Should You Steer Clear of Windows Vista Home Basic?

In this PC Magazine article Lance Ulanoff speculates that the entry level version of Windows Vista is so limited that it will be little use to anyone.

To understand whether he is correct, we must first understand what is included in Vista Home Basic. Microsoft publish a comparison of Vista editions and Paul Thurrott has a detailed guide, both of which show that when compared to Home Premium, Home Basic is missing the new Aero desktop interface which gives the Windows all their whizzy effects; Scheduled backups; The home Media centre features which make the PC a home entertainment centre; and The DVD recording / Movie making features. At the time of writing, C|net reviews showed that Vista Home Premium users had scored it a disappointing 4.5/10.

So Home basic may offer enough for some basic users, but if you think you will switch between Home Basic and Premium versions of Vista (with the new Aero desktop) then you may be frustrated by the comparative limitations of Home Basic. If you want to use your PC for media or photo applications, then you will probably find Home Basic is lacking features you need. In either case it may be worth spending a little bit extra to get Home Premium rather than saving money on Home Basic and regretting your choice later on.

Ulanoff suggests that PC manufacturers may bundle Vista Home Basic with entry level PC's so make sure you check the level of Vista that is being offered before you spend your money on a new PC.