After the disappointment - perceived or otherwise - of Windows Vista, many are pinning their hopes on a revival with Windows 7. And from our first impressions of the pre-beta code, that's exactly what they can expect.

Still not sure whether it's worth upgrading to Vista? We put XP and Vista through the ultimate face-off.

Stack your system full of software without paying a penny, with our guide to essential downloads

A quantum leap in usability over the previous version, although malware protection could still be better

A fierce protector when it comes to web threats, but merely middling elsewhere

A new interface and extra web-protection capabilities make AVG our top free antivirus choice

A new behavioural analysis module only adds to AVG’s capabilities, although it isn’t the most elegant marriage

How much capacity and how many drives do you need? We look at a selection of storage options

Our full guide to saving cash-saving secrets is here, from how to get discounts on PCs, to SIM only phone contracts, the best DSLR cameras deals, and discount licensing from Adobe, Microsoft and others.