What do you have to know when shopping for a computer?
The first question to ask yourself is: what will I use it for? From the answer depends a lot of stuff! If you want to mostly stock pictures, (photos) for example, go for a large screen, a lot of memory. For games, chose a high performing graphic card and small speakers to immerse yourself in the games. To read or write emails and navigate on the web, or again for word processing or some accounting, a base model with sufficient RAM memory will do. Today these models cost as little as 500$ but at this price its a low quality machine.
The numbers
Now let’s talk about the numbers. The most important ones to remember are the following: The RAM memory of the computer, that will allow it to do multiple tasks at the same time. I don’t see why you should buy anything less than 1G (gigabyte) of memory, the price of memory these days is relatively cheap. Double it if you’re to use your computer to play video games.
Now for the storage capacity of the hard disk. Its recommended to go for 250 Go (gigabyte). You can always work with less, especially if you don’t have the intention of saving (backup) many documents or photos. But if you have the tendency to collect and file stuff and use large programs you need more than 200 Go (gigabytes).
Today most computers run with two processors (the motor of the machine) Its become necessary because more and more people listen to video on their computers. The minimum speed of each of these processors is more or less 2 MHz ( megahertz). The higher the number the faster the speed of the processor, the faster the computer will react. If the new McIntosh have two processors, its not always the case with the PC.
Table Top or Portable?
An other important question : Do I need a portable or Table top computer? Ten years ago portable computer were reputed to be slower than Table tops. Today , they do the same thing. But they are more fragile and expensive to repair, and more susceptible to break since we carry them around.
If for example, you want to show photos to your family without having to print them, you can move around with your portable from place to place. If you travel and you like the idea of communicating with your friends and family by email or connect to the Internet from your hotel room, a portable is a good choice. Today, most hotel rooms have wireless Internet connections.
But if you spend many hours at your computer, for whatever reason, you must think of ergonomics. Portables are reputed to give back aches because you have to bend your neck to see the screen. The keyboard of the Table Top computer is wider and more comfortable to use, The display adjusted at eye level and the mouse close at hand are assets for good posture.
Concerning the mouse, chose an optical model, for the same price as the out of date traditional mouse. All computers come with a CD and DVD reader/burner. This is an indispensable tool to keep security copies of all your important documents.
Protect your documents
Remember that the hard drive of your computer is the worst place to keep your documents because it can be damaged at any moment, and you risk loosing everything. After four or five years of good service a hard drive will give signs of weakness. That’s why if you produce a lot of documents (photos, text, drawings plans accounting reports) , seriously think of buying an external hard drive, 250 Go for a Table top and 100 Go for a portable.
You can save on this external drive, additional copies of all your important documents. And for additional security transfer your important documents ounce in a while on a CD or DVD. Tedious, certainly, but necessary to protect yourself from losing everything on an unlucky day. It’s recommended to do an integral copy of your computer’s hard drive. If ever it crashes, your copy on the external drive will resurrect it nothing less.
Mac or PC?
This is quite a debate. The McIntosh company is reputed to build good equipment that operate with there in-house operating system, Mac OSX. (Mac control their operating software and computer).This is a token of quality. As for other computers the PCs they are machines of more or less quality assembled with parts of many origins, and they have in common Windows as the operating system. It doesn’t mean you wont find very good PCs built by reputed manufacturers. What I mean, if you are an artistic user (photographer, graphic designer, etc) You would as a rule be better served with a Mac. Thought you could also easily get by with a PC also. Its a question of personal choice …. and budget. A McIntosh is generally more expensive than a PC. But Macs have a better longevity and a better resistance. But when the time comes to have them repaired, there are fewer repair shops.
Other equipment
Computer screens are bigger and less expensive today. For a table top get a 20 inch screen they are more comfortable when visualizing two documents side by side. For the portable, get a 15 inch screen. But if its for traveling light, a 12 or 13 inch screen would be OK. If you what to print photos or other documents chose a a popular combo printer/scanner.
Short Life
Legend is that once you leave the store with your computer it’s out of date. Its true that it’s life span is not always as long as you’d wish. The fault is not as much the computers, although some are of bad quality, than the spectacular development of software that demand more and more memory on our computers.
I hope this article will benefit you and help you make a good choice there are so many types and brand of computers on the market today . Best of luck in your quest for a new computer.
