Which 7 works when switching from Intel on board to Nvidia/ATI gfx?

Hi there,

Tried in vain to find an answer to this one.

I have heard that maybe some versions of Windows 7, such as Starter or Home Basic, will not permit the automatic switching to a stand alone graphic card (Nvidia or ATI Radeon).

I wish to find out if this is correct and if so, which versions are restricted? I use Photoshop and play HD video files up to 2GB in size, so I want to ensure switching is performed for improved graphical performance. Based on this finding, I can then decide what O/S to buy with a new laptop I'm about to purchase.

Thank you,
Pete

Hi. Thanks for the information.

I use Ubuntu Linux O/S most of the time. I really only use Windows for occasional Photoshop usage, perhaps a FPS game and when there is no fully compatible alternative app in Linux and virtualisation will not work, i.e. Yahoo messenger with video/voice having no native Linux version, etc.

For my purposes, i am struggling to determine the differences in the Windows 7 versions beyond the basic Microsoft literature. Starter is 32-bit, so presumably runs slower, limits the number of apps running at once and restricts access to the first 2GB of memory. I also read it does not burn CD/DVDs. However, other than Aero desktop effects, I'm not really sure the benefits for me between Home Basic and Home Premium. I do not run a home network. I connect to the Internet via LAN cable or Wi-Fi access using a laptop.

Thanks,
Pete

logicearth said:

There is no such restriction. It is a function of the hardware and drivers. But really why would you chose to use Starter or Basic in the first place? That would make no sense. Home Premium should be the lowest version you should go for.

In my position, what would be the selling points to buying Home Premium instead of Home Basic?

Pete

logicearth said:

If that is all you need Windows for, just stick with Home Premium.

This was the best comparison I was able to find quickly:

Windows 7 editions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Can you buy a capable laptop with Starter or Home Basic? They seem to be reserved for machines with limited resources.

(I'm not a Linux user, so "limited resources" may mean something different for me than for you.)

Thank you for both the recent replies. Both very helpful and not what I'd been able to find Googling.

Much appreciated.

Pete

bobkn said:

This was the best comparison I was able to find quickly:

Windows 7 editions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Can you buy a capable laptop with Starter or Home Basic? They seem to be reserved for machines with limited resources.

(I'm not a Linux user, so "limited resources" may mean something different for me than for you.)