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Vista
Windows Vista Capable PC Hardware
Requirements
Windows Vista Capable PCs need to pass the current certification requirements for Designed for Windows XP logo. In addition, these PCs need the following combination of essential PC hardware for good overall Windows Vista performance:
? CPU ? PC systems should have a modern CPU.
? RAM ? PC systems should have 512MB of memory or more.
? GPU ? PC systems should have a DirectX 9 class graphics processor.
Recommendations
Windows Vista offers significant improvements to the graphics user experience. To take advantage of these advances in the graphics user experience, graphics processor will need to support Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM). Graphics processors capable of supporting WDDM:
? Are designed to ensure that graphics user experience scales up with hardware capabilities.
? Offer improved graphic stability and performance.
? May be able to support additional desktop productivity features.
Windows Vista Capable PC systems would greatly benefit from a graphics processor that will support Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM). Therefore, WDDM support for GPU is a recommended criterion for Windows Vista Capable PCs.
Good, Better, Best Graphics experience when running Windows Vista
Windows Vista will scale with PC hardware capabilities. One of the features that scales with hardware is the desktop graphics experience. Therefore, it is possible to support multiple tiers of graphics user experience on Windows Vista Capable PCs based on hardware configuration.
Good ? PC systems that meet the above requirements of a modern CPU, 512MB RAM and DirectX 9 class GPU should be able to offer a good experience, when upgraded to Windows Vista. They will offer a Windows XP comparable desktop graphics experience with regards to features, stability and performance.
Better ? PCs that use a GPU with WDDM support would provide a better graphics experience - specifically enhanced graphics stability, multi-application performance and monitor hot-plugging - compared to Windows XP, when running any version of Windows Vista. Therefore, we strongly recommend procuring PC systems that include a GPU with WDDM support to get a better desktop graphics experience while running Windows Vista.
Best ? PCs with appropriately configured graphics hardware, as described below, would support Windows Aero user experience that offers additional benefits of enhanced visual quality (glitch-free window redrawing), improved productivity (which includes real-time thumbnail previews, new 3-D task switching, interface scaling, etc.) and visual style (which includes translucent window frames and taskbar, enhanced transitional effects, etc.) when running premium versions of Windows Vista.
To enable Windows Aero, PC systems must meet the following criteria for graphics hardware, with either discrete or UMA solutions:
1. DirectX 9 class graphics hardware that supports WDDM and Pixel Shader 2.0
2. A minimum of 32 bits per pixel
3. Appropriate graphics memory for specified monitor resolutions expressed as total pixels (X dimension multiplied by Y dimension):
1. 64MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolution of 1,310,720 pixels (equivalent to 1280 x 1024) or less
2. 128MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions higher than 1,310,720 pixels and less than or equal to 2,304,000 pixels (equivalent to 1920 x 1200)
3. 256MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor at resolutions higher than 2,304,000 pixels
4. Graphics memory bandwidth, as assessed by Windows Vista?s built in system assessment tool WinSAT.EXE, of at least 1,800MB/s at following resolution:
1. Desktop PC: at a monitor resolution of 1,310,720 pixels (equivalent to 1280 x 1024)
2. Mobile PC: at the native resolution of built-in display
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