Guide to Buying a Computer
The first question to ask yourself is: what will I use it for? From the answer depends a lot of stuff! If you want to mostly stock pictures, (photos) for example, go for a large screen, a lot of memory. For games, chose a high performing graphic card and small speakers to immerse yourself in the games. To read or write emails and navigate on the web, or again for word processing or some accounting, a base model with sufficient RAM memory will do. Today these models cost as little as 500$ but at this price its a low quality machine.
The numbers
Now let’s talk about the numbers. The most important ones to remember are the following: The RAM memory of the computer, that will allow it to do multiple tasks at the same time. I don’t see why you should buy anything less than 1G (gigabyte) of memory, the price of memory these days is relatively cheap. Double it if you’re to use your computer to play video games.
Now for the storage capacity of the hard disk. Its recommended to go for 250 Go (gigabyte). You can always work with less, especially if you don’t have the intention of saving (backup) many documents or photos. But if you have the tendency to collect and file stuff and use large programs you need more than 200 Go (gigabytes).
Today most computers run with two processors (the motor of the machine) Its become necessary because more and more people listen to video on their computers. The minimum speed of each of these processors is more or less 2 MHz ( megahertz). The higher the number the faster the speed of the processor, the faster the computer will react. If the new McIntosh have two processors, its not always the case with the PC.
Table Top or Portable?
An other important question : Do I need a portable or Table top computer? Ten years ago portable computer were reputed to be slower than Table tops. Today , they do the same thing. But they are more fragile and expensive to repair, and more susceptible to break since we carry them around.
If for example, you want to show photos to your family without having to print them, you can move around with your portable from place to place. If you travel and you like the idea of communicating with your friends and family by email or connect to the Internet from your hotel room, a portable is a good choice. Today, most hotel rooms have wireless Internet connections.
But if you spend many hours at your computer, for whatever reason, you must think of ergonomics. Portables are reputed to give back aches because you have to bend your neck to see the screen. The keyboard of the Table Top computer is wider and more comfortable to use, The display adjusted at eye level and the mouse close at hand are assets for good posture.
Concerning the mouse, chose an optical model, for the same price as the out of date traditional mouse. All computers come with a CD and DVD reader/burner. This is an indispensable tool to keep security copies of all your important documents.
Protect your documents
Remember that the hard drive of your computer is the worst place to keep your documents because it can be damaged at any moment, and you risk loosing everything. After four or five years of good service a hard drive will give signs of weakness. That’s why if you produce a lot of documents (photos, text, drawings plans accounting reports) , seriously think of buying an external hard drive, 250 Go for a Table top and 100 Go for a portable.
You can save on this external drive, additional copies of all your important documents. And for additional security transfer your important documents ounce in a while on a CD or DVD. Tedious, certainly, but necessary to protect yourself from losing everything on an unlucky day. It’s recommended to do an integral copy of your computer’s hard drive. If ever it crashes, your copy on the external drive will resurrect it nothing less.
Mac or PC?
This is quite a debate. The McIntosh company is reputed to build good equipment that operate with there in-house operating system, Mac OSX. (Mac control their operating software and computer).This is a token of quality. As for other computers the PCs they are machines of more or less quality assembled with parts of many origins, and they have in common Windows as the operating system. It doesn’t mean you wont find very good PCs built by reputed manufacturers. What I mean, if you are an artistic user (photographer, graphic designer, etc) You would as a rule be better served with a Mac. Thought you could also easily get by with a PC also. Its a question of personal choice …. and budget. A McIntosh is generally more expensive than a PC. But Macs have a better longevity and a better resistance. But when the time comes to have them repaired, there are fewer repair shops.
Other equipment
Computer screens are bigger and less expensive today. For a table top get a 20 inch screen they are more comfortable when visualizing two documents side by side. For the portable, get a 15 inch screen. But if its for traveling light, a 12 or 13 inch screen would be OK. If you what to print photos or other documents chose a a popular combo printer/scanner.
Short Life
Legend is that once you leave the store with your computer it’s out of date. Its true that it’s life span is not always as long as you’d wish. The fault is not as much the computers, although some are of bad quality, than the spectacular development of software that demand more and more memory on our computers.
I hope this article will benefit you and help you make a good choice there are so many types and brand of computers on the market today . Best of luck in your quest for a new computer.