Anytime you may be preparing to upgrade your computers Windows operating system or planning a new hardware purchase it is always a good thing to know the hardware and software are compatible.
Now Microsoft does have a hardware and software logo program which allows manufacturers and developers to certify their work and you can look for that logo on product boxes. What if your gear has been around for a few years though – how can you check on it?
That is where the Microsoft Compatibility Center comes in – along with the help of the masses of Windows users.
The site is laid out very cleanly and the main page lists the most popular devices and software that are listed.
You can check compatibility for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows RT. None of the earlier systems are available.
The listings are broken down into two major categories – Apps and Devices – and they are subsequently listed with several sub-categories.
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Device summary listing:
App (aka software) summary listing:
By clicking on any entry in the above listings you get a product detail page that has tabs to show you the compatible systems. Each tab has links to additional driver/software downloads and also provides the crowd sourcing part of the website by showing you how many other users of that version of the operating system found the item compatible. There are also links to discussions in the Community Forums about the device for additional information from those users.
App detail listing showing community discussions below:
Hardware detail listing:
This site has a huge amount of information on it and can be a great tool as you look at your own options for upgrading around your house or even in your business.
