Random access memory (RAM) is the vital stuff that keeps Windows running smoothly. Having enough physical (main) memory helps reduce the operating system’s dependence on virtual memory, thereby minimizing the number of number of times Windows has to swap information between fast memory chips and your (relatively slow) hard disk. How much memory do you need?
The “Windows Vista Capable” and “Windows Vista Premium Ready” stickers that appear on some new hardware are based on standards expressed at Microsoft’s Microsoft Vista Enterprise Hardware Planning Guidance site (http://www.vista-io.com/2101). According to these standards, a system needs 512 MB to be “Windows Vista Capable” and at least 1 GB to be “Windows Vista Premium Ready.” You should consider “Vista Capable” to mean adequate (if barely) for Windows Vista Home Basic. For the more feature-rich editions of Windows Vista—Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate—treat the “Vista Premium Ready” standards as a minimum. In any case, doubling these minimums will provide a better ride for most users.
The “Windows Vista Capable” and “Windows Vista Premium Ready” stickers that appear on some new hardware are based on standards expressed at Microsoft’s Microsoft Vista Enterprise Hardware Planning Guidance site (http://www.vista-io.com/2101). According to these standards, a system needs 512 MB to be “Windows Vista Capable” and at least 1 GB to be “Windows Vista Premium Ready.” You should consider “Vista Capable” to mean adequate (if barely) for Windows Vista Home Basic. For the more feature-rich editions of Windows Vista—Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate—treat the “Vista Premium Ready” standards as a minimum. In any case, doubling these minimums will provide a better ride for most users.
On the other hand, if the blue line on the Memory graph typically dwells in tropical or temperate regions (say, at 45 percent or less), you’re not likely to see sharp performance gains from an increase in physical memory.
