Computer Buying Tips and Tricks | If you are looking for a computer to check your emails, then you can go and buy any old computer to do the job. If you want to do a bit more like for office use, media editing and other large applications, you will need a computer to suit those needs. Now a days sky is the limit when it comes to the size, speed, and capacity of the new generation computers. However this article suits an average person as well a a tech geek. Lets jump straight in,
What kind of computer size suits you?
A variety of computers in different sizes are available in todays market. Those extend from micro pc to giant fancy looking computers.
Micro pc
If your requirement is for very light usage such a score or image display you can choose this model. This is very compact and got will have hdmi and usb port built in to connect to a TV if required.
Mini/Mini Tower PC
If you require an minimum work environment for browsing and office application usage, go for this. It will save a lot of space. These model generally doesn’t support option for additional graphics card.
Tower / Mainframe / Gaming PC
All above average and heavy application users must go for this type. This provide enough option for expanding the resources if required at later stages. These have optional support multiple storage, RAM and graphics cards.
How fast should a computer be ?
A computer speed depends on various components such as
How fast should a computer be ?
Having quality components inside your computer will obviously make it run faster.
Dual core or more…The minimum processor you will need should be dual core. You can get a core I3 3.2ghz which runs very fast. This is what I have in my computer and it runs 20-30 tasks at the same time. That is a bit extreme, however we are thinking of the future. We do not want your computer to be outdated and slow in a years’ time. I also usually prefer an Intel processor, however AMD and Athlon are very good also.
If you choose to go for a quad core I will be seriously jealous, as this computer would perform any task and do hundreds at the same time. But don’t forget that every great processor needs a decent amount of ram (memory) to function to its full potential.
How much memory do I need?
Having 4Gb of memory would be just great! I would say that you would defiantly need this if you are using the Windows Vista operating system. However if you have Windows Seven, which runs fantastic even on old computers, then don’t worry if you have less.
Windows Seven is a better operating system and uses less computer resources. I have an old 3ghz computer (not even a dual core), 1 GB ram, with Windows Seven on it. I must admit that I am only using this computer as a media player that is connected to my TV. It is not storing hardly any files. Still great though!
How much hard drive space do I need when buying a computer?
You are probably thinking that you do not need much hard drive storage space, but let me explain. In the good old days, photos were printed at a photo shop, however now we store all of our photos digitally. This means we will naturally need more storage space. We also extract video footage from video camera’s which takes up a lot of room, and new games really take up room. The point is, if you are buying this computer for the future, then you should be equipped.
I recommend having at least a 250GB hard drive for the main hard drive where the operating system will be installed. Then it would be great to have a second hard drive installed where you can store your files (installing a second hard drive takes about 5 mins). After that I would suggest buying a 500GB external hard drive to backup onto.
This might sound extreme to you, but who would have ever thought we would be storing our photos on the computer and printing them from there. Soon everything might be stored digitally.
Motherboard? When buying a ready made desktop people usually overlook the motherboard which is the main system board of the computer. You can check to see if the motherboard includes enough plugs
Do I need a DVD Drive?
Yes you do need a DVD drive. This will play music cd’s, games, DVD movies, and more. You should have at least one DVD burner drive installed. When you are buying a new computer the minimum you should have installed is a 20 speed DVD writer. Now days you can buy a DVD burner from Ebay, brand new, for around $30 so why not have one?
Do I need an extra graphics and sound card installed?
If you plan to watch movies, look at fancy graphics on the internet, or play games on your computer then you need a graphics card. Having a graphics card will make your computer run faster. If you do not have a graphics card, when graphics appear on your screen it will be using the computers memory to display it. This will slow your computer down, or in some cases, even stop it dead.
A sound card is a different story though. Do you want to turn your computer into a monster stereo or do you just want to hear sound? I have onboard 6 channel sound with sub woofer speakers and can still blast my office with sound. I personally do not need a sound card, and the average user shouldn’t either.
Standard items that come with every computer system:
Your computer should come with a computer keyboard, mouse, LCD flat screen monitor, and all the cords needed to connect the computer. It should also come with all the necessary CD’s needed to restore the computer to its original state.
Laptop computer buying tips & tricks
When choosing a new laptop to buy, you should be careful because there is a lot of cheap junk out there on the market. Follow these tips for buying a new laptop computer that should last at least two years or more.
- Make sure the laptop is an Intel core I3 at the minimum.
- 4GB of ram (memory) minimum.
- A minimum of 250GB hard drive. (And an external hard drive for backup).
- Inbuilt wireless adapter, and a Ethernet port.
- Make sure it has enough USB ports. Everything plugs in through USB now days.
- I would be ideal to get a spare battery and an ac adapter. These are the parts that go first on a laptop.
- Inbuilt DVD burner.
- Firewire port to connect a video camera if necessary.
- A laptop carry bag for protection and to hold all the accessories.
- A wireless mini mouse.
- A year or more warranty.
- MAKE SURE the laptop is not display stock as they leave the power adapters plugged in and running 24-7.
Choosing the right desktop or laptop computer to buy can be a daunting task if you don’t know what you are talking about. What does all that computer jargon mean anyway? Hard drive, processor, ram, memory, hardware, software. Here is a definition of the most common computer terms. It is best to arm yourself with a bit of research and knowledge about the product before you commit to buy.
