How to Buy a Computer

[Softix]

Recommendations For a New Computer

Windows or Mac?

What about Horsepower/Processing/(CPU)?

How much RAM memory you need?

Multimedia/Gaming/Office user? (Gfx)

Hard (Drive) Decisions

Monitor/Display Decisions

What About Software?

[ecoli]

The most important question we should ask you, is what is your primary function...

 

Are you interesting in running a business through a computer? Are you a gamer? produce/listen to music/ do graphic design? Just need to type documents and check email every once a while?

 

These things will drastically affect how much money you'll need to spend. There's no sense in going for a high end machine if your only watching DVDs, checking your email and typing up word documents at home.

 

If you run a graphic design business and travel a lot, you're going to need a more powerful machine (for example).

[Softix]

The most important question we should ask you, is what is your primary function...

 

Are you interesting in running a business through a computer? Are you a gamer? produce/listen to music/ do graphic design? Just need to type documents and check email every once a while?

 

These things will drastically affect how much money you'll need to spend. There's no sense in going for a high end machine if your only watching DVDs, checking your email and typing up word documents at home. [1]

If you run a graphic design business and travel a lot, you're going to need a more powerful machine (for example) [2].

 

1. if your reason only this one, please consider your monitor or display as your main device to take care of.

 

2. Graphic designer users ,you need powerful machine such as Mac or high end PC. Please take a look at graphic card and storage as well.

[ecoli]

I'm confused... didn't you just answer your own question?

[Softix]

I'm confused... didn't you just answer your own question?

 

erk.... I just giving a clue or issues for persons who want to buy computer.

[antimatter]

If it's for graphic design, as much as I hate to say it: get a Mac. Though it has to be a good one. at least 2 gb RAM, and a dual core. Although I hate macs.

 

I don't quit understand the previous exchange between you and ecoli. This thread isn't for you?

[Donut.Hole]

Okay, looks like you want an all-around PC then.

 

OS: Windows XP - Best all-around OS

 

CPU:Looks like you'd be happy with an Intel Core 2 Duo clocked at 1.2GHz. Best bang for the buck. Some people say AMD is better...well Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme have trounced anything AMD has cooked up.

 

RAM: 1.5GB is reasonable, but you can get by with 1 GB.

 

Graphics Card: If you have a PCI slot, get this cheap, powerful card for $20: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102737. Just make sure to get the 1.5 RAM if yyou buy this one, cuz it sucks up RAM.

 

If you're not custom building, 256MB with a fan is good enough, maybe 512MB if you play games at full settings.

 

HD: Slack off on this if you've been doing heavy spending. 40GB should be enough, you don't need a fast storage one either.

 

Monitor: These things are expensive, so get an LCD equal or less than 17." The smaller the size, the better the performance (and the price!). If you do visual things like gaming and graphics-intensive programs, go for a sharper screen, but a basic LCD should be cheap and adequate.

 

Software: All you really need to start of with are Firefox, Microsoft Office 2004, and Norton Anti-Virus. No biggie.

 

Hope this helps, and it helps more if you're custom building. This should make a good PC at a reasonable price, especially if you buy from Newegg.com.

[antimatter]

Donut is correct on most things, though you should get a PC with either AGP, or Pci-express. PCI sucks.

For software, you'll also probably want Spybot S&D, and perhaps a Firewall.

[Klaynos]

I agree on the AGP part with antimatter.

 

Software wise I'd either go for ubuntu instead of windows. And seriously consider openoffice.org instead of ms office, and maybe AG or Avast instead of Norton, I haven't used Norton for years, last couple of years I've been using f-secure, changing that to a free one soon though.

 

And maybe a bit more RAM... and can you really get hard disks that small any more?

[antimatter]

Thanks Klaynos.

 

I think that if you want a computer for just general work XP would be okay, but if you want to do more programming-oriented work Ubuntu is perfect.

 

I think they do sell them, though 2 gb of RAM is a little overkill for just word-processing.

!.5, should be just right.

[Klaynos]

I prefer ubuntu for everything pretty much... Virtual desktops are something that I just can't live without these days...

 

Just done a quick check, a 36 GB disk, cost £69.78, where as a similar speced 320GB disk cost £44.02, that's SATA, couldn't find PATA disks that small on the site I checked just for a quick reference...

[ecoli]

Thanks Klaynos.

 

I think that if you want a computer for just general work XP would be okay,

 

As much as I hate to say it, XP probably isn't the way to go if you're investing in a new machine. It won't be long before microsft will stop supporting it.

[Klaynos]

As much as I hate to say it, XP probably isn't the way to go if you're investing in a new machine. It won't be long before microsft will stop supporting it.

 

They've already had to extend all their time scales twice due to demand, but that wont go on forever at any rate.

[Donut.Hole]

Anyone like Linux? It uses less RAM I've heard, but I've never used it. Is it as good as XP?

[Klaynos]

Anyone like Linux? It uses less RAM I've heard, but I've never used it. Is it as good as XP?

 

Depends on which distribution, I use one called ubuntu that wipes the floor with vista let alone xp

[ecoli]

Depends on which distribution, I use one called ubuntu that wipes the floor with vista let alone xp

I still wind up doing more troubleshooting with Ubuntu than I did with XP or Vista... I don't get as angry about it though.

[antimatter]

I've also heard Linux is much more efficient, but as I said before it's mostly for programming and such.

[Donut.Hole]

To Ecoli: Off topic, but I just had to mention it. Your avatar of Calvin in his onion suit for the play totally pwns.

[antimatter]

I don't think that there's really one specific set of rules for buying a computer.

It all really depends on what sort of work you will be using it for:

Word processing, programming,gaming, go with a PC.

Graphic design, Macs have a disgusting advantage.

As for RAM and CPU, it depends what programs you're running, and how many you're running.

For graphics, it depends on what you need it for: Design (openGL), gaming (accellerator).

It isn't set in stone. Well, unless you're buying a mac, because then the words "Prepare for the Horror" are roughly hewn into living rock.

[ecoli]

To Ecoli: Off topic, but I just had to mention it. Your avatar of Calvin in his onion suit for the play totally pwns.

thanks... i've been itching to make that my avatar since i read the comic a few days ago.

[antimatter]

Is it from Calvin & Hobbes? It looks awfully familiar...time to look through the several C&H collections buried under the rest of my books...

[Pangloss]

AGP is a dead standard, btw. Not really a good investment anymore, although there is still enough product in the channel to warrant picking up a used or cheap computer with it. PCI-Express is the way to go.

[antimatter]

Yeah, it's one of those things, that while AGP isn't all that bad, you might as well just get pci-e if you're getting a new computer.

I have AGP, and I can't say it's really that bad...I mean, with the ports the difference isn't really...appreciable...unless you know a lot about the subject.