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Product: Windows Millennium Edition
Company: Microsoft
Website: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsme
Estimated Street Price: Full Version: $209 - Upgrade Version: $109
Buy Windows Me Now - Low Price
Review By:
Byron Hinson & Julien Jay

Final Results and Overall Mark

Table Of Contents
1: Introduction
2: Installation & First Boot
3: Goodbye Dos?
4: GUI (Graphic User Interface)
5: Multimedia
6: Internet
7: Core Enhancements
8: Games & Gaming
9: Support Tools
10: Networking
11: Conclusion

Well we have reached the end of the review. Here are my final comments, notes and grades for Windows Millennium Edition

 

Final Comments

How It Grades
  Installation: 91%
Manual: N/A
Performance: 91%
Hardware Support: 92
Look: 90%
Help Files: 93%
Online Support: 90%
Price: 87%
Overall: 90%
 

If Windows Me isn't a revolutionary OS it's clear that Microsoft has focused its efforts to make it more user-friendly, stable and packed full of multimedia options. The result is great and the enhancements added are really worth the wait. This new OS will help PCs to enter in a new multimedia era easily, but in saying that it isn't all perfect, the Windows Media Player 7 for example still needs some work. Microsoft took care of making it just work that is to say that it's really a reliable OS, the help & support center will unstuck most novice users. But whether users will still want to call it Windows 98 3rd Edition or Windows 95 7th Edition we'll have to wait and see, personally it'll be staying as my main home operating system.

 

Specs & Package
Overall Score 90%
Version Reviewed 4.90.3000
Release Date Available now!
In The Box? 1 CD
User's guide
One boot disk is shipped with the full version
The Good Points Easy Installation
Improved Networking
Better Media Player
Less Crashes
Faster Booting
The Bad Points Too Similar To Windows 98 SE
Driver Signing Could Take A While To Catch On
Reviewers PC Setup Pentium III 1Ghz EB
256Mb RDRAM 800Mhz w/ECC
Windows 98 Second Edition
DirectX 7a
Matrox G400 32MB AGP Graphics Card
Sound Blaster Live Platinum
Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro
Microsoft Digital Sound System 80
Sony 17" Trinitron Monitor
DVD Pioneer 10x
Creative DXR3


Pentium III 800
Windows 98 Second Edition
128 MB PC700 RDAM 356mhz w/ECC
DirectX 7a
21" Trinitron Monitor
32MB NVIDIA TNT2 M64 4X AGP Graphics Card
Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad
Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro
Sound Blaster Live!

DVD TV Player - RCA - RC5223P


Pentium II 450
Windows 98 Second Edition
128 Meg SD-Ram
Matrox G400 32MB AGP Graphics Card
DirectX 7a
SoundBlaster Live! Value
17" LG Electronics Monitor
Microsoft Force Feedback Pro
Microsoft Game Pad Pro (USB)
Microsoft Digital Sound System 80
Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer
High Speed Cable Modem Access
3Com NIC

DVD TV Player - Pioneer DV-626D
Widescreen TV - Sony KV-28WS2U 28"
DVD-ROM: Toshiba SD-1202


Pentium Celeron 333
Windows 98 Second Edition
128 Meg SD-Ram
Matrox G400 32MB AGP Graphics Card
DirectX 7a
17" LG Electronics Monitor
Microsoft Force Feedback Pro
Microsoft Game Pad Pro (USB)
Microsoft Digital Sound System 80
Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer
PC Required Minimum System

Pentium or equivalent, 150 MHz (megahertz) or higher processor.

· 32 MB (megabytes) of RAM (random access memory). More memory improves performance.

· Adequate free hard-disk space. An adequate amount depends on the installation scenario you choose. A compact installation with minimum features requires approximately 455 MB. A typical installation

requires between 480 and 545 MB. A custom installation where all options are selected requires up to 635 MB. For each of these three scenarios, choosing to back up your prior version of Windows can require up to an additional 150 MB. Backing up your prior version allows you to uninstall Windows Me if you want and return your computer to its prior condition.

· VGA or higher resolution monitor.

· CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

· Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device.

 
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