components have been carefully selected by codec experts.
• The pack offers a high level of flexibility. You can for example configure your preferred decoders and splitters for many formats.
• Works great in combination with Windows Media Player and Media Center. Both also with other popular DirectShow players such as Media Player Classic, ZoomPlayer, KMPlayer, PotPlayer, GOM Player, and many others.
• Uninstallation removes everything that was installed by the pack. Including all registry keys. All changes are properly undone and reverted to the state prior to the installation of the pack.
• It contains everything you need to play all your movies and music.
• This pack has a huge user base. This means that problems are found and resolved quickly.

Unique features compared to other codec packs:

• The pack works on all versions of Windows from XP up to Windows 10. The intelligent installer automatically adapts itself based on your version of Windows. It also adapts itself based on what other codecs are already installed on your computer.
• Contains both 32-bit and 64-bit codecs.
• The installer is able to detect broken codecs and DirectShow filters on your system, and helps you to fix those problems. This unique functionality has helped thousands of people solve problems they were unable to fix themselves or with other packs.
• The installation is fully customizable. You can choose which components you want to install.
• It is extremely easy to make a fully customized unattended installation with the integrated wizard.
• The pack has many options, which allows you to tweak it to your own specific needs and preferences.
• It helps clean up other codecs installed on your computer. The installer is able to detect and remove over 100 different codec and filter packs. This helps you get rid of old junk, prevents conflicts, and leaves you with just the essential and best codecs.
• It does not contain any codecs or filters that are known to be bad, buggy or unstable. In fact, the installer is able to detect and disable several known troublemakers that may already be present on your computer. This solves problems and improves system stability.
• There are different variants of the pack. From small to large. You can pick the one that fits your needs.



The pack implements special blacklists for some of its included DirectShow filters. These blacklists are used to avoid compatibility issues with certain applications and games. Helpdesks and other support staff often recommend the K-Lite Codec Pack because of its abilities to fix problems and its features to ensure optimal compatibility.

Advantages of the pack compared to installing codecs manually:

• The best available codecs are already selected for you by codec experts. There is no need to figure out what you need.
• Installation is simpler, quicker, and more organized.
• It is much easier to keep all your codecs up-to-date. There no need to keep track of updates to individual components.
• Components are automatically configured to work together in perfect harmony. Something that is not easily achieved if you would install everything manually. Certainly not if you use a mix of different splitters and decoders.
• Better default settings.
• More configuration options during installation. This is particularly useful for unattended installs.
• The pack provides extended video thumbnail generation functionality for Windows Explorer. All popular video file formats are supported.
• Adds support for showing file properties such as duration and width/height in Windows Explorer for FLV and MKV video files.
• The pack automatically configures Windows Media Player and Media Center to recognize all common audio and video file formats, so that such files show up in your media library. Normally this would require all kinds of manual Registry tweaks.
• The pack includes very useful tools for managing and configuring the installed codecs.

Advantages of the codec pack compared to using a standalone copy of MPC-HC:

• The pack supports playback of a few more audio and video formats.
• You get better video quality when you use MPC-HC in combination with madVR. This is an advanced video renderer that is included in the codec pack.
• You get more frequent updates of MPC-HC. The pack includes stable development builds of MPC-HC and LAV Filters. This means you will get access to the latest improvements and fixes much sooner.
• The pack provides additional functionality that is not directly related to playback. For example video thumbnail generation in Windows Explorer, and display of MKV file properties in Windows Explorer.
• Codecs are available to other applications as well (if you want). It is also possible to install the codecs just for MPC-HC.

Advantages of the codec pack compared to using VLC Player:

• You get better video quality when you use MPC-HC in combination with madVR (an advanced video renderer).
• The pack provides additional functionality that is not directly related to playback. For example video thumbnail generation in Windows Explorer, and display of MKV file properties in Windows Explorer.
• The pack provides more hardware acceleration options.
• Better support for MKV files.
• Better performance for rendering SSA/ASS subtitles.
• MPC-HC loads much faster than VLC.
• MPC-HC provides a better user interface (in our opinion).
• Codecs are also available to other applications.

