With the extra memory installed we really put Windows Vista Ultimate to the test, and decided to try all of the ‘new and improved’ features available. Here is a breakdown of what we found:
The Review
Windows Aero Interface
Translucent windows that manipulated more efficiently and look ‘cool’. The fading in and out takes some getting used to.
Windows Media Center
We like the interface and features. The line between television and your computer just got blurred even more.
Windows Defender
Security center for firewall protection, spyware control, phishing filters, and security updates. Advanced users may want more control over their firewall settings, but this works just fine for the average user.
Sidebar with Gadgets
We found this to be a very neat feature with the ability to add a clock, news ticker, and other cool features right out of the box to the side of your desktop in a docked mode that always present. It can be customized to include other gadgets, and you can adjust the placement of each one.
Specs of Machine
- AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+(65W) Windsor 2.0GHz Socket AM2 Processor Model ADO3800CUBOX – Retail
- ASUS M2V-MX Socket AM2 VIA K8M890 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard – Retail
- Patriot 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model PSD21G8002 – Retail
- DIAMOND X1650PCIE512SB Radeon X1650PRO GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card – Retail
- DYNAPOWER USA EP-50X.C563-BX ATX12V 500W Power Supply – Retail
- Sony NEC Optiarc 18X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Beige E-IDE / ATAPI Model 7170A-01 – OEM
- Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive – OEM
Initial Reaction
The computer went together very nicely and the installation was very smooth. Windows Vista Ultimate seemed to like all of our hardware, and drivers were installed for every piece of hardware with no conflicts. We did go out to the Asus site to grab updated drivers for the motherboard, and the ATI site to get new video drivers.
After installing Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and a few other applications, it became very clear that 1GB of RAM was not going to cut it. So we immediately ordered another 1GB memory stick, and had it delivered within a few days. For the operating system itself, initially we were not WOWed to death, but did find some of the new features to be useful.
