Last week, in honour of the Windows 7 launch, we covered Microsoft's biggest successes in the computing field. This week, in the interest of balance, we're looking to the company's dark side..

From budget laptops to ultra-tiny netbooks, ultraportables and high performance, we explain the tricks to finding out the ultimate laptop at the right price.

Microsoft has never been known to make mistakes in the past, but never was it more apparent than with Vista - and no matter the promises and the hype, Vista never truly delivered.

Vista felt sluggish, bloated and slovenly, but has Microsoft made Windows 7 any faster for those who crave the ultimate performance from their PC? Here are the benchmark results.

Microsoft has admitted that Windows Vista is shipping with a bug that was first discovered in Windows machines in 1999.

As Vista and Windows 7 share the same core code, Microsoft has decided to merely nudge up the version number (Windows Vista was 6) so that applications are tricked into thinking it's Vista they're dealing with

The formal release of Windows 7 is still months away, but the new operating system is already being given the thumbs-up by industry analysts..

People are still willing to queue up in the middle of the night to buy the first few copies of Windows 7

The much-criticised Vista operating system losing market share even before Windows 7 arrives.

In the September issue of PC Authority, we gave you the inside scoop on how the Windows 7 Release Candidate stood up to our tests. Here's a recap of our gaming benchmark results

Systems experts with stop watches have poured cold water on Microsoft's claims that its Windows 7 operating system boots up faster than Vista..

Impressive and free antivirus and antispyware package

Impressive and free antivirus and antispyware package

Impressive and free antivirus and antispyware package

Gone is some of the bluster as Microsoft makes a surprisingly down-to-earth Australian launch presentation for Windows 7 today

Keen to forget the PR nightmare that was Vista, Microsoft may have committed yet another blunder: Windows XP users will not be able to upgrade to Windows 7 without a totally clean install.

PC gamers are among those most likely to benefit from any improvement in raw performance, so does Windows 7 bring any glad tidings for 3D action aficionados?

Touch is the key buzzword for Windows 7, but what does the new OS offer on the entertainment front?

BitLocker first reared its head in Windows Vista, but the scope of the encryption software has been extended in Windows 7. Since Vista's launch, lost or stolen USB drives have become an enormous security liability.

Windows 7 is out in less than four months, and now we finally now how much it will cost you, and what you need to know about Microsoft's Windows 7 upgrade promotion