PC Advice

home

this level

Up
Book Reviews
HINTS & TIPS
PC Advice
Consulting

child level

Accessories

UPDATED: 11/14/05 Visitors: Hit Counter Send Feedback

PC ADVICE

READ THIS BEFORE CONSULTING PRICES AND CONFIGURATIONS BELOW: There are many wonderful bargains available today ... probably more than there have ever been, and likely more than there will be not too far into the future. That's because of the economic slowdown and the fact that this is a time of extreme change.; There are also a lot of bad choices you could make if you buy on the basis of price only. Make a checklist and consider it carefully before committing to a purchase. Beware of any advice or prices more than two weeks old, including this page (check the "Updated" date at the top left corner). Prices are changing so rapidly that they are quickly out of date.; In addition to reading the configuration recommendations below, be sure to look at the discussions of individual components in the "Add-On's" (peripherals) section.; Buy from a vendor that allows "no questions asked" full-credit return within 30 days, if possible, so you can make sure the unit is satisfactory. Always ask, because policies change (both CompUSA and Best Buy used to allow 30 days, but are now down to 10 to 14 days). I've had good success with both mail-order and local vendors.; Always pay with a credit card, in case there is a dispute. Keep copies of all paperwork, and don't send in the registration card before the return period has ended (you will have to return the registration card with the equipment, in most cases).; Note that all systems shown have at least 512MB of RAM. Don't get less than that ... and get 1024MB (1 GB) or more if you can. Software is getting hungrier and hungrier for RAM, and performance may suffer if you get less. Memory prices have dropped dramatically, but newer memory technology is more expensive.; You will get more performance gain by adding RAM (main memory) and adding hard disk space rather than getting a faster CPU chip.; NOTE: Be sure to read ads carefully, and make sure that you know whether or not the price includes a monitor or requires some other expenditure! If a mail-in rebate is involved, be sure to complete it immediately, making sure that you read the requirements carefully and follow them precisely. Although most vendors are reasonably honorable, others will use the slightest deviation from instructions as a reason to disqualify your request for rebate. Caveat emptor!
: Configurations shown are approximate: vendors are upgrading components to justify maintaining price. Component specifications should be minimums ... look for better specs if you can get them.

UPGRADE/REPLACEMENT SYSTEMS ($300-1000): CPU: Pentium 4 2.8 GHz or Athlon 2.0 GHz up (may be Celeron or Sempron processor at low end); RAM: 512 or 1024 MB; Hard Disk Drive 80 to 1600GB IDE; MONITOR: (not provided - use your old one); Communication: 10/100 MHz ethernet, wireless 802.11b (10 Mbps) or 802.11g. If you are still using dial-up access, make sure the machine has a 56 kbps modem (hint: high-speed wideband access is affordable in many areas); DVD +/- R/RW preferred, or 52X - up CD +/- R/RW (R = read only, RW = read & write like a floppy disk)
ENTRY LEVEL SYSTEMS ($350 - $1500)
POWER USER SYSTEMS ($1100 - $5000): CPU: Pentium 4 - 3.0 GHz or Athlon 2.4 GHz up; RAM: 1024MB (1 GB) to 2 GB; Hard Disk Drive 200-400 GB and up; MONITOR: 19-inch non-interlaced SXGA or better, 1280 x 1024 or higher pixel resolution, 1.7M colors; Communication: 10/100/1000 MHz ethernet, wireless 802.11b (10 Mbps) or 802.11g. If necessary, 56 kbps modem for dial-up network access ... but if you are spending this much for a computer, you should consider subscribing to high-speed wideband access for much better networking speed at a reasonable price.; DVD +/- R/RW recorder/ player, possibly with additional DVD player or DVD/CD +/- R/RW combination.
NOTEBOOK/LAPTOP SYSTEMS ($400 - $5000 and up)
... recommended systems for best price/power point are $795 - $2400: CPU: Pentium 4, 2.6 MHz or better, Pentium M, 1.6 MHz or better, or Athlon equivalent; RAM: 512 - 1024 MB (512 MB or more is preferable); Hard Disk Drive 80 - 200 GB; Display:: 12.1 - 15.5 inches, 1024x768 to 2000x1500, 17 million colors; Communication: 56 kbps dial-up, 10/100 MHz ethernet, wireless 802.11g; CD-ROM: DVD +/- R/RW on more expensive units, DVD/CD +/- R/RW on lower end.; Batteries: Lithium Oxide "smart batteries". Ability to use two identical batteries simultaneously (usually in lieu of DVD drive) is a plus.; For many of us, the laptop can now be a main machine, if you are willing to pay a premium. It's a trade-off between cost and functionality ... and the portability of the laptop may well be worth that premium.
: * Monitors - a wide variety of monitors is now available for both desktop/tower and laptop computers at very reasonable prices. If you open multiple applications at the same time, look for a video card or cards that allow you to connect two or more monitors to your system.; LCD flat panel displays save desktop space and cost more, but a 15" LCD is equivalent to a 17" CRT (tube) display.; CRT (tube) displays can save a lot of money for the same size display, if you have desktop space to accommodate them. They are heavier, consume more power and generate much more heat than a LCD flat panel.; The amount of information that can be shown on a display is determined by its pixel resolution. Common resolutions include the following.; NOTE: Most of these have a width to height ratio (aspect ration) of 4:3. SXGA and 2000x1600 have a 5:4 ratio, so they appear slightly stretched horizontally compared to the others. Newer 9:16 aspect ratio displays, inspired by HDTV and letterbox DVD movies, give more width at the expense of height. For movies, what this means is smaller heads but wider landscapes. Another way of looking at it is that for the same screen size (diagonal measure) you get less total area on your desktop. If you get the widescreen for movies, think seriously about how often you will be watching movies as opposed to email, web surfing, photo processing, or other "computer only" applications. If you are just going to watch movies, you can save money by buying a DVD video player rather than a computer.