Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro has been easier to use on my desktop computer compared to Windows 8 Pro. I have been using Windows 8.1 for a few months, and the start button helps with switching between the Start Screen which is the Startmenu in Windows 8.1 Pro.
One of my favorite part of the Startbutton is I can now use my mouse to right click the start button to show a right click menu which has shortcuts to shutdown, restart, and sleep my computer along with other shortcuts to control panel, Windows Explorer, Search, and many other useful software for using Windows.
In the Taskbar settings under the Navigation tab, you can now set Windows to launch Windows 8.1 Pro into the classic desktop instead of the full screen start screen. This feature is useful if you added shortcuts of your most used programs to your taskbar, or desktop, so you can quickly double click on them to launch desktop programs like MS Word, Google Chrome, and Windows Explorer from the classic desktop instead of the Startscreen.
Windows 8.1 Windows for programs run in the desktop also seem to use slightly less space compared to Windows Vista and 7 Windows which use more space for the title bar, and top menus. There are also tweaks like WinAero’s Tiny Windows Borders program for Windows 8.1 where you can decrease the borders width and height, so Windows use even less space on the classic desktops.
If you find that you really do need the Startmenu, and the new and improve Startscreen is still hard to use, using a free startbutton and startmenu replacement program like Classic Shell for Windows would bring back the Windows Startbutton and Startmenu from Windows 7 or XP, and also log you into the classic desktop when you login to Wind0ows 8.1. Classic Shell can also be used to disable Windows 8 hot corners, so the Charms, and other on screen buttons don’t show up when you hover your mouse on the corners of your monitor.
There is also an All Apps button on the bottom right of the Start Screen to see all the Apps, and programs installed in Windows 8.1. In the All Apps section in Windows 8.1, there is now a search engine, and search box where you can search for programs by name instead of looking for the program in All Apps.
All my software I use like GOM Player, Firefox, and Google Chrome, and hardware like printer, montor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and other hardware which I used in Windows 7 and 8 Pro works in 8.1 Pro. It also only takes under a minute to turn on my computer to log into Windows 8.1 Pro like Windows 8. Windows 8.1 Pro also runs quickly even on my older computer with a Intel Dual Core 1.8 GHz CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 320 GB hard drive, and a Nvidia GT 620 video card. It rarely slows down when I use Windows 8.1 Pro on my older computer. I can also even play a 3D games like Riptide GP, Asphalt 7 Racing, and Wreckless Racing from the Windows 8.1 App Store.
My favorite thing about Windows 8.1 Pro is the smoothness of Windows 8.1 Pro even on older computers with 1GB of RAM, a slower CPU, and video card compared to Windows Vista and 7 which sometimes needs 2GB or more RAM, a faster CPU, and video card to run the desktop animation and visual effects which can slow down Windows for Windows Vista and 7 to run smoothly without slow performance problems. I can use Windows 8.1 for many hours without experience any or much slowdown caused by Windows slowing down, so I don’t need to restart Windows as often to make my computer faster like previous versions of Windows.