Variants

There are four variants of the K-Lite Codec Pack:

The basic variant contains everything you need to play all the common video file formats. Such as AVI, MKV, MP4, OGM, and FLV. This pack is for those who like a small no-nonsense pack. It is small, but powerful.

The standard variant contains a few additional features compared to the basic variant. It contains Media Player Classic, which is an excellent player for video files. This pack is recommended for the average user.

The full variant has some extras compared to the standard variant. It additionally contains GraphStudioNext, and a few extra DirectShow filters.

The mega variant is the most complete pack. It additionally contains VFW/ACM codecs for video encoding/editing.

For detailed tables with comparisons of the abilities and contents of the different variants of the codec pack, have a look at the comparison of abilities and comparison of contents pages.

To download the K-Lite Codec Pack, visit the download page.

 Compatible with Windows XP, 2003, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.x, and Windows 10. Both x86 and x64.

Paint.net 4.1.5 released with performance improvements

The developer of the image editor Paint.net released version 4.1.5 of the application for Microsoft's Windows operating system today.

The new version of Paint.net is available on the Microsoft Store and as a Win32 program that users can download from the official project website.

Paint.net users who run the program already on their devices should receive update notifications when they run the program the next time. A click on Settings > Updates > Check Now runs a manual check for updates right away; Paint.net should pick up the new version and install it when that is done.

Paint.net 4.1.5. features performance improvements. The last version of the application improved application start significantly and it seems that work on improving performance of the application continues in this version of the program.

The developer of Paint.net added support for CPU instruction sets to the application which improves rendering performance by up to 50%

Optimized a portion of the rendering engine for newer CPU instruction sets (SSE2, SSSE3, AVX2). Depending on zoom level, CPU type, and other factors, rendering throughput has been improved by 10-50%.

Whether you will see improvements in this regard depends on the processor of the computer the image editor is run on, the zoom level, and other unnamed factors.

Rotate operations should be near instant in the new version next to that. You can rotate any image that you loaded in the image editor either by selecting Image and then one of the Rotate options, or via the shortcuts Ctrl-H, Ctrl-G, and Ctrl-J.

I ran a couple of tests with 10 Megabyte images in PNG and JPG format, and rotate did indeed process these instantly.

Image -> Rotate should now complete almost instantly.

Last but not least, Paint.net 4.1.5 includes optimizations that effect plugins may benefit from. Performance of these plugins should improve in the new version.

Some performance optimizations for code that uses the indexers on the Surface class, which should improve effect plugin performance.

Paint.net 4.1.5 includes a number of fixes next to that which you can check out on the roadmap; at least one crash issue fixed in the Store version.

We followed Paint.net's development for a long time. Our first review dates back to 2009, and the program has received numerous updates since that time.

Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2018/12/05/paint-net-4-1-5-released-with-performance-improvements/

The Differences Between Core i7, Core i5, and Core i3

The processor is the brain of a computer, but understanding the difference between processors requires a lot of brainpower of your own. Intel has a confusing naming scheme, and the question we get asked most often is: What’s the difference between an i3, i5, or i7 processor? Which one should I buy?

It’s time to demystify that. In this article, we won’t be touching on Intel’s other processors like the Pentium series or the new laptop-centric Core M series. They’re good in their own right, but the Core series is the most popular and confusing, so let’s just focus on that.

An Intel Core i7 is better than a Core i5, which in turn is better than a Core i3. The trouble is knowing what to expect within each tier. Things go a little deeper.

First, i7 does not mean a seven-core processor! These are just names to indicate relative performance.

Typically, the Core i3 series has only dual-core processors, while the Core i5 and Core i7 series have both dual-core and quad-core processors. Quad-cores are usually better than dual-cores, but don’t worry about that just yet.

What Does "Dual Core" & "Quad Core" Mean? What Does "Dual Core" & "Quad Core" Mean? A long time ago, your CPU came with a single core. These days, most CPUs are at least dual core, and more likely quad core. But what does dual, quad, or octo-core even mean? Read More

Intel releases “families” of chipsets, called generations. The current one is the 8th-generation series called Kaby Lake Refresh. Each family, in turn, has its own line of Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 series of processors.

