What is the minimum CPU score for running Windows 7?

[mauricev]

I have to evaluate whether a given machine currently running XP can be upgraded to Windows 7 without making it too slow to be usable. Many computers are used for typical office tasks including using Word, Excel, perhaps Powerpoint, web surfing and email.


We have some machines with passmark scores according to the table hovering in 2000-3000 range, but the lowest 119 (Pentium 4 1300 MHz), which sounds insufficient and quite a few in the 200-1000 range.


Machines vary in RAM, but in some cases they may be upgradeable to 3-4 GB RAM. Cost limit us from the replacing the machine wholesale. In a few cases, it may be possible to replace the hard disk with a relatively small SSD.

[David (PassMark)]

I don't think there is any minimum score. Win7 should run, even on the older hardware, but it will just be slow. So the limit depends on how slow you are prepared to put up with.

I wouldn't bother upgrading the P4 machine, or any machine with 2GB or less. I would think that the problem isn't just the O/S. With newer versions of the O/S you'll probably load up new versions of various applications, which will use more RAM.

[mauricev]

I don't think there is any minimum score. Win7 should run, even on the older hardware, but it will just be slow. So the limit depends on how slow you are prepared to put up with.

The idea is for the user not to notice the difference. If the user complains, that's a problem.

I wouldn't bother upgrading the P4 machine, or any machine with 2GB or less. I would think that the problem isn't just the O/S. With newer versions of the O/S you'll probably load up new versions of various applications, which will use more RAM.

We have a number of machines with 2GB or less, but with better CPUs than a Pentium 4. So even a machine running a Core 2 Duo CPU E6550 @ 2.33GHz (with a passmark score of 1503) with 1 GB RAM, is just too slow to make it worth upgrading the RAM?

[David (PassMark)]

1GB RAM is definitely too little. Even too little for XP really.

If you can get to 3 or 4 GB of RAM in the Core 2 Duos, it might be worth keeping them.

I don't know what your budget is, but these machines are worth next to nothing now. You can buy Core 2 Duo machines with 4GB of RAM off Ebay for $50. So you would need to be super desperate to try and continue using your older machines.