Why is Windows 8 slower than Windows XP?

[Bizmark13]

I have three laptops; two with Windows XP and one with Windows 8. These are the specs for each:

1.4GHz Pentium M
1 GB RAM (upgraded from 128MB)
40 GB HDD
Intel Integrated graphics
Approx date: 2004

1.6 GHz Core Duo (dual core)
1 GB RAM (upgraded from 512 MB)
80 GB HDD (upgraded from 60 GB)
Intel integrated graphics
Approx date: 2006

1.1 GHz Intel Celeron 847 (dual core)
2GB RAM
320 GB HDD
Intel integrated graphics
Approx date: 2012-2013

Basic things such as emptying the recycle bin, opening tabs in IE, navigating windows, accessing the control panel, selecting text to be copied and pasted, closing prompts, viewing file/folder properties, opening device manager, accessing the task manager, etc. are much slower on the new laptop compared with the other two laptops which do everything virtually instantly. The Windows 8 laptop is brand new and has absolutely nothing installed compared to the other two which are cluttered with junk.

Does anyone know why this is? I've also used a netbook running Windows 7 and it was also slower than the XP laptops I had.

And yet, I see that others on the Internet have reported that their PCs run FASTER with Windows 7 and 8 which seems completely opposite to my experience.

EDIT: Also, it seems that the more I use the Windows 8 laptop, the faster it gets?! Hmm...

[Omikifuse]

because windows 8 is brand new system, so it is more resource-consumer than 15 yo SOs maybe?

[BitcoinStuff]

You need a more powerful computer

[pozmu]

1.1 GHz Intel Celeron 847 is Ultra Low Voltage processor, it's not made to be fast, it's even clocked lower than your older CPUs which are full-blown mobile CPUs.

[FanEagle]

In that case I would just turn my side and Install the latest distro of Linux.

[Lethn]

You need a more powerful computer

That doesn't make any sense, software, particularly stuff that's essential like Windows shouldn't be consuming more resources, it should be the opposite and more efficient, sounds to me like it's Windows Vista all over again, I'd stick with Windows 7 if you're going to upgrade. It's different if you're dealing with an extremely high detail game, but for instance if I were to buy a new game now that had the same number of polygons and particles in the game as a game from the 90's and for some reason I was required to have a quad core PC I would think there is something seriously wrong with the software.

You were right to test other software, as I said, if it works on Windows 7 smoothly try that instead or just stick with Windows XP.

[medUSA]

I the exact same question a year ago when I wanted to buy a new laptop. My techie friend told me Windows XP runs faster on older hardware with low memory because it is a simpler system. Windows 7 will run faster than Windows XP only if computer has lots more memory (8G and above) and runs 64bit Windows.

I believe you need to upgrade your Windows 8 laptop with more memory

[catlinhappy]

For me W8 ain't working lower than XP.