Windows Server 2008 is 20% faster than Vista

[virtualrain]

Microsoft Releases Vista's Successor, And It's FAST
Posted by Dave Methvin, Mar 10, 2008 12:50 PM

I don't know how this one slipped under everyone's radar. On Feb. 27, Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) released a new operating system that can replace Vista. It has all the patches and fixes that are in Vista SP1, and runs nearly all the same software, but runs it faster. Early reviews show that Windows Workstation 2008 is the speediest and most secure version of Windows to come along in a decade.


There is one small problem, though. Microsoft doesn't actually sell a product named "Windows Workstation 2008" in a neat little package. You have to create it yourself -- from a copy of the newly released Windows Server 2008. I'm a fan of Windows Server 2008 because it is the only version of Windows that heeds the advice of Antoine de Saint-Exupery: "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

The resulting freedom from bloat gives "Windows Workstation 2008" a major performance advantage. Some tests show it's almost 20% faster than Vista. It's a Windows developer dream platform thanks to its built-in server features like IIS, plus Hyper-V for creating virtual machines.

It can be a bit tricky to configure Server 2008 as a desktop OS, but thanks to instructions in a Microsoft employee's blog and at an independent Web site, it's certainly doable by a technical user. Vista drivers written to the WDDM model are compatible with Server 2003, which means you should be able to use any hardware that has a Vista driver. The only nut that doesn't seem to be cracked yet is getting Media Center functionality to work, but I suspect even that is just a matter of time.

Link

[triple_A]

Whoa
Does that make it faster than XP??

[saaya]

hmmmm its faster in office bench, wonder if it will be faster in spi and games too...

[RPGWiZaRD]

Unless it's gotten a major improvement in matter of couple of months then perhaps, I doubt it too. For me it wasn't faster in 3D performance at least. But I might give it another shot now after having tested Vista SP1 which wasn't too exciting either.

[[XC] gomeler]

I believe I have a build of this on one of the DVDs lying around here or maybe sitting in my ISO folder on my server. Might be time to break it out and do some testing.

[zanzabar]

i get my copy today ill install it and see if its faster than vista, but with sp1 rc1 vista got alot faster and with the rtm they should be simmilar since they will be the same kernel, dose server and workstation 08 have aero couse thats a deal breaker if it dosnt, also win/tab

[hecktic]

i get my copy today ill install it and see if its faster than vista, but with sp1 rc1 vista got alot faster and with the rtm they should be simmilar since they will be the same kernel, dose server and workstation 08 have aero couse thats a deal breaker if it dosnt, also win/tab

how are you getting a copy now ??

[SafeFire]

That's actually really interesting.
I've been sticking faithfully to win xp so far, as vista is dreadfully slow, but it's really nice to know that if I do decide to switch for whatever reason, there is a stable package out there.

[zanzabar]

how are you getting a copy now ??

server launch at the moskini center in SF from the heros happen now thing or whatever they are calling it, we get server 08, vista sp1rtm, vs08 pro and sql08

[Emerica]

When I see/hear more about it, I will think about switching.

[ultimeus]

Is this a x64 OS ?

[zanzabar]

it should come in x64 and x86 and italium

[Emerica]

it should come in x64 and x86 and itanium

Yeah it does. Although, I heard somewhere that they were going to stop their last x86 Server OS would be 2003, but I guess not.

[triple_A]

So every windows server 2008 version should have this performance gain over vista? or just "workstation"?

[Emerica]

So every windows server 2008 version should have this performance gain over vista? or just "workstation"?

I think it is just generally faster. You just have to tweak a few settings to make it a workstation OS. People do the same with Windows 2003.

[tiro_uspsss]

So every windows server 2008 version should have this performance gain over vista? or just "workstation"?

there is no 'workstation' - just Server, + adjustments here'n'there & voila, it becomes more of a workstation usable OS (or @ least thats how I interpreted the article )

[triple_A]

Ah ok, that makes sense.

[ultimeus]

we need some feedback on it now

[Origin_Unknown]

whats the gaming performance like?

i might try it tonight / over the weekend

[Jamesrt2004]

lols gaming performance was like 5/6fps faster for me than vista in like Counterstrike Source! that's it

[zanzabar]

the point isnt that its 5 or 6 frames the point is that its faster and its a more light weight os, and its about $200 for a non biz license of 03 so this is a viable option for a normal user

[Alucard-]

I ran 2003 server since rtm for my desktop OS, it worked well and seemed more stable didn' t have alot of issues where I needed to reinstall the os. I was tempted to play with 2008 in a similar manner, but thought I would have similar issues getting some software to install, and Vista with sp1 is suppose to be based off the same code base. I think with something like nlite or a stripped down Vista will probably run just as fast. Vista with sp1 probably felt 20percent faster in alot of ways, so I think it's comparing release vista compared to 2008.

[G.Foyle]

Last build I checked was faster in 3DMark by 0.5% than Vista but slower in SPi by 5%. I think I'll give it a try.

[RFC Rudel]

I usue 2008 as my primary OS.

It feel much faster than vista.

[ultimeus]

I usue 2008 as my primary OS.

It feel much faster than vista.

Do you have any problems with drivers, games or programs ?

I'm thinking using it for games and photochopping, web design, and flash.