You can spot which generation a processor belongs to by the first digit in its four-digit model name. For example, the Intel Core i3-8250 belongs to the 8th generation.

Pro Tip: Here’s a useful rule of thumb. The other three digits are Intel’s assessment of how the processor compares to others in its own line. For example, an Intel Core i3-8145U is superior to the Core i3-8109U because 145 is higher than 109.

What Intel’s Model Numbers Mean: U vs. Q vs. H vs. K

As you can see, the model number will typically be followed by one, or a combination of the following letters: U, Y, T, Q, H, G, and K. Here’s what they mean:

• U: Ultra Low Power. The U rating is only for laptop processors. These draw less power and are better for the battery.
• Y: Low Power. Typically found on older generation laptop and mobile processors.
• T: Power Optimized for desktop processors.
• Q: Quad-Core. The Q rating is only for processors with four physical cores.
• H: High-Performance Graphics. The chipset has one of Intel’s better graphics units in it.
• G: Includes Discrete Graphics. Typically found on laptops, this means there is a dedicated GPU with the processor.
• K: Unlocked. This means you can overclock the processor above its rating.

Understanding these letters and the numbering system above will help you know what a processor offers just by looking at the model number, without needing to read the actual specifications. Of course, before making a buying decision, it’s advisable to check the details at ark.intel.com.

You can find the meaning of other suffixes at Intel’s guidelines on processor numbers.

Intel Core i7 vs. i5 vs. i3: Hyper-Threading

The physical cores largely determine the speed of a processor. But with how modern CPUs work, you can get a boost in speed with virtual cores, activated through a system called Hyper-Threading Technology.

What Is A CPU and What Does It Do? What Is A CPU and What Does It Do? Computing acronyms are confusing. What is a CPU anyway? And do I need a quad or dual-core processor? How about AMD, or Intel? We're here to help explain the difference! Read More

In layman’s terms, hyper-threading allows a single physical core to act as two virtual cores, thus performing multiple tasks simultaneously without activating the second physical core (which would require more power from the system).

If both processors are active and using hyper-threading, those four virtual cores will compute faster. However, do note that physical cores are faster than virtual cores. A quad-core CPU will perform much better than a dual-core CPU with hyper-threading!

The Intel Core i3 series has hyper-threading. The Intel Core i7 series supports hyper-threading, too. The Intel Core i5 series does not support it.

However, recent reports suggest Intel might be dropping hyper-threading on all its processors except the fastest Core i9 series.

What Makes the Intel Core i9 the Fastest Processor and Should You Buy It? What Makes the Intel Core i9 the Fastest Processor and Should You Buy It? The Intel i7 has long topped the consumer CPU-pile. However, Intel have finally released a new generation of CPUs. Let's take a look at the beasty 18-core Intel i9 series. Read More

Intel Core i7 vs. i5 vs. i3: Turbo Boost

The Intel Core i3 series does not support Turbo Boost. The Core i5 series uses Turbo Boost to speed up your tasks, as does the Core i7 series.

Turbo Boost is Intel’s proprietary technology to intelligently increase a processor’s clock speed if the application demands it. For example, if you are playing a game and your system requires some extra horsepower, Turbo Boost will kick in to compensate.

Turbo Boost is useful for those who run resource-intensive software like video editors or video games, but it doesn’t have much of an effect if you’re just going to be browsing the web and using Microsoft Office.

Intel Core i7 vs. i5 vs. i3: Cache Size

Apart from Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost, the one other major difference in the Core lineup is Cache Size. Cache is the processor’s own memory and acts like its private RAM. It’s one of the little-known specs that slows down your PC.

5 Little-Known Specs That Could Be Slowing Down Your PC 5 Little-Known Specs That Could Be Slowing Down Your PC We'll take a look at five lesser known factors that affect your computer's performance, and show you how you can always get maximum bang for your buck when upgrading. Read More

Just like with RAM, more cache size is better. So if the processor is performing one task over and over, it will keep that task in its cache. If a processor can store more tasks in its private memory, it can do them faster if they come up again.

