Thinking Tech

All the articles are arguing about it. Microsoft says, "No, you really don't need a new PC to run Windows Vista." And I agree--you really don't NEED a new PC.

But really, folks, you're going to want one, aren't you? After all, the eye-candy of the Aero interface and some of the new features that chew memory and spit it out are really cool. And what would a PC be without a few cool toys?

But if, on the other hand, you're really trying to run a business with your PC, you can get by without new hardware. And if you do that, you'll probably choose to do without Vista for a while...

So, it's up to you. But remember that I said it first: you're going to WANT a new PC.

Most of the emphasis in the scramble to adjust to these new hardware needs has centered on memory. For example, a major reason that Vista will be a pain in the bus (thank you, Microsoft, for deciding that an operating system should be an operating environment) is, of course, Aero, its hoity-toity graphical interface. As you might expect, that's going to put quite a strain on your computer's graphics subsystem. Although Vista will scale back on Aero effects if your system is too poorly equipped to use them all, are you really ready to admit that you're running a hobbled computer to anyone? It's doubtful. That means at least a new graphics card.

But wait, there's more. If your graphics memory starts to run low, Vista is designed to borrow from your system memory to fill its needs. We have all said for years how terribly wrong that is because it robs overall potential system performance -- you might also want to get yourself a bit more memory.

However, if your PC is strictly for business, or if you're more interested in grunt than glitter, you may need to start thinking about your CPU. In fact, once you've assured yourself that the rest of the components are up to the new OS, but your PC is still dragging its feet, the only place to turn is your processor.