What do you expect from windows Vista?
I think all those nice 3D effects will kinda force the computer sellers to make their computers come with a minimum nice graphics card which will kinda make them lower the prices of them.
Even being low end graphics card this will give the component the importance it never had before, people will now care about a graphics card, like one of the main components.
Off course Vista will come with a non 3D interface version but i highly doubt they will give the idea of buying a limited computer to the customers.
Also i expect Vista to come with a very nice GUI as it never did before.
Some screenshots of Office 12:
http://www.neowin.net/comments.php?id=30382&category=main