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