Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2142 in Software
• Brand: Microsoft
• Released on: 2007-01-30
• Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows XP
• Format: DVD-ROM
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .73 pounds

Manufacturer's Description:

The most comprehensive edition of Windows Vista, Vista Ultimate is the first operating system that combines all of the advanced infrastructure features of a business-focused operating system, all of the management and efficiency features of a mobility-focused operating system, and all of the digital entertainment features of a consumer-focused operating system. For the person who wants one operating system that is great for working from home, working on the road, and for entertainment, Vista Ultimate is a no-compromise operating system that lets you have it all.

Windows Sidebar gives you quick access to gadgets like picture slide shows, Windows Media Player controls, or news headlines. You pick the gadgets you want to see in Windows Sidebar. View larger. Use Flip 3D to navigate through open windows using the scroll wheel on your mouse. View larger.

Easier, Faster Access to Information Vista Ultimate features Windows Aero, a new interface that delivers higher levels of efficiency for any business user. This easy-to-use interface makes it a snap to navigate through the operating system and from application to application. Most importantly, Windows Aero helps you juggle multiple tasks at once by providing a three-dimensional, real-time, animated view of all your open applications and documents. And for those businesses that do work in other countries, Vista Ultimate supports all worldwide interface languages. Breakthrough Windows Vista Experience Designed to help you feel confident in your ability to view, find, and organize information and to control your computing experience, all editions of Windows Vista introduce a breakthrough user experience. The visual sophistication of Windows Vista helps streamline your computing experience by refining common window elements so you can better focus on the content on the screen rather than on how to access it. The desktop experience is more informative, intuitive, and helpful. And new tools bring better clarity to the information on your computer, so you can see what your files contain without opening them, find applications and files instantly, navigate efficiently among open windows, and use wizards and dialog boxes more confidently. Work From Home Vista Ultimate includes all of the features that make it easy to remotely connect to business networks. This means that when you're working from home, you'll have advanced networking capabilities, such as the ability to join a domain, support for Group Policy, and access to features such as Remote Desktop. Vista Ultimate also includes Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption that provides improved levels of protection against theft for your important business data whether you are at home, on the road, or in the office. More Entertainment Options Vista Ultimate delivers all of the entertainment features available in Vista Home Premium, and includes everything you need to enjoy the latest in digital photography, music, movies, analogue TV, or even HDTV. Ultimate also has helpful tools such as Windows Photo Gallery and Windows Movie Maker to ensure that you have everything you need to collect, manage, and edit your digital content. It also includes Windows Media Centre for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment centre. Versatile Operation Vista Ultimate truly lives up to its name by delivering all of the features both business and home users want and need. It is the ideal solution for both a small-business owner who wants a single PC that he or she can use at the office, on the road, and at home, and for someone who wants a home PC that will be used primarily for entertainment purposes but that can also be used for business purposes such as connecting to a corporate network.

Compare Windows Vista editions. Use Instant Search to quickly find the information you need. View larger. The redesigned Windows Media Centre in Windows Vista lets you enjoy your media throughout your home, even on your Xbox 360. View larger.

Customer Reviews

Potential to be outstanding - But not worth the upgrade YET
I'm writing this February 2007. An early adopter I have slapped Vista Ultimate (64) on my machine. The user interface is great - it really does look nice, and the hyped aero-glass is pleasing on the eye. This will be a fantastic OS to have when the rest of the world is ready for it, in two years time I'm sure I'll be glad I invested in it. For now, I feel like I still have beta software... Why?

Well, the biggest annoyances are probably not Microsoft's fault. I was amazed at how few vendors of hardware I have on my existing system have yet released proper drivers. So overnight my webcam and scanner have become redundant (both the manufactures HP and Epson have no planned date to release vista drivers). This expensive kit is now obselete to me unless I roll back to XP. My top of the range Creative X-Fi sound card DOES has drivers, so I can at least get sound - however none of the supporting software it came with works on vista so I now have an expensive sound card running with exrememly basic functionality.

