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Windows 7 officially will be released to the public on Thursday, and judging by our poll, most CNET readers have already decided to upgrade. For those who haven't, or for those who want a bit more information on just what you're getting with your Windows 7 Starter, Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate, take a look at the chart and explanation below.

This CNET-produced chart is based on a larger one from Wikipedia.

Windows 7 Starter is the lightweight version of the new operating system that only comes with Netbooks. It's not available for upgrade from Windows XP or Windows Vista, and it's fairly hamstrung. Sixty-four-bit isn't available, and the Backup and Restore Center won't work with network-based drives. It also lacks many of the key features that make Windows 7 appealing. Aero is disabled, as is the new theme manager.

Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player aren't included, and so it shouldn't be surprising that none of the more advanced features is baked in, either. XP Mode, which will allow Windows 7 to run XP-only programs, Remote Desktop Host, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and multitouch support are all not available in Windows 7 Starter.

So just what does Starter offer? Users can pin programs to the Taskbar, and the helpful jump lists remain active, too. Snap still functions for quickly resizing program windows, although it doesn't have its slick Aero look. The revamped Windows Search will work, and other under-the-hood improvements--such as better Wi-Fi and device management--are also fully functional. Users can use the in-place Anytime Upgrade option to buy an upgrade from Starter to Home Premium.

Windosw 7 Home Premium is the basic version that should appeal to most casual users, and retails for $119. Most of the big features that Microsoft wants you to know about are included here. Aero Peek for previewing programs and clearing the desktop, Aero Snap for resizing program windows, and the Aero skin with its translucent Taskbar and window borders are all in full effect. Aero Shake is also enabled, which is a quick way to clear the desktop by clicking and holding down on one program window and lightly shaking, hiding all the other open windows.

Theme switching and customization is activated, and the Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player will allow users to stream video directly to their desktops. Multitouch features are enabled, and Home Premium can be used to create a Home Group, which simplifies sharing music, video, and other files between computers that are all members of the same group. It's also available in 64-bit, but can only support up to 16GB of physical RAM. Home Premium can be upgraded using the Anytime Upgrade to either Professional or Ultimate.

Aero Peek is only available in Windows 7 Home Premium and above.

(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

Although it sounds full-featured, Home Premium definitely offers less than Windows 7 Pro or Windows 7 Ultimate. Location-aware printing, presentation mode, and XP Mode are not available. Neither is BitLocker, AppLocker, the remote desktop host feature, nor Aero glass via remote. AppLocker is the new feature that allows system administrators to restrict program access from the Group Policy settings. You also can't use the Windows 7 Backup and Restore feature to work with network drives, just like Windows 7 Starter. That feature doesn't come in until the Pro version.

Windosw 7 Professional is the power user edition of the new operating system, retailing for $199.99. In addition to all the features in the Home Premium edition, Pro is designed to be flexible for dual use in the home and small business. It will support up to 192GB of physical RAM in 64-bit mode, it supports legacy Windows XP productivity programs via XP Mode, it can work with two physical processors, and it can back up your data to a networked drive. It still lacks the AppLocker and BitLocker features, it can't handle the pretty but superfluous remote Aero glass support, and it lacks the multilingual interface support pack.

Windows 7 Ultimate, retailing for $219.99, supports those features plus virtual hard-disk booting and a subsystem for Unix applications. Although it's possible to conceive of some home uses for Ultimate, the features that separate it from Windows 7 Pro set it in a class that's almost exclusively for intensive international or network use. For most office or home power users, it's not really recommended.

There are several other versions of Windows 7 available. Windows 7 Home Basic is for emerging markets such as Bangladesh, China, India, and Mexico, and places itself between the Starter edition and the Home Premium edition in terms of features. Aero is partially enabled, for example. Windows 7 Enterprise is identical to the Ultimate edition, but is only available via volume licensing. The Europe-only "E" version was going to come without Internet Explorer, but that has changed to the "N" version that lacks the media player.

If you're planning on buying Windows 7, tell us in the comments below which version you're getting.

The SRH840 headphones are the priciest of the bunch.

(Credit: Shure)

Last month, Shure announced its first foray into the full-size headphone space, but the scope of availability was limited to the U.K. Now, the company is introducing the cans in the U.S. market--a move that's sure to please Shure fans based in the States.

Unlike the company's established in-ear line, the circumaural sets are geared toward at-home listening, particularly for novice DJs and others who are passionate about music but can't afford the professional models on the market. The new line includes three sets, which are outlined below.

• SRH840 Professional Monitoring Headphones: ($199.99) Optimized for studio recording and critical listening, the SRH840 features reference-quality frequency response, rich bass, clear midrange, and extended highs. The model's ergonomic fit and collapsible construction offer added comfort and portability.
• SRH440 Professional Studio Headphones: ($99.99) Tuned to deliver accurate audio reproduction, the SRH440 is optimized for professional audio equipment, including DJ mixers, mixing consoles, and headphone amplifiers. The adjustable headband and collapsible construction make the SRH440 ideal for recording and monitoring.
• SRH240 Professional Quality Headphones: ($59.99) Calibrated for connection to consumer-listening devices and professional equipment such as mixing consoles, the SRH240 headphones reproduce full bass with detailed highs.

