| Microsoft has designated 2 levels of | | | | and Windows XP are the system memory and |
| compatibility for the Windows Vista release. | | | | video requirements. Windows XP will run well |
| These 2 levels refer to hardware that will | | | | with 128 MB video card and 1 GB of system |
| support Windows Vista to varying degrees. | | | | RAM. Ironically that should be considered the |
| These levels are designated Windows Vista | | | | minimum to install Windows Vista. |
| Capable and Windows Vista Premium. | | | | |
| | | | Windows Vista is much more graphic intensive |
| Windows Vista Capable PC | | | | than Windows XP and creates a richer media |
| | | | experience. Of course these requirements |
| Windows Vista capable, means that your | | | | increase the cost of hardware needed to run |
| present hardware meets the absolute minimum | | | | Windows Vista. For those who have been |
| requirements install and run Windows Vista. | | | | dragging there feet on the video and RAM |
| | | | front have the media creators and PC gamers |
| - A modern processor (at least 800MHz). | | | | to blame for the extra cost. |
| | | | |
| - 512 MB of system memory. | | | | If you have read some of my other computer |
| | | | articles or guides you will already know that |
| - A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 | | | | I never recommend using advertised minimum |
| capable, with a minimum of 64mb of RAM. | | | | hardware requirements. When you read the |
| | | | words "minimum requirements", the bare |
| Windows Vista Premium Ready PC | | | | minimum is what you get. Any time you upgrade |
| | | | a PC to the minimum recommended requirements |
| A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC, means your | | | | the results will always be a disappointing. |
| hardware meets the minimum requirements to | | | | |
| use most additional features of Windows Vista | | | | With that in mind, my recommendations for |
| that enhances the user experience. In other | | | | installing Windows Vista are the following. |
| words, the higher minimum requirements will | | | | |
| improve the system performance and enhance | | | | - 2 GHz +, 64 bit or Duel Core processor |
| advanced media such as Windows Aero. These | | | | (Intel Duo Core or AMD X2 for Gaming) |
| are the recommended minimum requirements. | | | | |
| | | | - 2 GB +, of matching system RAM |
| - 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) | | | | |
| processor). | | | | - 256 MB +, ATI or nVidia graphics card (not |
| | | | integrated on board) |
| - 1 GB of system memory. | | | | |
| | | | - 40 GB +, Hard Disk (15 GB free space |
| - Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM | | | | required for Vista install) |
| driver, 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum), | | | | |
| Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel. | | | | - CD-DVD ROM |
| | | | |
| - 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB | | | | - Other required hardware should be obvious. |
| free space. | | | | |
| | | | Take note that video integrated on to the |
| - DVD-ROM Drive. | | | | motherboard is NOT recommended. Integrated |
| | | | video uses system RAM which robs your system |
| - Audio output capability. | | | | of resources and increases your memory |
| | | | requirements. Also there are add-on video |
| - Internet access capability. | | | | cards that use system RAM and have very |
| | | | little memory of there own. When buying an |
| Summary | | | | add-on video card read the memory |
| | | | specifications very carefully. |
| The biggest difference between Windows Vista | | | | |