Windows Vista System Requirements

**Obscene Truth** · 01-07-2006

Microsoft provides more specific system requirements for Vista

Wolfgang Gruener

7 Jan 2006 06:14

In an email sent to vendors at the CES 2006, Microsoft for the first time outlined some system requirements for its upcoming operating system. These guidelines are a first indication of how much horsepower Windows Vista will require to be able to deliver on Microsoft's promises.

The email states that Vista asks for a system with a 3.0 GHz Intel or equivalent AMD processor and 1 GB of memory. We believe that especially ATI officials may have liked the recommendation to firms who are demonstrating Vista at their booths to use a "high end ATI GPU," namely a Radeon 9800, x600, x700, x800 or x850 device. According to Microsoft, ATI is preferred to Nvidia at this time due to superior driver support."

Other requirements included a SATA or 7200 rpm EIDE hard drive. For Vista on notebooks, Microsoft recommended the Acer Ferrari 3400, the Acer Ferrari 4000, the HP Pavillion zd8230, the IBM Thinkpad T43 and the Toshiba Tecra M4.

The email stated that "PCs that meet or exceed these specifications will provide the most responsive Windows Vista operating system demo experience."

Link

Well, I guess I'm glad the next computer I get is a Mac, this thing requires too much hardware, my 2 year old PC wouldn't even be able to run it

**law44uk** · 01-07-2006

im pritty sure that it will not use as much as that... as thats cutting off a huge amount of PCs.

**MavSkipper** · 01-08-2006

meh if thats the req. for vista then MS wont see a lot of people upgrading
i'll stick with my XP for at least 3-4 years more... and besides i still got my copy of winxp 64bit

**Aza** · 01-08-2006

Good, it'll run fine on my 3.2, 6800gt system.
Though I doubt i'll be getting a legit copy, probably be over $500.

**Smily0012** · 01-08-2006

My next computer is definitely going to be running a linux.

**MiNiMaL_sAnItY** · 01-08-2006

im running linux right now and itll be that way.

**soldier one** · 01-08-2006

well suprised i am when i noticed my computer is fine for now. bt i heard that it needs a gig of ram. now thats just to much. but everything else i have plenty of.

**Zero_** · 01-08-2006

I highly doubt those are the requirements. Microsoft is stupid, but not this stupid. And if it is true, back to Linux I go.

**pacman326** · 01-08-2006

I am looking for a distro as I am typing. I tried Madriva, but i noticed it was restricted. I couldn't get Ubuntu to work with my external usb HDD, so my next attempt will be Fedora Core.

**SessDMC** · 01-08-2006

According to Microsoft, ATI is preferred to Nvidia at this time due to superior driver support."

What aload of crud! My radeon 9550 gave me endless head aches and finally got rid of it! now i hav e a Geforce 6600 and been in gaming bliss ever since!

**law44uk** · 01-08-2006

Originally Posted by Playstation4life

According to Microsoft, ATI is preferred to Nvidia at this time due to superior driver support."

What aload of crud! My radeon 9550 gave me endless head aches and finally got rid of it! now i hav e a Geforce 6600 and been in gaming bliss ever since!

you know i have the 9550 no problems what so ever whit the drivers

. i remember you telling me it was your BIOS that was the probelem.

**Nikhil** · 01-08-2006

Doubt I'll have Vista until I go to college and get a new laptop; I've just got a brand new spankin fast Sony Vaio AX! Battery life is around 45 minutes though...

**Martinx** · 01-08-2006

Originally Posted by Aza

Good, it'll run fine on my 3.2, 6800gt system.
Though I doubt i'll be getting a legit copy, probably be over $500.

Word. I have the same system as you. I won't buy a copy either.

**SessDMC** · 01-08-2006

Originally Posted by law44uk

Originally Posted by Playstation4life

According to Microsoft, ATI is preferred to Nvidia at this time due to superior driver support."

What aload of crud! My radeon 9550 gave me endless head aches and finally got rid of it! now i hav e a Geforce 6600 and been in gaming bliss ever since!

you know i have the 9550 no problems what so ever whit the drivers

. i remember you telling me it was your BIOS that was the probelem.

No that was because it had graphics card check set to PCI not AGP, the drivers were a pain in the ass, as soon as i installed them my PC would either Reset, crash or catch fire! and play Kumbyar!

**Tobian** · 01-08-2006

If these are the actual system requirements for windows vista than I guess I and many other people will be out classed for a long time to come. I am not to worried about this as it would most likely be so expensive that I would not be able to afford it anyway.

They will probably put Windows vista on your Pc when you buy a new system in store. That would be the only logical explanation for those absurdly high system requirements.

**Blackeye** · 01-08-2006

I probably won't get Vista for a few years. I'm pretty satisfied with my Windows XP anyways.

And yeah, I also feel Microsoft is going to lose some customers with these specs needed to run Vista.

**2143658709** · 01-08-2006

Originally Posted by Nikhil Natarajan

Doubt I'll have Vista until I go to college and get a new laptop; I've just got a brand new spankin fast Sony Vaio AX! Battery life is around 45 minutes though...

college is the land of macs
just you wait and see

**Gandalf** · 01-09-2006

It's probably true, so you'd best get used to it. MS is putting a lot of garbage into the GUI and other random services, which will no doubt waste a lot of processing power. We shall yet see how well they optimise it all.

Don't forget about the possibility that they will require you to "update" Windows XP who-knows-how once Vista comes out.

**Smily0012** · 01-10-2006

Originally Posted by 2143658709

Originally Posted by Nikhil Natarajan

Doubt I'll have Vista until I go to college and get a new laptop; I've just got a brand new spankin fast Sony Vaio AX! Battery life is around 45 minutes though...

college is the land of macs
just you wait and see

I must say that is gaining lots of market but not nearly enough compared to Window base computers, the most used one around my school is still dell by like 40% and ibm a good share. Apple has something like 10%.

**tracemhunter** · 01-10-2006

ill stick with xp on my htpc (x64 3500+, 1gb, 6800gt). osx on my powerbook is my true love and gets most of my time.

**MiThRaZoR** · 01-10-2006

They'll probably keep selling XP computers. Or maybe someone will make a really easy to use Linux and they might use that.

**sappyswami** · 01-12-2006

I think those req's are if you want to use the new Vista GUI. If you went with classic windows xp style, it would take much less.

**Eddiesm213** · 01-12-2006

Originally Posted by sappyswami

I think those req's are if you want to use the new Vista GUI. If you went with classic windows xp style, it would take much less.

Yeah, Microsoft has said that these requirements are for Vista ready PC's not Vista capable PC's.

The real system requirements have been hinted to be:

- Mid-range CPU (1.8Ghz or so)
- 512Mb Ram
- 64Mb Video card (for Aero, onboards will give you a version of the Windows Xp theme)
- DVD drive

We probably won't find out official minimum requirements until this summer though.

**sappyswami** · 01-13-2006

Good thing I'm getting a new video card, I my Geforce2 wouldn't be able to pull off a new operating system! Now that's sad.

**RajaF** · 01-13-2006

Originally Posted by pacman326

I am looking for a distro as I am typing. I tried Madriva, but i noticed it was restricted. I couldn't get Ubuntu to work with my external usb HDD, so my next attempt will be Fedora Core.

I'm curious how was Mandriva restricted? I'm using the Mandriva 2006 right now and it is the best OS i've ever used. Looks clean and sleek, does not need a freaking super computer for the GUI and well, it's linux

Long live the Penguin!