Longhorn Requirements

SPeedY_B

I may actually be insane.
Joined
31 Mar 2002
Messages
15,807
Just came across this article, revealing what Microsoft expects to be the average specification for a PC running Longhorn (in 2006).
From Microsoft-watch.com

Microsoft is expected to recommend that the "average" Longhorn PC feature a dual-core CPU running at 4 to 6GHz; a minimum of 2 gigs of RAM; up to a terabyte of storage; a 1 Gbit, built-in, Ethernet-wired port and an 802.11g wireless link; and a graphics processor that runs three times faster than those on the market today.

At first, I thought these specs were ridiculous, but thinking about it, they're possibly not.

In 2-years, I think that 6GHz will be around, especially if Intel continues to bump their clock-speeds up and up (however AMD will still be hovering around the 4-5GHz and meeting the same performance levels :p)

2 Gigs of ram, I can see that happening too, I'm seeing more and more people with 1GB or more right now, so 2-years from now, 2GB will possibly be a normal amount to have.

Now a terabyte of storage seems a bit overkill for me, unless Microsoft intend to make the Operating System itself require an immensely vast amount of space, the only other thing I can see taking that much space are games, because at the end of the day, all the current files we use are still the same size, and in some cases are getting smaller (compression of music and so forth). But as with all trends in computing, people just want more and more, accompany that with the factor that HDD's are currently cheap as can be, 1TB will again probably become normal.

1GBit networking in my opinion should be standard already, I've got a lovely 1GBit card, yet nothing that can utilise it, at LANs everyone else has 10/100, the hubs are 10/00, and my DSL at home is obviously not 1GBit :D

802.11g will be handy, making that a standard for new machines will certainly be a nice direction for networking to head, but isn't there a new standard of 802.11n coming out before 2006?

There's my opinion anyway, what's everyone else think? :)
 
It's a bit weird how they come out with such requirements. They bump up 99% of the requirements, but leaves the wireless side to the current level. Haven't they heard of UWB (ultra-wide band)? lol :p or at least the Super-G standard.
 
Isn't Super-G simply normal G but with compression theoretically doubling the speed?
 
Not sure about the compression part. But yeah, it doubles the wireless transfer speed.
 
SPeedY_B said:
Isn't Super-G simply normal G but with compression theoretically doubling the speed?
So I have heard. I don't think these specs are way off the mark. But I do believe that such a requirement might hurt them with the regular household user.
 
Longhorn has gone Elite

Microsoft is expected to recommend that the "average" Longhorn PC feature a dual-core CPU running at 4 to 6GHz; a minimum of 2 gigs of RAM; up to a terabyte of storage; a 1 Gbit, built-in, Ethernet-wired port and an 802.11g wireless link; and a graphics processor that runs three times faster than those on the market today.

WOW!!

sorry if this is a repost of somekind, but i saw this for the first time today.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1581842,00.asp
 
You have to remember that longhorm wont be out for another 3 years probably, yet that still seems ridiculous. Maybe they are learning to be more realistic for their minimum specs, I mean is anyone who runs XP with a 233MHz processor and 64MB RAM actually pleased with its performance?
 
Sure there will be a fix, like running ME and XP on lower spec machines.

Better start saving my coins up, beta probably will be 2 years times, then who knows, could be over 4 years till ready, if this planet is still in the solar system.
 
Threads Merged

My opinion's already in the first post ;) :D
 
From a technology POV, I'm cautiously skeptical. I'm not about to say that these specs in 2006 are impossible, because we are in the twilight of PCI, AGP, and 32-bit CPUs, in favor of PCI Express and 64-bit CPUs.

Where I am skeptical, a bit, is on storage. You can already purchase 250 GB hard drives, and people are nowhere near to filling them up. I should know; I have 700 GB of combined storage, and, while I can conceivably use this storage up, as I do a lot of video work, it will take a while. *HOWEVER,* 1 TB of storage space or more will start to be necessary for those working in HDTV. For comparison, 1 minute of uncompressed standard NTSC video is about 1 GB (it is probably about the same for PAL/SECAM, but I am not about to be presumptuous, because they run at 25 fps, versus 29.97 fps in NTSC). 1 minute of uncompressed HD video is a whopping 13 GB. So, yes, if you are working in HD, 1 TB+ in hard drive storage is very conceivable, but for the average user? I do have my doubts, unless Longhorn's installation size rapidly explodes in size.

