I've been using the Win 7 RC since it was released and it seems a lot slower than Win 7 beta (build 7000). I did a clean install on the same PC I had build 7000 and although it still works well, I detected a noticeable difference in performance right away. I'm still tweaking the system so I can't attribute it to anything yet.

Personally, I've noticed the reverse on both machines on which I have installed it. One is a new HP laptop (T6400 Core2Duo, 4GB RAM, x64 RC) and the other an older Toshiba laptop (T5500 Core2Duo, 4GBRAM, x86 RC). Both were slower for less than a day and since both are faster and more stable. Perhaps you might want to consider posting system details. People can't help diagnose, or (alternatively) one can't identify that there is a problem with some particular hardware, if there are no details....Stephen

I've been using the Win 7 RC since it was released and it seems a lot slower than Win 7 beta (build 7000). I did a clean install on the same PC I had build 7000 and although it still works well, I detected a noticeable difference in performance right away. I'm still tweaking the system so I can't attribute it to anything yet. I dunno... My experience seems to be the opposite of that for the most part. Windows 7 RC boots about as fast as the beta, runs about the same speed - and IE 8 is like running on nitrous compared to the Beta's version. That one was like molassass in January compared to the one in the RC. And egads - Sorry.. don't have benchmarks - just my impression. Besides.. Isn't it against the rules to benchmark the beta/RC? I seem to recall Microsoft frowning very heavily on that.

Oh good. Now we have four subjective observations. So, I take it your posts are just the pinnacle of objectivity? Actually, they seem (pretty consistently) to be rather typically self-righteous, rude, and troll-like to me. Throw in the fact that you also took an out of context quote from my first post to make your first pithy comment and I think we have a winner on that front. Now for a few observations (I will stick to the x64 platform since that is the one I use most): The x64 RC takes (on average) ten seconds less to boot than the x64 beta that is 21 seconds to login, 27 seconds to desktop, 31 seconds to all gadgets displayed with the initial CPU spike settled down to less than 5% activity. Using the 64 bit version of Lightroom 2.3, changes made via the alterations brush and other develop module tools appear instantaneously the x64 beta exhibited a one to two second delay. Using Lightroom and Photoshop CS4 to create a panorama out of a series of five Nikon nef (raw image) files takes just under a minute the x64 beta took 75 to 90 seconds and Vista takes closer to two minutes. I cant give a XP comparison since I dont drink coffee and Adobe doesnt certify either program to run on the 64 bit version of XP anyway. Pushing this real world use to its limit, I can create a one gigabyte panorama out of 15 Nikon nefs and then make some minor edits and save the x64 beta crashed on creation and Vista x64 would create but it would be too slow to be productive. With the exception of an annoying delay of two to three seconds in Word 2007, all Office 2007 apps (including Visio and Project) load instantaneously on the x64 RC the x64 beta had a slightly longer delay in Word 2007 and a one second lag in all other apps. Vista matches the RC load times for the Office 2007 apps and beats it for Word 2007 (no lag at all). When working in a graphics heavy Word 2007file in the x64 RC, all images are instantaneously visible with the x64 beta and Vista images towards the end of the document sometimes appear instantaneously but usually appear with a lag of approximately one second. With the x64 RC, Microsoft Expression Web 2 loads the local copy of the test website I am developing for my employer in less than one second and I can also preview pages in IE 8 there was a lag of one to three seconds in loading the test site with both the x64 beta and Vista, and the x64 beta would hang about a 1/3 of the time when trying to preview in IE 8. With the x64 RC, Outlook 2007 no longer hangs several times a day when downloading e-mail this was a recurring issue with the x64 beta. Screen redraws, panning, and minor edits of 100+ megabyte Adobe Illustrator CS3 ai and pdf files are smooth in the x64 RC and Vista they were subject to slight time lag and screen jumpiness with the x64 beta. Of course with XP, I could go make dinner (as opposed to just coffee) before it would complete the actions. Indexing of a series of libraries (local, network, and external drive) containing 300,000 items took several hours to complete with the x64 RC. The x64 beta and Vista both hung on the 15,000 Nikon nef files never bother to even check when the x64 beta finished and Vista would still be spitting out error messages after a few days.Running a search with the x64 RCafter indexing is complete yields results immediately - the x64 beta took a few seonds to start loading search results and Vista was much slower. System Restore loads in the x64 RC in 10 to 15 seconds the x64 beta (like Vista) took 30 seconds to two minutes to load. Running a restore from the most recent restore point, loads, restores, and reboots in under two minutes the x64 beta (like Vista) would on rare occasions operate that quickly but would usually take anywhere from five to 10 minutes. The Disk Cleanup utility loads in under 10 seconds with the x64 RC- in both the x64 and Vista it loaded in 30 seconds to one minute (with most of that being a hang on system error memory dump files). A few other practical things: The display issues that occurred when cropping images in Lightroom with the x64 beta have been corrected. Images no longer flip upside down or shift to gray. Windows Home Server can create and restore backups with the x64 RC the x64 beta could create but not restore backups. When viewing the contents of a backup in the Windows Home Server console, the x64 RC takes less than one minute to pull up the contents in a virtual drive Vista took about two minutes and (as per the previous point) the x64 beta would never allow a restore. Loading the Windows Home Server console is still far too erratic in term of how long it takes to load and give me control. The 30 seconds to a couple minutes with the x64 RC is still better than the 30 seconds to five minutes (and occasionally never) with the x64 RC Vista, however, beats them both on this one. There are certainly a few wrong turns as well. The most prominent for me are: the x64 and x86 RC installations were slower than the x64 beta installation; the performance of the x64 RC was slower than the x64 beta for the first day; I had issues with my x64 RC machine not staying asleep (never occurred with the x64 beta); I can only load my Panasonic KX-MB781 multifunction printer as a network printer (not USB); Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional takes an extra two-seconds to load, and Windows Home Server now posts far too many false system health warnings and doesnt seem to always remember the ones I have told it to ignore. So where is your information or is the goal to just be a typical agitator? Actually, as is my practice whenever I view someone as engaging on trolling behavior, I am unchecking the box to alert me to replies so it doesnt matter anyway. Continue your substance free one-line responses if you wish but I think will opt out. BTW, unless you were counting your own response, there were three posts by people, not four. Stephen