The Core i3 series typically has up to 3MB of cache. The Core i5 series has between 3MB and 6MB of cache. The Core i7 series has between 4MB and 8MB of cache.

Intel Graphics: HD, UHD, Iris, Iris Pro or Plus

Ever since graphics were integrated on the processor chip, it’s become an important decision point in buying CPUs. But as with everything else, Intel has made the system a little confusing.

Integrated vs. Dedicated Graphics Card: 7 Things You Need to Know Integrated vs. Dedicated Graphics Card: 7 Things You Need to Know Wondering if you should use an integrated vs. dedicated graphics card? Here's what you need to know to make your decision. Read More

There are now typically three levels of graphics units: Intel HD, Intel Iris, and Intel Iris Pro or Iris Plus. You’ll see a model name like Intel HD 520 or Intel Iris Pro 580… and that’s where the confusion begins.

Here’s a brief example of how mind-boggling it can be. Intel HD 520 is a basic graphics chipset. Intel Iris 550 is better than Intel HD 520, but also basic. But Intel HD 530 is a high-performance graphics unit and is better than Intel Iris 550. However, Intel Iris Pro 580 is also a high-performance graphics unit and better than Intel HD 530.

The best advice for how to interpret these? Just don’t. Instead, rely on Intel’s naming system. If the processor’s model ends with an H, you know it’s a model with high graphics performance. If it ends with a G, that means there is a dedicated GPU, not one of Intel’s chips.

Choosing Between Intel Cores i3 vs. i5 vs. i7

Generally speaking, here’s who each processor type is best for:

• Intel Core i3: Basic users. Economic choice. Good for browsing the web, using Microsoft Office, making video calls, and social networking. Not for gamers or professionals.
• Intel Core i5: Intermediate users. Those who want balance between performance and price. Good for gaming if you buy a G processor or a Q processor with a dedicated graphics processor.
• Intel Core i7: Power users. You multi-task with several windows open at the same time, you run apps that require a lot of horsepower, and you hate waiting for anything to load.

How Did You Choose?

This article provides a basic guide for anyone looking to buy a new Intel processor but is confused between Core i3, i5, and i7. But even after understanding all this, when it’s time to make a decision, you might need to choose between two processors from different generations because they’re priced the same.

When you’re comparing, my best tip is to head to CPU Boss where you can compare both processors and get a detailed analysis, as well as ratings. If you don’t understand the jargon, just go with the rating and the basic advice. Even if you understand jargon, CPU Boss has all the details you’ll need.

Note: Most People Don’t Need Intel Core i9

Intel also has a top-end, high-performance range of processors called the Intel Core i9. Typically, these have more cores (10 to 18 on desktop), leading to higher speed. But for most people, the extra performance is not really worth it.

The Core i9 is only useful if you’re a hardcore gamer who also streams live, or a video editor working on multiple tasks. For everyone else, the Intel Core i7 should be good enough, and maybe even the Intel Core i5. If you’re curious, here’s what you need to know when deciding between Intel Core i9 vs. Core i7 vs. Core i5.

Intel Core i9 vs. Core i7 vs. Core i5: Which CPU Should You Buy? Intel Core i9 vs. Core i7 vs. Core i5: Which CPU Should You Buy? Intel and AMD are back in a battle of processors, with Intel's Core i9 as the fastest consumer desktop processor ever. Read More

Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/intel-core-i3-vs-i5-vs-i7-one-really-need/

Windows 10 vs. Windows 8.1 vs. Windows 7 Performance

Three years ago we were benchmarking Microsoft's then latest operating system, Windows 8. At the time we were keen to make sure Windows 8 performed as well as Windows 7, which was a huge upgrade from 2006's Windows Vista.

