The question facing many Windows PC owners is whether they should make the leap to Vista? This becomes a dilemma especially for those with tablet PCs. They must consider whether the extra goodies compensate for the hit their laptop may take in speed.
Vista has several features that make switching a compelling option. It offers more stability and security, there is better tablet functionality, and you get some eye candy with the Aero interface. But these add-ons are only worth it if your computer has the horsepower to do the job. Tablets, being ultra portables, generally don't have the muscle of their desktop-replacement cousins. Upgrading to Vista won't do you any good if you have to sit around and wait all the time. However if you don't upgrade to Vista your options are limited. Microsoft recently stopped selling XP (although pledged to support it through 2014). And Windows 7 has a ship date of January 2010. Meaning some would rather just hang on to XP for a while longer and wait for Windows 7 to come around.
But Vista is worth a serious look. It is feature rich, especially for tablets. When using my tablet on XP I found from time to time that it had difficulty getting Microsoft Office programs to recognize my handwriting. Some of this could be attributed to my poor penmanship, but the resulting conversion would produce Mad Lib-type sentences. Since upgrading to Vista, I find the software is consistent in recognizing my handwriting.
Vista offers a considerable upgrade in terms of user interface, features, and performance. But it comes at a price - both in money and performance. Make sure your computer has what it takes to pay it. In order to decide what your computer should have, let us look at the versions of Vista. There are four (yes, four): Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate. While Microsoft's goal was probably to create accessible price points, instead it has lead to confusion by consumers. Also, if you are going to upgrade, get Home Premium or higher. Vista Home Basic does not include tablet features or other add-ons. So you are essentially getting "Vista Lite" without the shiny Aero interface.
Your best bet is probably the Windows Vista Business version. You are unlikely to be using your tablet as a Windows Media Center computer (a feature supported in Home Premium and Ultimate). Business edition will give you the collaboration and network tools you will need for productivity.
To support Vista here is the recommended spec from Microsoft.
- At least 2.4 GHz processor
- 1.5 GB of RAM - 2 would be even better
- 80GB HDD would be safe.
- Higher graphics capabilities are only necessary if you plan to run graphics intensive programs, which is unlikely on a tablet.
However, you may want to bump those specifications up a bit. While you will be able to run Vista according to the Microsoft minimum recommendations, you may find yourself with far less headaches if you upgrade your computer:
A good way to get a quick assessment of your computer's readiness for Vista is to download the Windows Vista Upgrade Adviser. It goes through your systems spec and provides a confirmation message if you are ready for Vista (see message below). If not, you will be prompted as to what upgrade is necessary.
So if you are able to make the change, there is a lot that you will like. The next article in this series will go in-depth into the improvements in Vista that advance the user interface and aid your productivity.
