New Computer

[Papewaio]

PCs power may also increase to met the demands of MS Vista... which needs at a minimum 512MB of RAM, a Intel 4 (600 sequence ... 666? processor) or AMD 64 FX processor, at least a GeForce FX 5200 or Radeon® 9500 Series or higher etc

All these requirements should mean more high end machines pushing the price down for those a year or more older... when Vista hits the market that is.

[doc_bean]

PCs power may also increase to met the demands of MS Vista... which needs at a minimum 512MB of RAM, a Intel 4 (600 sequence ... 666? processor) or AMD 64 FX processor, at least a GeForce FX 5200 or Radeon® 9500 Series or higher etc

All these requirements should mean more high end machines pushing the price down for those a year or more older... when Vista hits the market that is.

Why does Windows require a fancy 3D card ?
I'm sticking with XP until I get a completely new computer, nothing slows a PC down faster than windows*.


*Okay, Matlab, and probably a few others, but they're why you're running a computer, nobody boots up just to use Windows.

[Lemur]

Why does Windows require a fancy 3D card ?

Vista is going to do something OS X has been doing for a few years now -- offload the screen redraws onto the video card. In other words, your GeForce or Radeon will do the transparencies and effects in your folder windows. So even though they say you must have a 3D card, I expect it won't be the 3D part that's being used. More likely the shaders, eh?

I don't know how much efficiency the video card brings to the navigation of windows. Even with hardware acceleration, Finder is a bit of a drugged moose in OS X. Perhaps Ballamer, Gates & Co. will do it better.

[Papewaio]

It doesn't really matter why they are doing it.

Just based on sales patterns of PCs and the last two windows releases indicates that higher spec machines at lower prices get released... this is because MS wants to sell as many OS's and the manufacturers will want to sell as many machines so they will comply with the new standards... in effect it is like the entire market is one giant bulk purchase discount.

Of course it works much better with competition... like when Sony and MS both have brand new consoles on the market and Xmass is coming... so watch out for the end of this year for Xbox 360 and PS3 to drop in price and/or have value package deals.

So next years January sales should be good for computer gamers.