Windows 7 System Requirements

by Jordan Yerman | October 22, 2009 at 06:30 am

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What are the system requirements for Windows 7? Chances are, if you bought your computer within the last three years, you meet the minimum Windows 7 system requirements, which are:

1Ghz processor
1GB RAM (32bit) or 2GB RAM (64bit)
DirectX9-compatible graphics card
16GB hard drive space for the installation

... and an extra 1GB of RAM if you want to use Windows XP Mode. If you don't know what kind of machine you have, you can run the Microsoft Upgrade Advisor, but it's faster just to read your manual or check your configuration yourself. Microsoft advises that you don't upgrade directly from XP without backing up everything. Everything.

Furthermore, Softchoice revealed that 65 percent of corporate computers are able to run Windows 7 in its optimal configuration (compared to the six percent capable of capitalizing on the advanced features of Windows Vista at the time of release) and only five percent would require outright hardware replacement (compared to 16 percent for Vista).

This is good news for Microsoft: end users won't have to buy new equipment to roll the dice on another Windows OS-- remember just how badly Vista failed. Also good news for you: even a netbook can run Windows 7, though 1GB RAM is the bare minimum here: you won't be able to run Skype and Firefox at the same time without seriously bogging down your machine. I consider 2GB the realistic minimum for using modern applications in either Mac or PC. So... is Windows 7 faster?

The short answer: Yes with an if. The long answer: No with a but.

To streamline its operating system, Microsoft has removed some of the applications that were built into previous releases. These include: Windows Calendar, Windows Mail, Windows Movie Make, Windows Photo Gallery, Outlook Express. Users who want them will now have to download these free applications from the Microsoft website.

So if you download these apps (which are free, so there's that), your OS will slow down again.

What does it cost? If you're coming from XP, "A lot". If you're upgrading directly from Vista, not as much:

Windows 7 Ultimate: $349.99.

Windows 7 Home Premium: $224.99.

Windows 7 Professional: $329.99.

Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade: $279.99.

Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade: $129.99.

Windows 7 Professional Upgrade: $249.99.