You could always 'try before you buy'
Evaluation ISO disc installation image can be downloaded from:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/jj554510.aspx
The ISO you could install within your existing windows system as a virtual Windows 8 system, assuming you have decent memory, Hard Disk space and processor speed. I usually try this within an Oracle VirtualBox virtual package which is free to download from:
http://www.oracle.com/us/technologies/virtualization/virtualbox/overview/index.html
If you have not used a virtualbox environment before its as simple as:
Install VirtualBox, run virtualbox, select new to create new operating system, select operating system as Windows 8, set the size of virtual disk, memory etc. then associate the downloaded Windows 8 eval ISO to the virtual DVD drive within the new virtualbox win 8 system and then start up the new Windows 8 environment to invoke the downloaded ISO Win 8 installation.
As the installation is virtual and basically only gets written a local file, all your current system / files will remain untouched and continue to function normal.