PDF Preview for Windows 8

The operating system you use on a daily basis to perform routines is constantly enhanced to provide more comfort and practicability. Amongst others, Windows comes equipped with a preview pane for some of the most commonly used file types. Not all are supported though, but PDF Preview for Windows 8 makes it possible to get a glimpse of PDF documents from the explorer, without opening the file.

A useful, lightweight addition to Windows

You might question the applications overall practicability, but it can save some time if you have to handle PDF documents regularly. What's more, Windows lets you adjust the preview pane in order to make the provided image as clear as possible.
Although there are no functions to view the whole document, zoom or simply pan the image, most documents can be recognized by content of the first page.

Also provides a viewer app

The installer package does not only make the preview function available, but also deploys PDF Viewer for Windows 8, which does exactly what the name suggests. The application runs on your desktop, with no metro interface.
In case you're already using a different PDF viewer, you are asked whether or not to change your default one, so nothing is forcefully modified or deployed on your computer. It might not be the best of its kind, but it's easy to use, provides basic navigation and viewing options, the possibility to print, as well as a function to export any document to several popular image file formats.

Preview generated in every window

Coming back to the preview pane, this is enabled in all instances of Windows explorer, including the open file dialog. The preview is generated in a jiffy, at a decent quality. What's more, if you're using large icons as display method, they too are previews of the document content.

In conclusion

Taking everything into consideration, we can say that PDF Preview for Windows 8 is a handy addition you need to consider deploying on your system. What's more, you also get a PDF viewer in case you don't already use one. Overall system functionality is not affected, resources used are not something to worry about, thus you are given something for nothing.