I'm often asked what to look for when selecting a new pc. Looking for a
Brand name isn't always the best policy, as with all things with PC's
it's what's inside that counts. Imagine a PC is like a motor car, you
wouldn't go out and buy a certain manufactured car without knowing what
model you wanted and what engine and extras you wanted.
1, Look for a CPU
Processor (this is the brain) that is either a Dual Core
Processor or a Quad Core Processor. AMD and Intel make CPU's,
normally the higher the Number or Clock Speed that is listed for them in
the shop, the better they are. AMD are generally cheaper if you're
on a budget.
2, System RAM
(this helps applications run faster), look for at least 1 Gigabyte
(=1024mb) or more with Windows XP based machines, and at least 2
Gigabyte (=2048mb) RAM or more on Microsoft Vista based machines.
Make sure the graphics card isn't shared memory that discounts some of
the RAM here.
3, Hard Drive
(this stores data, files, and applications), look for a Minimum of 120GB
of RAM, and if you can, get one with a special interface called a SATA,
the higher the Hard Drive RAM you have, the more you can store.
4, Graphics and Sound,
most onboard sound on motherboards is decent, my recommendation if you
have the cash, is get yourself an up to date Nvidia Graphics Card with
512MB+, and a Creative Sound Card. DON'T GET
AN ATI Card for Graphics if you're going to be gaming.
5, Printers and
Scanners, I only recommend Epson and Hewlett Packard
6, Backup Disks,
Always check whether you have backup disks with your new PC with either
Microsoft Windows on, or a way to restore your factory settings on your
PC, your provider should give you details.
7, Drives and Input
Devices, other recommendations include you having a DVD Writer on
your machine, and possibly having a Logitech
Mouse and Keyboard.
