Vista and Desktops

Max out on RAM for Vista

Windows Vista has become the standard operating system since its January 30 release. Since thousands of consumers waited for Vista to come out before buying a new computer (and perhaps waited a little longer for Microsoft and other hardware and software companies to resolve early issues), we focused this report on computers that were reviewed with Vista. Unless you buy a preboxed machine in a store, most manufacturers are currently offering a choice of various versions of Vista or XP with most new computers.

All new operating systems are buggy, and Windows Vista certainly isn't an exception. Some software and peripherals won't work under a new operating system, especially older products. That can make sticking with XP tempting. However, that choice can be shortsighted, as you're likely to need Vista to run future software and peripherals. Remember that Microsoft updates Vista regularly, and bug fixes and other updates are free with your license. Microsoft will officially discontinue the OEM version of XP next January. If you are certain you want XP, your window of opportunity to buy a computer bundled with it might be short. We also found reviews of specific gaming desktop computers that say they run faster with XP than with Vista. That's usually due to short-term issues, such as a lack of Vista drivers for some components.

Vista is more demanding on a system's resources. The desktop computers featured in this report won't have any trouble meeting the system requirements easily, with the possible exception of RAM. Microsoft says the entry-level version of Vista, called Vista Home Basic, needs 512MB to run, but nearly every expert says that 1GB of RAM is really necessary for a good Vista experience. All other versions of Vista require 1GB of RAM, according to Microsoft, but again, experts say you are much better off with at least 2GB.

If you want more information about Vista, check the Microsoft website (see the link in Best Research), and you can find hundreds of reviews of Vista on the Internet. We'll also help you sort through the different versions of Windows Vista in the Important Features section below.