Computer and processor

• 500 MHz processor; 1 GHz required for Outlook with Business Contact Manager

Memory

• 256 MB RAM; 512 MB recommended for graphics features, Outlook Instant Search, Outlook with Business Contact Manager, Lync 2010, and certain advanced functionality. ^1  2

Hard disk

• 3.5 GB available disk space

Display

• 1024x768 or higher resolution monitor

Operating system

• Windows XP (must have SP3) (32-bit), Windows 7, Windows Vista with Service Pack (SP) 1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2 and MSXML 6.0 (32-bit Office only), Windows Server 2008, or later 32- or 64-bit OS.

Graphics

• Graphics hardware acceleration requires a DirectX® 9.0c graphics card with 64 MB or more video memory.

Additional Requirements

• Certain Microsoft(R) OneNote(R) features require Windows(R) Desktop Search 3.0, Windows Media(R) Player 9.0, Microsoft(R) ActiveSync(R) 4.1, microphone, audio output device, video recording device, TWAIN-compatible digital camera, or scanner; sharing notebooks requires users to be on the same network.
• Certain advanced functionality requires connectivity to Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007, Microsoft® SharePoint® Server 2010, Microsoft® Office Communications Server 2007, and/or Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010.
• Certain features require Windows® Search 4.0.
• Send to OneNote® Print Driver and Integration with Business Connectivity Services require Microsoft® .NET Framework 3.5 and/or Windows® XPS features.
• Windows® Internet Explorer® 7.0 or later, 32 bit browser only. Internet functionality requires an Internet connection.
• Multi-Touch features require Windows 7 and a touch enabled device.
• Certain inking features require Windows XP Tablet PC Edition or later.
• Speech recognition functionality requires a close-talk microphone and audio output device.
• Grammar and contextual spelling features require 1 GB memory.
• Internet Fax not available on Windows Vista Starter, Windows Vista Home Basic, or Windows Vista Home Premium
• Information Rights Management features require access to a Windows 2003 Server with SP1 or later running Windows Rights Management Services.
• Certain online functionality requires a Windows LiveTM ID.

Other

• Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require additional or advanced hardware or server connectivity; www.office.com/products.

¹     512 MB RAM recommended for accessing Outlook data files larger than 1GB.

²     2 GHz processor or faster and 1 GB RAM or more recommended for OneNote Audio Search. Close-talking microphone required. Audio Search not available in all languages.

What are some of the major updates to the Office 2010 suites from previous versions?
Office 2010 comes complete with new and improved tools and features to help you create, communicate, and stay productive, whether you're working at home, the office, or school. Access your files in more places - and on your schedule - with applications you can use from your computer, from a Windows phone, or via a Web browser. Grab your audience's attention and give your ideas more impact with ready-to-use design templates, eye-catching visual effects, and enhanced photo-editing capabilities. Work smoothly and simultaneously with people in different locations using the coauthoring capabilities in Microsoft PowerPoint 2010, Microsoft Word 2010, Microsoft OneNote 2010 shared notebook, and Microsoft Excel Web App. With professional-caliber tools that are easy to use, Office 2010 helps you simplify your tasks and create outstanding work wherever life takes you.

What is the Office Backstage™ view?
The new Microsoft Office Backstage view replaces the traditional file menu to let you save, share, print, and publish your presentations with just a few clicks.

What is the Ribbon?
The Ribbon replaces traditional menus and toolbars with a fresh, highly visual layout of commands, organized into a set of tabs, to help you find the features you need fast. With the improved Ribbon in Office 2010, you can access your favorite commands even more quickly by customizing tabs or creating your own to personalize the experience to your work style.