Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM

Pros: -SP1 fixed so many issues with 64-Bit Applications -Makes 64-Bit XP look like Windows 95 -Direct 10.1 included and turns on in supported games -Almost every major software maker fully supports 64-Bit -Installation is fast & 95% of the drivers are recognized -Amazing improvements over 32-Bit based OS's -Eye candy in Vista can be maxxed out with no lagging -Able to run some Apps in 32-Bit if or when needed -Startup and shutdown times were cut in half -Games and 3D Apps fly from the start and never quit -Media center and Blu-ray programs pop right up & play -Motion blurring in games like "Crysis" look incredible -3DMark06 score shot up from 18086 to 19887 -4GIGS, 6GIGS, 8GIGS, 16GIGS....choose your weapon!!! Not only does this allow my Custom built Gaming PC to crush any game I throw at it. I also installed this on my HP DV9540us Laptop and have not had 1 issue. I was very impressed with the results

Cons: -Initial trial and error with some Motherboards (EVGA 790i Ultra did not play well, very unstable) -Adobe Flash player is not supported yet for 64-Bit IE (Adobe is working on that issue now, check there site) -Some BSOD's with some Creative Labs Drivers (Creative has hotfixes for most issues, check there site)

Overall Review: Final results are worth 5 Eggs! But because of trial and error, I almost gave it 4 Eggs. Don't let this sway you, this is a SOLID OS once you learn all the basics. Right now I am running Vista 64-Bit on 3 Computers with outstanding results. My Gaming PC Specs: -Cosmos RC-1100 Case -ASUS Rampage Extreme LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX -CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX 1000W ATX12V 2.2 -Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 Yorkfield 2.5GHz LGA 775 95W -ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED 110mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler -DIAMOND Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB 800MHZ-Factory OC -OCZ Gold 8GB (4x2GB)DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) -2 Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200 3.0GB 32MB Drives -Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit -LG Black Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner -NZXT SEN-001LX Aluminum dual bay fan controller -Logitech G15 2-Tone USB Wired Gaming Keyboard -Logitech G5 2-Tone 7 Button Gaming Laser Mouse -Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum Fatal1ty Champion -Logitech Z-5500 505 Watts 5.1 Speaker -40" Sony Full 1080P LCD

Pros: Not a single one so far. I installed vista, installed all my favorite games and programs, and I have not had a single hick-up with anything yet. I got all worried with everyone saying Vista was bad, then jumping to 64 was just a death wish...Not true. Everything runs smooth and flawless, excellent buy!

Cons: Uses ALOT of system resources. Not completely a bad thing if you know that and build your system for it. With everything booted up, just sitting in Vista with no other porgrams running its using almost 1g of ram. Plan on having at least 4g of ram for Vista.

Pros: Great product, I love the 64-Bit because it allows me to utilize all 4 gigs of memory that I bought. Interface is great and there are plenty of customizable features to make the OS fit your needs.

Cons: None.

Overall Review: You need to cover two things before you buy/install this OS. You need a fast system with a lot of memory and a processor that is 64-bit compatible. While the 64-bit version allows you to utilize more memory, it also requires more memory to run smoothly. Second, make sure to read up on how you can trim some of the fat off of the OS by uninstalling features that you will not use.

Pros: I dont know where all this negativity came from with Vista, maybe it was just early on. I installed it and within an hour i was online and surfing and having zero problems. All drivers installed no problem. Digital camera, wireless keyboard/mouse, and everything else. My old games like Warcraft 3, 2, Civ2, Starcraft etc all worked flawlessly. Goes without saying so did my newer ones. Since mostly what i do is surf and game, and so far it has not had a problem doing either one, 5 stars for Vista with SP1.

Cons: All the security! but, like any good OS, i turned it all off and has not had a problem with those pop-ups since asking me if i wanna continue with what i just clicked.

Overall Review: I am a tech support for a major company, and what ive found is most people who do not like Vista, are new to computers. I wouldnt recommend Vista to someone as their first computer. It can be a little frustrating if you dont know how to turn on and turn off all the little features some more knowledgeable people may not need.

Pros: 64 bit, nice interface, cool features

Cons: annoying security popups asking if you want to continue after you click just about everything

Overall Review: ive heard bad things about vista, but i messed around with it a little and wanted to get the full experience. i love the new interface, aero looks real good with a new setup. If you decide on this make sure you have at the least 2 gigs of ram. I have 4 and it runs real smooth along with my e8400 on a 780i with a 8800gt- i scored a 5.3/5.9 on my first build using this. home premium is really all you need... ultimate just adds backup and extra safety features which i personally dont need. if youre unsure, get it. you can always dual boot with xp or linux :)

Pros: Fast, easy install. Aero is very pretty. I like sidebar gadgets. Stable, runs fast (if you're complaining, you presumably have an old machine).

Cons: Had a weird glitch with Sims 2, but I'd been fiddling with the config files, so it could just have easily been that. Running fine now.

Overall Review: I don't know what all the complaining is about. Vista is a great operating system. Someone at MS obviously realized they were hemorrhaging market share to Apple on the basis of user interface looks, and Vista Premium is a fair attempt to stop the flow. Complaints about speed presumably come from people with outdated machines. Hey, there's nothing wrong with still using a record player, but don't try to play CDs on it ;)

Pros: I don't really understand the flak this OS has been given. It is a solid and secure OS and perfect for gaming rigs. Runs my 32-bit software just fine. Since it's OEM, make sure you only install this on one computer!

Cons: Creative has been ever-so-slow at getting some decent drivers/software available for Vista. Granted, DX10 ditched a vital component for their EAX drivers, but Creative is way behind its competitors.

Overall Review: Intel Q9450 @ 2.66GHz, EVGA 9800GTX, ASUS P5E, Zalman ZM850-HP PSU, G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2 1066, NZXT Tempest Mid-Tower Case, Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro

Pros: Good support for very new hardware and cutting edge software. It really does look nice set on maximum quality. It runs well on high-end machines. Full 64-bit OS with good 32-bit support. Runs great on the AMD Spider platform! 5.9 Windows Experience Index, which is the maximum rating. On max it is very nice indeed.

Cons: 3rd party applications and services can cause system instability. Poor support from some commercial software vendors. Do not expect applications to just work without carefully researching compatibility beforehand. Requires anti-virus protection, frequent updates, and careful installation and configuration for optimal performance. Not recommended for older hardware. Very memory and processor intensive. OEM software is not returnable, transferrable, or covered by Microsoft support. The HDD light seems to blink constantly despite having 8GB of RAM in the system.

Overall Review: I installed this onto a primary partition after having Gentoo Linux already installed on the drive, and it worked as expected. Reset the MBR and chainloader+1 to reboot to Vista as normal. Despite all of the horrible things that I had read about Vista, its actually running quite nice and stable for me after a bit of tuning. I don't find it to be all that different from XP x64 really.