As with the in-ear models, these new full-size sets will include Shure's excellent two-year warranty. The release date is ambiguously set as "this summer." My guesstimate? Start looking for these in August.

Um, I may have broken it...

(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)

The full name for the Dell P2210 is the Dell Professional P2210. So what exactly does "professional" mean? Who is Dell referring to? The everyday office user? Or maybe the graphics artist professional to whom color accuracy is of the utmost importance.

Hmmm, based on the P2210's current price of $209 and Dell's decision to use Twisted Nematic (TN) technology for the panel, I'm 99 percent sure this monitor is targeted to the former professional and not the latter.

We just got this one in, so while we're busy rigorously testing the ever-lovin' crap outta this thing, check out some shots of it doing what it does. Also, check back next week for a full review. "Where," you ask, "do I check back?" Well, at the monitors home page, of course, silly. You can also find reviews of all the monitors CNET tests there. Here, I'll make it easier and provide a link. You're welcome.

Dell P2210 photos

This monitor has no soul...that we know of.

(Credit: CNET)

I'll be completely honest: LCD computer monitors intended for graphics professionals are not my area of expertise. Most of the monitors I've reviewed have been consumer-focused.

Monitors like the Dell SP2309W and Samsung P2370, while great for gaming or just looking nice in your apartment (respectively), would not be caught dead on the desk of a graphics professional. (Of course, if I'd found a monitor could actually die at all, well, I probably would not be writing this, as the prospects of an inanimate object possessing a soul would be far too exciting to continue sitting at my workstation, working.)

Silliness aside, I'll be soon be diving headfirst into a small, shallow pool of Pro Graphics monitors, starting with the Eizo ColorEdge CG222W. The CG222W is intended for graphic pros and can be found from around $1,200 to $1,500. The monitor includes either an S-IPS panel or a Samsung S-PVA panel (the LTM220M3), depending on whether you believe FlatpanelsHD or TFT Central. According to TFT Central, the panel used in the NEC Multisync p221w-bk is the same as the one housed in the Eizo.

If that's true, it's strange that the NEC monitor costs only a third of the Eizo's price. And for this reason, you won't see a review of the Eizo CG222W for a couple of weeks. I'm waiting for NEC to send me the P221W-BK so I can compare them directly and figure out just what makes the Eizo so much more expensive.

Also, I'll also likely be using some new tests that are better-suited for professional monitors, like photo viewing and a black level test.

NEC says it can get me the monitor in a couple weeks, so look for reviews of both a short while after that. In the meantime, check out a few pics I took of the Eizo. Commence stalling.

Eizo ColorEdge CG222W photos

You get two of these for your $107,000.

(Credit: YG Acoustics)

You'll get no argument from me that $107,000 seems like a lot of money for a pair of speakers.

But the YG Acoustics Anat Reference II Professional is a lot of speaker. Stereophile magazine's Wes Phillips delved deep into the flagship speaker's build and sound quality in his review. It was a tough assignment, but somebody had to do it.

While $107,000 is definitely out of my price range, that doesn't mean there's not a market, albeit a very small market, for products that advance the state of the art. Great, but who buys these things?

Answer: rich people. You probably know some of their names. Rock icon Bruce Springsteen just signed a new $110,000,000 contract. The Boss could and should buy these things (maybe he'd make better-sounding records). And the last time I checked, Tom Cruise is still getting upward of $20 million to appear in a movie. A pair of YG Acoustics Anat Reference II Professionals would be a nice start for his home theater.

In addition, sports superstars are still signing megamillion contracts, and big-business CEOs are still eating at fancy restaurants. Even now, the rich aren't hurting; luxury markets are holding steady.

The Anat Reference II Professional is a three-piece modular loudspeaker. It is, shall we say, on the statuesque side of large; the Reference Main Module sits atop the Studio passive subwoofer, which, in turn, rests upon the Professional powered subwoofer. Each three-module array weighs 440 pounds.

Most of each module is made of aircraft-grade aluminum; the front baffles are a machined "ballistic grade" alloy of aluminum and titanium. The speakers are shipped in six custom aluminum flight cases.

The Panasonic Premiere series of plasma TVs has its roots in the company's professional monitor lineup.

(Credit: CNET)

Despite the fact that Pioneer has exited the HDTV business, we still consider its Elite Kuro plasma TVs, such as the PRO-111FD, the best-performing televisions we've ever tested. Now Panasonic has released a new lineup of so-called Premiere plasmas that takes direct aim at the Kuros. While they deliver a superb picture, they still fall a bit short of the mark.

We reviewed the 65-inch member of the series, model TH-65VX100U ($9,995 list), and there's a 50-inch version coming in late February, model TH-50VX100U ($4,995 list). Aside from their high price tags, these displays must overcome the fact that Panasonic announced a slew of new plasmas at CES that use the company's next-generation NEO PDP panels, which consume less power and deliver even deeper black levels, according to the company. Before somebody asks, no, the Premiere series does not use the new panels.

