Windows 8 is the latest Microsoft operating system for end users and the successor to Windows 7. It went RTM on August 1st, 2012, with general release slated for October 26th, 2012. It is based on the Metro design language and contains many new features and changes over its predecessor, the most noticeable being a new graphical user interface, know as Metro. It is available in four major editions, Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro[fessional], Windows 8 Enterprise, and Windows RT.
Windows 8 is also the last operating system Microsoft plans to release in a 32 bit version (though this was also said of Server 2008).
Aside from the new Metro UI, and the changes it brings (such as the lack of the ubiquitous Windows Start button) some notable new features and enhancements include:
- Support for ARM processors (low power processors found in many mobile devices)
- Native support for USB 3.0
- Support for, and in some cases, mandatory inclusion of UEFI SecureBoot
- New versions of existing Microsft products, including PowerShell v3.0, Internet Explorer 10, Windows Defender and a redesigned Task Manager
- A Windows Store for purchasing Metro-style applications
- New authentication methods, including local logon with a
Windows Liveaccount, picture based password and login via PIN - Twe new boot options,
Hybrid BootandWindows To Go(which will allow Enterprise Editions to boot from a USB flash drive)
Minimum hardware requirements for the x86 and x64 of Windows 8 are:
- 1 GHz processor (with support for PAE, NX SSE2)
- 1 GB RAM (2GB for x64 versions)
- A graphics card capable of DirectX 9 and WDDM 1.0
- 20 GB of disk space
