10 Tips for Buying Safety
It seems like the day you buy your new PC (Personal Computer), it is already outdated. Buying a new computer has never been easy. It is a big investment involving many decisions. How do you avoid making mistakes along the way? By carefully considering what you will be using your PC for, knowing what you want and where to get it for the best price.You don't want to overspend. But don't worry too much. With the right system and the right software, computing with your new PC is guaranteed to be a great experience.
With so many configurations in the PC market, buying a computer is a daunting task at the best of times.
You don’t need to know how a computer works, but the more you know about the hardware the less overwhelmed you will feel.
Despite their amazing input, computers work in simple terms. Computers are not “smart.” They just work very quickly in evaluating tiny pieces of information.
Basically a computer takes in data, processes it, and returns results based on the instructions that have been hard-wired into the machine’s circuitry.
Most of computerdom can be divided into two categories: hardware and software.
- Hardware refers to the actual machine and the parts that make it up.
- Software, on the other hand, is merely a list of instructions stored on media such as diskettes or CD-ROMs, or flashed through the computer’s memory. In a common example, you use your mouse and keyboard (hardware) to use your word processor (software).
Without some kind of software, hardware is useless. A computer lacking any programs at all would simply do nothing.
System
Regardless of peripherals or software bundles, a PC is defined primarily by its CPU (central processing unit). Although your choices are many (there are no fewer than seven different processor types), the bulk of the current PC market (2003) falls into two categories: Pentium Celeron at the low end and midrange and Pentium IV at the high end. Nearly all new machines use Intel Pentium processors ranging in clock speed (a measure of how fast the CPU operates each second) from 1.0 to 3.0 GHz.Below are some of the components you might look for when considering buying a home PC.
It is useful to think of the computer on your desk in terms of several different “layers.”
- A 1.2-gigahertz or 2 gigahertz processor. Power users should consider Pentium IV. AMD is a strong competitor to Intel with its chips.
- 512K level-2 cache Secondary or “L2” cache.
- 128 megabytes (MB) of system memory (RAM) More RAM makes your PC run faster. With the current Windows software, 256 MB is possibly a better consideration. RAM is where your computer stores data as you work. The more RAM you have the better the system will perform.
- 17" color monitor (19" for power users. 21" if the budget is there).
- 30-gigabyte hard disk. Power users should consider 80 GB or more. With "bloatware" applications being the current norm, consider your needs when making a decision on a hard drive.
- 52X CD-ROM or DVD drive X (the maximum rotational speed) is better than 16X is better than 12X, but mostly it's a beauty contest. Also plays audio CDs. You may also want to consider a CD-RW drive as an alternative. Currently the fastest CD-ROM drive achieves 56X speed. Like every other consideration, you have to decide what you want to do with your computer once you get it. CD-R (CD-recordable) and CD-RW (CD-rewritable) have come down so much in price that nearly every new PC comes with one. Currently the best one can record to a CD-R disk at 52X, record to CD-RW media at 24X, and read standard CDs at 52X. To put that into perspective, a 1X record speed takes 72 minutes or more to fill a 650 MB CD-ROM, while a 12X drive could fill that same disk in six to seven miniutes. Also look for a drive that has at least a 2MB (megabytes) cache, because it will help prevent errors during recording.
- Floppy diskette drive, or LS-120 SuperDisk combination floppy disk and 120-megabyte cartridge.
- Removable mass storage (optional) Holds 100 megabytes (Iomega Zip, Syquest EZFlyer) to 2 gigabytes (Iomega Jaz, Syquest Jet). Add $100 to $400. USB "Stick" Drives from 32 to 128 MB are more convenient.
- Data and 56k -V92- faxmodem. Or you may wish to consider a Cable or DSL Internet connection.
- Speakers.
- optional Removable mass storage - holds 100 megabytes (Iomega Zip, Syquest EZFlyer) to 2 gigabytes (Iomega Jazz, Syquest Jet). Add $100 to $400.
- Color Ink-jet or laser printer
- Keyboard.
- Mouse, (joystick for games on some models).
- Software bundle. Typically includes Microsoft Windows, integrated software (word processor, spreadsheet), personal finance, reference (encyclopedia), fax, online and Internet access. May include games for adults and edutainment (education plus entertainment) for grandchildren.
The first, most basic layer is the hardware, the actual box itself.
The next layer is the operating system which supports the third layer - applications.
The applications manipulate and make sense of the final layer - your own data.
Components
Most PCs are pretty capable today. As a buyer, you are choosing among good deals and better deals. After all, 15 years of natural selection have weeded out the less capable PC vendors, and the configuration you choose is often more important than the specific make or model. There is no single choice that is always better than another. Here are some of the major parts that make a computer run.The Power Supply is the vehicle through which electricity is regulated and sent to various components of a computer.
The Motherboard (also called a system board or circuit board) is the most important part of the system. Acting as the foundation of a computer, the motherboard supplies all the electrical connections for the various components, including the CPU and SIMM cards inside the computer.
