Computer buying tips | Good Day, Here is a computer buying guide for people who are not sure what to buy or for people who need help when buying a computer. When you buy a computer, you should consider many things like purpose, performance, budget, and more. I hope this writing is helpful for people who are considering a new computer.
What kind of computer are you looking for ?
1. Characteristics of a Desktop, Laptop, and a Netbook
Desktop – Big, Best performance, Easy to upgrade, Big monitor, No portability.
Desktops have the best performance. It is the best choice for people who play games, watch movies, and who work in computer industry (Game developer, Graphic works, etc.)
Laptop – Portable, Good performance, Little bit heavy to carry, Limited upgradability.
Laptops have good performance, but slower than desktops. It is the best choice for people who need to use computer wherever they go. It is fine for casual gaming(Not for full-scale gaming), watching movie, and etc. Think of it as a portable desktop. (slower than desktops, but it is portable!)
Netbook – Small, Best portability, Slow performance, Small screen, Limited upgradability.
Netbooks have slow yet affordable performance. It is the slowest computer between Desktops, Laptops, but IT IS THE SMALLEST!.It is much more easier to carry than a laptop. It is best for casual web browsing, writing documents out of home or office.
They all look same! Which one should I buy ?
2. How to read computer specifications
CPU – It stands for Central Processing Unit. It’s like a Brain. It calculates every mathematical things. Higher Hertz, more cores are better, but usually consumes more power.
RAM (Memory) – It provides space for your computer to read and write data to be accessed by the CPU. More RAM you have, you can run more programs without slowing down your computer.
Hard Drive – It’s a storage. It’s a device that stores all the data in a computer. (Bigger space = can save more data)
Sound Card – It’s a device that makes sounds. Today, most computers are equipped with integrated sound chips, but you better buy a good sound card if you are an audiophile.
Video Card – It’s a device that is responsible for graphics. Most computers have integrated video chips, and often an integrated video is ok for casual computing, but if you want to play 3D games, you will need to buy a good video card. There are 2 major graphic chip manufactures. (nVidia & AMD)
Power Supply – It’s a device that provides power to your computer. It is like a heart in your body. A power supply must provides a reliable power to a computer otherwise the computer won’t last long. For casual computing, 300W is often enough.
Conclusion
I just want to do Internet & e-mail out of my home: A netbook is the best option. (Price range:$200~$300)
I am a casual user: You don’t really need a good CPU, RAM, video card, etc.. You can go with any budget desktop, laptop, or netbook. (Price range:$300~$400)
I am a casual gamer: If you are a casual gamer, you won’t need the best computer but you will need a good CPU, RAM, and a good Video card. You better go with a desktop or a laptop that has a decent video card. Don’t buy a netbook. (Price range:$400~$600)
I watch movies: You just need to buy a budget computer with a fine video card.(a video card that is worth $40~$80 dollars) You will also need a good DVD drive and a Blu-ray drive to watch movie. Buy a desktop or laptop. A netbook is too small for a movie watching, and doesn’t have a DVD drive or a Blu-ray drive. (Price range:$300~$600)
I always work using my computer: In this case, you will need a fine CPU, bigger RAM, and big Hard Drive to save your works. You don’t need a good video card unless you do graphic work. Buy a desktop or laptop. (Price range:$400~$800)
I want to play latest games, and I don’t want any lag: You need the best computer. Don’t buy a laptop or a netbook. Buy desktop only for the best gaming. You need a fast CPU, RAM, Hard drive, video card, Motherboard, and a big power supply.(Price range:$800~$5000)
