Windows XP vs Vista vs 7 vs 8.1 vs 10 vs 11 | Speed Test
Speed Test Summary: Windows XP vs Vista vs 7 vs 8.1 vs 10 vs 11
Test Setup [00:00:00]
- Hardware: Older hardware used to ensure compatibility with older OS versions (XP/Vista) and to stress-test newer ones.
- OS Versions: All running Pro versions with the latest available updates; Windows XP is the 64-bit version.
Performance Tests
- Startup Speed [00:00:48]:
- Winner: Windows 8.1 (fast boot advantage).
- Surprise: Windows 10 and XP started at nearly the same time.
- Loser: Windows 11 (struggled to load taskbar).
- Storage Footprint [00:02:13]:
- Winner: Windows XP (least space used).
- Heaviest: Windows 7 took up the most storage.
- RAM Management (Idle) [00:02:40]:
- Winner: Windows XP (lowest usage).
- Loser: Windows 11 (3.5–3.7 GB idle usage vs 2.3 GB for Windows 10).
- Web Browser Stress Test (Tab limit before 5GB usage) [00:03:29]:
- Winners: Windows 7 and 8.1 (reached over 200 tabs).
- Loser: Windows 11 (failed to reach 50 tabs due to high base usage).
- Note: Windows XP crashed at 50 tabs due to virtual memory limits.
- Battery Life [00:04:49]:
- Winner: Windows XP (pleasant surprise).
- Runner-ups: Windows 10 (2nd), Windows 8.1 (3rd).
- Loser: Windows 11 died first.
- Video Editing Rendering [00:06:08]:
- Winner: Windows 10.
- Runner-up: Windows 8.1.
- Loser: Windows 11 (slowest).
- Application Launching (Explorer, Paint, Calc) [00:06:48]:
- Trend: Older OS versions (8.1 and below) opened "classic" apps significantly faster.
- Loser: Windows 11 showed significant delays, likely due to modern app rebuilds and mixed UI elements.
- File Transfer (USB to Disk) [00:08:41]:
- Winner: Windows 10 (barely beat 11).
- Trend: Newer OS versions generally faster than older ones here.
- Malware Scans [00:09:02]:
- Winner: Windows 7 (fastest scan).
- Loser: Windows 11 (took almost a minute longer than Win 10).
Benchmarks (Synthetic) [00:10:04]
- CPU-Z: Older OSs generally better in single-threaded; Windows 7 best in multi-threaded.
- Geekbench: Windows 10 best multi-core; Windows 11 best single-core.
- CrystalDiskMark: XP best read speeds; Windows 7/Vista performed poorly on reads.
Conclusion & Ranking [00:12:37]
Based on the "polish," "speed," and "stability" on older hardware as tested in the video:
- Windows 8.1 (Praised as the most polished, fast, and stable).
- Windows 10 (Performed consistently well, winning video editing and file transfers).
- Windows 7 (Strong showing in RAM management and security scanning).
- Windows XP (Excellent battery life and low resource usage, but limited by age/compatibility).
- Windows Vista (Average performance, often lagging behind 7).
- Windows 11 (Ranked last; described as "one of the slowest," with massive memory consumption).