In the end, we determined that Windows 8 was on par with 7 and at times a fraction faster, leading us to this conclusion in our performance review:

"Looking beyond benchmarks, Windows 8 appears more polished than Windows 7, even if you plan to live on the desktop and aren't too fond of the Start screen, general usage is smoother and appears to be faster on Windows 8, which I found most noticeable on our somewhat underpowered Athlon II X4 system. If anything, it's a great start. Now the Metro/Modern style will have to prove itself as a cross-platform OS that marries desktop, laptop and tablet PCs."

It's obvious now that the 'Metro' Start screen was an epic failure and in my opinion it was the only real issue with Windows 8, as I thoroughly enjoyed using the operating system with Classic Shell installed.

Fortunately, Microsoft learned from its mistakes and addressed some of Windows 8's shortcomings in Windows 10, which we believe is the best version yet, if only for its improved looks and functionality across devices and form factors.

After running the beta for months, I installed Windows 10 on launch day with the impression that it was relatively fast and stable, though it remained to be seen precisely how fast it was compared to Windows 8.1 and the beloved Windows 7.

That's what we plan to find out today as we test various aspects of the operating system including boot up and shutdown times, file copying, encoding, browsing, gaming and some synthetic benchmarks.

Test System Specs

All three operating systems were tested using a fresh install with all the updates applied and then our test software installed. The exact same hardware was used for each configuration with the only difference being the OS used.

• Intel Core i5-4670K (3.4GHz - 3.8GHz)
• Asrock Z97 Extreme6
• 8GB DDR3-2400 RAM
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 980
• Crucial MX200 1TB
• SilverStone Essential Gold 750w
• Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit, Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Boot, Sleep & Hibernate Performance

Using BootRacer we measured the time it took for Windows to boot. Windows 8.1 delivered the best result taking just four seconds opposed to six seconds on Windows 10, from the Windows logo to usable desktop.

Manually measuring boot time with a stopwatch delivered similar results, though in realistic terms I struggled to find real differences, with the three operating systems just one or two seconds apart from each other on a fresh install.

Surely these results will vary depending on hardware used, configuration and state of the operating system after months of use, patching and third party apps taking its inevitable toll. We know our hardware was identical for all three OS configurations, so with this setup Windows 10 does appear slightly slower at booting.

Here we measured the time it takes for the system to wake up from sleep. The test stops the moment the desktop is loaded and we induced sleep with a custom shortcut.

Windows 7 takes quite long to wake from sleep -- 17 seconds on average. Windows 8.1 is considerably faster taking just 12 seconds, though Windows 10 was able to improve on this shaving off an additional 2 seconds.

Editor's note (Update): Many readers have pointed out how slow these wake up from sleep times are compared to your laptop where either version wakes up almost instantaneously. The reason is that we ran all tests in a desktop PC, where Windows defaults to Hybrid Sleep. Hybrid sleep is a combination of sleep and hibernate meant to prevent users from losing work in case of a power failure.

The wake up from hibernation results are similar to wake from sleep. Here Windows 10 took just 21 seconds, while Windows 8.1 was slightly slower taking 23 seconds and then Windows 7 at 27 seconds.

Synthetic Benchmarks

Cinebench R15 typically has an error margin of around 5%, though the impact of this can be reduced by taking an average of three runs, which is exactly what we have done. Looking at the single thread results we see a very slight increase in score from Windows 7 to 8.1 and then from 8.1 to 10. Certainly nothing to write home about, but this did have a greater impact on the multi-threaded results where Windows 10 was 7% faster than Win 7, though it was just 2% faster than Win 8.1.

Next up we have PCMark 7 with some interesting results: Windows 8.1 was consistently faster than Win 7 by a little over 100pts while Windows 10 was around 600pts faster on average. Further examination reveals that for whatever reason PCMark 7 was showing much higher "video playback and transcoding / video transcoding" performance under Windows 10 than the previous Microsoft operating systems. The result was almost twice as fast in hitting 9600kB/s.

The last synthetic benchmark we are going to look at is 3D Particle Movement and here we see similar results across all three operating systems. Windows 10 was on average the slowest, while Windows 8.1 provided the best results.

