Should I hold out for Vista?

Carl Johnson · 10-21-2006, 06:37 PM

My five year old computer that's running Windows ME is dying a slow painful death. Thanks to advice that I've received here at HTF I've decided to select my new system from Dell's refurbished pile. After price important factors on which system to buy are RAM (at least one GB preferably two), video card and processor. The final deciding factor is which version of Windows to use. I was set on holding out for Vista before one of my coworkers told me that I'd be better off using XP. In his spare time this guy builds computers from scratch so his opinion carries some weight.

According to him ME is the worst version of Windows that has ever been released so I figure that a brand new system running Vista equates to the best of the best. I know that there are growing pains associated with using a new version of Windows but those pains are probably easier to deal with than the crashes and slowdowns that I've been dealing with over the past five years.

What do y'all think?

Christ Reynolds · 10-22-2006, 03:49 AM

windows ME is the worst version of windows to date. you'd probably be better off with windows XP, and wait for the problems to be sorted out in vista. there's nothing vista has (that you need) that XP doesn't.

CJ

Rommel_L · 10-22-2006, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Should I hold out for Vista?

Yep. Take a look at the Premium version at the least for most bang for the buck among the different flavors...

Bryan X · 10-22-2006, 08:42 AM

You might be able to get the both for no extra cost. A lot of times right before a new OS is released, computer manufactuers sell their systems with the current OS and give you a free upgrade coupon to the new OS. So if you buy at the right time you can get your computer installed with XP but also have a free upgrade to Vista.

I'm running Vista right now (RC2) and won't go back to XP.

Sami Kallio · 10-22-2006, 10:44 AM

If you're talking about installing release candidate version of Vista on your computer and it is your only machine then go with XP. RC2 is nothing but trouble. Yes, it's pretty but it doesn't work well (of course YMMV depending on what you do and what your system config is). I will wait (after intalling and uninstalling Vista) until the release hits the market and then gets at least SP1.

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Carl Johnson · 10-22-2006, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sami Kallio

If you're talking about installing release candidate version of Vista on your computer and it is your only machine then go with XP. RC2 is nothing but trouble.

Forgive me for breaking this down to an elementary school level but I want to make sure we're talking about the same thing. By release candidate version do you mean the free trial edition of Vista that's available for download? That's not what I would use. I'll either buy a system within the next month that comes preloaded with XP or I'll wait until Vista's official release date.

Rob Gillespie · 10-22-2006, 12:41 PM

Remember though that Vista will do essentially the same thing as XP except that it's more expensive, has higher hardware requirements and will most likely be a buggy insecure mess until the first service pack comes out (going on MS's track record here). It's also infected upto the eyeballs with DRM so don't expect anything to be easier.

I don't really get why people are so hyped up about an OS. It's just there to let you do your work except that with each new incarnation you have to relearn where they've put everything this time. I've yet to see any feature of Vista that will increase efficiency and productivity and this has been the case with all Windows since 98 (i.e. 95 but a bit nicer).

PAPutzback · 10-22-2006, 03:27 PM

I'm waiting for vista because of the hardware requirments. Being a gamer I want to make sure I have Direct X 10 hardware and the O.S it is meant to run on. If a PC gets you 3 - 5 years of service and you know the future games will be DX 10 why not wait a month and have the hardware. Otherwise you are looking at buying a new os next year and new video hardware.

But if you can get a coupon for a free upgrade then I'd jump on that if you can't wait and then next year you'd only need a new video card.

And get a dual core no matter what. They're cheap and you'll have no regrets when your system stays responsive when multitasking.

Kimmo Jaskari · 10-23-2006, 02:14 PM

Another vote for waiting at least so long that you can get a free upgrade to Vista from XP, and only then buying. It would make no sense to buy a non-freely-upgradable XP now when Vista is right around the corner.

One may not need Vista, but eventually you'll probably want it, and if you've been running Windows ME until now it would be odd to choose to go to XP now with no free upgrade path.

Adam Lenhardt · 10-24-2006, 03:08 PM

I used Vista for a while, and I'll put it this way: I'm back on XP.

Paul Padilla · 10-24-2006, 03:59 PM

First, it's no exaggeration regarding ME. No matter which way you go with your new machine you'll be shocked at the improvement.

As with all computer purchase decisions the first question is (I'm really surprised no one has posed it thus far) what are you planning to use it for?

If your'e like 90% of PC users that means E-mail, Internet, burning a CD or two, some word processing and a whole lot of Freecell. If that's the case or similar, then I see no problem jumping into Vista. I've been using the Beta at home for some time and I have the release candidate DVD sitting at home waiting to be installed. (I've been a network engineer for almost 10 years so the computer at home isn't my first priority after working on them all day long.) There is a lot of new things I think you may appreciate. Yes, they're primarily eye candy, but even little things like enhanced document previews, the side bar & gadgets and even the nice integrated photo screensavers make it a nice interface. Yes (again) you can get essentially everything that is in Vista as a 3rd party add in for XP, but personally, having everything in a package is preferable IMO.

As mentioned above, hardware requirements are intense and I'm glad to see that you're planning not to skimp on RAM and video. (wise no matter what OS) Bear in mind this is the Beta, but 1GB in my system at home is just getting me by.

Now...if you're heavily into ripping CDs, the latest 3D games, maybe some HT work, graphic design, video editing, high horsepower things like that, then you should probably wait.

Ken Chan · 10-24-2006, 08:57 PM

Quote:

I don't really get why people are so hyped up about an OS. It's just there to let you do your work

If done properly, a new version can make your work easier, sometimes by adding features "you didn't know you were missing". I don't know if Vista qualifies, though.

Yes, ME was the worst. I would make sure the new hardware is Vista-recommended, not just barely low-end Vista-ready, and go with XP for now. Wait for the first service pack before deciding to switch.