Windows 7 Professional Audio Drivers Free Download

After installing Windows 7, you may need to download the latest Windows 7 drivers for some of the hardware in your PC.

Windows 7 professional drivers free download - Drivers For Free, Windows 7 (Professional), Microsoft DirectX Drivers (Windows 95), and many more programs.

Windows 7 is one of Microsoft's most popular ​operating systems, so most manufacturers regularly release Windows 7 driver updates for their products. Updating to the latest Windows 7 drivers may help keep your PC running at its best.​

Need help to install a Windows 7 driver? See How to Update Drivers in Windows. Another alternative is a dedicated driver installer tool — see our List of Free Driver Updater Tools for your options.

Below is an alphabetical list of Windows 7 driver download links for 21 major hardware manufacturers, from Acer to VIA. See the very bottom of this page for a quick list of the most recently updated Windows 7 drivers.

Please let me know if this page needs to be updated.

Acer Drivers (Desktops and Notebooks)

Windows 7 drivers available for Acer desktops or notebooks can be downloaded via Acer's Service and Support site, linked above.

Acer provides many custom Windows 7 drivers for their PCs and laptops but much of the hardware will be installed using the default drivers in Windows 7.

AMD/ATI Radeon Driver (Video)

The latest AMD/ATI Radeon Windows 7 driver is the AMD Adrenalin 19.30.01.50 Suite (Released 2019-09-10).

This Windows 7 driver from AMD/ATI contains the entire Catalyst suite including the ATI Radeon display driver and the Catalyst Control Center. This Windows 7 driver is compatible with most AMD/ATI Radeon HD series GPUs, including the R9 series and newer HD series chips.

There are 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this Windows 7 driver available, so be sure to choose the right one.

ASUS Drivers (Motherboards)

ASUS Windows 7 drivers can be downloaded via ASUS's support site, linked above.

ASUS has made available Windows 7 drivers for most of their motherboard lines including those based on AMD, Intel Socket 775, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, and more.

I did a quick spot check on several of ASUS's motherboards and all of them showed both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 drivers.

ASUS also manufactures servers, workstations, notebooks, and other computer peripherals, but they are most known for their motherboards. You can look for Windows 7 drivers for your non-motherboard ASUS product on their website.

If you're wondering if your 'older' ASUS motherboard has Windows 7 drivers, ASUS keeps a list here: Windows 7 Compatible ASUS Motherboards.

BIOSTAR Drivers (Motherboards)

BIOSTAR Windows 7 drivers are listed on BIOSTAR's download page, linked above.

BIOSTAR lists many of their motherboard lines as passing WHQL testing with Microsoft, including those based on Intel 1155, 1366, 1156, 775, 478, and AMD AM3+, FM1, AM3, and AM2+ designs.

Many BIOSTAR motherboards may have passed certain Windows 7 tests but that does not mean that Windows 7 drivers are available from BIOSTAR. However, the motherboards listed should work as expected with native Windows 7 drivers.

C-Media Drivers (Audio)

Windows 7 drivers for products based on C-Media's audio chipset are available via their driver download page, linked above.

A lot of the drivers available for C-Media products appear to have been tested on the latest RC build of Windows 7, not the final version, but they should still work fine.

Windows 7 drivers are available for CMI8788, CMI8738, CMI8768, CMI8768+, CMI8770, and CMI8787, but Windows 7's native drivers might work best.

The Windows 7 drivers linked to here are directly from C-Media. A C-Media chip may be a part of your sound card or motherboard but it's possible there's a Windows 7 driver that's a better fit for your sound device from your actual sound card or motherboard manufacturer.

Compaq Drivers (Desktops and Laptops)

If any Windows 7 drivers are available for Compaq computers, they can be downloaded via HP's standard support site, linked above. Compaq is now part of HP.

Compaq's newer computers typically come with Windows 7 installed and, of course, have Windows 7 drivers available. HP's site may have Windows 7 drivers listed for older Compaq computers as well.

Download audio drivers for windows xp

Creative Sound Blaster Drivers (Audio)

The most current Creative Sound Blaster Windows 7 drivers are listed on Creative's Driver Availability Chart, linked above.