I am hesistant, though, to compare the technology environment today to how it was in the late 1990s. Technology, as a whole, is slowing down. I was earnestly surprised at how long the video consoles have lasted, honestly, along with the lifespan of Windows XP. While enthusiasts might have computer systems comparable to Microsoft's specs, I have my sincerest doubts that the average computer user will. Microsoft cannot even get people to dump their old PII/PIII systems that have Windows 98 on them, let alone get people to buy these massive computers.

With the way that M$ has offended serious computer users with their activation implementation, though, I do ultimately wonder about the future of Windows. If the average computer consumer is pleased with their existing old computer, using it only for Microsoft Office and internet browsing, then what is left?

M$ isn't dumb, though; they have spent a lot of time diversifying their products over the past few years, from X-Box to DRM to authoring next-generation DVD standards. Even they may see the writing on the wall for the PC; there will always be some people and businesses buying new computers, but will the masses embrace new technology enough for it to be profitable? Hence, will Longhorn, for all its hype, be profitable?

Melon
 
melon said:
I do have my doubts, unless Longhorn's installation size rapidly explodes in size.

I considered that also, but how big can they really consider to be justifiable for an operating system install? Personally I'd say if the o/s itself takes around or more than 10GB, they really need to sit and take a look at where the hell that size is coming from and if it's really needed.
 
j79zlr said:
I mean is anyone who runs XP with a 233MHz processor and 64MB RAM actually pleased with its performance?

Hehe, my webserver used to be that. It wasnt that bad.
 
People are using longhorn now.. so obviously the system specs aren't that bad.

Why does an OS need all that anyway, it's such a waste.
 
It doesn't matter b/c everyone by then will be using linux. :p
 
No one is 'using' Longhorn now, people are testing it, but the builds which have become available via the internet are quite simply pre-alpha, they're lab builds never intended to be used by the public, Longhorn still has a very long way to go in development, official beta builds won't even be seen until 2005. The case with Longhorn is that we've been lucky(?) enough to get preview of it extremely early in development rather than alpha builds sent to testers being leaked.
 
There go any hopes of running this beast on my current baby.
tongue.gif

Oh well, we'll see what happens. It's a long way into the future.

What I'm wondering though is if laptops will have those kind of specs by the time Longhorn is released. It's quite possible with desktops. But every component of a laptop is much more expensive than its desktop counterpart. With specs like these, the machines would need to be ridiculously priced...unless of course, there's some kind of radical change by then.
 
The next version of Windows will sport some fancy, three-dimensional graphics, but for those with an older video card, Longhorn will look a lot like Windows 2000.

That's because with Longhorn, Microsoft plans to offer three different graphical interfaces, each requiring a different level of graphics card. "This is the first time we've had a tiered user experience based on the hardware you are running," lead product manager Greg Sullivan said during an interview at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) here.

The top-of-the-line interface, code-named "Aero Glass," will have transparency and other advanced three-dimensional shading features but will demand a high-end video card with at least 64MB of video memory. The midlevel "Aero" interface will offer most of the improved graphics abilities and will require just 32MB of video memory. Both Aero and Aero Glass will also require DirectX 9.0 support, AGP 4X for external graphics cards and a Longhorn graphics driver. For those systems that lack such a powerful graphics card, Microsoft will offer a "classic" interface, designed to replicate Windows 2000, the mainstay of today's corporate desktops.

Morons :D

I wasn't overly shocked at the seemingly high specs, but to me this little move seems stupid.
 
lol.. i was going to mention about the 3-tier visual settings.
 
And the install discs will prolly be dual layer DVDs.
 
The official build of 4074 has been uploaded to MSDN, so if you're a member go grab it :)
 

Members online

No members online now.

Latest profile posts

Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
Xie wrote on Electronic Punk's profile.
Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
Electronic Punk wrote on Sazar's profile.
Rest in peace my friend, been trying to find you and finally did in the worst way imaginable.

Forum statistics

Threads
62,015
Messages
673,494
Members
5,621
Latest member
naeemsafi
Back