Part 17: Windows XP vs. Vista: Performance Information and Tools

026: Performance Information and Tools
I suppose this feature of Vista (not part of XP) is partly a good thing. The Control Panel Applet named Performance Information and Tools (Windows Experience Index) according to Microsoft’s Help and Support:

The Windows Experience Index measures the capability of your computer’s hardware and software configuration and expresses this measurement as a number called a base score. A higher base score generally means that your computer will perform better and faster than a computer with a lower base score, especially when performing more advanced and resource-intensive tasks. . . You can use the base score to confidently buy programs and other software that are matched to your computer’s base score. . .

What this tool fails to inform users (you) about – for example if your hard drive is severely fragmented and you run this tool, what then? Or for example, say you have multiple programs running at the same time and run this tool will your score be the same?

Test 1:
2.8 Processor
3.7 Memory
1.0 Graphics
1.0 Gaming graphics
4.1 Primary hard disk

Test 2:
2.8 Processor
3.7 Memory
1.0 Graphics
1.0 Gaming graphics
4.0 Primary hard disk

As you can see in the above tests the Primary hard disk subscore does not have the same value – therefore proves my point. So what does all this mean? It means that this tool simply does not accurately prove meaningful information when purchasing or determining if particular application will run on your system. The only thing it really provides is a benchmark of your system (i.e. Clean install of Windows Vista vs. having Vista for a month and checking the difference in results).

Simply this tool is crap! Go back to using your conventional methods of understanding what the System Requirements are for a particular application and determine if your computer can run the application successfully or not.

At the screenshot below, I have a base score of 1 because Vista failed to install my video drivers (base scores are determined by your lowest rank in the Subscore).

Windows Vista - Performance Information And Tools

References:
System Requirements
Computer Benchmark definition

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