Application Performance

Windows 10 delivered similar performance to Win 7 in Excel 2013, while 8.1 was consistently slower.

At this point Firefox is slower in Windows 10 when compared to 8.1 and 7, based on an average of 7 runs we found it was 7% slower.

Please note again that lower is better here despite the ordering of the graph suggesting otherwise. Rather than sort the data from fastest to slowest for this review we have locked each operating system in order. This should help make reading the data faster since each operating system will assume the same location on each graph, the randomness of the results shouldn't be too bad given there are just three configurations.

Interestingly both Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 were slower than Windows 7 when measuring Chrome performance in the Mozilla Kraken browser benchmark, quite a bit slower in fact.

As you can see Internet Explorer 11 is very slow on all three operating systems compared to Firefox and Chrome. However, Microsoft's new Edge browser, which is exclusive to Windows 10, performs much better with comparable results to Firefox and Chrome.

The Windows 10 performance when testing with WinRAR wasn't great as it was consistently slower than 8.1 and 7 when measuring single and multi-threaded performance.

The best results with Photoshop CC were seen when using Windows 8, while Windows 10 matched the performance of Windows 7.

There's not a lot to say here as all three operating systems delivered the same performance in Illustrator CC.

Like what we saw when testing with WinRAR, we find that Windows 10 is slower than both 8.1 and 7 in 7-Zip.

Storage Performance

We have updated the initial storage results testing both AHCI (Samsung SSD 850 Pro) and NVMe (Samsung SM951) solid state storage. The following tests were conducted using the Samsung 850 Pro 512GB SATA 6Gb/s SSD installed on the Asrock Z97 Extreme6.

The CrystalDiskMark sequential 32 queues and 1 thread test provided similar results across all three operating systems using the Samsung SSD 850 Pro 512GB.

The 4K 32 queues and 1 thread test showed Windows 10 and 8.1 delivering similar read performance while Windows 7 was a fraction slower. That difference was amplified when looking at the write performance, here Windows 7 was noticeably slower.

The sequential performance was again very similar as Windows 10 and 8.1 provided almost identical performance, Windows 7 was again just a fraction slower.

Finally the 4K performance with the Samsung SSD shows all three operating systems delivering similar results, this time Windows 7 is slightly faster than Windows 10.

Storage Performance with the Samsung SM951 NVMe SSD

The following tests were conducted using the Samsung SM951 256GB NVMe SSD installed in the Ultra M.2 slot on the Asrock Z97 Extreme6. Note we were unable to get the SM951 NVMe working in Windows 7.

Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 show similar SSD performance when using an M.2 NVMe drive.

Again Windows 10 and 8.1 are evenly matched when measuring 4K Q32T1 performance.

The sequential results are also much the same.

The 4K performance provides mixed results. Windows 10 was a fraction better when measuring read performance while Windows 8.1 was much better when comparing write performance.

Encoding Performance

Windows 10 delivered similar performance to Windows 7 in our HandBrake encoding test while 8.1 was noticeably faster than both.

Our Hybrid 4K benchmark saw almost no difference in performance between the three operating systems, though again Windows 10 matched 7 while 8.1 was a fraction faster.

Yet again we see that Windows 10 matched Windows 7 while it was slightly slower than 8.1 -- I emphasize slightly.

Gaming Performance

As anticipated, it looks like Windows 10 offers little to no performance advantages over previous versions when it comes to DX11 gaming, at least not in BioShock.

Surprisingly Windows 10 provided consistent gains in Metro Redux with the GTX 980. This could simply be an issue with the drivers though.

Performance slightly drops off in Hitman when moving from Windows 7 to 8.1 and then to 10.

Tomb Raider delivered the exact same performance across all three Microsoft operating systems.

Finally we have Crysis 3 and here Windows 10 performed well, delivering strong performance at both tested resolutions.

Faster, Slower, Better?

After watching near-identical results pour in on most tests, from application to encoding, to storage and gaming, it's hard to read too much into results as there are many variables we can't control.

The same hardware that currently runs Windows 7 competently can be upgraded to Windows 10 with no issues whatsoever on the performance front.

