Gartner has rolled out some recommendations for Windows XP users

Apr 3, 2014 17:46 GMT  ·  By

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you probably don’t know that Windows XP support is coming on April 8, so those still running this OS version have only a few days left on upgrade.

Statistics show that 28 percent of desktop computers worldwide are still running it, so analysts at Gartner are now urging everyone on Windows XP to “get rid of it ASAP.”

Michael Silver, vice president and analyst at Gartner, says that while Windows 7 seems to be the most logical choice for the majority of users, Windows 8 is actually the better option because it will benefit from longer support and already comes with enhanced security and new technologies.

“A migration to Windows 7 will likely be faster, but one to Windows 8 will have more longevity – Windows 7 support ends in January 2020, less than 6 years away, and organizations that are so late on Windows XP should not get into the same situation with end of Windows 7 support,” he said.

Indeed, many decide to move to Windows 7, but not necessarily because it’s faster. Many are still considering Windows 8 an unfamiliar working environment that removed some traditional elements, such as the Start menu, so switching to Windows 7 isn’t just their only option, but also a necessity.