Many people don't know where to start when looking at the specifications for new computers. You certainly get a lot of numbers thrown at you these days. A general post for a computer will tell you the operating system, processor, video card, memory, hard drive space, and more. But what does that all mean?
Lets start with the operating system.
Sure, you know Windows and Mac, good start.
Macs tend to be more user friendly, and hard to break. There is a trade off, however. You will have less freedom as to what you can install on your computer and what software is available. Also, if you're buying a pre-built machine, they will cost much more for the hardware you are getting (generally).
Windows has far more options as far as software goes. The trade off there is that not all software is safe for your computer, so you have to be the judge of what you install. Windows will always ask you if you want to allow a specific software to access certain things on your computer.
Now that you have decided between Windows or Mac, you need to select an operating system that they develop. The newest (and my recommendation) is Windows 7. It has the user friendliness of Mac combined with the versatility of Windows. Now you ask, what are the differences in the versions of Windows 7?
That answers that question.
Now you may have heard the terms "32 bit" and "64 bit" thrown around quite a bit. The biggest difference is that 64 bit will allow you to use more than 4gb of memory, which we will get to later.
Processors:
Now this is where you really need to decide what you need. The processor generally has the biggest impact on the overall price. There are a few specifications you may need to know: Speed and number of cores. The speed (measured in GHz) is how fast the clock on each processor is set at. Faster is always better :D
Now what is a core, you ask? Modern processors are broken up into different sections that can each do calculations simultaneously. So a quad-core has 4 cores, which greatly increases the processing speed. Intel processors also have HT (hyper-threading), which means that Windows can see each core as two threads, so a quad core processor could be recognized as 8 cores!
So what do you need?
If you do the most basic of computing, you can go with a cheaper processor. By basic computing I mean that a majority of your use will be internet browsing or word processing. Some good processors for you may be Intel celeron, pentium, phenom, or athalon.
If you do more advanced computing, such as gaming, video/graphics editing, or frequently run programs that are slow on other computers, you will need a faster processor. Some good processors for you may be Intel i (i3, i5, i7), Intel Core 2 (Duo or Quad), or quad core phenoms.
Video Cards:
With video cards, you have quite a few options. Some specifications to look at are clock speed, memory size, bit width, and outputs. Essentially, your video card is another processor dedicated to processing everything that has to do with your display. So the faster speed and more memory, the better your picture will be. Outputs are important if you want to have multiple displays.
So, if you don't do much gaming, graphics editing, or watching movies (youtube doesn't count), then you can go with a lower end video card. I would recommend one with 256mb of memory, and 64bit width. You will need a VGA or DVI port on it as well.
If you like to watch movies and play games occasionally, you should go for a middle range card. that would be 512mb memory and 64 or 128 bit width.
If you play games very frequently or do a lot of video and graphics editing, you need a higher end card. You need 1gb of memory and 128 or 256 bit width. Generally higher end cards will have more outputs as well, so you can easily set up multiple displays.
Memory:
Memory is easy. This is where your computer temporarily stores data for applications that are running, and for the operation of your OS. Memory also effects your computer's speed.
For most computing, you will be just fine with 2gb or 3gb of memory. For a fast computer, 4gb is great! If you plan on running some very intense applications, you will be better off with 6 or 8gb.
Hard drive:
The average computer user will have more than enough room with around 260gb. That is quite a bit of space!
If you have lots of music and programs, you might want to step up to 500gb. You will never run out of room.
If you have a lot of movies and other high capacity items, you can step up to a 750gb, 1TB, 1.5TB, or even 2TB. All of those will leave you with plenty of room to play around with.
Hopefully after reading this you will have a better idea of what to look for in a new computer. Keep in mind it is almost always cheaper to have one built for you than ordering a pre-built one from a brand name company, even though the exact same hardware is inside!
KP Computer Solutions can build you your own personalized computer that will fit your needs! For more information, email KPComputerSolutions@gmail.com
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
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