Upgrading ThinkPad to Windows 8? Pros/Cons? Feature Loss?

So, as many computers do, my Windows 7 W530 is starting to get really cluttered with old, unused files. Call it poor system management, or whatever, but point being it should get a clean install soon. What I'm wondering is if I should do a fresh install of Windows 7, or try a Windows 8 install. My main concerns are about the Lenovo software, specifically the Lenovo Power Manager and the Lenovo System Update utility. I'm wondering if these two pieces of software have been updated for Windows 8, and more specifically, that there is no feature loss.

I'm also wondering if anybody has had any problems running Windows 8 on their ThinkPad W530. Not that I would think there would be, but if problems have arose driver-wise, or BIOS-wise, etc.

I was initially going to get an SSD before school starts back up, but I need to save my money for rent, food, and tuition, so I don't see an SSD in my near future. Any advice with Windows 7 vs Windows 8 is appreciated.

 

I think and I have limited experience with it, but the ThinkVantage software is very different in Windows 8 versus 7. There were some Windows 8 teething pains when it was released with regards to Lenovo drivers and utilities. I haven't seen much of late, but I don't know if that means it's fixed, people stopped complaining or something else. You can always try it if you want to and go back if you don't like it. It might be interesting to see what Windows 8.1 brings to the table.

 

The Lenovo Power Manager is and will not be updated for Windows 8:

ThinkPad software for Windows 8 - Lenovo Community

The Lenovo System Update utility is working fine on Windows 8.

 

I have a new T530 that shipped today with Windows 7. I wanted a new notebook with Win7 before it was no longer an option which is coming up in a month or two. I have used Win8 on my home desktop but I am not happy with the Metro interface and use Stardock's $5.00 program for the Start button and to boot to desktop. Win8 makes more sense for touch screen machines and I am looking into one for my desktop. In regards to notebooks, I am staying with Win7 Pro. I will admit that 8.1 release coming in October(?) looks promising and Tom's Hardware now has some screenshots that show that it will make life a little better for non-touch screen machines, but I'm staying with Win 7 as it does everything I want and is stable. 8.1 will be coming with IE11 and for those here that use IE, MS will be releasing IE11 for Win7 at a later date. That is how close Win7 & 8 are in coding I guess which must be a good thing. Anybody know of any programs that will run on Win8 but not Win7? Besides the store apps of course

 

Any machine purchased with Windows 8 Professional will include downgrade rights to Windows 7 Professional or Vista Business if that floats your boat.

 

That's why i'm posting this. I know there was some stuff to worry about when 8 first came out, but wasn't sure what has changed since then.

That post is from October 2012. I'd assume things have changed since then...?
Also, I'll be doing a fresh install of a Windows 8 Pro disc, formatting my current boot drive to do it, so I would assume I'll be able to access the Lenovo Windows Store apps, but I'm not sure what those apps are, or what they do. All I want is the option to change how and when the battery charges(i.e. don't start charging until 35%, don't stop until 95%), a feature found in the Lenovo Power Manager for Windows 7. Maybe 8 has this built in, but its my favourite feature of the Lenovo apps

 

Nope.

There's no Power Manager for W8.

Some folks have managed to install and tweak PM for W7 with varying degrees of success. Personally, I wouldn't bother with W8 whatsoever on a W530 but it's your machine/call.

Good luck.

 

Sorry but nothing has changed since then.
For Lenovo laptops that do not have the Windows 8 key installed in the Bios there is only one Lenovo app available and that does not have a lot of settings.
Battery treshold settings are not available on windows 8.
Lenovo Settings app for Windows in the Windows Store

 

Alright then. Well, I guess I'll avoid Windows 8. Thanks guys.