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Computers evolve with Vista in mind
SAN FRANCISCO  Microsoft's new Vista operating system won't be widely released until Jan. 30, but it's already changed the way nearly every PC is made.
Since November, almost 100% of PCs sold by major retailers were built to basic Vista standards, says computer analyst Samir Bhavnani at researcher Current Analysis. That means that they have powerful processors, huge hard drives and other hardware features needed to run the giant program. Biggest changes:
•Memory. A year ago, many PCs had 256 MB of memory, the temporary storage space that computer programs use to do calculations. Now most have at least 512 MB because Vista requires it, says PC analyst Bob O'Donnell at researcher IDC.
•Graphics components. In older PCs, graphics processing errors often lead to other problems, causing PCs to freeze or crash, says Kenneth Walker, chief technologist at PC-maker Gateway. Vista tries to fix that by changing how graphics are computed. PC makers have responded with new, sophisticated graphics parts, he says.
Remarkably, these improvements haven't caused a spike in PC prices. The average price of a desktop fell from $627 in the first quarter of 2006 to $551 in the fourth, Bhavnani says. Laptop prices fell from $985 to $818.
RELATED ITEM: How to handle Vista
But consumers should be aware that Vista isn't ideal for low-end PCs, especially laptops, Bhavnani says. Expect to pay about $600 for a desktop and $1,200 for a laptop for the best experience, he says.
Shoppers should have lots of choices. On Jan. 30, Dell will convert its entire consumer product line to Vista, says spokesman Bob Kaufman. (Older versions of Windows will still be available to businesses, which often make such changes gradually.)
Dell can do that because it sells mainly online. Retail stores should also have plenty of Vista PCs from Gateway, Hewlett-Packard and others.
But some pre-Vista models will likely still be on shelves. These models are usually marked "Vista Capable." That means they have Vista-ready hardware but run the older Windows XP. Buyers can upgrade by installing new software, usually for free or at a discount.
But Bhavnani warns that it can be tricky. "You really want to be pretty comfortable with a computer," he says. And most upgrade offers expire in March.
More hardware changes are expected as Vista is rolled out. Look for PCs that use flash memory to boot up faster, and ones that can connect to digital cable TV systems, says O'Donnell.
There's expected to be pent-up demand. U.S. PC sales fell 3.2% in the fourth quarter from a year ago as customers waited for Vista, researcher Gartner says.
But don't expect packed stores. Vista has generated only modest buzz, Bhavnani says. "It's not going to be like the PlayStation 3 (video game launch)," he says.
Posted 1/21/2007 11:03 PM ET
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2 ... -pcs_x.htm
SAN FRANCISCO  Microsoft's new Vista operating system won't be widely released until Jan. 30, but it's already changed the way nearly every PC is made.
Since November, almost 100% of PCs sold by major retailers were built to basic Vista standards, says computer analyst Samir Bhavnani at researcher Current Analysis. That means that they have powerful processors, huge hard drives and other hardware features needed to run the giant program. Biggest changes:
•Memory. A year ago, many PCs had 256 MB of memory, the temporary storage space that computer programs use to do calculations. Now most have at least 512 MB because Vista requires it, says PC analyst Bob O'Donnell at researcher IDC.
•Graphics components. In older PCs, graphics processing errors often lead to other problems, causing PCs to freeze or crash, says Kenneth Walker, chief technologist at PC-maker Gateway. Vista tries to fix that by changing how graphics are computed. PC makers have responded with new, sophisticated graphics parts, he says.
Remarkably, these improvements haven't caused a spike in PC prices. The average price of a desktop fell from $627 in the first quarter of 2006 to $551 in the fourth, Bhavnani says. Laptop prices fell from $985 to $818.
RELATED ITEM: How to handle Vista
But consumers should be aware that Vista isn't ideal for low-end PCs, especially laptops, Bhavnani says. Expect to pay about $600 for a desktop and $1,200 for a laptop for the best experience, he says.
Shoppers should have lots of choices. On Jan. 30, Dell will convert its entire consumer product line to Vista, says spokesman Bob Kaufman. (Older versions of Windows will still be available to businesses, which often make such changes gradually.)
Dell can do that because it sells mainly online. Retail stores should also have plenty of Vista PCs from Gateway, Hewlett-Packard and others.
But some pre-Vista models will likely still be on shelves. These models are usually marked "Vista Capable." That means they have Vista-ready hardware but run the older Windows XP. Buyers can upgrade by installing new software, usually for free or at a discount.
But Bhavnani warns that it can be tricky. "You really want to be pretty comfortable with a computer," he says. And most upgrade offers expire in March.
More hardware changes are expected as Vista is rolled out. Look for PCs that use flash memory to boot up faster, and ones that can connect to digital cable TV systems, says O'Donnell.
There's expected to be pent-up demand. U.S. PC sales fell 3.2% in the fourth quarter from a year ago as customers waited for Vista, researcher Gartner says.
But don't expect packed stores. Vista has generated only modest buzz, Bhavnani says. "It's not going to be like the PlayStation 3 (video game launch)," he says.
Posted 1/21/2007 11:03 PM ET
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2 ... -pcs_x.htm