New laptop, windows 7 or windows vista

OK, I will receive my dell vostro 1320 very soon, it will be my primary laptop that I will used both for my graduate studies/researches as well as entertainment. I will probably use it more than 10 hours per day. So both performance/speed and stableness are important. ( I back up data often though)

I don't like to re-install OS often, so I want to get it right the first time. The laptop comes with a Vista home basic, and i have a legit vista ultimate 32/64 in hand. I will either install vista ultimate or windows 7 RC1, which one do your guys think I should use? I have not used windows 7 before, but heard good things about it.

By the way, where and when can I download windows 7 RC1?

 

Go with the Vista Ultimate for now. Windows 7 is close to go full pledge, no need to download it just for to play with it. But if you do, dual boot your comp.

Technet is probably the official site for W7 RC1 public download.

cheers ...

 

You should be able to download RC1 from MSDN on or after May 5th, is my understanding. You realize though, that that will only be good for about a year? And then you'll have to reinstall anyways. So... for stability, Vista x64 might be good, and then you could upgrade then if you want. But either way would probably be fine...

-pixelot

Edit: Available for MSDN and Technet subscribers on April 30, and the general public on May 5th.

 

I would say stick with Vista Ultimate, purely because 7 is still in testing. If you want to try it, dual boot, then if you have any problems in 7 you still have Vista to fall back on.

Windows 7 RC will be available for the general public to download from Microsoft May 5th.

 

If you have to ask, go with Vista. Seriously. Windows 7 RC's will NOT have an upgrade path to the full version of 7, so you'll have to reinstall completely in a year's time or sooner, and buy a full copy of Windows 7 to do so. If you don't want to do that, go with Vista.

 

I'm going to have to agree with everyone else here. Windows 7 is awesome and I love everything about it, but if you're not looking to reinstall in the near future you should definately stick with vista. I use it as a stand alone OS nowadays but there is always a risk something will go wrong. Vista is safer and more stable, 7 is nicer, faster(feels like it anyway) and more intuative.

 

Yup, I third the motion - if you don't like doing frequent installs, go with .Vista, not with Win7 RC1.

 

Full fledge Win7 isn't going to be out until the end of the year and you will have to install all your programs all over again.

 

Acer confirms Windows 7 available 23 October. Exec spills the beans over new all-in-one's launch

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/23846/acer-confirms-windows-7-23-october.phtml

 

Thanks all, I might consider dual boot first and see how windows 7 works.