If, like me, you prefer to keep your software up to date, then upgrading to Windows 8.1 seems like the next logical step, as everything moving forward will become exclusively compatible with Windows 8.1 and eventually Windows 10. If you've already invested in the Windows ecosystem – through Windows Phone, for example – then Windows 8.1 will make a lot of sense, both aesthetically and functionally, as the two sync well and the user experience is almost identical, bar desktop apps.
Windows 8.1 does come with some app advantages, however. If you're willing to put up with the awkward transition from the tile interface to the desktop one, then you are opening yourself up to a lot more apps. Microsoft is encouraging developers to create apps that work in full-screen in a similar fashion to how apps work on a Surface or iPad, meaning that tablet-style apps are possible on your desktop. This has obvious advantages, with casual games becoming a reality just as they are on tablets.