Creative has made available Windows 7 drivers for many of their popular Sound Blaster products including their X-Fi, Sound Blaster Live, Audigy, and more.

Some Windows 7 drivers by Creative may be in beta. Please be aware that beta drivers may not always work properly and you should update as soon as final versions become available.

This page also links to Windows 7 drivers for other devices from Creative including MP3 players, speakers, headsets, webcams, and video cams.

Dell Drivers (Desktops and Laptops)

Windows 7 drivers for Dell desktop and laptop computers can be downloaded via Dell's standard support site, linked above.

Dell also keeps a list of their older computer systems that they have successfully tested with Windows 7: Microsoft Windows 7 Compatible Dell Systems.

eMachines Drivers (Desktops and Notebooks)

Any available Windows 7 drivers for eMachines desktop or notebook computers can be downloaded via eMachines' support site, linked above.

To see if your eMachines laptop or desktop PC is compatible with Windows 7, visit the link provided above and select the product Group, then Series, and finally the model number from the Products list. If 'Windows 7' is an option under the Operating System choices then your PC should support Windows 7.

If no drivers are listed for Windows 7, even though eMachines says your PC supports it, it just means that the native drivers available in Windows 7 will suffice for your computer. In other words, after installing Windows 7, you shouldn't need to update any of your drivers.

Gateway Drivers (Desktops and Notebooks)

Windows 7 drivers for many Gateway desktops and notebooks are available via Gateway's support site.

According to Gateway, their only advice for compatibility with Windows 7 for older computers is to check the minimum system requirements for Windows 7 and compare to your PC.

The native drivers that Windows 7 provides will likely work for the majority of Gateway hardware manufactured before 2009. Otherwise, Gateway will likely provide their own Windows 7 drivers via their support site.

HP Drivers (Desktops and Laptops)

Any available Windows 7 drivers for HP desktop, laptop, and tablet computers can be downloaded via HP's standard support site, linked above.

Many of HP's desktop and laptop PCs have Windows 7 drivers available.

HP has also published valuable information about the availability of HP printer and scanner drivers in Windows 7 (see the HP entry below).

HP Drivers (Printers and Scanners)

The best way to get Windows 7 drivers for individual HP printers and scanners is to visit HP Support, linked above.

Enter your product information on their support page to find Windows 7 drivers for your HP Deskjet, Officejet, Photosmart, LaserJet, Designjet, or Scanjet imaging device.

From this page, you can see if your specific HP printer or scanner will work from a native Windows 7 driver, via an update from Windows Update, or from a Windows 7 driver downloaded directly from HP.

Intel Drivers (Motherboards)

Windows 7 drivers for Intel motherboards can be downloaded via Intel's support page, linked above.

A quick check showed 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 drivers. The few motherboard driver download pages I looked at showed Windows 7 drivers for Intel's integrated video, audio, Ethernet controller, and more.

Intel also keeps a short list [here] of motherboards, released around the time Windows 7 was released, that fully supported the operating system.

Intel Chipset 'Drivers' (Intel Motherboards)

The latest Intel Chipset Windows 7 'driver' is version 10.1.1.42 (Released 2017-01-17).

Technically, these are not Windows 7 drivers. This update is actually an INF file update, which helps instruct Windows 7 how to identify and work properly with Intel chipset hardware like USB, Core PCI, and other integrated hardware.

This update applies to both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7.

The page linked to above also lists the Intel chipsets currently compatible with this update. Do not install this update on a motherboard with a chipset that is not listed.

Lenovo (Desktops and Laptops)

Windows 7 drivers for Lenovo desktop and laptop computers can be downloaded via Lenovo's support site, linked above.

Windows 7 specific questions can be asked on Lenovo's Windows 7 discussion board here. This is a great resource if you're having trouble finding Windows 7 drivers for your Lenovo product or having issues installing a driver.

Lexmark Drivers (Printers)

Current information on Windows 7 drivers for individual Lexmark printers is available from the list on Lexmark's site, linked above.

From this page, you can see if your specific Lexmark printer will work best with the native Windows 7 driver, with the latest Windows 7 driver downloaded directly from Lexmark, or with the latest Windows Vista driver, also available from Lexmark.

