5. Windows Vista

Why you should wait to buy: Un-patched bugs make operation difficult.

Microsoft's latest operating system, which launched in January 2007, is still working out a few kinks. That's not uncommon for a major systems switch, but it can be frustrating for users with basic computers, says Paul Eng, web senior electronics editor for Consumer Reports. "Vista doesn't run well on some configurations" -- mostly bare-bones models, he says. There are also a few security glitches. Vista upgrade software costs upward of $200, depending on the edition you choose, so it's worth waiting until the improved version debuts this summer. Microsoft plans to discontinue previous operating system XP in June. Eng expects the latest Vista edition to be in place by then. "It's hard to believe Microsoft will leave people hanging," he says.


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