Gaming smackdown: Windows XP vs Windows Vista vs Windows 7

[woodyear99]

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/gaming-smackdown-windows-xp-vs-windows-vista-vs-windows-7-604178

Even now, it's hard to think of a single killer app that makes DX10 look any better than the huge swathe of DX9 games. This is why there are still plenty of people out there who are running their games under Windows XP. Add Windows 7 into the mix and you now have a three-way fight for your gaming attentions. But which one should you have running on your main gaming rig?

The reliable Windows XP, the pretty but oft-maligned Vista or the new kid on the block who hasn't even earned his racing wheels yet? We think it's time to put these operating systems to the test on a suite of benchmarks and see which one impresses us the most.

[Arcmanov]

They should have also ran some tests with an ATI card as well.  ATI's driver support
is spot on, even in Windows 7.  Wanna bet some of the results would have been different?

I'm currently tesing my LAN rig with Windows 7, and I am seeing higher frame rates with
Windows 7 x64.  I must admit though, the GPU driver is newer, but still, compare these results...

Vista x86                   7 x64
 

Of course, you really can't directly compare a 32-bit OS to a 64-bit one like that, but I just wanted to illustrate my point.
Same hardware, but the performance difference there is substantial.

[woodyear99]

Ah nice results, do you think performance in the final version of 7 will be any better?

[Spazosaurus]

I doubt there will be any more performance increases as the code is pretty much done. Its just ui and certain features they are ironing out now.

[TriniXaeno]

damn good article.

very surprised @ the results. Expected windows 7 to do a clean sweep.

Feels so polished.

Well like you guys said, hopefully mature drivers will change the landscape somewhat and put Windows 7 in the pole position.

[Crixx_Creww]

They should have also ran some tests with an ATI card as well.  ATI's driver support
is spot on, even in Windows 7.

What do you mean by this? That Ati has good drivers?? O.o?