Several Lexmark small business and home office all-in-one and inkjet printers are listed separately from those linked above. You can access them here.

Microsoft Drivers (Keyboards, Mice, Etc.)

In addition to creating operating systems like Windows 7, Microsoft also produces hardware like keyboards, mice, game controllers, webcams, and more.

Microsoft hardware products with Windows 7 drivers are listed on their Software Downloads page, linked above.

Some of the most up to date Windows 7 drivers for Microsoft hardware may still be in beta. Please be aware that beta drivers may not always work properly and you should update as soon as final versions become available.

Microtek Drivers (Scanners)

Windows 7 drivers for Microtek scanners are available for many recent models and are downloadable from the link above.

At this time, it looks like Windows 7 drivers are available for several newer ScanMaker and ArtixScan models. Windows 7 64-bit drivers are only available for a few ArtixScanDI scanners from Microtek.

Microtek has no plans to release certified drivers for many of their older but extremely popular scanners. However, according to Microtek, many of their Windows XP 32-bit drivers work perfectly well in Windows 7, including those for popular models like the ScanMaker 4800, 4850, 3800, and more.

NVIDIA GeForce Driver (Video)

The latest NVIDIA GeForce Windows 7 driver is version 436.30 (Released 2019-09-10).

This Windows 7 NVIDIA driver is compatible with the NVIDIA TITAN series and GeForce 10, 900, 700, and 600 series desktop GPUs, as well as GeForce MX100, 10, 900M, 800M, 700M, and 600M series notebook GPUs.

NVIDIA 3D Vision, NVIDIA SLI, NVIDIA Surround, and NVIDIA Update are all included in this single driver suite.

There are Windows 7 32-bit drivers and 64-bit drivers available from NVIDIA. Take care in choosing the correct one for your system.

Windows 7 Professional Audio Drivers Free Download

These NVIDIA GeForce drivers are directly from NVIDIA — the GPU manufacturer. An NVIDIA GeForce GPU may be a part of your video card or motherboard but NVIDIA only created the GPU. This means that it's possible there's a Windows 7 driver that better fits your hardware available from your actual video card or motherboard manufacturer.

Realtek AC97 Driver (Audio)

The latest Realtek AC97 Windows 7 driver is version 6305 (Released 2009-09-07).

This download contains both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this Windows 7 driver.

The Realtek AC97 drivers linked to here are directly from Realtek—the chipset manufacturer. The AC97 chipset may be a part of your sound card or motherboard but Realtek only created the chipset. This means that it's possible there's a Windows 7 driver that better fits your hardware available from your actual sound card or motherboard manufacturer.

I've listed various Realtek drivers separately because of their individual popularity.

Realtek High Definition Driver (Audio)

The latest Realtek High Definition Windows 7 driver is version R2.82 (Released 2017-07-26).

Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of this Windows 7 driver are available.

These Realtek High Definition Audio drivers are directly from Realtek — the chipset manufacturer. The High Definition Audio chipset may be a part of your sound card or motherboard but Realtek only created the chipset. This means that it's possible there's a Windows 7 driver that better fits your hardware available from your actual sound card or motherboard manufacturer.

I've listed various Realtek drivers separately because of their individual popularity.

Sony Drivers (Desktops and Notebooks)

Any Windows 7 drivers for Sony desktop or notebook computers can be downloaded via Sony's eSupport site, linked above.

Sony has a Windows 7 Upgrade page with information about Sony PCs and Windows 7, including a handy tool to see what Windows 7 drivers and other information is available for your specific Sony computer.

Toshiba Drivers (Laptops)

Windows 7 drivers for Toshiba laptop computers can be downloaded via Toshiba's standard support site, linked above.

You can view a list of Toshiba Windows 7 drivers by searching the model number of serial number on their Drivers & Software page and then refining the search to Windows 7.

Toshiba also has a roundup of various Windows 7 information on their Forums page.

Toshiba also has a list of laptops released between 2007 and 2009 that support Windows 7: Toshiba laptop models supported for use with Windows 7.

VIA Drivers (Chipsets)

Windows 7 drivers for products based on VIA's Ethernet, audio, graphics, USB, and other chipsets are available via their standard driver download page, linked above.

