Buying Your Computer
These days it’s become a necessity that homes be outfitted with some kind of computer. However, as technology continues to grow it keeps getting harder and harder to understand what exactly it is we are buying into. This article will provide insight into the components of computers and also some helpful hints that can aid you in getting the most computing power for your money.
If you’re reading this your probably not a stranger to the computer. However, there may still be some questions that you have about buying a new computer and the components that it will be made up of. The first thing to consider is how much mobility you want from your new computer. If you think that you are going to be traveling much or just like moving around the house to work you may want to go with a laptop. If you think that you’ll be working in one place and don’t need to travel with your computer then you may decide to go with a stationary desktop computer. Before you decide on the one you want, review the chart below that outlines the pros and cons of both.
The bottom line here is that it comes down to your personal preference. If you don’t mind having your computer in a stationary place then definitely get the desktop. For the money you spend you’ll get a much higher-powered machine. However, if you want to be able to work anywhere (even in bed) then go for the laptop. The truth is that you’ll spend more money, to get an equally good machine, but you’ll also save space and get a more convenient sized computer.
If you can’t decide if you want the desktop or laptop don’t worry about it yet. There are many other factors that will affect your decision, and it’s about time we started discussing those. Let’s start with the hard drive. All personal computers are equipped with a hard drive that allows you to store documents, pictures, or any other data on your computer. Even though storage technology has increased over time the design for the basic hard drive has remained the same for many years.
Conventional hard drives rely on a spinning disk that is magnetized by a swinging arm that encodes data onto the disk. Disks spin at a certain RPM (Revolutions Per Minute). The faster the RPM the faster the disk is able to retrieve data. Because of the sensitivity of these moving parts it is very important to be careful whenever handling hard drives. If dropped the inner parts of a disk can lose their calibration which can lead to a loss of data. This consideration is most crucial with laptops as they tend to be dropped at least once. To solve this problem many high-end laptops are equipped with airbag type devices that protect the disks when dropped. However, these systems tend to be much more expensive. The best idea is to just be careful with your laptop and buy a good solid case to store it in.
Those are the basics about disks and disk safety. The more important question for most consumers is exactly how much storage space do you need? To start, most desktops come standard with 80 Gigabyte (GB) hard drives and laptops with 30GB hard drives. For most people these sizes will be fine. However, if you tend to store larger file types like pictures, it may be a good idea to invest in the bigger hard drive. You may eventually find that you have used up all of your disk space. When this happens it is a good idea to purchase an external hard drive that you can use to supplement your built in hard drive. These start at around $100 for an 80GB external drive. My final suggestion is to get at least a 40GB hard drive with at least 7200 RPM. There are other factors that affect the speed at which you can access information off of your hard drive, but for the most part these factors aren’t going to affect the normal computer user. When buying your hard drive try to get the most “Gigs” per dollar. Sometimes dealers and manufactures offer special rebates on these products. If this is the case it may be a good idea to upgrade when you first make the purchase and save money.
In your computer the hard drive functions as the primary source to store data including programs. However, the data transfer rate of a hard drive is too low to allow programs to run off of the hard drive. That’s why computers are fitted with Random Access Memory (RAM). When you open a program on your computer its instructions are transferred to the RAM memory banks and the program runs from there. RAM is solid-state memory so its data transfer rates are much higher than those of a disk. This increases system performance significantly. If you don’t have enough RAM on you computer your system will have to swap files between the hard drive and memory. This can slow down your system performance by quite a bit.
Because of its importance to your systems performance, RAM is one of the most crucial things to buy. Most systems that you’ll look at probably start off with 256MB of RAM. For most people this will be enough memory 75% of the time. For about $50 it’s possible to upgrade to 512MB of RAM. As applications become more complex the need for RAM to run them grows exponentially. To save aggravation in the future, it’s a very good idea to purchase the cheap RAM upgrade at purchase. This way you’ll have enough memory for all except the most demanding applications, and you won’t have to worry about getting your computer upgraded in the future.
We’ve discussed storage basics for your new computer, now it’s time to talk about what is going to make your computer capable of performing any tasks. This is the Central Processing Unit (CPU) or processor. The CPU is the component of computers that allow them to “think.” When you type a document or log online it is the CPU that is carrying out the instructions. The processor has brain like status, and because of this it is one the biggest deciding factors in the overall speed of your computer. CPU speed is measured in gigahertz (GHz). Generally speaking the higher the gigahertz the faster the processor.
