Microsoft differentiates between two requirement levels: "Vista Capable" and "Vista Premium Ready". "Vista Capable" means that a system meets the requirements to run Vista with all of its main features. This requires an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB or more of RAM, 15 GB free hard drive capacity, and a DirectX 9 compliant graphics subsystem (which may also be an integrated solution).

However, the Vista Capable level only makes sure that Vista runs properly - it doesn't mean that Vista actually runs well. In fact, the requirements listed above represent the minimum hardware requirements for an acceptable experience! "Vista Premium Ready" is what you want to take full advantage of all features, including AeroGlass. To do so you will need a 1+ GHz processor, 1+ GB of RAM, a larger hard drive, audio and Internet capabilities. You will also require a DirectX 9 graphics subsystem with a Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) compliant driver, and at least 128 MB of discrete video memory.

Based on our experiences, you should definitely have at least 1 GB of RAM, and we recommend 2 GB if you want to open multiple applications at the same time. Also, a dual core processor will be very beneficial to your Vista experience, as it helps to improve system responsiveness. From a graphics point of view, any current-generation graphics card will do the job; the more you game, of course, the more you want.

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