How to Buy the Right Computer for You
How to shop for a computer. What to look for and what to look out for. Far too often people purchase computers that far exceed their needs. They could have been just as happy, if not happier, with a less powerful model which would meet their needs and leave a lot more cash in their wallets to go to the movies, or maybe enough put a deposit down on that much needed holiday.
In this article I will cover some of the key questions you should ask yourself before you begin to start shopping and what to do once you are ready to take the next step towards purchase.
What will you use the computer for? Will it be to access your emails, surf the internet, or some other recreational use? Will it be used mostly for work, creating and updating spreadsheets, word processing, or creating presentations? Will it be used for playing video games, or computer assisted drawing (CAD) activities that are notoriously graphic and cpu intensive? The answers to these questions will determine whether you need a computer that has a top of the line processor, graphics card, additional ram, or a larger than normal hard drive.
Your budget will also dictate how much PC you can afford. In general a middle of the road processor is adequate for most PC users needs. The one area which the typical PC user will see the most improvement when upgrading is not the processor, nor the hard drive so much as it is the RAM. RAM can make or break your computer experience and when it comes time to purchasing your new PC this is one area in which you should not skimp. For most users 2 Gigabytes is sufficient. Having enough RAM can mean the difference between accomplishing your tasks with ease, or regularly leaving to make a cup of coffee between clicks.