To get started, choose Microsoft Windows for Step 1 and then Windows 7for Step 2.

The Windows 7 drivers linked to here are directly from VIA — a chipset manufacturer. A VIA chipset may be a part of your motherboard or other hardware but VIA only created the chip, not the complete device. This means that it's possible there's a Windows 7 driver that's a better fit for your hardware available from your actual device manufacturer.

Recent Windows 7 Driver Updates

  • 2019-09-10: NVIDIA GeForce v436.30 Released
  • 2019-09-10: AMD/ATI Radeon Adrenalin v19.30.01.50 Released
  • 2017-07-26: Realtek HD Audio R2.82 Released
  • 2017-01-17: Intel Chipset v10.1.1.42 Released

Can't Find a Windows 7 Driver?

Try using a Windows Vista driver. Windows Vista drivers will often work in Windows 7 because of the similarity between the two operating systems.

The Download Now link will take you to the Microsoft store page for Windows 10 Professional.

Windows 7 is the seventh major release of Microsoft's flagship desktop operating system, released in October 2009 as the next step beyond Windows Vista.

The good: Strong design and Microsoft don't always go together, but they do in Windows 7. Users might take a while to get used to the new taskbar and Aero Peek, but they're a pleasure to use.

The bad: Performance is still hit-or-miss in Windows 7. At the ripe age of seven, Windows XP still performs better in some categories.

The bottom line:

Deserved or not, Microsoft had dug itself a cool, deep, dark hole with Windows Vista. Users demanding that Redmond extend the life of Windows XP wasn't exactly something they could be proud of, either. Bombarded by complaints and negative press even after the first service pack was released, the bar had been set high for Vista's successor: Windows 7. This review is based on an official copy of the Windows 7 RTM that Microsoft provided to CNET on July 30, 2009.

Luckily for Microsoft, Windows 7 is more than just spin. It's stable, smooth, and highly polished, introducing new graphical features, a new taskbar that can compete handily with the Mac OS X dock, and device management and security enhancements that make it both easier to use and safer. Importantly, it won't require the hardware upgrades that Vista demanded, partially because the hardware has caught up, and partially because Microsoft has gone to great lengths to make Windows 7 accessible to as many people as possible.

It's important to note that the public testing process for Windows 7 involved one limited-availability beta and one release candidate, and constituted what some have called the largest shareware trial period ever. As buggy and irritating as Vista was, Windows 7 isn't. Instead, it's the successor to Windows XP that Microsoft wishes Vista had been, and finally places it on competitive footing with other major operating systems like OS X and Linux.

Microsoft is offering six versions of Windows 7: Starter, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, OEM, and Enterprise. The three versions that Redmond will be promoting most heavily are Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate, although Starter will also be available to consumers.

Windows 7 will support both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. The bare minimum requirements for the 32-bit include a 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB available hard-disk space, and a DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver. 64-bit systems will require at least a 1 GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 20GB of free space on your hard drive, and a DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver. A touch-screen monitor is required to take advantage of the native touch features. Do note that some users have claimed to have limited success running the Windows 7 beta with less than 1GB of RAM, but that's not recommended.

Installation
Microsoft is offering several paths to install Windows 7. People can buy a new computer with the operating system already installed, upgrade from Windows XP or Vista, or do a clean install on a computer the user already owns. The clean installation took us about 30 minutes, but that will vary depending on your computer.

The upgrade procedure is different depending on whether you're running Windows XP or Windows Vista. Vista users merely need to back up their data before choosing the Upgrade option from the install disc. Both XP Home and XP Pro users will have to back up their data, then choose Custom from the install disc. Custom will have the same effect as a clean install, although it'll save your old data in a folder called Windows.old. Once you choose Custom, you'll need to select the partition of your hard drive that contains Windows XP, and then follow the instructions to enter your product key and allow the computer to reboot as needed.

If you're not sure if your current computer can run Windows 7, you can download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from Microsoft.

