Windows Speed Test: XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, 10, and 11 Compared

A recent test comparing six versions of Windows—XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, 10, and 11—shines a light on their relative performance, though the methodology and hardware choices somewhat skew the results. The tests, conducted by YouTuber TrigrZolt and analyzed by Tom’s Hardware, reveal that Windows 11 generally lags in several key performance metrics, but there are important caveats to consider.

Test Setup and Methodology

The benchmarking was performed using six old Lenovo ThinkPad X220 laptops, each equipped with an Intel Core i5-2520M CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB HDD (not SSD). Notably, the laptops did not meet Windows 11’s minimum hardware requirements, which raises questions about the fairness of the comparison. The OS versions tested were all current or final builds, and the same laptop models were used to run each test.

Key Findings

• Boot Speed: Windows 8.1 led in boot times, while Windows 11 was the slowest, with the desktop only appearing after significant delay and a missing taskbar initially.
• Memory and Battery Usage: Windows 11 consumed more RAM due to background processes and drained batteries faster, with the laptop running Windows 11 dying first in battery tests.
• Performance in Application and Media Tasks: Windows 11 was slowest to open apps like Paint and File Explorer, and lagged in video editing with OpenShot (which couldn’t run on XP or Vista).
• Storage and Data Transfer: Windows 11 ranked fourth in storage consumption and performed well in file transfer tests, nearly matching Windows 10 in speed.

Critical Analysis

The overall picture suggests Windows 11 underperforms relative to its predecessors, but this conclusion must be viewed skeptically. The use of outdated hardware that doesn’t meet minimum system requirements biases the results, as Windows 11 is optimized for newer, more capable systems. Tests involving hard drives instead of SSDs further skew performance metrics against the latest OS, which is designed with SSDs as standard.

Moreover, some benchmark choices—like comparing Windows 11’s performance on aging hardware—highlight its weaknesses while highlighting the strengths of older, leaner OSes. A fairer comparison would involve running Windows 11 on hardware that complies with its recommended specs.

Final Thoughts

While the test results indicate that Windows 11 may exhibit performance issues, these findings should be taken with a grain of salt. Excessive background processes, larger app sizes, and hardware incompatibility all contribute to the observed sluggishness. Microsoft’s recent OS does introduce many new features and enhancements, which naturally come with increased resource demands.

For Microsoft, the key takeaway here is to optimize Windows 11’s performance on modern hardware and address longstanding issues like File Explorer slowness. As users and developers adapt to the OS, future updates might close the gap.

For more detailed insights and benchmarks, watch the full video linked below.

Windows XP vs Vista vs 7 vs 8.1 vs 10 vs 11 | Speed Test - YouTube