Classic Start 8 is a straightforward piece of software that activates the Windows 7 Start menu in Windows 8. It offers support for Windows 8.1 as well.

This program comes in handy to all users who are dissatisfied with the new Start Screen that Microsoft has provided in their latest operating systems.

Installing the small program takes little time and does not need special attention from the user. Once it is done, Classic Start 8 creates a Start menu button (next to the Start button in Windows 8.1 it, as it does not replace it).

A system reboot is not necessary to apply the new changes. The Windows key is automatically assigned to the Start menu, but you can disable this options from the button's context menu, in order to reassign it to the Start screen.

The menu looks just like the one in Windows 7, with nothing more and nothing less. You can access programs and folders, use a search function, activate a power management option, and so on.

Classic Start 8 runs on a very low amount of CPU and RAM, so it does not affect the overall performance of the computer. It has a good response time and works smoothly, without causing the OS to hang, crash or pop up error dialogs. We have not come across any issues in our tests.

All in all, Classic Start 8 offers a simple and effective solution when it comes to using the classic Start menu in Windows 8 and 8.1, and it should please all types of users.