How to Choose a New Computer
This is a guest post by Bonnie Hope.
Computers evolve so quickly, and there’s such a big difference in price between a basic model and the latest technology. How important is it to stay ahead of the curve? This depends partly on how much money are you willing to spend, because the more you spend, the more power, speed and storage you can get. In the end, though, your choice should come down to how good you need your computer to be – don’t blow the budget on more computer than you’ll ever use. There’s no point buying a Lamborghini if you’re only going to use it to run errands.
If you will only be using the computer for basic applications like word processing, email and surfing the Internet, any current model will do. Look for a CPU with a processing speed of at least 2.2 GHz. You’ll want 2 GB of RAM and 200 to 300 GB of hard drive space. The computer should also have at least two USB connections to plug in input devices, like your camera. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a new computer on the market without these basic specs, so really you can just shop around for the lowest price.
Intermediate users need a little extra speed and storage space. You fall into this category if you use your computer for music, movies, downloading or photo editing. Get as much RAM as you can afford; more memory will improve your computer’s performance more than a faster processor. Also get the biggest hard drive you can afford. Those audio and video files take up a lot of space. Go for a DVD burner over a CD burner. DVDs are more versatile, and CDs are quickly heading for obsolescence.
Gamers and designers need to shop for top-of-the-line models. The graphics involved in these applications will completely choke up the average computer. Get a high-speed processor and as much RAM as possible to keep things running smoothly. You’ll also need a dedicated video card; these come specialized for either gaming or design, to optimize your graphics. Gamers will also need an extra-large hard drive, especially if you keep more than one game installed at a time.
About Author :
Bonnie Hope is the Assistant Editor of thecomputerscatalog.com.
