Vista Hardware Requirements


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Windows Vista Hardware

Which decisions to make now so that you're ready for Windows Vista

By Charlie Russel, Microsoft MVP for Windows Server, Security, and Tablet PC

So you?re getting ready to buy a new computer, and you want to make sure that the computer you buy now will work well with Windows Vista. Well, the good news is that just about any new computer you buy today will work fine with Windows Vista. Because of the way Windows Vista is designed, it will work well across a broad range of hardware. However, to get the best Windows Vista experience, there are some basic system requirements and suggestions you need to know about. In this column, I?ll take a look at how to make decisions now that will leave you in the best possible position when Windows Vista ships.

Processor (CPU)

As a general guideline, just about any mid-range and better processor shipping from Intel or AMD is a good fit for basic functionality in Windows Vista. The lower end of the current processor range will work, but those processors wont provide the optimal experience for most users and definitely wont provide the best experience for high-end gaming or video editing.

Both Intel and AMD are starting to ship dual-core processors at the upper end of their processor lines. These powerful processors will be excellent choices for Windows Vista.

Now is the time to decide whether youre ready to make the jump to a 64-bit processor. The current x64 processors from Intel and AMD will be excellent processors for Windows Vista, and I think well see a widespread move to 64-bit by the time Windows Vista ships. The x64-enabled processor lines include Intel Pentium 4 with EM64T, Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition with EM64T, and the AMD Athlon 64, AMD Athlon 64 FX, Mobile AMD Athlon 64, and AMD Turion 64. Because these x64 processors will run 32-bit or 64-bit Microsoft Windows equally well, and because these processors are at the upper end of the processor spectrum, they are an excellent choice in getting ready for Windows Vista, and they let you build a system thats ready to move into the 64-bit processing world whenever youre ready.

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Memory

To take better advantage of Windows Vista functionality, you should have at least 512 MB of RAM, on your PC. This provides enough memory for both the operating system and a typical application workload. And while 512 MB is great for many scenarios, more advanced users will want 1 GB of memory or more. If your typical workload is heavy, you do a lot of image editing or development, or you run multiple applications all the time, then more memory is good. In general, an investment in additional memory is wise, and you should certainly make sure that the computer you buy has room to add additional memory later.

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Graphics

One important thing to keep in mind as youre thinking about the graphics capability of your new system is that while Windows Vista will have a new and graphics-intensive look, it will also be able to automatically and gracefully degrade down to the current graphics look of Microsoft Windows XP.

The new graphics capabilities in Windows Vista will require support for Windows Vista Display Driver Model, if you want to take full advantage of all the new and cool stuff, such as the new AERO Glass look. While more information about specific video cards will come later, some general rules can prepare you for getting the most out of Windows Vista.

If you are building or buying PC today, you probably want to avoid the low end of the current GPU range and make sure you get a GPU that supports DirectX 9 and has at least 64 MB of graphics memory.

Whether you are building or buying a PC today, choose a design that includes a separate PCI Express or AGP graphics card. This way, even if the card you choose ends up not being an optimal choice, you can easily upgrade just the graphics card. And the choice of AGP or PCI Express will ensure that you have sufficient bandwidth to support the enhanced graphics of Windows Vista.

If you choose a system today that has integrated graphics, look at the specific chipsets that are targeted to support Windows Vista Display Driver Model, such as Intels 945G express chipset or ATIs RS400 or RS480 family chipsets. You may also want to consider dual channel UMA solutions and 1 GB of system memory.

When choosing a notebook today for use in Windows Vista, you may run into the trade-off between better graphics or thinner and lighter ultra portables. Exactly which chipsets for mobile PCs will end up fully supported is still open at this point. However, if you are purchasing a mobile PC today, and want to get AERO Glass experience, you will need a discrete card. When buying a notebook today, ask your PC vendor for more concrete information regarding graphics cards that would support Windows Vista Display Driver Model.

Whether you choose desktop or mobile configuration today, not all graphics cards will have in-box drivers in beta 1. Note that, to get the AERO Glass look with beta 1 of Windows Vista today, your system will need discrete cards. However, you should be able to get AERO Glass on systems with advanced integrated graphics choices with the later builds of Windows Vista.

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Storage

Windows Vista will enable some exciting new capabilities for digital image processing, and those capabilities will push the need for large amounts of storage ever higher. If youre buying a PC, specifying one with a large hard disk is a good idea, but even more important will be the ability to add one or more additional hard disks later if you find you need the extra storage capacity.

Because the hard disk is generally the slowest core element in your PC, you can often get useful gains in overall performance by carefully selecting technologies that improve basic hard disk performance. The typical Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) hard disk has a speed of 7200 RPM and a 2 MB cache. By selecting a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) drive with an 8 MB cache and Native Command Queuing (NCQ), you can give your system a boost in performance, especially if your typical workload involves running several different applications simultaneously.

A DVD drive that is capable of both reading and writing DVDs will be an important element of a Windows Vista PC. These drives have come down in price dramatically, and you should look for a drive that can handle both -RW and +RW formats (i.e., DVD?RW) to ensure maximum compatibility.

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Networking

Windows Vista will take full advantage of the connected world in which we operate, so you should make sure that the PC you buy has the latest networking capabilities built into it. For a laptop, this means built-in 802.11 wireless capability, and for the home PC, you should include at least 100 Mb of Ethernet capability. Adding wireless 802.11 capability to a home PC gives you greater flexibility in where you use that PC and makes it easy to connect your mobile laptop to your home network.

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