Windows Aero

Windows Aero is a graphical interface included in Windows Vista and Windows 7 that replaced the Luna graphical interface used in Windows XP. Aero appeared in the final versions of Windows Vista on January 30, 2007, the day the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) version was released, and a few months earlier in the Corporate versions. It has been retired with the release of Windows 8 on October 26, 2012, when it was replaced by 'Modern UI'.

The conformation of the word AERO, according to Microsoft, comes from the retroacronym Authentic, Energetic, R eflective and Open, 'Authentic, Energetic, Reflective and Open'.

Description

Basically it is a style or a set of windows that with the Taskbar assumes the same appearance to fit with the user interface correctly. Depending on the edition of Windows used, the system will be affected in different ways:

• Windows Aero Basic is a slightly bluish opaque theme used in the Home Basic version and in the others when the speed starts to decay or the system does not meet the minimum requirements to support your counterpart (see below). It does not allow access to special effects features such as Windows Flip, Flip 3D...

• Windows Aero Glass is another theme that is usually the one used in the Home Premium, Business / Professional versions (in Windows 7) and Ultimate, and can be used when the computer is classified as Windows Premium Ready PC (See Requirements for Premium Ready PC). It allows access to the most striking features of this system, as is the transparent effect of it itself.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 use a process called Windows System Assessment Tool (WINSAT), which runs automatically during system installation and also when settings are changed of the PC. The operating system uses this information to determine, among other things, which Aero mode can be run and the computer is capable of playing high-definition video. This data brings together relevant information about the CPU, main memory, hard drive performance, etc. Also, Aero on its own is capable of vector drawing and using the Pixel Shader capability.

Features

Windows Aero adds the following features to Windows Vista and Windows 7:

Aero Glass

It consists of a three-dimensional crystallized effect (imitating transparency) on the edges of the windows to be able to see through them, in the toolbar and in the Start menu. It also gives a gemstone look to the buttons in Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer, and other programs, as well as the buttons for open programs on the taskbar. It is possible to change the transparent color for another from the collection of colors for Aero, with a large category of colors. You can toggle whether you want to show transparency or opacity from the Control Panel.

Windows Flip

It is a Windows Aero feature that complements the traditional Alt+Tab ↹ from previous versions of Windows. It shows real active thumbnails of the current windows, thus allowing a better preview of them.

Windows Flip 3D

Windows Flip 3D is a Windows Aero feature that enhances the Windows Flip feature by displaying a 3D effect of currently open windows. This function is activated with the key combination ⊞ Win+Tab ↹. However, this feature was excluded from Windows 8 in areas of favoring applications.

In Windows 10 this function returned, as a quick access combination to access the different virtual desktops.

Aero Peek

This option displays a thumbnail preview (in English, thumbnail) of a minimized window on the taskbar when you hover the mouse pointer over its icon. In Windows 7, some of the thumbnails have applicable commands.

Aero Shake

Included for the first time in Windows 7, it is a feature that consists of being able to quickly shake a window from one side to the other, so that all the remaining open windows are minimized, similar to the key sequence ⊞ Win+D. In Windows 10 this feature also works with Modern Apps.

Aero Snap

Also included in Windows 7, it consists of the automatic adjustment of windows in geometric proportion: when moving it towards the left or right edge, the window automatically adjusts towards that margin, and when moving the window towards the upper edge of the same this is maximized. In Windows 10 this feature has been improved and is now called Dock.

Effects of opening and closing windows

Windows Aero includes window blinking made with spontaneous fading or fading. This feature is common to Windows Vista and Windows 7, although it is still present in their successors.

Requirements

The minimum requirements to run Windows Aero are as follows:

• Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate or Enterprise Edition at 32 or 64 bits, activated and validated by WGA (Windows Vista Home Basic does not include Aero Glass) or Windows 7 Home Basic (Air incomplete, such as Windows 7 Starter), Home Premium, Professional, Enterpise or Ultimate at 32 or 64 bits. Aero will be activated both if the Windows copy is activated and not.
• 1 GB of RAM for all its effects.
• Video card: 128 MB of dedicated RAM, with support for DirectX 9.0 and Pixel Shader 2.0, for hardware. We recommend dedicated and unintegrated video cards with at least 128 MB of RAM.
• Processor: 1 GHz

Supported graphics cards

ATI/AMD/NVIDIA:

• Dedicated:
  • Radeon 9500 Series
  • Radeon 9550 Series
  • Radeon 9600 Series
  • Radeon 9700 Series
  • Radeon 9800 Series
  • Radeon x300/x550/600 Series
  • Radeon x1050
  • Radeon x700/x800 Series
  • Radeon x1300/x1550/x1600/x1650/x1800/x1900/x1950 Series
  • Radeon HD 2000/3000/4000/5000/6000 Series
  • Geforce FX 5000 Series
  • Geforce 6000/7000/8000/9000 Series
  • Geforce 100/200/300/400 Series
• Integrated:
  • Radeon Xpress 200 IGP
  • Radeon Xpress 1100/1150 IGP
  • Radeon Xpress 1200/1250 Series IGP
  • Radeon x1250 IGP
  • Radeon x2100 IGP
  • Radeon HD 3000/3100/3200/3300 IGP
  • Radeon HD 4200/4250/4290 IGP
  • Radeon HD 6250/6310/6410/6530/6550 IGP
  • Geforce 6150 + nForce 410/430
  • Geforce 7025/7050 + nForce 630a
  • Geforce 7050 + nForce 610i
  • Geforce 7100/7150 + nForce 630i
  • Geforce 8100 + nForce 720a
  • Geforce 8200 + nForce 730a/750a SLI/780a SLI/980a SLI
  • Geforce 9300 + nForce 730i/760i SLI
  • Geforce 8100/8200/8300 IGP
  • Geforce 9300/9400 IGP

Intel:

• Integrated:
  • GMA 950
  • GMA 3000/X3000
  • GMA X3500
  • GMA 3100/X3100
  • GMA 4500
  • GMA 3150
  • HD Graphics 2000
  • HD Graphics 3000
  • HD Graphics 4000