10 tips for buying a new computer

1. The manufacturer:

If you computer has a problem, is the manufacturer going to work with you to fix it? If your computer breaks down, can you get through to a service representative that is capable of helping? When the representative answers, ask them something simple like their mailing address. Is the representative helpful, friendly and knowledgeable?

You will probably have your computer for at least three years. Research the company's warranty (term of contract, coverage, responsibility, on-site service vs. shipped service, etc.). Most companies also have extended warranty plans. Again, your computer is probably at its most useful for about three years, so you might not want to go any longer than that.

Most of the bigger name manufacturers (Dell, HP, etc.) will include a copy of Microsoft Windows with the systems they sell. If you are purchasing a computer from a smaller local shop, check to see what options they have available as far as operating system software. Most companies will also find a suite of programs such as Microsoft Office helpful, as they include word processing, spreadsheet, email, and presentation software all in one package.

You will almost definitely want a printer in a business environment. What type of printer depends on your requirements. Laser printers have a higher page per minute speed and better quality picture than Bubble/Inkjet printers, but are also quite a bit more expensive. If you are mainly planning on printing invoices and such, a laser printer is probably not needed. You also may want to investigate one of the fax/scanner/printer/copier combinations. These combine most of the functions you will use in one convenient machine.

Processor speed changes fast these days. Very fast. A useful tip to keep in mind when considering what speed of processor to purchase is to watch for the price break. Usually, the top 2 or 3 speed of processor on the market will be the most expensive, with a large price break below these few speeds. If you go with the top speed processor below the price break, you can ensure that you will get a decent price combined with good longevity.

There are basically two major processor manufacturers out there today, Intel and AMD. People will swear by one or the other, saying that one is faster or more reliable than the other. When all is said and done, it pretty much comes down to what people know and are familiar with, as both companies produce superb processors. If you stick with the price break tip, you should be perfectly happy whichever manufacturer you choose.

RAM stands for Random Access Memory. This is high speed solid-state memory that your computer uses to run programs. When you turn the computer off, any information stored in RAM is lost. RAM technology moves as fast as processor technology does, therefore there are many different speeds and connector types on the market today. The representative you are working with to purchase your computer should be able to find the correct speed and connector type. As far as amount of RAM, 256MB (Megabytes) is about the minimum you will want. 512MB is about the average, and a Gigabyte of memory should only be needed if you are planning on doing graphics intensive work.

There are almost as many graphics cards on the market today as there are processors or RAM. The selection depends mainly on what you plan on doing with your computer. Since this is most likely a business machine, a cutting-edge, expensive graphics card is probably not needed. Graphics cards come with their own RAM as well, and this is about the easiest way to distinguish them. If you are planning on doing basic windows applications, a 64MB card should work just fine. However, the average is 128MB, and this would be good to consider, as it will leave you with quite a bit of longevity in the graphics card.

The hard drive is where your computer stores data. This device, unlike RAM, will keep all of the data stored on it indefinitely. Most computers come with at least a 40GB drive, but you may want to consider something a bit bigger, like 80GB, as the price difference for twice the storage is minimal. This should give you enough room to breathe for hard drive space for quite a while.

An important thing to keep in mind when looking for a computer is the cutting-edge, top of the line parts in each area of the computer will cost the most, with a large price break near the top. If you go with the parts just under this price break, you will have a reasonably priced computer that will last you for a long time. Chances are if you purchase the top of the line, in a couple weeks to a month, those parts you just purchased are going to be the ones that are reasonably priced right below the break.

Byte: The units memory is measured in. 1 Byte is about the size of a single character.
CD/DVD-RW: The disc drive that can read and write CD.s or DVD.s
Hard Disk: Computer's long term storage. Space measured in GB(gigabytes).
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) Monitor: Flat and slim monitor.
Network Interface Card (NIC): Allows your computer to contact to a network (like the Internet) or other computers.
Central Processing Unit (CPU): The computer's "brain".
Processor Speed: How fast the computer can process information. Measured in Gigahertz (GHz)
RAM: Random Access Memory. Computer's short term storage.
Universal Serial Bus (USB): The most common way to connect devices to your computer