Most distressing of all was that my existing anti virus software (AVP free) wont install. Only a very limited amount of paid software does on the 64 version currently. Another upgrade required there. Amazingly, even Microsoft's own one care anti virus package is not available for Vista 64 at the time I write. Having invested in a new graphics card to ensure things run smoothly I am stunned to find that my counter strike frame rate has instantly dropped from 75 fps at full settings on XP down to an unplayable 18 fps. This is probably due to the NVIDIA graphics drivers still being in Beta and will I am sure improve over time, but I need my counterstrike in the meantime!

The security is beefed up. This is a good thing probably on balance. Just be aware that the trade off around more security is more intrusive pop-ups checking you really, really mean to do what you just did. They seem much harder - or impossible - to turn off in Vista. If you thought it was annoying by XP SP2, you haven't seen anything yet!

Oh, and then there was the music. I was excited by the built in Media Centre feature. It looks pretty cool - until I hit play and turned on the visuliser..... all songs st-st-st-st stuttered con-con-constantly. Again, unplayable, when itunes etc sounded better than my expensive HiFi on XP.

I like the look of Vista. It is the future. However, until the rest of the world catches up - hardware manufacturers, software manufactures and even me realising that I need to upgrade my RAM from 1 gig to enjoy it all more - you do feel that it is just a glimpse and a promise of the vista experience now - not the chance to live it.



Tonight, I'm going to partion my hard drive and reinstall XP. Putting vista on has just made me realise how absolutley fine XP is and how all my paid for kit works GREAT on it. I guess I'll have a dual OS PC for a while until the world catches up. If cash flow isn't a problem - get it and dual boot. If you have a choice of things to buy - get something else this year and then buy this in 2008.

It's not very good
Using Vista is a very underwhelming experience. It's hard to see what they spent 5 years on. My wife calls Vista confusing. I call it annoying. Surface gloss such as Aero is pretty, but you don't notice it after a while. When you go looking for real meat - significant improvements in the OS over Windows XP - it just isn't there (as far as I can see).

The 'breadcrumb bar' is nice. Running IE in protected mode is a good idea. UAC is just plain annoying. Backwards compatibility is the worst ever for a release of Windows. And so on... good bits, bad bits, but no real WOW! feature. The WOW is not going to start now... maybe it will with the next release in 2009(?).

The real failure of Vista for me is that when I use Windows XP again at work, I don't find myself missing Vista. In fact, when I get home I find myself missing XP! That is very unusual for me, as I usually revel in a new release of software, and soon say "I won't go back." With Vista I wish I hadn't gone forward - not because it's a train smash, but because overall XP is nicer, more harmonious.

I feel that it might take Microsoft two or three more versions of the OS to really get the current 'Vista trajectory' right... we shall see.

mixed feelings
I confess I bought Vista partly because it is "the latest thing". I have a weakness that way. I bought the upgrade "Ultimate" version, installed on top of my existing XP set-up. To begin with the upgrade process was a nightmare - the install would go up to a certain point and then crash. After a couple of days frustration I managed to get it to work. After looking on a couple of chat forums I discovered the reason for the problem was that Vista is, to all intents, incompatible with RAID configurations of hard drives. RAID is in effect where you use two hard drives in tandem as one big drive. Although initially designed for commercial applications many enthusiasts now use RAID set-ups at home, and I feel it is unforgiveable that Vista does not support this configuration. The second main draw back that I found was when using two monitors; Vista does not support a "spanned" display. It is possible to configure two monitors to give a useful increase in working space, but why on earth is Vista not as good as XP in this respect? Once up-and-running the Vista experience is a very attractive and in many ways enjoyable one to use, but it seems to me that it does not really offer any significant advantages over XP. If this is really the best Microsoft can come up with after 5 years or so then they have either given up trying or lost the plot completely. I find it very difficult to believe that Bill Gates tolerates these shortcomings on his home PC - does he actually use Vista himself? If you are using XP and are happy with it - forget Vista!