Features: Taskbar and Aero Peek
Although the look of Windows 7 may seem to be nothing more than some polish applied liberally to the Vista Aero theme, make no mistake: This is a full replacement operating system, and more than just 'Vista done right.' From driver support to multitouch groundwork for the future, from better battery management to the most easy-to-use interface Microsoft has ever had, Windows 7 is hardly half-baked.

The first thing that should stand out is the new taskbar. This is one of the best improvements Microsoft has made--third-party program dock makers are going to have to do some serious innovation when Windows 7 goes public. Besides incorporating the translucent style of Aero, the new taskbar is arguably even better than the Mac OS X dock. It features pinned programs using large, easy-to-see icons. Mouse over one and all windows associated with that program appear in preview. Mouse over one of those preview panes to reveal an X to close the window. Hover over the preview to show a full-size preview of the program, or click on the window to bring it to the front. Because of the button size, people with touch screens should find it especially easy to use.

Jump lists are another new taskbar improvement that make recently opened documents easier to get to. Right-click or left-click and drag on any program icon pinned to the taskbar to see a list of files that you've recently used in that program. In Internet Explorer, this will show recently visited Web sites, although it doesn't yet seem to work in Firefox.

If you've noticed the missing Show Desktop icon, that's because it's been baked into the taskbar itself. Mouse over to the right corner. Hovering over the Show Desktop box reveals the desktop, and then hides it when you mouse away. Click on the box to minimize all your programs.

Resizing programs has been simplified and improved by the capability to drag a window's title bar. Drag a program window to the top of your monitor to expand it to full screen. If you want to work in two windows simultaneously, drag one to the left edge and one to the right edge of your screen, and they'll automatically resize to half the width of your monitor. Dragging a program away from the top or sides will return it to its original size. This is an entirely new feature in Windows 7, but it should prove easy to adopt because it mimics and expands on the maximize/restore button that people have been resizing windows with since Windows 95.

Theme packages also make it much faster to change the look of Windows 7. From the Control Panel, you can change the theme under Appearance and Personalization. Microsoft has created several theme packages to give people a taste for what the feature can do. Click on one to download it, and it instantly changes the color scheme and background--no need to reboot. Users can create their own themes, as well.

Windows Media Player and Device Stage
One of the biggest new features makes Windows Media Player useful again: you can now stream media files from one Windows 7 computer to another, across the Internet and out of network. Even better, the setup procedure is dead simple.

When you open Windows Media Player, there's a new Stream option on the toolbar. Click it, and you're presented with two choices. Both require you to associate your computer with your free Windows Live ID. When you've associated a second Windows 7's WMP with that same ID, you can remotely access the media on the host computer. Windows Media Player's mini mode looks much slicker, emphasizing the album art--sometimes at the expense of clearly seeing the controls, but it's a definite improvement.

The new Device Stage makes managing peripherals significantly easier, combining printers, phones, and portable media players into one window. A large photo of the peripheral summarizes important device stats and makes it easy to identify which devices you're using. Device Stage can also be used to preset common tasks, such as synchronization. Device Stage support for older devices makes one of Windows 7's best features applicable to peripherals and externals that don't need to be upgraded. One annoying change is that Bluetooth driver support no longer comes baked into the operating system. If you need a Bluetooth driver, you'll either need the installation disc on hand or you'll have to go download it.

Search, touch screens, and XP mode
Windows 7's native search feature has been improved. Files added to the hard drive were indexed so fast that they were searchable less than 5 seconds later. Search result snippets now include a longer snippet, and highlight the snippet more clearly. This should appeal specifically to people who juggle large numbers of long documents, but it's a useful feature for anybody who wants to find files faster. However, the search field is available by default only in the Start menu and in Windows Explorer, and cannot be easily added to the taskbar.

Touch-screen features worked surprisingly well. The hardware sometimes misread some of the multitouch gestures, occasionally confusing rotating an image, for example, with zooming in or out of the image. Overall, though, there were few difficulties in performing the basic series of gestures that Microsoft promotes, and this places Windows 7 in an excellent position for the future, as more and more computers are released with multitouch abilities.

Experts and people or companies who hope to use Windows 7 for business situations will appreciate the new XP Mode. It doesn't have much of a practical application for the home consumer, but if you need to access programs designed for Windows XP that have not been upgraded to Windows Vista or 7, XP Mode creates a virtual environment within Windows 7 that should assuage any fears of upgrading without backward compatibility.

