Windows Vista Business for gaming/media?

OK, so here is my dilemma:

I'll be buying a new laptop in the next 2 months. I have debated and decided to install Windows Vista on it (I may try to dual-boot with XP, i don't know yet, but I do need Vista for DX10 programming). I will be using this laptop for 3D programming, gaming (Crysis, UT2k7), watching DVDs and other typical bored college student stuff. I also have a not-so-old desktop that will get Vista Business installed on it, and it will be used as a little home file server. I would like to be able to do some Remote Desktop Connection from my laptop to my desktop.

I have a Vista Business x86 license and a Vista Business x64 license that I got through my school. My intention was to use one of these on my new laptop.

I know Windows Vista Business is not as media-enabled as Home Premium or Ultimate. I was looking at this chart: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/choose.mspx

I may intend to be burn some movies to DVDs with menus and such, but I don't care about using Vista's bundled software for that (could get 3rd party software for this purpose). Also, I don't have any Media Center Extenders (Zune, Xbox 360, etc.) and I don't intend to buy any in the near future. This computer will not be used as a PVR, I don't care about stupid default games that come with Windows, neither I intend to make HD movies.

I do care about being able to run DX9 and DX10 programs and games, I do want to be able to have nice DVD playback (maybe even have a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD drive), be able to burn data DVDs or maybe a movie onto a DVD with Nero (or some other 3rd party software), and play video clips in general.

Now, my questions are:

1)Will Vista Business let me do all of this stuff I need on my laptop, or some of my tasks require Home Premium/Ultimate for that?

2)If some of my tasks need Home Premium/Ultimate, would I be to work my way around with Business + some 3rd party apps?

3)With my use in mind, will it matter whether I go for Vista x64 or x86? I am thinking of getting 3 or 4 GB in RAM, and for that I'd need x64, but if I'm going to run into too much trouble getting 64-bit drivers for printers, digital cameras, webcams and such, then I'd be willing to stick with x86 and 2 GBs.

Once I know the answers to these questions, I can weigh my priorities and decide whether it would be worth it for me to buy an Ultimate license or just stick to my Business ones.

I welcome feedback from everyone, but I'd especially like input from Vista Business users!

 

1. None of your tasks require Vista Ultimate. In fact, everything Ultimate offers you in the way of both watching and encoding multimedia is inferior to free 3rd party applications out there.

2. Yes, Business is more than enough.

3. Up to you. Keep in mind there is no upgrade from 32- to 64-bit function. You must do a clean install if at some time you move to 64-bit from 32-.

Ultimate does provide a few gimmicks not advertised, such as that desktop wallpaper video thing, whatever it's called, and the multi-language interface packs. Also has Bitlocker, if you like that.

 

WMP cannot play DVD movies in Business. The MPEG2 codec is disabled by default. You have to use 3rd party app.

Business also does not have Windows DVD Maker installed by default. Again, you have to seek for 3rd party solution.

Basically Vista Business will do all of your requirement there. It just that you should use 3rd party solution for most of your need.

 

Actually, even if you get Vista Ultimate, I'd still suggest you get those 3rd party apps.

You seriously do not want to get stuck using WMP or Media Center for your multimedia needs It's like using MSIE when you have firefox right there.

Take a look at VLC, MPC, mplayer, CCCP, K-Lite, Zoomplayer, etc.

 

Yea, I'm a long time VLC user (pretty nice not only for playback of pretty much any obscure codec out there, but also does transcoding!!!) I think I can just use VLC in Business and I'd get all the media playback I want. So, VLC should work fine in Business?

What about data CD/DVD burning, I assume Business supports it as well?

Any reported specific, common driver problems when going from XP x86 to Vista x86? Any problems when going from XP x86 to Vista x64? Or Vista x86 to x64? I know the internal hardware of pretty much any new laptop has 64-bit drivers, but I wonder if I will have problems with my Epson printer or my Vivitar digital camera.