Final Verdict

FiringSquad Says

Microsoft is definitely in the right direction with Windows XP. It obviously has done lots of research and it shows in our tests that attention to detail. While more concentration was put on improving major aspects of Windows, like NTFS, security, DirectX and HAL, the development team also made sure that features taken for granted were also improved. From backing up system settings to file searching, almost all aspects of Windows showed signs of improvement.

Gamers will appreciate Windows XP's WDM driver model as well as the overall speed of the OS in games. Out of the box, even the Microsoft supplied GeForce3 drivers were speedy. While they're not the fastest, it still beats seeing that old 640x480x16 screen all the time - that resolution wasn't even spacious enough to accommodate the Display Properties window!

DirectX 8.1 ships with Windows XP as well as a host of decent drivers for all your devices. Firewire (IEEE-1394) is supported out of the box and with the right utilities, one can even use the Firewire port on their computer for networking purposes. Scanner and digital camera users will love the simplicity of Windows XP. Thanks to built in support, most scanners and cameras work simply by plugging into the computer. Windows XP had no problems detecting and setting up our Olympus camera and didn't fuss about our USB hard drive either. Frankly we love Windows XP's connectivity and its plethora of device support. No other OS on earth comes close.

For the productivity lover reading this article, Windows XP Professional offers a multitude of networking and web publishing options such as IIS and Personal Web Publisher. Many of us will also run to Windows XP for its dual processor support.

Out of all of its bright features, Windows XP is not without its dark sides. Many users will cringe at the minimum specifications to run the OS comfortably. Even if you have a speedy system, forcing the installation of every software component puts a toll on hard drive space and will probably affect performance in a negative way. Those like flashy graphics will enjoy Windows XP's new look but like all added effects, many quickly become boring, repetitive and eventually annoying.

The question simply comes down to whether or not you need and or want the new features that Windows XP offers. If you're a gamer and are satisfied with Windows 98SE, by all means, don't upgrade and risk losing the ability to play some of your favorite games. If you're at the office, you might want to steer clear for a while to let many of the bugs get addressed before making the plunge. Some of us are already experiencing some problems at work getting Windows XP to communicate through the network with older Windows machines. Ask critically and carefully, and then decide, after examining all the features that Windows XP provides and compare them to what you currently have, whether or not to take the XP route.

Overall, Windows XP addresses many issues that users have been asking for and then some. For those lingering on Windows 95, 98 or NT4 machines, Windows XP provides a solid foundation on which to grow on. There's bound to be users who will upgrade no matter what we say, and realistically, Windows XP is a well designed, well implemented and well supported product. For the general population, you can't go wrong by moving to Windows XP, but you can't be 100% satisfied either.

Please continue the review in the Windows XP Performance comparison!