It's not easy to set up once you've downloaded the XP Mode installer. You'll need to double-check that you have the right hardware, and can get the right software. Hardware Virtualization Technology, also known as AMD-V, Vanderpool, or VT-d, must be supported for it to work. Motherboards older than two years probably won't work, and even if you do have a newer one you might have to go into your BIOS and activate Hardware Virtualization. CPU-identification utilities are available from Microsoft that can tell you if you're in the clear or not. However, if compatibility is the issue, this hassle will be worth it to you. Users will have full access to peripherals connected to their Windows 7 hardware, including printers, and the clipboard can be used to cut and paste between the virtual operating system and the 'real' one.

Security
User Account Control, or UAC, is back in Windows 7. Microsoft has tweaked the feature so that it's less intrusive, but it's not clear whether that means you're actually more or less secure than you were in Vista. UAC was one of the biggest changes in Vista. It tightened program access, but did it in such a way as to frustrate many owners of single-user computers. Windows 7 provides more options for user customization of UAC.

The default setting is to notify users only when programs try to make changes to the computer, one step below the most restrictive setting of Always Notify. Under Always Notify, anytime a program tries to access the Internet, or you try to make changes to the computer, Windows 7 will require user confirmation. The second-least restrictive option doesn't dim the desktop when UAC is activated, and will only notify the user when programs try to make changes to the computer. When the desktop dims, Windows 7 is locking it down and preventing access. Never Notify is the most relaxed option, and is only recommended by Microsoft for programs that aren't compatible with UAC.

UAC also displays a blue banner when confronted with a program from a known publisher versus a yellow banner and exclamation point when the program is from an unknown publisher. The number of clicks it should take to use UAC safely has been reduced, However, it's important to note that it's a less aggressive default posture by UAC.

A less glitzy, but no less important, change to how removable drives are handled also can affect your media. Unlike Windows XP and Windows Vista, Windows 7 will no longer AutoRun external hard drives and USB keys when they're connected. This kills off a risky vector for malware infections that has been the bane of many security experts.

Although Microsoft is working on a revamp of its antivirus and antimalware program, now called Microsoft Security Essentials, it won't be bundled with Windows 7. Users are still required to download a third-party antivirus and antimalware program, although the Windows Firewall remains intact. As with many features in Windows 7 that have been carried over from Windows Vista, people will notice there's far more granular settings control than before. Features like filtering outbound traffic, which were available in Vista but not exposed, are easier to access in Windows 7.

