Statistics show that 300 million computers are still on Windows XP

Apr 9, 2014 11:56 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft yesterday decided to pull the plug on Windows XP, but the operating system launched in 2001 is still powering around 28 percent of computers worldwide.

According to Statista, nearly 300 million computers across the globe are still running Windows XP right now, and nearly 3 in 10 computers are said to be sticking to the ancient OS version despite end of support.

Even though Windows XP will no longer receive updates and security patches, the majority of users still refuse to upgrade, citing the high costs of the process as the main reason.

Switching to Windows 8.1 involves not only the license fee, but also the necessary hardware upgrades, as an old computer cannot cope with the system requirements of the new Windows 8.1. Many, however, decide to move to Windows 7, which is said to be much friendlier with old hardware configurations, but it also provides a familiar user interface with a Start menu and the Aero effects.

Microsoft has already tweaked Windows 8.1 Update to lower system requirements to 1GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage space but, at the same time, it’s also trying to bring more affordable devices to the market, including tablets that will be released with prices below $250 (€180).