Computer Purchase
Computer Purchase Guide
Buying a Computer does not need to be a budget breaker. A Computer purchase often includes additional components and software that are not needed and can be avoided…if you are well prepared with the correct information.Before you purchase any computer, whether you are building your own computer, be sure that you know what computer you are purchasing. You need to do some research in order to make the right choices in selecting the correct computer
When buying a computer, it is important to think about what you actually need the new computer for. Depending on what you use the computer for, depends on what your “primary” part will be. Your “Primary” part is the piece of hardware which will most effect performance in applications you are planing to use.
If you need an office computer, basic components are all you will need. I would recommend a Pentium 4 processor, 512MB of RAM, and Windows XP: Office. That is a solid foundation that will take care of all your needs.
If you need a multimedia computer, I would get the next step up. Getting a Pentium 4 with hyperthreading, two 512MB RAM sticks, and a multimedia management program would be ideal. Hyperthreading is great for a lot of programs used at once which always happens with music, movies, and pictures so it’s definitely something to think about.
If you want a gaming computer, then you should get the third down from “top-of-the-line”. Try a Athlon 64 3000+ or 4000+, three to four 512MB RAM sticks, and a GeForce 7800 GTX. That guarentees no errors, no crashes, and awesome performance as well as giving you the most value for your money
Where to buy is the biggest decision in buying a computer. Also, depending on whether you will build yourself or get a retailer to build one for you. You should only build a computer if you can repair a computer. Seeing if you build yourself, you get no labour warranty. Although your parts will come with warranty, you need to diagnose the problem before you can get a replacement on the part. That rule then loops around to the other side, where you should buy from a system retailer as long as they offer labour warranty.
Another factor on where to buy is pricing. Some people look for the cheapest places where others look for the most reliable places or the ones with the best after sale service & support. If you’re planning on building yourself, then you would want a cheap part retailer. Be careful though, seeing some cheap places are dodgy.