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Consider Your
Actual Needs
©2005 by Bob
Osgoodby
Most of the computers sold in retail stores are
a compromise,
designed to appeal to the widest number of
potential purchasers.
Depending on what you want to use it for,
usually it is not what
you need, as they are what are referred to as
“middle of the
road” systems.
There are several things that you should take
into consideration.
If your primary use will be basically email and
word processing,
if you buy one of these “middle of the road”
systems, you will be
paying for a lot of “bells and whistles” you
don’t really need
and will never use. You really don’t need the
“blinding speed” of
the upper end processors as you will never be
able to use it in
the applications you use.
While a CD is required to install software, you
may not need a
Floppy Disk. If the only thing you will use them
for is loading
programs when you first get the system or
acquire new software,
the high end devices are simply “overkill” and
unnecessarily add
to the cost of the system you buy.
If however, you use the computer for
entertainment purposes,
rather than getting a CD read only device,
consider one that can
read and write – in other words a CD Burner.
That way, if you
download something from the web, you can create
your own CDs. You
might also consider a second unit so that if you
want to copy
particular songs from several CDs you already
have for your own
use, you can. In this case I would recommend a
DVD reader as the
second unit as that can read both DVDs as well
as CDs. You can
also make copies of your software, and if you
have downloaded
programs from the web, you can archive them as
well.
Click Here to Start.
The
actual processor you select is the most expensive part of
the
computer you choose. If your processing needs are minimal,
such
as email and/or word processing, you should consider the
lower
end – about a gigahertz in speed. It makes no sense to pay
for
something you don’t need. On the flip side however, if you
intend to do high end graphics, you will be disappointed if
you
select a slower speed. If you are a game buff, definitely
consider a 2+ gigahertz speed, as most games are graphic
intensive.
Your hard drive is your next consideration. Be sure it is at
least 40 to 60 gigabytes and runs at 7,200 RPM. These should
provide adequate storage for most people. This is a case
where
bigger is not better. Larger drives are available but run at
a
slower speed, which degrades your access time. If you are
doing
work that is critical in nature, and you would have a
difficult
time recovering from a disk crash, consider two hard drives.
That way you can easily back up your data files and programs
to a
second drive. Simply change the wire, reinstall Windows and
you’re back in business very quickly. This does require some
discipline on your part however, as you must periodically
back up
to the second drive.
BEAT the Cold Winter of 2007 ARIZONA'S NEWEST WONDER
Kartchner Caverns State Park opened in 1999. This stunning limestone cave system is one of the top in the world. Visit Sunny Southwest this cold winter |
The
case you buy for your computer is also important. Unless
space is an important consideration, forget the really
small ones
as they have very few expansion slots for future growth.
A mid
size tower is probably your best bet. Be sure the power
supply is
adequate to your needs. Most “middle of the road
systems” offer
250 watt power supplies which may not be adequate – if
you want
expandability, consider 400 watts.
As far as which version of Windows to get, XP is fine
for casual
use. It is very friendly and suited to the novice user.
If
however, you have had Windows 98 or 2000, you will most
likely be
disappointed with XP, and should consider XP Pro. Be
aware
however, that some of the hardware and software you had
on
Windows 98 or 2000 may not work properly on XP.
So what is the best way to get your new computer? If you
can
read and follow directions, consider buying the
components and
building your own. The newer cases available are a lot
friendlier than they were in the past. If this is a task
you
don’t want to tackle, try to find someone who can build
it for
you. Be sure they are knowledgeable in all phases of the
hardware and software, and will be available to answer
questions
you might have. While you will pay a little extra for
this
service, it could pay big dividends in the event of
problems
later on.
BEAT the Cold Winter of 2007 ARIZONA'S NEWEST WONDER
Kartchner Caverns State Park opened in 1999. This stunning limestone cave system is one of the top in the world. Visit Sunny Southwest this cold winter |
It is advisable however under any
circumstances, to contact
someone who has experience, as they could point
you to cost
saving equipment that you may not find yourself.
They can also
help you get a balanced system which better
suits your needs and
the applications you will be using.
Selecting the proper components is a delicate
balance between
cost and capabilities. If you consider your
actual needs, you
won’t be paying for things you don’t need, and
you won’t be
disappointed with the performance you expected.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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