We have listed below some key tips to consider before putting down the Money to Purchase the Computer.
this is an in depth article and some areas may not pertain to your purchasing needs,
(Power PC users, enthusiasts, gamers, and the technically skilled will want to read the entire article.)
Please also note as the integration of new chip-sets, processors, and video cards, and other products our information may be dated from time to time and we will do our best to keep our tip articles fresh.
Things to keep in mind when considering your computer purchase, always remember you DON’T WANT TO BUY CHEAP.
Have a starting budget of $ 350.00 to $ 400.00 for a base end computer to starting budget. If you need something with a little more power $ 500.00 is your beginning base and depending on what you plan to do with it will set the price tag. If you’re on a budget or you don’t have it to invest at the moment buy something bare bones essentials of what you need to start. (Remember you can always buy your upgrades as you build up your system.)
What is your Purpose for this new System
Before you go shopping for a new computer, ask yourself this question: “What am I going to do with it, or what do i need it to do?”
Most people buy a PC to browse the Web, to check and send e-mail, pay bills, and to juggle the occasional Word document or spreadsheet. Today, even the least-expensive, lowest-of-the-low-end system can perform any of those jobs admirably–and do it for well under $1000.
If you have particular needs, many PC vendors allow you to customize and upgrade their base-model PCs with a mind-boggling selection of features. Require extra storage? Pick a larger hard drive. Want extra memory? Load up with 8GB of RAM up to 16GB depending on the manufacturer. Custom built systems can usually be pushed a little bit further, this depends on how much you want to soup up your rig. Are you ready to burn Blu-ray Discs or to watch HD DVD movies? Choose an optical drive that supports your preferred format. We recommend that you take your time and select only what you need today. You Can always Upgrade your components Later if needed. (If you’re into editing digital video or managing a large database, you’ll need to set your sights a little higher. Look beyond the basics for systems starting in the $1500 range or more. If your Purchasing a Gaming Rig you will want to consider Dual core Processors with 64 bit support (low end) for decent performance. For more for Cutting Edge Video you will want to look at Quad core processors with 64 bit support.(mid grade to high grade.) )
Things to consider heavily for your Purchase are:
The Processor
If you plan to use your PC for standard office productivity and basic Internet tasks, almost any processor will do. But if you want more power, There areMulti core, 8 core, Quad core processors, and dual core Processors. (mainstream). Newer machines are always pushing the envelope of computing technology and will always improve over time. The big Players in the Field are Intel and AMD. To save a money on your purchase you can buy one or two levels down from the top processor–you’re unlikely to lose more than 5 to 10 percent per tier in performance, however keep in mind you need to remember not to buy below the optimum peak that you need. One thing to keep in mind for maximum performance when multitasking or when using demanding, multithreaded applications, you may wish to investigate quad-core CPU’s and multi core processors (up to 8 core currently). For anyone playing games or manipulating audio or video on a regular basis, having a four-core processor can potentially deliver benefits. We qualify that statement because, aside from a few games such as Crysis and World in Conflict, the list of optimized applications is growing, dominated by expensive offerings such as the latest versions of Adobe’s Premiere Pro and Encore DVD, Auto desk’s 3D Studio Max, and Steinberg’s Cubase 4.
Memory
The more installed memory your PC has, the more applications you can run smoothly at once, and the better the system will perform. Starter systems usually have about 4GB. Upgrading memory in a desktop after you purchase the PC is a snap most mainstream systems can be pushed between 8GB of RAM up to 16GB, custom systems can be pushed further. It is usually worthwhile to buy the amount of memory you want pre installed with the system. We recommend Windows 7 for a windows based PC over Vista. If you choose to run Vista you should approach it with caution due to compatibility issues.
NOTES: You cant run Windows 7 or Vista with less than 1GB of memory, you will want at least 2GB for decent performance.
(We do not recommend running Windows XP as it is no longer supported by Microsoft as of April 8, 2014.) See “The End of XP” article on this site CLICK HERE
NOTE: always keep in mind the minimum requirements needed for certian high end programs as they will not perform or even install if your system does not meet the minimum requirements for that program or set of programs you plan to run.
MOTherboards
A new motherboard can provide cool new technologies that your PC might be missing: faster, second-generation SATA connections, which currently reach 3 gigabits per second (gbps); gigabit ethernet; high-definition audio; and even dual-card graphics (SLI or CrossFire). Make sure you Shop Around. Also make sure your motherboard has at least one or two USB ports on the front, to plug in your digital audio player and a USB memory drive, for example. You’ll want additional USB ports in back, for attaching everything from an external hard drive to a printer. Higher-end systems and Media Center PCs should also have audio/video inputs and FireWire ports within easy reach.
Graphics Cards
Responsible for generating all of the images on your monitor, the graphics subsystem in a PC ships either as a removable expansion board, or one that’s integrated onto the motherboard. Though we recommend buying a dedicated graphics board for gaming, integrated graphics (common on value-priced PCs) are adequate for most other uses. Just make sure to choose a motherboard that has an available PCIe x16 slot so that you can add a graphics card later if necessary. If you want games, graphics, and other multimedia programs to run faster, a dedicated graphics card should be a priority. You’ll need a DirectX 9 or 10 capable graphics card and at least 512 MB of dedicated memory or greater. Serious gamers with bigger budgets will want a multiple-graphics-card setup With great power comes an even greater price tag.
NOTE: (some graphics cards can cost you a lot of money, if your really looking to push your system to the max. If you go this route plan on beefing up the rest of your system to keep up with your video card.)
Hard Drive
The minimum size of a new hard drive these days has risen significantly over the past 12 months, and consumers should be able to find a sub-$1500 desktop PC with a drive of 250GB with up to a whopping 1 terabyte of space are currently available out of the box, although you may pay a significant premium for hard disks at the top end of the capacity spectrum. If you plan on storing large amounts of data, such as digital images or multimedia files, on your PC, the bigger the drive, the better. Most business users don’t need a hard drive larger than 80GB, but for mixed use you’ll want more capacity. People who work with big databases, spreadsheets, or digital photo, music, or video files should think larger–drives are available in up to 750GB capacities. Two drives in a striped RAID 0 array can offer a boost in performance; alternatively you can get two drives mirrored together in a RAID 1 (or similar) configuration, to provide fault-tolerance against hardware failure.
Most drives today are Serial ATA and spin at 7200 rpm.
Monitors
Don’t take your eyes or your computer for granted. While monitor shopping, a lot of people become transfixed by huge, beautiful displays and don’t take into account a very important number: the native resolution (the average resolution of low-end displays is 1024 by 768 pixels). This is the optimal resolution intended for the monitor. The higher the resolution, the better the graphics card you’ll need if you intend to run any video-intensive applications. Keep those factors in the back of your mind as you deal with the temptation to buy a 30-inch panel.
Many people can get by just fine with a 17- or 19-inch LCD monitor, but we recommend buying a 22-inch wide-screen model, many of which now cost only a little more than their 19-inch counterparts do.
There are 3 types of Computer Monitor connections currently in play RGB, DVI, and HDMI if your computer has the HDMI port or your Video Card may have one integrated on it.
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