Windows 8 could have "significant benefits" for music software users

News
By
published

New OS seems promising

Cakewalk seems confident that Sonar X1 users will benefit from upgrading to Windows 8.
Cakewalk seems confident that Sonar X1 users will benefit from upgrading to Windows 8.

Windows 8 is going to be a big deal for Microsoft, so it follows that people who make music on a PC are going to be very keen to find out how well it plays ball with their DAW and plug-ins.

If you're looking for insight on the subject, you'd do well to check out the latest blog by Cakewalk's Noel Borthwick, who's been comparing performance of the company's Sonar X1 DAW running under Windows 7 and Windows 8.

His conclusions are encouraging: "The tests show that despite the controversial changes to Windows, there are some significant benefits even for standard Windows desktop apps running Windows 8," says Borthwick.

However, the news regarding Metro, the Windows 8 mode that's designed to support the new application framework known as WinRT, is less positive, with Borthwick noting that "the jury is out on whether it will be a suitable platform for high performance music production applications".

For all the details, hop over to the Cakewalk blog.

Ben Rogerson
Ben Rogerson
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.