| Minimum hardware | - Processor: 300MHz
- RAM: 128MB
- Super VGA graphics device
- HD: 4.2 GB (for SP3)
| - Processor: 1GHz
- RAM: 1 GB (32-bit), 2 GB (64-bit)
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics device with 128MB of memory
- HD: 20 GB (32-bit), 40 GB (64-bit)
| - Processor: 1 GHz
- RAM: 1 GB (32-bit), 2 GB (64-bit)
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics device with 128MB of memory
- HD: 16 GB (32-bit), 20 GB (64-bit)
|
| Interface | - Luna theme
- Introduces task-based windows options
- Skinning possible but difficult
- Desktop Cleanup Wizard automates removing old icons
| - Aero theme
- Introduces transparent panes, window animations, live thumbnails of running programs
- New desktop sidebar supports gadgets
- Supports touch screens
| - Aero theme
- Supports slideshow backgrounds, RSS and theme packs
- Introduces Aero Shake and Aero Snap
- Desktop gadgets can be placed anywhere
- Supports multitouch on touchscreens
|
| Explorer | - Replaces tree navigation by default with task pane
- Improves image handling
- Offers thumbnail previews and group views
- Supports some metadata
| - Task pane integrated into toolbar
- New breadcrumb navigation
- New metadata display
- Improved icon resolution
- Some documents can be edited from the preview pane
| - Support for federated searches and libraries
- Virtual folders aggregate content from local and networked drives
|
| Start menu | - New layout
- Devices and some Control Panel options appear in menu
| - Added search box
- All Programs folder changed to a nested format
- Configurable power button
- User profile picture
| - Taskbar jumps appear in the Start menu and replace the right column when viewed
- Documents, Pictures, Music buttons now link to their libraries
- Control Panel options have been integrated into search results
|
| Taskbar | - New look
- Hideable icons in System Tray
| - Refreshed look
- ALT-Tab hot key now shows preview thumbnail of program
| - Interactive mouse-over preview panes
- Replacement of the Quick Launch bar with pinned programs
- Program-specific jump lists based on pinned programs
- Aero Peek for mouse-over desktop viewing
- Revamped System Tray
|
| Devices | - Introduces Universal Plug-n-Play
- New driver library allows for downgrading drivers when necessary
| - Debuts portable device API, designed to communicate with cell phones, PDAs, and portable media players
- Introduces Sync Center for managing data synchronizations
| - New Device Stage provides a centralized, unified window for managing all aspects of printers and portable devices
|
| Misc. | - Introduces context-menu CD and DVD burning from Windows Explorer
- Supports multiple versions of a single DLL to prevent programs from overwriting each other
- Introduces Hibernate and Sleep modes
- Remote Desktop for accessing a computer from another location
- Fast user account switching
| - Built-in drive partitioning
- More powerful screen-capturing tool
- Hybrid Sleep and better configuration options for more nuanced power management
- User-based file-type associations
- Previous Version automatically backs up changes to individual files
| - Expands Windows Explorer disc burning to include ISOs
- Introduces XP Mode
- Expanded options for disabling components
- Can search text in scanned TIFF
- Additional power-saving features for laptops
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