Sep 17, 2015 3 min read

Recently, Microsoft released its brand new operating system, Windows 10. Not only that, but the company offered it for free to any existing Windows users. However, is it any good?

First, let’s start with the positives. Windows 10 uses a layout similar to Windows 7. The start menu has been redesigned to include Windows 8 customizable program tiles, but they take up less of the screen and are more convenient. The Xbox app is also a great inclusion. The app allows you to chat with your Xbox Live friends, and stream Xbox One games directly from the console. It also includes the Game DVR, which allows you to record gameplay and can also record any other app on the computer that is not in full screen. Another addition is Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual intelligence built to assist you while you use your computer. Once set up, Cortana can remember things for you, search the web, check the weather, and voice recognition.

Unfortunately, Windows 10 also has many downsides. Even though I find this operating system more convenient than previous versions of Windows, the pool of bugs and glitches hinders the experience. First, if you are on any device running Windows 7 or older, you may want to reconsider upgrading. The operating system is designed for newer computers, so older PCs will not run Windows 10 well. Even some Windows 8 laptops will experience slowdowns just by running Windows 10. The biggest issue, while somewhat uncommon, is in my opinion, unfortunate for such a big company. Imagine this: you turn on your computer to get ready for your day of work and once it is finally booted, you get an error message that reads, “Start bar and Cortana aren’t working. Please sign out.” Then, you proceed to log back into your computer, only to see that the issue hasn’t been resolved. This issue ruins the entire point of Windows 10. A brand new operating system should not stop somebody from using their computer completely. The only fix for this is to force restart your computer repeatedly hoping that it will be fixed. If this works, it will only be temporary. Unless you want to mess with your boot up settings, you will be stuck with this problem.

Overall, I would say to wait to upgrade if you haven’t already. While extremely convenient and sleek in design, the experience is bogged down with countless bugs and constant slowdown. Windows 10 should have been worked on a little harder before its public release.