Many of the players reading this article are already using PokerStars 7 in Beta mode since its rollout in August. In fact, if PokerStars 7 were a standalone client, it would be the second largest online poker room in the world with 120,000 players; only the current version of the software, PokerStars 6, would be bigger.

The next time you log into PokerStars, you should see a message that says, “Automatic Software Upgrade – PokerStars 7 is now out of its Beta stage and all players will automatically be upgraded to this software within the next few days.”

PokerStars also takes into account that not every one of its players appreciates new changes, with another message reading, “Reverting to the existing version (PokerStars 6) will still be possible by selecting ‘Reverting to PokerStars 6’ from the ‘Settings’ menu, but you will miss out on many new features not available in PokerStars 6.”

PokerStars 7 boasts a new look and feel, while still maintaining all of the features poker players have grown to love. Here is a look at some of the new features in PokerStars 7:

Favorites (pictured) – The “Favorites” feature is something you have most likely seen before if you play on other sites. “Favorites” allows you to tag any tournament, sit and go, or cash game, allowing players to see it in a separate tab, making it easier to enter the games you typically play. This feature may prove more useful for cash game and sit and go players than tournament players, but casual and professional players alike should make good use of customizing PokerStars to their needs.

Apps– PokerStars 7 moved all of the non-poker playing functions that used to exist in the “Options” and “Requests” menus to a separate area on the right-hand side of the client called “Apps.”

Live Events – The new software contains a special menu for “Live Events” displaying where all of the live events are. The coolest part of this new feature is a map showing you visually where the events will take place, including live events PokerStars has satellites for.

Chip Graph – The “Chip Graph” function might be the best part of the new software for tournament players. The graph displays any player’s progress, including yourself, in relation to the average stack and the chip leader’s stack at any particular time during a tournament.

Lee Jones (pictured), PokerStars’ Head of Poker Communications, said, “I am delighted to see PS7 coming out of its beta phase and becoming the default software for all players on our .COM and .EU sites. I have been using PS7 since it first peeked out of the development shop and it’s a joy to use.”

He added, “Like all good software, this product has been through the wringer before we’ve made it the default for our customers. Right now, 10-15% of the people playing on the .COM site are using PS7… That means that all the unusual configurations and settings have been tested – when you fire up PS7, you’ll be running on a solid, well-tested piece of software. And I think you’re going to love it.”

Visit PokerStars for details. Let us know what you think of the new PokerStars 7 and if it lives up to the hype.

Want the latest poker headlines and interviews? Follow PocketFives on Twitterand Like PocketFives on Facebook. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed.