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OK, so this may be a bit of a series here. After running XP with less and less RAM until it finally blew up, I decided what better way to continue the fun than with the next major Windows version in line! As we all know, Windows Vista was much maligned due to its comparatively bad performance and awful backwards compatibility. But does Windows Vista really live up to its infamy, performance wise? Well, the answer with our test here is surprisingly and pleasantly no! Mostly no. Or at least, not with its Service Pack 2 installed anyway. (I currently don't have the OG Vista Ultimate 1.0 install discs on me, so I couldn't test that version, but I will have them soon.)
Also, as an aside, I really have to say, Vista just looks absolutely stunning, even today. I don't know, maybe I'm just a sucker for that glass ass. Vista may have gotten some things wrong, but its presentation was definitely a 10/10. Even Windows 7's look is... Well, it's certainly close, but it's just not entirely the same for some reason. But anyway. Let the torture begin.
Final numbers with VMware Workstation 15 Player:
Minimum-Recommended
CPU: 1-2 Core (3.3 GHz)
RAM: 256 MB-2 GB
HDD: 14.3 GB
Monitor: 800x600
RAM Usage @ 4 GB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~850 MB
RAM Usage @ 2 GB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~700 MB
RAM Usage @ 1 GB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~625 MB (Dropped slowly during idling, no increase of Page File usage, all the way to ~530 MB where it stayed)
RAM Usage @ 512 MB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~450 MB (Same behavior as above, finally holding stable at ~320 MB)
RAM Usage @ 256 MB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~245 MB (Started to struggle here finally. Kinda slow, but still very usable. RAM usage held steady throughout.)
RAM Usage @ 128 MB (w/ Aero Enabled): (Boot not successful.)
RAM Usage @ 1 GB (w/ Aero Disabled): ~565 MB (Dropped slowly as above to ~460)
RAM Usage @ 256 MB (w/ Aero Disabled): ~215 MB (Definitely faster than with Aero and all the gadgets/graphical features disabled. Still just a bit of noticeable slowdown though when opening files.)
RAM Usage @ 128 MB (w/ Aero Disabled): (Boot not successful.)
Also, as an aside, I really have to say, Vista just looks absolutely stunning, even today. I don't know, maybe I'm just a sucker for that glass ass. Vista may have gotten some things wrong, but its presentation was definitely a 10/10. Even Windows 7's look is... Well, it's certainly close, but it's just not entirely the same for some reason. But anyway. Let the torture begin.
Final numbers with VMware Workstation 15 Player:
Minimum-Recommended
CPU: 1-2 Core (3.3 GHz)
RAM: 256 MB-2 GB
HDD: 14.3 GB
Monitor: 800x600
RAM Usage @ 4 GB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~850 MB
RAM Usage @ 2 GB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~700 MB
RAM Usage @ 1 GB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~625 MB (Dropped slowly during idling, no increase of Page File usage, all the way to ~530 MB where it stayed)
RAM Usage @ 512 MB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~450 MB (Same behavior as above, finally holding stable at ~320 MB)
RAM Usage @ 256 MB (w/ Aero Enabled): ~245 MB (Started to struggle here finally. Kinda slow, but still very usable. RAM usage held steady throughout.)
RAM Usage @ 128 MB (w/ Aero Enabled): (Boot not successful.)
RAM Usage @ 1 GB (w/ Aero Disabled): ~565 MB (Dropped slowly as above to ~460)
RAM Usage @ 256 MB (w/ Aero Disabled): ~215 MB (Definitely faster than with Aero and all the gadgets/graphical features disabled. Still just a bit of noticeable slowdown though when opening files.)
RAM Usage @ 128 MB (w/ Aero Disabled): (Boot not successful.)
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