What does Microsoft support end today for Windows 8 users?

Today, January 12, 2016, is the date chosen by Microsoft to stop support for Windows 8, the operating system which was a conceptual leap with respect to the previous generation and which, for various reasons, never quite got along with the user. What measures or what aspects should be taken into account by those who still have a PC or Tablet running with this operating system?

Should the news alarm us? Not quite. Actually, the fact that support in the form of updates is not continued will not mean that our machine stops working correctly.Have you had any problems so far? One of the things that can happen is that, in the more or less near future, when buying new hardware we could find that there were no compatible drivers or incompatibilities would be generated.

Renewing with Windows 8.1

Microsoft Windows, like most operating systems, periodically suggests the installation of new updates and patches, the which imply an improvement in the performance and stability of our machine, as well as guaranteeing greater protection of the software with respect to threats that may come to us from the Network. The logical thing to do is to accept the updates, although in general they will be installed automatically when the shutdown is started from PC.

What should be done then? One position would be to just continue with Windows 8, and continue using the computer as usual. Which shouldn't affect you negatively.And the other would be to take a little time and free upgrade to Windows 8.1 In Xataka WIndows you have an article that lists some of the most obvious innovations, among where the boot menu recovery is found.

Windows 8, at the end of 2015, barely represented between 2% and 3% of all PCs in the hands of consumers users, a figure that comes to tell us that the majority of owners of a machine with Microsoft Windows have already practiced a generational leap.

Also, if the idea is to stay with the computer or tablet for a while longer, and perhaps buy some new peripherals, migrating to Windows 8.1 would be a good idea and easy to implement: this would mean continuing getting support and updates until 2023, especially those that bring security patches.

Upgrading to Windows 10

What about Windows 10? Couldn't you upgrade to a higher software platform? On one of my computers, a Tablet with a 10.1" screen, I installed Windows 8.1 first and then Windows 10, although I must point out that Windows 8.1 seemed lighter on my computer. What are the minimum requirements that a machine should have in order to upgrade to the latest version of the operating system?

• For Windows 10 32-bit 1GB of RAM and 16GB of free disk storage.
• For Windows 10 64-bit 2GB of RAM and 20GB of available storage.
• 1GHz processor or SoC configuration.
• DirectX 9 or later compatible graphics card with a WDDM 1.0 driver.
• Screen with 800x800 pixel resolution.

The ideal would be to easily exceed the minimum requirements presented, which can be consulted in detail from the Microsoft website.Is it worth upgrading to Windows 10 if you touch the minimum configuration? Owners of PCs that, since its inception, came with Windows 7 and, therefore, would have some age should pay attention to this.

Updating our PC with the latest version of the operating system will always be a good idea, and even more considering that it will gain new features, a visual improvement of the interface and access, Optimization of the system itself and new applications, such as Cortana, which complement the experience in using our machine.