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Computer Buying Guide


When buying a desktop computer one of the first things to look at will be its use and individual budget. In reality the use of the computer is one of the most important aspects in choosing a desktop.
This computer buying guide covers the basics to give you some idea of the important features of computers.

Processors - CPU
Abbreviation for central processing unit, and pronounced as separate letters. The CPU is the brains of the computer. The CPU is where most calculations take place. In terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a computer system and the speed, which is given in GHz, and quality of the processor will greatly determine the performance of the computer.


Budget Processors:
Some of these are older and some are brand new. Often times you can get a nice high end processor that is no longer manufactured for the same price of a brand new budget processor. The discontinued high-end processors often provide more for your money and are better at computing tasks than the newer budget models.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ and Higher (Socket AM2)
AMD Phenom X3 8450 and Higher
AMD Phenom X4 9600 and Lower
AMD Phenom II X3 710 and Higher
Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 to E4700
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 and Lower
Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 and higher
Intel Pentium E5200 and Higher

Mid Range Processors:
While not the fastest processor models these are the best value for the dollar and perform great of most general computing tasks.

AMD Phenom X4 9650 and Higher
AMD Phenom II X4 810 and Higher
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 and Higher
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 and Higher
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 to Q9550
Intel Core i7 920 to 940

High End Processors:
These are the best of the best in processors and will cost a bundle unless you get great bargains by buying buy cheap computers online. Important fact to realize is that while these processors cost twice as much as the middle grade types the performance tends to be only about 25-50% more than the middle category.

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 and Higher
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650
Intel Core i7 Extreme 965

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RAM Memory
Most desktop computers use a DDR2 RAM memory, with some that have DDR3, which is more expensive. RAM refers to the amount of programs you can run on computers without running into slow downs, crashes and drags in perfoormance.

The more RAM the better as it greatly affects the speed and performance of the computer, especially for video, entertainment and gaming. 1GB is good for most computer functions, 2GB, 3GB and 4GB is really great. At least 2GB, but 3GB and 4Gb is better for the optimal gaming and media experiences.

It is a good idea to check and make sure that there are open memory upgrade slots so you can always add more memory RAM, it is fairly cheap and easy to install.

Hard Drives
Hard drives are significant for speed of the computer via the amount of storage space, the larger the drive the faster the computer. Optimal is at least 500GB or more of storage space in the hard drive of the computer with a speed of 7200rpm. Most drives use a Serial ATA interface for easy installation.

Optical Drives - CD/DVD/Blu-ray
Most computers these days come with DVD/CD burners, and even if they do not they are cheap and easy to install and come in internal and external versions. Blu-ray is the latest option for burning in high definition format.

Video Cards
Video cards are ever changing. This is mostly important for gaming as you will need 3D graphics and a Direct X 10 card is best with at least 512MB of dedicated video memory.

External Ports and Connections
Check the amount of ports available for attaching peripherals, such as printers, Internnet, iPods and others. Most important will be to have at least 5 USB ports, one FireWire port as well as an Ethernet connection for Internet and networking. Media card readers are also important that support a variety of flash memory cards for peripherals. Overall, the more ports you have the more variety and options you will have for peripherals.

Monitors
A good monitor is essential for a quality computer epxerience. The older CRT models have become obsolete with the introduction of the LCD screen monitors. LCD have a superioir display with a reduced size due to the flat panel and a lower power consumption.

They come in a variety of sizes and sometimes the larger ones are a better value for the money and make the best experience for gaming, entertainment, such as video watching and are overall much better for the eyes. Most of the LCD screens use the wider 16:10 format but some are now being released with a near 2:1 ratio best suited for movie watching.