Among the new features of Vista, Microsoft’s new operating system, is the “Windows Experience Index.” The index is a number that Vista calculates that offers a simple overall assessment of how well your computer can handle the demands of the operating system. Actually, the number Vista provides is based on an examination of five key attributes of your computer:
1. Processor speed (rated by calculations per second)
2. Memory speed (rated by operations per second)
3. Graphics (standard graphics performance)
4. Gaming graphics (3D graphics performance)
5. Primary hard disk (data transfer rate)
For each of these five areas, Vista calculates a score from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. It then reports the lowest of the five scores as your “Windows Experience Index” in a pretty blue box. Clicking on it will take you to a screen where you can see all five scores, as well as links to more detailed information about the index.
This seems like a useful feature to help one determine how well Vista runs on their computer and whether it’s time to install memory or processor upgrades. It could also be useful when comparison shopping for new computers.
But the simplicity of the Index can make it misleading. The overall number is really just the lowest of the five ratings, not an average score. In many cases, the lowest score will be for gaming graphics, especially if your computer uses shared video memory rather than a dedicated video card. And in some cases, it appears that lower scores may result from software drivers that have yet to be optimized for Vista rather than limitations in the hardware components being evaluated.
I’ve been spending some time bringing up the Windows Experience Index screen on the new computers running Vista that are available for sale at various retail outlets. In many cases, many of these new computers, and especially laptops, have scores of 3 or lower. Almost always the culprit is shared video memory bringing down the gaming graphics score.
My impression is that if you are shopping around for a new computer, and want to buy one that offers a decent “Windows Experience” with Vista, you may want to avoid computers with shared video memory, or plan on buying a video card right away. Unfortunately, dedicated video cards don’t seem to be the norm in laptop computers, and it isn’t always feasible to add a card to a laptop that has shared video memory. For the moment at least, the Windows Experience Index seems to be skewed toward desktop computers with dedicated video cards.
The Windows Experience Index overview at Microsoft TechNet suggests that the new tool is still a work in progress (as it seems much of Vista is, and could be for some time). Eventually, other tests besides these initial five may be added. And I suspect that as vendors develop new software drivers, we’ll start seeing better index scores among new computers at retail stores.
But for now, buyer beware. Don’t be surprised if you find many of the brand new computers available for sale at your favorite store report rather unimpressive index scores. Like Vista itself, many of these new computers may not yet be “ready for prime time.“
Just one more reason to get a Mac.