Desktops Overview

Are you new to computers? Or you know something about them but just consider yourself an amateur? Having a computer in your home is more than a help, it is practically a necessity these days. For example, you can pay your bills, keep track of expenses, play games, communicate with others, write letters, create presentations for work, or do school work. There are so many things you can do with your desktop computer that it will boggle your mind. However, there is one question on practically everyone’s mind. And that is, what computer is the best one to get? That’s a hard one to answer because there are so many choices. Here are guidelines you can look into that may help you to choose:

 

·        How to buy a desktop computer: deciding which computer to buy is hard unless you know what you are looking for and know how much money you can spend. There are just so many choices. Each computer is made different than the next. Each one has different software installed on it. You have to look at various things to determine what you need in a computer.  

·        The overall scheme of things: The biggest step before venturing out to buy a PC is to decide what you are looking for in a PC. Most PCs today handle word processing and email. This is pretty much standard. However, if you have special hobbies that require a lot of power or more ability than a standard PC gives, you will need what are known as higher end systems. The best way to shop for a desktop computer is to know what you wish to do now, this way you can save on money. Here are some features you may want to look at in a PC:

o       CPU (processor): This is known as the heart of the system. Without it your PC will not run. The faster the processor the more responsive your PC will be. A Pentium 4 or higher processor will take care of most computer functions today. If you really need power, you may want to look at a dual processor system.

o       Memory: To handle the many applications running in PCs today, you need at least 512MB of memory. If you have the money, go for a 1GB of memory. If you run intensive memory hogging programs like Photoshop, get at least 2GB.

o       Storage: In most PCs, you’ll get at least an 80GB hard drive. That normally provides enough disk space for everything you need. However, if you are a programmer, or work with large graphic files, large databases, video, or music, you may want to get a hard drive that has at least 128 GB of storage space.

o       Graphics: In many PCs today, graphic cards are integrated into the motherboard. So you get whatever is on the board. However, if you feel dissatisfied with the quality or output of the images and graphics on your monitor, you can always go for a graphics board that you place in a slot. As for viewing the image, make sure you get at least a 17-inch LCD monitor. They are cheaper and safer on your eyes, plus they don’t give off radiation.

o       Removable storage: Whatever PC you purchase, make sure it has a CD-RW or DVD-RW. You can use this for backing up your important data just in case of a hard drive crash. More than likely your new machine will have USB thumb drives and micro-drives. These are keychain-size devices that can store a large amount of data.

o       Communications: Your PC will no doubt have a modem and maybe a network card included. These may even by integrated into the motherboard. If they aren’t, you may want to add that to your purchase when buying the PC so you can connect to the Internet after you install your PC.

o       Sound: Practically everyone in the world today has a PC that makes sounds. This is standard in today’s market. As a matter of fact, all the newer PCs have sound that is integrated into the motherboard. So sound is a given. You may want to invest in good quality speakers that support your sound card.

o       Software: When you buy a PC today, you’ll notice that nearly every computer will have Windows XP Home Edition on it. This is because most people don’t publish web pages on their machine. Windows XP Home Edition does not have support for publishing web pages. Windows XP Professional does.

o       Keyboard and Mouse: All PCs have a keyboard and mouse. This is standard today. In some cases, you may want an optical mouse or wireless mouse and keyboard. These are extras but offer convenience.

·        Warranty and Support: Many computer stores will provide you with at least a 90 warranty to start with. They in turn will offer to you a chance to purchase an extended warranty. If you don’t know anything about computers or fixing them, you better pay the extra expense for the extended warranty. It will pay in the end. Also make sure the company provides you with 24/7 support. This is important.