Fancy the idea of using the Windows 8 UI but don’t feel like going as far as installing the consumer preview version of the OS? Look no further than a transformation pack to give your operating system a makeover and a completely new look. If you’re working with Windows 7 you can use Windows 8 UX Pack 4.0, while Windows 8 Transformation Pack 4.0 can be used in everything from Windows XP and up. Both apps bring the look and feel of Windows 8 to your desktop with no need for complex tweaking.

The two skinning app’s  version numbers have been brought in line with each other, and there are a number of changes to investigate. Windows 8 UX Pack 4.0 now better mimics the look of Windows 8 thanks to the switch to using the Segoe UI font and inclusion of all of the desktop wallpapers from the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. There are the usual big fixes that you would expect to find in a new software version, and there are also changes to the Start button and UI to bring the program more in line with Windows 8.

Get the look of Windows 8 with a free transformation pack

Windows 8 Transformation Pack 4.0 has undergone more of an overhaul, including the addition of the same Segoe font. Anyone who has trouble working with the new interface now has an alternative in the form of the Charms Bar which enables you to try out another of the features of Windows 8. Problems with colorization in Windows 7 and Vista have been addressed, and there are new logon screens, system tray icons, Start buttons and more.

If you’ve not experimented with transformation packs in the past, these tools offer a great introduction. UX Pack works, incredibly, without modifying and system files, but Windows 8 Transformation Pack has been tweaked and primped to be safer and more reliable than ever. You may have been put off by flaky skinning tools of old, but these are two tools that not only give your computer a completely new look, but manage to do so in a simple and impressive way.

You can find out more by visiting the review pages for Windows 8 Transformation Pack 4.0 and Windows 8 UX Pack 4.0.