Still, there's a lot to like about these expensive displays. Picture quality is excellent, with deep black levels and superb shadow detail, although color accuracy (along with black level) didn't match the Kuro. The Premiere plasmas have the same build quality we lauded on Panasonic's standard professional monitors, like the TH-50PF11UK. They also share some of the same "professional" characteristics, such as the necessity to purchase a separate stand and speakers if you need them, and relatively sparse input selection.

Read the full review of the Panasonic TH-VX100U Premiere series.

Panasonic TH-VX100U series photos

... Read more

Dear Lexmark,

We'd like to invite you and one of your printers to join our secret society: it's called Best 5, and although we don't have perverted initiations, secret handshakes, or kooky hats, you do get to feature your X7675 Professional on our list of the Best 5 printers.

We put the X7675 printer/scanner/copier/fax machine through a series of grueling tests to gauge its print speed, ease of use, and output quality, and we're impressed with the results. The front mounted control panel contains individual buttons that toggle commonly used preferences, and you can even plug your camera's memory cards into the media bay for direct printing.

The printer did tempt us to unleash the ceremonial paddle two times during our tests: first, the paper input tray can only hold up to 100 sheets of paper, while the competition offers similarly priced units that can support 250 pages. As long as you don't mind refilling paper every once in while, this is a minor irritation. Second, the tray that's supposed to catch paper as it rockets out of the printer is way too short; we actually stationed a pledge with a trashcan beneath the printer to catch the falling debris, but it's also a problem that is easily solved with five fingers and a little attention.

So congratulations, Lexmark--your X7675 Professional now joins the ranks of the most world renowned Top 5ers. Your inauguration will come at a time of our choosing--maybe tonight, maybe six months from now, but we recommend continuing to bring the heat--your membership depends on it!

The Panasonic TH-50PF11UK is a professional monitor that can serve amateur viewers well.

(Credit: CNET)

Panasonic markets its professional monitors, like the TH-50PF11UK I just reviewed, to hospitals, TV studios, and airports, but these displays will serve just as well in your own home. In fact, in past years they've delivered better picture quality and better value than the company's line of mainstream "consumer" models.

That's no longer the case--the company's best consumer plasmas, like the TH-50PZ800U, performed better than the TH-50PF11UK we tested--but the pro model still has excellent picture quality. In addition, its styling is about as compact and unassuming as you can get and makes a stark contrast against the flashy, glossy black found on most of today's plasmas. The TH-50PF11UK also comes with more control over the picture than other Panasonic plasmas.

The downside, as you may have guessed from repeated use of the word "monitor," is that the pro model lacks a TV tuner. It's also short on inputs and missing a stand and speakers. To some buyers, however, that minimalist approach is a good thing.

Read the full review of the Panasonic TH-50PF11UK.

Below you'll find the settings we found best for viewing the Panasonic TH-50F11UK in a completely dark room via the HDMI input with a 1080p, film-based source. Your settings may vary depending on source, room conditions, and personal preference. Check out the Picture settings and calibration FAQ for more information.

Picture Mode: Cinema
Picture: 25
Brightness: 4
Color: -4
Tint: 0
Sharpness: 0
Color Temp: Warm
Color Management: Off
Advanced Settings: On

Black Extension: Off
Input Level: 0
Gamma: 2.2
AGCL Off

W/B High R: 1
W/B High G: 6
W/B High B: 3
W/B Low R: -7
W/B Low G: -5
W/B Low B: 0

Setup menu
Power Save: On

Signal submenu
3:2 Pulldown: On
Noise Reduction: Off

(Credit: nVidia)

You think your SLI or CrossFire setup of the latest graphics card is powerful? Well, it might be. However, it's nothing compared to the single card that Nvidia introduced on Monday.

The Quadro FX 5800 is arguably the most powerful professional graphics card in the world...for now. Unfortunately, it's not a gaming card.

The new card works best for professionals searching for oil, diagnosing illness, or styling the next high-performance luxury vehicle, or anyone with the need for advanced visual-computing solutions.

The Quadro FX 5800 has 240 CUDA programmable parallel cores and features 4GB of graphics RAM. (To put this in perspective, a Windows 32-bit computer, like most computers out there, can address just a little more than 3.5GB of RAM). All this results in unprecedented performance and scalability. The Quadro FX 5800 is now able to visualize and interpret massive datasets that until now were unattainable on a workstation graphics board.

Other advanced features of the card include:

• Interactive 4D modeling with time lapse capabilities

• Massive memory bandwidth of up to 102GB per second

• Fill rates that exceed 52 billion texels per second and geometry performance of 300 million triangles per second

• Support for next-generation OpenGL and Microsoft DirectX 10 applications

• Advanced multisystem and multidevice visualization environments with Quadro G-Sync II

With great power comes great...price. The new Quadro FX 5800 is estimated to cost about $3,500 and will be available shortly via third-party card makers.