We can ensure that the operating systems were evaluated using the exact same hardware, benchmarking software and methodology. However, we can't ensure that something such as GPU driversdidn't cause variations in performance. Moreover, technologies such Intel's Turbo boost feature can impact the accuracy of the results, though we generally run all tests at least three times, taking the average from multiple runs.

The short version of this conclusion is that a properly set up Windows machine equipped with semi-modern hardware should be capable of running Windows 7 or above more than adequately. The same hardware that currently runs Windows 7 competently can be upgraded to Windows 10 with no issues whatsoever on the performance front.

It used to be the case a few generations back that a new Windows release would need time to be at least on par with the performance of its predecessor. Possibly the most extreme example I can recall was the move from Windows XP to Windows Vista. Though that was partly due to immature drivers on the all-new platform, Vista was a resource hog, too.

We wouldn't be surprised if certain aspects of Windows 10's performance are improved over the coming months and into next year, but most importantly today, you can feel free to upgrade and know you won't be sacrificing performance in the process.

There are going to be future performance benefits of Windows 10 that we can't measure yet, and even once we can, we won't be able to compare the changes with previous operating systems -- DirectX 12 gaming, for example, will only be supported by Windows 10 and later.

On that subject, 3DMark features a DX12 API Overhead test but this is only useful for comparing different hardware as there isn't a DX11 version and it can only be run using Windows 10.

There are going to be future performance benefits of Windows 10 that we can't measure yet, and even once we can, we won't be able to compare the changes with previous operating systems -- DirectX 12 gaming, for example...

Benchmarks aside, Windows 10 appears to be a solid operating system, though my experience hasn't been quirk-free on the seven systems I have running Windows 10 (six of which have been upgraded from 8.1). The upgrade process is shockingly quick and easy. One of the systems I upgraded for example has well over 1TB worth of applications installed and it went smoothly all around regardless.

There have been a few minor issues so far. I haven't looked into this yet, but my photo and media libraries with thousands of items take a long time to load in Windows 10, whereas they loaded instantly before the upgrade from 8.1. Clearly a bug waiting to be fixed.

On the gaming front, I found strange input lag in StarCraft II. It wasn't hugely noticeable but scrolling and commands took slightly longer than they did in Windows 8.1, just enough that in a competitive game it felt sluggish.

After a quick Google search I found a number of users complaining about the same thing and all sources blamed Windows 10's Xbox application which is built into the OS and cannot be removed via conventional methods.

Despite never running this app or having an Xbox account to actually use it, it appears this was my problem. Fortunately, there's a Powershell command to disable the Xbox app and doing so eliminated the lag, allowing StarCraft II to play like it did on Windows 8.1. It was a disappointing discovery, but I'm glad it was relatively easy to overcome with some help from the Internet.

Source: https://www.techspot.com/review/1042-windows-10-vs-windows-8-vs-windows-7/

MusicBee review: the ultimate music player?

MusicBee made it in the top 20 of programs that Ghacks readers cannot live without. Reason enough to check it out and review it here on the site as I have not done so before.
It can be best described as a management program for music as it offers way more than just music playback. Aside from playing popular music formats it supports automatic tagging, music management, CD ripping, automatic playlists, music conversions, audiobook and podcast support, and more.

MusicBee is available as a portable version or setup. An import dialog is displayed on first start to get all of your music recognized by the program. It supports imports from Windows Media Library and iTunes, and offers to scan one or multiple local folders as well.
The import happens quickly and once it is done, the music library is opened in the program. Depending on how well organized your collection was, you may end up with an orderly list of genres, artists and albums, or a messed up list.







That's not necessarily the program's fault though as it uses existing tags for that. That's where the program's tagging capabilities come into play.
If you notice that albums or tracks are not filed correctly, right-click on one or multiple tracks and select one of the available tagging options to correct that issue.
MusicBee supports manual tagging options which give you full control over the process and automated tagging options which looks up information that are available in online databases to suggest matching tags.







