March 4th - 2005

In the market for a new computer?

PDAs, notebooks and other mobile technology have taken the spotlight in the computer world lately, but any home office would not be complete without the basic desktop PC.

PDAs, notebooks and other mobile technology have taken the spotlight in the computer world lately, but any home office would not be complete without the basic desktop PC.

If you are looking to upgrade or replace your PC you’ll find an almost bewildering array of options. With so many choices available from components to software and accessories it helps to go shopping with a clear idea of how you will use your PC to ensure you pay for only what you need. Start with a list of all things you do with your system now and then give some thought to what other things you might like to accomplish. Take a look at your current PC and what you don’t like about it. Is it too slow? Is it unreliable? Are you looking for better graphics capabilities to work with your digital camera or video recorder? Is it compatible with your mobile technology?

Next, before you decide whether to buy new or simply upgrade, consider the age of your current system. Because computer technology changes so quickly, most computer experts suggest that if your computer is less than two years old an upgrade might be the answer. However, if it’s more than four years old, you may not be able to take advantage of the latest components and should opt for new.

Tips for buying
When you are ready to buy a new PC, keep in mind the following suggestions for the average user’s requirements.

  • 512MB of RAM is recommended to ensure your system can handle just about anything you want to do. The bare minimum is 256MB to run Windows XP for example.
  • A 2.66-GHz Pentium 4 or Athlon XP 2800+ Processor
  • A 17-inch monitor is fine, but if you’re not pinching pennies, go for the 19-inch for greater definition and higher resolution. You can also check out the new LCD monitors.
  • CD-RW or Recordable DVD Drive – Most new PC’s no longer have a 1.44MB floppy disk so this feature is essential to back up, store and transfer data as well as to record audio or video CDs and DVDs.
  • A comfortable keyboard. Don’t go for the keyboard with all the bells and whistles without trying it out first. Some keyboards may feel cramped while others have the keys spread too far apart.
  • Just enough software – only buy what you need. An operating system, an office suite and an antivirus package are probably all the basics you need. From there you can personalize your software according to your activities.

Finally, be careful where you buy your new PC. It’s best to go to a trustworthy source to ensure you get a quality product along with a good warranty and ongoing technical support.

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