What TechRadar thinks of Windows 10

Edge

Kevin Lee, Laptops editor, TechRadar

It would be too easy to write off Windows 10 as a band aid to hide all the damage Windows 8 and 8.1 caused to the PC community. Sure it fixes many of the problems of Microsoft's last two operating systems with the return of the Start Menu and finally freeing users from tyranny of full-screen modern apps, but there are also a number of improvements that can't be ignored.

Windows 10 improves and expands upon the Charms menu, giving users access to more quick settings typically locked away in the system tray. Continuum, meanwhile, solves the biggest problem with hybrid machines by automatically switching devices between desktop and tablet modes. The addition of Xbox One streaming is a neat feature and the slow trickle of Xbox games coming to Windows 10 could finally make cross-platform play a regular feature.

These might seem like little tweaks, but they add up to make Windows 10 a much better operating system overall.

Dan Grabham, Editor, T3.com

I've been using Windows 10 since October 1 last year so I've been very lucky to see it develop hugely over that time. As I've said in TechRadar's Windows 10 review, it seemed very robust from the start. But until relatively recently there were numerous niggles including sub-standard search (which wasn't that much better than the woeful search in Windows 8.1) and an occasionally totally unresponsive Start menu.

Thankfully, these problems have been completely fixed. While it has to considered that the jury is out on Cortana - do people really talk to their PCs? - and Universal apps - will developers really get on board to the extent Microsoft hopes? - it must be said that Windows 10 is excellent. Crucially, it won't be a big leap for those so used to Windows 7 and XP before it.

As Joe says above, most companies don't get a second chance when they've messed something up so badly as Microsoft did with Windows 8. Microsoft is lucky it didn't take more of a hit and Windows 10 is the obliging response.

Where Microsoft hasn't been so lucky is with Windows on phones. It's a shame as Windows 10 (like Windows Phone before it) is a great mobile OS. But in the last five years Windows Phone has got nowhere. That remains Microsoft's great challenge and we can't help but feel the future of Windows depends on doing more there, not on Hololens.

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