subject: Buying That New Computer [print this page] Buying That New Computer Buying That New Computer
Buying a computer can be a stressful task if you have a tight budget and specific processing power needs. While you may need a top of the line model, sometimes you are going to have settled for machine that is considerably less. The trick is knowing what features are unnecessary and others that you really need to fork the extra dough over for. If you head to your local big computer store without a plan, chances are that 16 year old sales boy might just be able to talk you into a model that will end up costing you for the next two years. Here is a breakdown of features you need to consider and others you can forego.
The Features You Need
First decide on your main needs that this new computer is going to have to fulfill. Are you going to be doing mostly Internet browsing? Or do you do processor intensive tasks, such as video editing? If you find yourself doing the latter, then you need to find a machine with enough processing power. Currently, the top of the line models will come equipped with i5 and i7 Intel processors. There are duel core models and then others with quad cores. Since most software titles have not adapted yet to the quad core architecture, you can probably save a few bucks and get an i5 machine, which will more then enough for most tasks. Remember, if you are doing video editing then you should upgrading your machine every 2 years at the very least.
The second feature you can't skimp on is the graphics card. With desktop computers, you can add a new one later, however if you opt for a notebook, then you need to get the model with the best card. Again, this is only if you have distinct graphics card needs, such as gaming or video editing. Other more basic computer tasks, such as emailing, browsing or chatting, rarely rely on the graphics card.
The Stuff You Can Do Without
The most frivolous stuff you can buy is all those peripherals that the salesman recommends to you during the purchase. This includes the fancy computer mouse (the one the computer ships with will be just fine), the decorative mouse pad, the optical remote to use your notebook like a tv. These are unnecessary and will not increase the joy you get form your new computer.
