We all know that the release of Windows Vista has been met with mixed feelings. I don't think there has been this much turmoil regarding a new Windows desktop since Windows Me. In fact, some Vista hate-groups are even calling Vista -- Me-2. Whichever side of the fence you're on, Vista is here to stay. While it may not be the total Windows XP replacement (yet) Microsoft has taken some very aggressive measures to give Vista some vector. Aside from the DirectX 10 facade, Windows Vista (Ultimate edition) is the first desktop OS to ship with the 64-bit version bundled with the 32-bit retail release. For retail purchases of Home, Home Premium and Business the 64-bit editions are available from Microsoft through a special incentive program. That in itself is huge news for desktop owners. From a personal viewpoint, I feel the 64-bit desktop is WAY overdue! However, mainstream PC owners aren't ready to give up all of their backwards compatibility just yet, which is the single most destructive element to a new operating system. Sure, nobody wants to start 'all' over when they upgrade their operating system, but isn't that WHY we upgrade?

     As with any new operating system, let alone a 64-bit version, there are going to be some new things to get used to. Going beyond the Windows Aero desktop and all of its eye candy, the 64-bit version has a new restriction on drivers that require them to be certified by Microsoft. If the driver isn't certified, it just won't get any CPU time. This was done as a way to try and limit the amount of poorly written hardware layer code that is so often the cause of the infamous Blue Screen of Death. A good case in point, a very popular third-party Intel Core 2 Duo core temperature application called CoreTemp obviously has the need to access things at the hardware level. However, because it has not been certified, those functions fail and you receive a warning box that says "Some driver elements failed to load" and the end result is that all of the temperature fields read bogus information.  Besides the imposed software protection that Microsoft has put in place, there are some immediate benefits to an x64 based desktop. However, I'm going to zoom in on just one. Memory! 

     With a 32-bit operating system, the maximum amount of addressable system ram is 4,096 Kilobytes (4 Gigs). If you put 4 Gigs of RAM into a 32-bit Vista PC, this is what you'll see under your system stats. There are hundreds of explanations for this in as many different levels of tech-speak. However, to put it in layman's terms--a 32-bit operating system can only address up to 4096 Kilobytes of memory. That sounds fine in theory, because that is the amount you have installed right? Well, this is where things get a bit more complicated. 32-bit operating systems develop a 'memory hole' and for those who have been around long enough, think back to the 286 days when we were using DOS commands with the XMS managers to try and put device drivers into extended memory, above the 1024 mark. Remember that 'hole' that resided between 640 and 1024 that we couldn't put anything into?  Same basic principle applies here as Windows is trying to stash all of our device drivers into memory, addresses are quickly being eaten. The end result, the hole. Yes, there are various hacks that have been developed by at-home programmers to help 32-bit Windows desktops overcome this issue, but unless all of your applications are coded to work with these third-party modifications, then they won't be able to utilize the extra memory properly. Face it - it's time for the 32-bit operating system to just -- go away. 

     With the 64-bit operating systems the amount of addressable memory is MUCH higher. If my number crunching is correct, that number would be 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 which equals 2 Exabytes. Microsoft has made that number much more manageable for its own desktop versions with the following breakdown. Home Basic can support up to 8 Gigabytes of RAM, Home Premium has support for 16 Gigabytes of RAM and Windows Vista Ultimate, Business and Enterprise are labeled to support "128+" Gigabytes.

     OCZ has labeled a select series of RAM products as Vista performance specials. Of course there is no magic hardware inside the RAM modules that will know if you're running Vista and kick in a special accelerator. What they've done is align single and dual channel modules under a marketing moniker to make these modules easier to identify. Since these modules are OCZ through and through, you get all the high performance features and specifications we've come to know and expect from OCZ. Probably the single most important feature is the lifetime warranty! Since there isn't a single PC that can operate without physical RAM, it's awesome to know that OCZ stands by their products with enough vigor to offer such a limitless warranty. With their spot-on customer service, you can rest assured knowing you're covered.

     The modules we have under the scope here are DDR-2 PC2-6400 (DDR2-800) from the Platinum product line. Obviously, the higher up the performance rung you go, the more you can expect to pay at checkout. Here's what the Platinum series has to offer. 

     »  Speed Class: DDR-2 800Mhz (400Mhz bus) / PC2-6400
     »  Enhanced Latency: 5-4-4-15 @ 2.1 volts
     »  100% hand-tested for quality assurance and compatibility
     »  XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) heatspreaders for the most effective heat dissipation

     A special note (and treat) for Overclockers is the OCZ Extended Voltage Protection (EVP) which is a feature that allows for a VDIMM of 2.1V or higher without invalidating the  OCZ Lifetime Warranty. The EVP on this set of modules is 2.2 volts.