Buying A New PC This Holiday Season? Get To Know These Terms

On Sunday I was going through the morning ritual of reading the paper, and glancing over some of the computer ads. I noticed with interest these two terms being used over and over, “Windows Vista Capable” or “Windows Vista Premium Ready .” I also noticed with interest that none of the advertisements explained what these terms actually meant, though some of the ads did mention contacting the store for further details.

So who would know exactly what these terms mean? Microsoft would. So I headed over to its Vista site for a look-see. This is what it has to say:

“A Windows Vista Capable PC includes at least:

• A modern processor (at least 800MHz).
• 512 MB of system memory.
• A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable.

A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC includes at least:

• 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor.
• 1 GB of system memory.
• Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM driver, 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum)², Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel.
• 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.
• DVD-ROM Drive.
• Audio output capability.
• Internet access capability.

The big difference is that a Windows Vista Capable PC MAY not support the Aero features which are included in the Premium version of Vista. In my personal experience, without Aero, Vista would lose some of its luster. So if you are shopping for a new PC, may I recommend looking for a system that is Windows Vista Premium Ready. I think in the long run you will be glad you did.

One last thing. Also check to see if your new PC qualifies for a Free Express Upgrade. Many manufacturers are offering this freebie. Once Vista is released you will get a free copy if you qualify.

Another option. Wait until after January 30th, 2007 and get a new PC with Vista already installed.

[tags]Vista Capable, Vista Premium, Windows, manufacturer, express upgrade, qualify[/tags]