There are a couple of things to consider when deciding which processor you are going to purchase. First consider what you are going to be using the computer for. If you are going to be playing new games, editing video, photos, or audio, or running many programs simultaneously it is a good idea to have the top of the line processor installed in your computer. This will insure rapid processing and save you time. For everyone else I recommend buying at least a midrange processor that will provide plenty of power for the everyday user who checks email, edits digital media occasionally, and uses a couple of programs at a time. Lower end processors are cheaper, and may suffice for people who use their computers less. However, I wouldn’t recommend buying into the lowest bracket, as the system will become outdated in a number of months. Which will prohibit the use of new software. If you really only use your computer for the basics then this is probably okay. The rule here is that processors and basically everything in computers lose value very quickly. Try to buy a midrange processor that will allow you to get the most power for your money.
Now that we’ve covered the basic internal components we can move onto the parts that allow you to interact with the computer. The first component that does this is the video card. The video card allows the computer to interface with the monitor. Basically it changes computer output into a viewable format. When selecting a video card look for one with an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP). Also, it’s a good idea to purchase a video card with built in RAM. A 16MB to 64MB built in cache is fine for everyday users. However, if your going to be playing newer games and doing lots of digital editing it’s worth while to buy a card with 128MB to 256MB of RAM. The bottom line here is the more money you spend the better quality card you are going to get. Don’t spend the money if you don’t have to.
The next piece to think about is the monitor. For most consumers this comes down to personal preference. There are regular CRT monitors and flat panel monitors. Basically, CRT monitors are cheaper and offer a better picture for their price, but they take up more space. Many computer companies are offering flat panel monitors free or discounted with a purchase. Personally I’ve never had problems with flat-panel screens. Pictures are good and they save a ton of space. This is really up to you as the buyer though. If the picture quality is important for you, than take a look at the pixel pitch. A lower pixel pitch (.25) means a higher quality picture. For most consumers a monitor is a monitor. Buy one that you like at a good price.
There are a multitude of other products you can buy to compliment your computer, one of the most important being your keyboard and mouse. There are thousands of options out there for consumers to choose from. I would suggest buying either a USB or wireless keyboard and an optical mouse. Optical mice are just as cheap as regular mice and they are more reliable. The best way is go to a computer store and try out some keyboards and mice. This way you can find one that is best suited for you. Computers are also outfitted with a sound card. This allows users to plug in speakers and listen to audio. Pretty much any sound card will work for basic computer users. The card will connect to an audio jack that will allow you to plug speakers in. Speakers are another item that you should purchase on personal preference. There are so many choices and it’s impossible to tell someone what to purchase.
Depending on what kind of Internet connection (for a look at your internet options click here.) you have or intend to have there are a couple of options for you network. The first option applies mostly to desktop users. This option is an Ethernet connection that hooks up to your computer through an Ethernet connector in your computer. If you are planning on using this kind of setup make sure the computer you purchase has an Ethernet port. Likewise, if you use dialup make sure the computer has the appropriate port. The second option is for both desktop and laptop users and it is to set up a wireless network. This kind of setup requires that your computer have a wireless connectivity card and that you have a wireless modem that will broadcast the signal to your computer. This does cost more money but allows you to access the Internet anywhere in the network area.
If you buy your system through a major computer company they may offer an extended warranty service and technical support. While it’s not exactly necessary to purchase these plans, it is a good idea to do so. For about $150 you can get full 24-hour tech support and an extended warranty for 2 years. Buying an extra accident warranty is a good idea as well. This goes beyond the limited warranty and covers drops and other user errors that may damage a computer. Basically, a computer is a huge investment. It’s important to insure your computer in the same way you would insure any other asset that you own.
So where can consumers go to buy there new computer? There are basically two places. The first is the Internet. Manufactures offer custom design options through their websites. This way you build the computer you’d like. However, I wouldn’t buy my computer through the manufacture’s website. Instead I’d design it there to check prices, but I’d make the actual purchase at a local computer store. Everyone has computer problems. It’s something that you can count on. By buying locally you automatically have a place to bring your computer for repairs or to call for help. A reliable computer dealer can be difficult to locate. I recommend using www.metroinfo.com. Their local portal provides the best providers in your area. When you buy from a MetroInfo featured dealer you can be sure that you’ll get great service before and after the sale.
Well, those are the basics of buying your next computer. Try logging in to a bunch of manufacture’s websites to check out what you get for your money. Try and run through all the basics and make sure that the system will work for you. Make sure you think about what your Internet connection is going to be and what kind of network you plan to run. Print out the sheet below to organize your research.
For a more in depth discussion of bits and bytes click here http://computer.howstuffworks.com/bytes.htm
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