The tag editor highlights differences when you select a suggested album from the list of suggestions which makes it easier to find the matching album in the list.
A mix of automatic suggestions and manual editing is supported as well which may speed things up especially if lots of albums are suggested but none seems to fit yours.
You find another tagging related feature in the tools menu. Use it to display songs with missing tags, artwork or lyrics to deal with them one after the other without having to go through the whole music collection to do so.
As far as playing is concerned, all it takes is a click on a song to do that. A right-click on a genre, artist or album plays all tracks filed under it automatically which means that you are covered in this regard as well.
A click on the preferences icon in the player toolbar displays tools that enable you to control playback even more. Enable the 10-band or 15-band equalizer there, configure DSP plugins or import compatible Winamp DSP plugins if your favorite one is not included in the default selection.







In addition to those options, playlists are supported. While you get regular playlist options that enable you to create your own lists via drag and drop, a selection of automatic playlists are available on top of that.
Use them to play recently added or played songs, the top 25 most played songs or use the program's auto DJ functionality which offers extensive customization options that include selecting individual libraries, playlists or folders, applying filters, and track weighting based on various metrics such as ratings or recency.
Automatic playlist creation is supported on top of all that. If you are in a hurry or like surprises, you may find the option useful. Playlists are created based on your initial configuration ranging from letting the program do all the work to selecting specific folders, artists or other information that you want included in the selection process.







Enter a music CD to get the album recognized by MusicBee automatically. Even better, right-click the drive and select the rip CD option to add it to your collection on the computer permanently.
Doing so displays tagging options right from the start with some information filled out automatically. One thing missing here is the option to look up the missing information directly on the Internet. Since the functionality is integrated in MusicBee, it is not clear why it is not available when you are ripping music CDs. Some information are looked up but not all of them.
This leaves you with the option to add the missing information manually or wait until the album is on your computer as you can then use the program's automatic tagging option to fill in the blanks.







Services is another interesting feature. It lets you search for songs on SoundCloud to play those directly in the player, or check out a list of upcoming releases or concerts.
If you select concerts you are asked to pick a country and town first. Not all cities are necessarily supported; in Germany for instance, only four cities are listed including Berlin and Cologne but not major cities such as Hamburg or Munich.
The player interface is customizable on top of all that. If you don't require certain panels, hide them from the interface so that they don't show up anymore.
Switch to one of the available skins instead of which some change the interface significantly.The compact player interface for instance displays only album artwork and the tracklist while the mini player skin tops even that by displaying just a small toolbar on the screen while music is playing.
Theater modes change what is being displayed while music is playing, and skins change the interface of the player.  One issue that you may have with skins is that the player needs to be restarted each time you switch a skin. If you do that while music is playing, playback is interrupted automatically as well.
What else? MusicBee ships with a collection of tools that help you organize your collection. From finding duplicates to downloading artwork and restoring the original volume of a track, all there to help out when you require them.
Once you dig deeper into the settings, you find even more features and options that you may find useful. There are lockdown settings to protect the player from being tampered with which may be ideal for parties provided that you want to prevent others from changing songs or modifying the configuration in a way or another.
Right-click a song and find related artists or songs in your collection, or use the send to menu to convert the file or copy it to another location on your system.
If you open the player preferences, there is even more to explore and configure. Browse hotkeys and set missing ones to control the player from the keyboard, integrate file converters for maximum compatibility, or define the default CD ripping format or enable MTP device support.

Conclusion

MusicBee is an excellent music management and playback program for Windows. It offers such an immense set of features that it feels sometimes that you never get to know them all because there are that many.
While that feeling may fade over time, it is almost certain that you will stumble upon features every now and then that you did not know about before.
The developer baked so much into the program that you will have a hard time finding a program that offers a comparable feature set.
The one downside to MusicBee's feature-richness is that it takes some time to get used to it. While you can ignore most features, you may want to take advantage of at least some of them as they can improve how you play and organize music significantly.
This is one of the best music programs for Windows and probably the best all-in-one program you can get your hands on for free.

Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2015/04/21/musicbee-review-the-ultimate-music-player/