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Windows 7 Install: How Much Ram, CPU, and Video do you Need?

I have been installing Windows 7 on every Computer I can get my hands on just to test how well it does.  I have to say I have been impressed.  At the lowest end so far I have installed it on a Toshiba Libretto U105, and while there is no Vista Driver for its Graphics Card, and I don’t have the finger Print Reader working yet, the Windows  7 install is running very well, better than it did on XP, and Far better than it did on Windows Vista. Only Windows 7 32 bit will run on the Libretto.

These are the Specs for the Toshiba Libretto U105, which is about the lowest end I would install on:

Processor

• Processor Intel Pentium M 753 / 1.2 GHz
• Core voltage technology Ultra Low Voltage (ULV)
• Data bus speed 400 MHz
• Processor features Enhanced SpeedStep technology , Execute Disable Bit capability , Power-optimized processor system bus
• Chipset type Intel 855GME

Cache Memory

• Type L2 cache
• Cache size 2 MB

RAM

• Installed Size 512 MB / 1.25 GB (max)
• Technology DDR SDRAM – 333 MHz
• Memory specification compliance PC2700

The next Windows 7 Install I did was on my ASUS G2S.  A behemoth laptop with a 64 bit processor and an Nvidia Graphics card.  This machine was more than capable of running Vista and makes Windows 7 look good.  All of the hardware instantly was detected, except for the Intel Ready Drive, which I never got to work on 64 bit Windows Vista either.  The Windows 7 32 bit Install detected all hardware, except the Gigabit Nic on board which installed easily with the Vista Driver for it. 

Last was a Custom Built Desktop PC.  This was the most interesting install as it is built from “scrap” parts I have picked up here and there, but the install went easily enough.  The interesting thing was that everything detected just fine, but my hardware score went from a 5 in the hardware performance test to a 2 on account of a greatly lowered Hard Disk Score, 5 vs. 2.  I’m looking in to the cause of this, as my other systems have a slightly lowered benchmark for the Hard Drive but nothing so drastic as this.

-- Brandon Wirtz

Tags: 64 bit processor;, bit processor;, Cache Memory;, DDR SDRAM;, Gigabit;, Graphics Card;, Intel;, Ram;, SpeedStep technology;, Toshiba;, voltage technology;
Filed in: Computers, PCs, and Macs