Your Home PC Guide
Last updated: 19/10/2006 - 15:54
Buying a computer but not sure where to start? Let our home PC guide help you make sense of it all.
Requirements
Before you even start looking at what computers are out there, bear in mind that computers depreciate quickly and there's no point spending more than you need on an over-powered machine. If you're unsure what sort of computer you'll need, don't worry. All you have to do is ask yourself: 'What am I going to be using the computer for?'
Whether you intend to use your new PC as a simple wordprocessor, to surf the internet, or just play computer games, you need to have an idea of the minimum requirements your computer needs to have:
PC v Macintosh
The two major types of computer systems are PCs (also known as IBM compatibles) and Macintosh.
The Macintosh is generally more user friendly than the PC and many schools are using the Macintosh. So if you have kids, this may be the more practical option for you. Macintosh is also popular in the advertising and graphic arts market because of the easy operating system and graphics software available for Macintosh.
On the other hand, the PC is more widely used in the home and business, and there is much more software available for the PC compared to the Macintosh.
Money Matters
Buying a computer can seem expensive, so it pays to know what to look for.
If you are looking for a Pentium III based system, expect to pay around £1,100 (including software and a monitor). You often see systems advertised for less than £700,but these aren't always good value for money.
Buy as much PC as you can afford. Don't cut corners on the main system unit (monitor, processor, memory, disk space, etc.). If you are short on cash, hold off on the printer or a software application or two that you really don't need right away. You want your computer to last you at least two or three years, so you don't want to start running out of disk space or memory.
Where To Buy
Probably the easiest place to start looking for your new computer is with the big retailers. They offer a variety of computer choices and can be convenient if you have a problem and you need to return or exchange your computer.
Another way to buy a computer is through a mail order company or directly from the manufacturer. With a mail order company you may have to wait a little longer to get you computer, but you can customize your order so that you get all the things you need in a computer.
The other alternative is to by a no name clone. There are many people out there who are building computers to sell locally. Since this is how these people make a living the customer service is likely to be top notch. Like mail order you can usually get exactly what you want installed in your computer. You will usually end up getting better components through these small computer retailers. Before you buy, check:
These points are very important, if you ever have any problem with your computer.
Buyer's Checklist
1) Processor type: 686, Pentium, K6, Pentium II.
2) Processor Speed in Mhz: 166, 200, 233, 266, 300, 350, 400, 450.
3) RAM (Memory): at least 32 MB. 72 pin simms or 168 pin dimms. EDO or SDRAM.
4) Cache: at least 256 KB.
5) Case: Tower or Desktop.
6) Hard Drive Capacity. Is it at least 2 GB?
7) Does it have multimedia capabilities?
ie. CD ROM, sound card, and speakers.
8) CD ROM: At least 8x speed.
9) Sound Card: Is it 16 bit Sound Blaster compatible?
10) Mouse: Two or Three Button.
11) Monitor: Is monitor included in price of system?
12) Monitor: Non-interlaced, Size measured in inches: 15, 17, 19, 21.
13) Monitor Dot Pitch: .28 inch dot pitch or lower.
14) Video Card: at least 2 MB of DRAM. VRAM is better.
15) Does it come with a printer?
16) Choosing a printer: Dot Matrix, Ink or Bubble Jet, Laser.
17) Modem: at least 33.6 Kbps, 56.6 Kbps is better.
18) Modem: Does it have faxing and voice mail capabilities? Do you need them?
19) Motherboard: Number of expansion slots.
20) Have you bought a electrical surge protector?
21) Is there a free technical support 'phone number?
Software
Most computer systems now come bundled with a suite of software applications, such as Microsoft Works or Lotus Smartsuite.
These suites of applications typically contain all the programs that you would need to run a small business, for example:
In addition to the operating system and the business software applications, there are many other categories of software that you may or may not want to use on your computer.
This software allows your PC to:
Games People Play
Gaming should also be taken into consideration when choosing the brand and model of computer that you are going to purchase - there's little point in buying a PC and then discovering you wanted to use it as a games console, only to find it needs expensive upgrades; soundcards, memory etc...before it can run the latests games.
Click here for plenty of information on some of the latest and best computer games available for PC.
Hardware
There are hundreds of manufacturers for computers, monitors, printers, and other components. For first time buyers, it would be prudent to stick with a brand name, to avoid compatibility problems.
The basic components of a computer system are:
The motherboard (containing the processor and your computer's memory).
In addition to these, there are several other types of devices that you may or may not want to include in your computer purchase, such as a trackball, joy stick, modem, tape drive, zip drive, printer, plotter, scanner, sound card and speakers. Whether you need any of these other devices or not will depend on which software applications that you intend to use.
More InfoThe Personal Computer Association (telephone: 01763 262987) is a trade association of companies active in all parts of the PC market place. A not-for-profit organisation, its brief is to promote the best interests of its members, providing services that are useful to them.
The association advises us to do some self-education before we buy a PC. Get an idea of the most important product features (and what they mean) before we buy. Read the PCA Code of Practice to understand the sort of service that a good supplier should offer.
During your enquiries, keep a note of the salesperson's name. Provide a written enquiry to shortlisted companies, stating what you are interested in, and saying, simply, what you wish to do with it - ask for a written quotation by return, as well as a copy of the suppliers' Terms and Conditions.
Eliminate companies with long delivery times, if most others can get things quicker. And if one company quotes a much lower price for a similar product, ask why - there's no such thing as getting something for nothing.
If you have to chase any of your shortlisted suppliers for a reply, you'd be sensible to consider that any company that can't respond promptly and properly, at this stage, has got little chance of sorting things out in the event of you having problems, after you buy. So be ruthless - cross them off your list.
Keep a copy of all correspondence, especially your order. If at all possible, order using a personal credit card. If in doubt, buy from the nearest supplier. For extra security, always buy from PCA members.
The Personal Computer Association (telephone: 01763 262987) is a trade association of companies active in all parts of the PC market place. A not-for-profit organisation, its brief is to promote the best interests of its members, providing services that are useful to them.
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