Windows 7: Which email program, new install

Looking for a new email program for Win 7 home premium. I think I want program installed on new install rather than a web based version(I'm not sure about Outlook.com). Any recommendations? Would be nice to work with 32 & 64 bit but not necessary.
Maybe Thunderbird?
Install windows mail from Vista that I have running?
Anything better(For free)
Thanks

When I was running on free I used Thunderbird at home and Windows Mail on my laptop. Then I went to Outlook(desktop application not outlook.com), it synchronizes with my phone email, calendar and task, I never went back after that.

Most people don't get a mail client application do you really need one?

Windows Essential Mail 2012 (WEmail) is my choice, Thunderbird would be next.

WEMail takes some getting used to, there are tricks and tips

I use a few ISPs for eMail:
AOL, Gmail, and Outlook.com provide free POP2 and IMAP
- Yahoo charges 19.99 / year (other services included: disposable addresses.....)

You can test many eMail clients with the same server or different servers as long as you leave the msgs on the server and don't delete them when you delete the msgs in the client.

I strongly recommend that if you use WEmail that you manually configure all accounts when you're setting them up. Automatic configuration defaults to IMAP, not POP3.
Regardless of protocol, there seems to be other factors that might confuse WEMail if it's a non-standard configuration, even if you edit the account later and manually configure corrections.

sooo, manually configure new accounts in WEMail from the start based on the ISPs requirements

I'm not really sure what I need. Would like something user friendly. Being able to email same pic's to a few different people at differrent times would be nice. New thunderbird may be able to do this? I do have slow dialup internet service in my rural area. No smart phone or tablet currently, but that could change.

I'll have to look into Outllook & WEMail.
Thanks for replies

Thunderbird was really good for me when I wanted to share pictures, and multiple pictures to many friends.
All I did was drag and drop it was nice
Windows mail client is free and so is thunderbird why don't you try both. If you have trouble setting it up please come back and post your questions and we can try and assist you.

Applications are like fashion - everyone has different tastes.
WEmail and Thunderbird are free - you'll have to purchase Outlook

Every applcation requires some learning, most people complain becasue a new application isn't exactly like their old application

Most clients since POP3 was invented allow attachments, WEmail has two modes for images (gallery & single). Gallery requires Outlook.com (I think) and single is a misnomer - you can attach multiple pictures using single (I think they just named it wrong)

A eMail client will definitely help with a slow dialup. You can attach your photos and send them in one shot. Trying to upload the photos to a web based eMail is tedious and if a transmission error occurs, you have to start over.

Install one or the other and ask if you need help. Then install the other, with both installed.
I suggest that automatic sending and receiveng be turned of while you test. All you have to do is click a button to start it - that's the way I run eMail normally.
I wouldn't do more than two clients at a time - it really gets confusing

just thought of this

If you setup an Outlook.com account, you'll get 7 GB of Skydrive storage. You could upload pics there and just eMail people the link - that would cut down on the transmission time. well it would offset it anyway, you'd still have to upload the pics (only a one time transmit) .. but eMailing different people at differnt times - you could just say Go to my skydrive

Thunderbird is very nice it set up my own my own website email account without any tinkering, also a live and gmail account with no fuss at all. I like the look of it version 17 I'm on now it reminds me a bit of Chrome browser.

I got thunderbird downloaded & installed. Not really sure I like it yet. Also was able to get windows mail to open up. I'm more comfortable with this as this(WM) is what I have been using in vista. Hope to try WLE mail when I get it downloaded. Too many projects going on at once. Thanks for the reply's.

Thanks for the heads up, like I mentioned earlier if you run into any problems let us know.