Whether you like it or not, Windows Vista is about to become the PC gaming platform of choice. It's the only operating system that supports Microsoft's new DirectX 10 graphics system, and it's what developers of the most sophisticated 3D games are designing for.
"It will take time for the mainstream to realize... that PC gaming is getting much better because Vista has enabled it," says HP's gaming guru Rahul Sood. "When Vista first came out the drivers weren't very good, there was no real benefit to DirectX 10, and some older games wouldn't work. But now there's better graphics and better sound effects as well as other performance features, like multiple display support."
Put in plainer terms, if you're a PC gamer, Vista is inescapable.
The good news is that it doesn't really matter which version of the pricey operating system you choose. Still, at $259 just for Vista Home Basic, it can make for a costly stocking-stuffer.
