Aug 28, 2008
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Aug 28, 2008
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Buyers' Guide
How to Buy a Desktop Computer
The first things to ask yourself when purchasing a new computer are, "How much can I spend?" and "What will the computer be used for?" Try to think of all the things you might want to do with your computer for in the next 3 years or so. Will you only be sending email and surfing the Internet? Will you be using it for work, creating documents in Microsoft Word or Excel. What about digital photography? Will you want to use your computer to store digital photographs, or manipulate them with an image software such as Adobe Photoshop? Will you use the computer to organize or store MP3s or other sound files? Will you be working with Video? Playing a lot of graphics-heavy video games? Do you want a system that you can take with you to and from work, or when you travel? Your answers to these questions will help you choose a computer that provides you with necessary features, and help you avoid paying for features that you'll never use. If you know what type of computer you're looking for, you can jump directly to the associated Buyer's Guide to find reviews and recommendations: In general terms, you should first decide whether you want a Desktop or a Laptop computer (also known as a Notebook or Portable). Desktop Computer or Laptop (Notebook) Computer?The main reason to get a Laptop computer is its size and portability. Laptop computers range in size from the ultra-compact travel notebooks that weigh in at under 3 lbs., to larger laptops weighing 8 or 9 pounds. A laptop is a good choice if you are planning to take your computer to work or to a corner cafe, when you travel, or if you have very limited space, such as in a college dorm room or a small apartment. It's also nice to have as a second computer. With a wireless connection you can easily go from room to room in your house, and not worry about being tied to your desk to work or surf the web. Laptop computers are more expensive than similarly-configured desktop computers, are generally less upgradeable, and often don't last as long as a desktop because of the wear and tear they get. For the same amount of money, you can get a much more powerful desktop computer with more disk storage space and features than you would on a comparably-priced laptop. However, if you're on a very tight budget, you may find that many laptops are beyond your price range. While you can find a very basic desktop computer for $300-$400, you're not likely to find a laptop for less than $600, and most decent Laptops sell for $1,000 or more. But you can't put a desktop over your shoulder and use it at the corner coffee shop, or take it on the airplane and watch a DVD movie during your flight. So if portability or a small footprint is what you need, then a laptop is for you. If you're on a tight budget, or you want more computing power for your dollar and you don't need to take it with you, then you'll be happiest with a desktop model. If you've decided a laptop is right for you, see: How to Buy a Laptop Computer for information about what to look for in a Laptop. If a desktop better fits your needs, read on for more information about what configuration will best suit your needs and budget. Mac or PC?It used to be that Macs and PCs were quite different, but they are now much more similar than they were in the past. Apple Macintosh computers (known by loving admirers as Macs) have a strong and dedicated following. Macs have approximately 3% of the computer market share overall. In certain groups, such as graphic design, however, the Mac is still very popular. In general, Apple provides better customer service, and Macs are less vulnerable to computer viruses and spyware—both because of the Mac's design, and because most virus and spyware programs are written specifically to infect the much larger installed base of PCs. Overall, there are more games and a larger variety of software available for PCs, and if a software package comes for both Mac and PC, it will likey be less expensive for the PC. You'll generally also get more computing power for your dollar with a PC. If you already use and love Macs, by all means, get another one. They're great products, the new Mac OS X is much more stable than previous Mac operating systems, and you've got to love the Apple designs. But you already know that. See a list of the top Apple Macintosh computers. If you already have a PC and are looking to replace it, or if you have a PC at work and are getting a new computer for home use, you'd do just as well to stick with the PC, since it will be more familiar to you. If you don't have a computer at home, but have a PC at work, you'd probably be best off getting a PC for home use as well. If you want to use the computer for gaming or business a PC would also be a better choice. Your Computer's Memory (RAM)While computer programs and files are stored on the hard drive (see below), data that is accessed regularly is stored in Random Access Memory (RAM). The amount of system memory (RAM) your computer has affects the performance of the computer. The more RAM your computer has, the more efficient it will run. With most computers you should be able to add additional RAM at a later time, but try to be prepared for the future when you purchase your computer. In general, the cheapest budget models are not configured to be as upgradeable as the more expensive desktop computers. You may be able to get by for a while with 128 MB of RAM, but our suggestion is that you should get a minimum of 256 MB of RAM for your new desktop computer. If you're planning to use more memory-intensive applications (photo editing software, sound or video files), then you may want to start out with at least 512 MB of RAM. Hard DriveThe computer's hard drive is where you will store all the programs and files that you use regularly. A Budget model desktop computer should have at least 60-80 GB of hard-drive storage space. Make sure to get a hard drive with adequate space for future needs, especially if you plan to use the computer for storing a lot of photos and music. You can always remove files that you're no longer using, such as old photographs, and burn them onto a CD, but you'll want to be sure to have enough space for the programs and files you use regularly. Computer ProcessorsThe main power behind every computer is the CPU (or processor), which determines the speed and power of the entire computer. Most computers either have an Intel processor (such as Intel Celeron or Intel Pentium 4) or an Athlon (such as Althlon XP). For the most basic budget computer, you may have to settle for a Celeron E processor, which in most cases is Intel's lower level processor, a class below the Pentium 4. A Celeron may be adequate for basic computing such as email, web surfing, word processing and similar lower memory applications. But your computer will be useful for a longer period of time with a Pentium 4 or Athlon XP processor. Here are some basic guidelines on which types of processors to look for, depending on how you plan to use your computer:
The range of different processor types is somewhat daunting if you're trying to determine which computer will be fastest. It used to be that the processor with the fastest clock speed was the best performer, so it was easier to compare across various models. Now there are a number of other features that also play a role in determining overall performance, so direct comparisons are not as effective. With some high-performance desktop processors such as the Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition now featuring on-board L3 cache, simple clock-speed comparisons between processors are more misleading than ever before. To make matters worse, Intel, whose processors are in many computers, has recently devised a new processor naming scheme (see Intel Processor Numbers) for more detailed information. If you're buying a Mac, get one with a PowerPC G4 processor or better. As a general rule, the higher the prices, the faster the speed. For general computing, try to find a laptop within your price range that has a Pentium 4. If you really want to delv into the gritty details of clock speed issues surrounding the new Pentium naming schemes, see Understanding Intel's New Processor Number System. Now you should be ready to check out specific desktop models, so be sure to look at the following useful links:
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