If you've been on a deserted island for the past few months, you probably don't know that Microsoft is launching a new operating system. For the rest of us on the tech mainland, we can't help but know. We've been subjected to the media buzz (and created some of our own) around what is surely Microsoft's most important launch since the release of Windows 95.
TechTV Labs has been trying out the OS since the initial beta came out almost a year ago. Below, you'll find the most noteworthy features of XP and our take on them with links to full reviews. Finally, we offer recommendations to help you determine when and if you'll want to upgrade.
Stability 
We're happy to report that the stability of Windows XP, based on the NT kernel, is one of the primary reasons to upgrade. In our tests, we were able to run both notebooks and desktops for days without crashes or rebooting.
Performance 
In strict benchmark numbers, Windows XP Professional Edition performed admirably. We tested boot up, resume, and shutdown times on systems outfitted with a Pentium 4 1.3 GHz processor and 128MB RAM on three separate tries and averaged the results. The biggest difference we saw was the time needed for Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, and XP Pro to boot up. XP Professional Edition booted up in a mere 15 seconds, while Windows 98SE came in at the slowest at almost 54 seconds. Windows 2000 booted up the second fastest with 26 seconds, while Windows Me clocked an average of 30 seconds. In shutdown times, XP Professional Edition was the slowest at 28 seconds, compared to a little more than four seconds for both Windows 98SE and Windows Me. Windows 2000 shut down in 22 seconds. Based on these tests, we can say that XP Pro was the fastest at powering up, but slowest in shutting down.
Other tests bear out Windows XP's relatively fast speed. On ZD Media Content Creation Winstone 2001 (1.0.2), Windows XP was 20 percent faster. On ZD Media Business Winstone 2001 (1.0.2), XP's performance was less impressive, though still a tad zippier than Me.
Interface 
Macintosh aficionados have noted the similarities between Windows XP and Mac OS 10.1. Windows XP is Microsoft's most visually engaging interface to date, but that doesn't mean it's as pretty as Mac's new OS. In terms of sheer eye candy, Mac OS 10.1 has Windows XP beat. We liked XP's overall look, the softer icons, and brighter anti-aliased text and graphics, but we would have liked more bundled color schemes and themes. Shipping versions only offer two themes: lawn green and azure blue.
Microsoft Plus! Pack offers a few others, in addition to other add-ons, though we found it overpriced at $40. Liking or not liking the interface is a matter of personal preference. Some will like its simplistic look, while others won't.