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of a computer. It is responsible for processing instructions and carrying out users’ commands. Other parts of the computer serve the CPU, which is also known as the microprocessor, enabling it to do its job.
Random access memory (RAM) determines how many projects can fit on your d esktop at one time. When you run a program, it is loaded from your hard drive into RAM. Ultimately, the more RAM you have, the more applications and files you can have open at once. Remember to save on a hard drive or diskette any work you intend to keep because whatever is in RAM gets erased when the computer is turned off. RAM chips, the physical components that contain the memory, are grouped in rows commonly called SIMMs (or single-in-line memory modules, there are other types as well). These modules are small bars, usually containing eight or nine memory chips. When you want to add more memory to your computer, just plug in one or more memory bars. A memory chip is the integrated circuit that actually contains the RAM.
Read-only memory (ROM) contains the commands your computer needs to activate itself. Instructions in ROM let the computer start when the power is turned on, and, unlike RAM, its contents are retained even when the power is off.
The diskette drive reads and writes information on diskettes which are small capacity storage devices that usually hold up to 1,440,000 characters to 2 gigabyte characters (with the new “Zip” drives). Since you can remove a diskette from the drive and replace it with another, a diskette drive lets you access a virtually unlimited collection of data.
While RAM acts as your desktop, a hard drive (or hard disk or fixed disk) acts as a computer’s file cabinet. A hard drive, though more expensive than a diskette, allows the most rapid access to your data and can store millions (and even billions) of characters.
A CD-ROM drive reads information from CD-ROMs, the high-capacity medium used for most multimedia software. The storage capacity of a CD-ROM is 450 times the 1.44 megabyte capacity of high-density 3.5-inch diskettes (approximately 650 MB of data). Most software packages you buy now come on CD-ROMs. Many games and graphics programs require the CD-ROM to run even after they are installed.
An expansion slot is an opening on the motherboard into which a board or card can be inserted, expanding the capability of the computer.
An expansion card is a circuit board that slides into an expansion slot. Use it to add peripherals, such as a sound card or modem, to your PC.
A sound card is an expansion card that lets a computer produce sound. Examples of practical uses for sound capabilities include games, music applications, and interactive educational software.
A video card is a circuit board that translates output instructions from the CPU into data that can be displayed on a computer monitor.
A modem (modulator/demodulation) lets you connect your computer to a standard telephone line so you can transmit and receive electronically transmitted data.
A mouse is the hand-held pointing device that you move around an onscreen pointer.
If there is one recommendation, it is not about a brand or a store but rather about how much you should spend. If you can find your way clear to investing a bit more now, you will save down the road.
Recommendation
If there is one recommendation, it is not about a brand or a store but rather about how much you should spend. If you can find your way clear to investing a bit more now, you will save down the road.Buy a cheap system today - $1,000 to $1,250 is what may be considered cheap - and within 18 months it may start to feel slow, or the hard disk will fill up, or it may do you fine for years depending on what you do with the computer. You may be forced to decide whether to install upgrade components, replace the system, or just suffer - long before any of the parts have begun to wear out, if you outgrow your computer.
There is never a “best” time to buy a computer.
Will your computer be “obsolete” as soon as you buy it? That depends on how you define the word “obsolete.” Will there be better, faster, friendlier computers. Yes. Will that affect what your computer can do? No.
If you buy a computer to do certain tasks, and it performs those tasks to your satisfaction, then it might never become obsolete. Some people still use 286- and 386-based machines for word processing and other light duties. Ask about upgrading options for whatever you are considering and then decide on the purchase.
Eventually, technology will pass your computer by, and the new software on store shelves will require something a bit faster.
When you are in the market for a new computer, use common sense and consider a few basic points.
- Do as much research as you can before you spend your money.
- Talk to friends who use computers
- Make sure your computer can handle the software you are buying.
- What software comes "bundled" with the computer, if any.
- Don’t believe everything you hear.
- Look for warranties and return policies.
- Believe you can make a good informed decision.
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- Keep copies of all correspondence. If you speak with somebody on the phone, make a note of the name of the person with whom you spoke.
- On large orders, obtain a written quotation.
- If possible, pay with a personal credit card.
- Does the price quoted include everything discussed? Is GST and PST extra?
- Check how the supplier will deliver, whether or not delivery times are guaranteed and whether there is a delivery charge.
- Is free telephone technical support included in the price? Some suppliers offer support only premium-rate numbers. Is it easy to get through? Try dialling the number to test it
- Is the warranty return-to-base, or on-site? Return-to-base means you will have to pay to ship the product back to the supplier.
- If you are paying extra for on-site support, does the manufacturer offerguaranteed respponse times? If you rely on your PC for your business, you will need to get it fixed, a.s.a.p.
- Is the supplier reputable? If in doubt, ask to see customer testimonials.
- When your PC arrives, check that all branded components are genuine.