Windows 7 - Requirements and new features

The release of Windows 7 is fast approaching (October 22). I would like to give you a brief overview of the requirements and new features of Microsoft's latest offspring.

First of all, there are the (minimum) hardware requirements:

• 1GHz CPU (based on 32bit or 64bit architecture)
• 1GB system memory
• 16GB free hard disk space
• DX9 graphics card with 128MB for the Aero design
• A DVD drive
• An Internet connection (for updates)

The question naturally arises as to how well Windows 7 runs on a system with minimum requirements. On my private system (Core2Duo E6600, nVidia GTX285 and 8GB RAM), Windows 7 runs very cleanly and satisfactorily, even if it allows itself considerably more than the 16GB with 20GB disk space (64bit version).

Now let's take a look at some of the new features that Windows 7 has to offer:

1. Revision of the taskbar and the Aero theme. The taskbar is designed to make tasks easier for users, while the Aero system has been trimmed for better performance. Frequently used tasks and resources are always within easy reach.
2. Improved system performance and standby/hibernation improvements. What was started under Windows Vista (plus service packs) is now being continued with the aim of making the system even faster and more stable. The return time from standby/hibernation has also been improved. In addition, the speed of the boot process has been improved - Windows 7 boots significantly faster than its predecessor.
3. A lot has also been done for the laptop sector: energy consumption has been reduced by revising the power management architecture and settings, which has a positive effect on battery life.
4. The search function has also undergone some changes: Search results are now sorted by importance. Results from several PCs or websites can also be displayed.

We will provide you with even more background information on Windows 7 in the future. So check back with us regularly!

Sincerely,
Raimund Machacek