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Comparing Windows: XP vs. Vista vs. 7
Windows XPWindows VistaWindows 7
Minimum hardware
  • --Processor: 300MHz
  • --RAM: 128MB
  • --Super VGA graphics device
  • --HD: 4.2GB (for SP3)
  • --Processor: 1GHz
  • --RAM: 1GB (32-bit), 2GB (64-bit)
  • --Support for DirectX 9 graphics device with 128MB of memory
  • --HD: 20GB (32-bit), 40GB (64-bit)
  • --Processor: 1 GHz
  • --RAM: 1GB (32-bit), 2GB (64-bit)
  • --Support for DirectX 9 graphics device with 128MB of memory
  • --HD: 16GB (32-bit), 20GB (64-bit)
Interface
  • --Luna theme
  • --Introduces task-based windows options
  • --Skinning possible but difficult
  • --Desktop Cleanup Wizard automates removing old icons
  • --Aero theme
  • --Introduces transparent panes, window animations, live thumbnails of running programs
  • --New desktop sidebar supports gadgets
  • --Supports touch screens
  • --Aero theme
  • --Supports slideshow backgrounds, RSS and theme packs
  • --Introduces Aero Shake and Aero Snap
  • --Desktop gadgets can be placed anywhere
  • --Supports multitouch on touch screens
Explorer
  • --Replaces tree navigation by default with task pane
  • --Improves image handling
  • --Offers thumbnail previews and group views
  • --Supports some metadata
  • --Task pane integrated into toolbar
  • --New breadcrumb navigation
  • --New metadata display
  • --Improved icon resolution
  • --Some documents can be edited from the preview pane
  • --Support for federated searches and libraries
  • --Virtual folders aggregate content from local and networked drives
Start menu
  • --New layout
  • --Devices and some Control Panel options appear in menu
  • --Added search box
  • --All Programs folder changed to a nested format
  • --Configurable power button
  • --User profile picture
  • --Taskbar jumps appear in the Start menu and replace the right column when viewed
  • --Documents, Pictures, Music buttons now link to their libraries
  • --Control Panel options have been integrated into search results
Taskbar
  • --New look
  • --Hideable icons in System Tray
  • --Refreshed look
  • --Alt-Tab hot key now shows preview thumbnail of program
  • --Interactive mouse-over preview panes
  • --Replacement of the Quick Launch bar with pinned programs
  • --Program-specific jump lists based on pinned programs
  • --Aero Peek for mouse-over desktop viewing
  • --Revamped System Tray
Devices
  • --Introduces Universal Plug-n-Play
  • --New driver library allows for downgrading drivers when necessary
  • --Debuts portable device API, designed to communicate with cell phones, PDAs, and portable media players
  • --Introduces Sync Center for managing data synchronizations
  • --New Device Stage provides a centralized, unified window for managing all aspects of printers and portable devices
Misc.
  • --Introduces context-menu CD and DVD burning from Windows Explorer
  • --Supports multiple versions of a single DLL to prevent programs from overwriting each other
  • --Introduces Hibernate and Sleep modes
  • --Remote Desktop for accessing a computer from another location
  • --Fast user account switching
  • --Built-in drive partitioning
  • --More powerful screen-capturing tool
  • --Hybrid Sleep and better configuration options for more nuanced power management
  • --User-based file-type associations
  • --Previous Version automatically backs up changes to individual files
  • --Expands Windows Explorer disc burning to include ISOs
  • --Introduces XP Mode
  • --Expanded options for disabling components
  • --Can search text in scanned TIFF
  • --Additional power-saving features for laptops

Performance
Windows 7 feels faster than Windows XP and Vista, but it turns out that's not always the case--sometimes, it's the slowest out of the three operating systems. CNET Labs tested four 32-bit Windows operating systems: Windows 7 RTM build 7600, Windows 7 Release Candidate build 7100, Windows Vista with Service Pack 2, and Windows XP SP3, all on an Inspiron Desktop 530 Mini Tower running an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E4500 at 2.20 GHz, with a 128MB NVIDIA 8300 GS graphics card, 4GB of RAM, and two 320GB SATA 7,200rpm hard drives.

Microsoft Office Performance (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)







iTunes encoding (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)







Boot time (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)




Windows Vista SP2 (32 bit)


Shutdown time (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)





Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit Audio Drivers Free Download



Cinebench
(Longer bars indicate better performance)





Windows 7 Professional 32 Bit Audio Drivers Free Download



As you can see in the chart, we found that Windows 7 RTM was the fastest to shutdown, and was tied with XP for iTunes encoding. However, it was slower than XP and Vista for both booting up cold by a bit more than 1 second, and slower than either of its predecessors in its Microsoft Office performance. After having used Windows 7 beta, RC, and now the RTM for more than six months combined, it still feels faster for us when launching programs, opening the control panel, and dragging icons, files, and folders around than XP. That's not to denigrate the value of the benchmarks, but keep in mind that the perception and reality might differ based on hardware and usage.

Support
When you try to use a file already in use, Windows 7 goes beyond Vista and XP by telling you not just that it's being used, but where it's being used so you can manage the situation faster. Other than that, Windows 7 offers on-board operating system support nearly identical to Windows Vista. Screen darkening, one-click action hand-holding, and a useful question mark icon on all Explorer windows maintain Vista's improved help features, when compared with Windows XP.

In sum
Windows 7 looks like the operating system that both Microsoft and its consumers have been waiting for. By fixing most of the perceived and real problems in Vista, Microsoft has laid the groundwork for the future of where Windows will go. Windows 7 presents a stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X, while reassuring the world that Microsoft can still turn out a strong, useful operating system.

What do you need to know about free software?