G2

IRANNA S.

Senior Software Engineer

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

9/7/2026

"Faster Boot Times and a Bold New Interface"

4.5/5

What do you like best about Windows 8?

Metro UI - Dynamic Live Tiles that show real‑time updates (email, weather, news). Fast boot times - Noticeably quicker startup compared to Windows 7. Cloud integration - SkyDrive/OneDrive sync for files and settings. Windows Store - The first unified app marketplace for Windows. Touch optimization - Built for tablets, convertibles, and touch-enabled laptops. Improved Task Manager - Redesigned to be clearer and more useful for performance monitoring. USB 3.0 support - Native support for faster data transfer. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Windows 8?

They removed the Start menu and replaced it with a full-screen Start Screen, which was confusing for desktop users. The dual-interface approach added even more friction. Switching back and forth between the Metro UI and the traditional desktop felt disruptive, and it often broke my flow. There was also a steep learning curve. A lot of users struggled to figure out the gestures and the Charms Bar, and it wasn’t always clear where common settings and actions were located. On top of that, some features were dropped, which was disappointing—especially Media Center, desktop gadgets, and XP Mode. And today it’s unsupported, which creates real security risks now that official support has ended. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Windows 8 solving and how is that benefiting you?

Windows 8 was designed to tackle several problems that earlier versions of Windows struggled with, particularly around speed, touch support, and cloud integration. These improvements were most noticeable for people using newer hardware and touch-enabled devices, while many traditional desktop users found the changes disruptive and more difficult to adapt to. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.