StartW8

StartW8 adds a Start menu and several customization features to your Windows 8 PC. To top it all off, the app can suppress the native Start screen and Charms bar in favor of a more traditional experience.

PROS

Intuitive: StartW8 is in every respect the Start menu you’ve grown accustomed to over the years, occupying the exact same position and responding to presses of the Windows key on your keyboard. Once activated, the app shows a menu identical in layout and functionality to the one present in Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

Power user menu: Taking the best of both worlds, the software not only gives you the familiar Start menu layout, but it also provides you with the power user menu introduced with Windows 8. Just like its native counterpart, it is invoked by right-clicking the Start button.

Highly customizable: StartW8 comes with a sizable array of customizations, which include the ability to change the Start menu tint color and transparency level, as well as the option to pick and choose the items that you’d like to appear on the right side of the Start menu. All of these features, as well as a few others like choosing a power button action, are available in the app’s settings.

CONS

Cannot display locations as menus: Locations like My Computer, My Documents, and Control Panel can only be displayed as links, meaning you can only view their contents by clicking on them.

BOTTOM LINE

Even though a Start screen might make sense on tablets and other large-screen touch devices, it is not as practical on a PC with a mouse and keyboard. StartW8 rectifies this issue by providing you with a familiar and customizable Start menu while staying true to the visual style of Windows 8.