http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9060738&intsrc=news_ts_head * One UAC prompt, instead of four, when creating or renaming a folder in a protected location (such as the \Windows folder)
* 18% faster recovery from standby for some USB hubs
* 25% faster local file copying from location to location on the same disk
* 45% faster remote file copying from a non-Windows Vista system to an SP1 system
* 50% faster remote file copying from SP1 to SP1 systems
* 50% faster read time for large images
* fixes for common crash and hang problems caused by Windows Calendar, Windows Media Player, and drivers included with Vista
* better compatibility with third-party diagnostic tools
* a password hint during initial setup of SP1
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/vista_sp1_by_the_numbers_performance_numbers_that_isAnd more...