Stephen - Don't mind Egads (aka derosnec (that's censored backwards, of course).. He's got issues... He'll dohis bit to start an argument just for the sake of having one. He's probably still using Vista.Thanks for posting your experiences. My experiences are fairly similar - though I haven't any Nikon RAW files to muck about with. My Nikon L18 only does JPG format... Everything I've thrown at it pretty much works and with the RC, it either works better and/or faster.

Nothing wrong with perceptions or opinions....I find RC slower also....Beta had a Windows performance rating [whichI don't consider to be a benchmark test]of 6.4 and RC is now 5.9 same hardware & software....same day.

you guys are like watching a car wreck. I couldn't stop reading. fascinating.Walter C Mahar

you guys are like watching a car wreck. I couldn't stop reading. fascinating. Walter C Mahar--------------------------------------------------------I've been using the Win 7 RC since it was released and it seems a lot slower than Win 7 beta (build 7000). I did a clean install on the same PC I had build 7000 and although it still works well, I detected a noticeable difference in performance right away. I'm still tweaking the system so I can't attribute it to anything yet. I've learned to skim. Short & pitthy rules.XP sp3, 3dmarW7 RC, 3dmaron this average computer. I almost hate posting benchmarks anymore, the results seem to change often, but thats the latest, and is consistent with my Vista results of Long ago. Oh, I gotta brush up on skimming, the argument above entails posting benchmarks. Ok, to be inoffensive and professional,I'll change my content to an empty "I agree"

Stephen - Don't mind Egads (aka derosnec (that's censored backwards, of course).. He's got issues... He'll dohis bit to start an argument just for the sake of having one. He's probably still using Vista. You bet Wolfie. Considering how much else has been selectively deleted from this thread......yes, I do feel like starting an argument now. With the moderator who favorsthefragrance of this material.