Selecting a Computer System that is Right for You

This article will run through each of these factors to help you avoid the many pitfalls that one may stumble across when purchasing a PC.

Some sample desktop computer systems

Intended Usage

What do you intend to use the computer Computer system validation course for? This is one of the key considerations when purchasing that desktop system. The main goal here is to get a system that will suit your computing needs. If you’re using the computer for professional or business purposes, you’ll want to factor stability and service support into your purchase decision. On the other hand, if you intend to use the system at home, you may want a more well-rounded PC that can handle multimedia applications, web surfing easily.

Budget

You’ll certainly need to consider your budget buying that PC. Low-end budget systems will save you a lot of money and are suitable for most home users. High-end systems with the latest Athlon 64 or Intel Pentium 4 processors will cost more and will be more suitable for those who want to play the latest 3D games or do heavy video or graphics editing.

System Features

OK, here’s where it gets complicated. A typical desktop PC has got so many components, it’s hard to decide which system is good or bad. We’re talking about a whole plethora of components from memory, video cards, sound cards, optical drives and so on.

Here’s a stab at the most essential components in the PC and what you should look out for:

CPUs

The CPU is the brain of your system – so it’s a key consideration when buying that PC. The older chips like Intel Celeron and Intel Pentium 3 chips are now starting to become obsolete. If you want your system to last for some time, go for newer processors like the Intel Pentium 4 and AMD Athlon 64.

Memory

System memory is also very important – you can never have enough of it. Typically, look for at least 512 MB of memory in the desktop you want to buy. Anything less while pose a problem for business or graphics applications.

Motherboards

If you’re buying the system off the shelf from vendors like HP, Dell or eMachines, the motherboard brand will usually not be an issue. In fact, most PC manufacturers don’t publish the type of motherboard used in their desktops. The motherboard brand is of greater importance if you are building your own PC.

Hard Drives

My advice to you here is – get as much hard disk space as you can afford. A typical hard disk by today’s standards would be about 80 GB at least. If you do a lot of downloading off the Internet, or edit videos or have a huge collection of MP3s, you’d be better off with at least a 160 GB hard disk.

This article will run through each of these factors to help you avoid the many pitfalls that one may stumble across when purchasing a PC. Some sample desktop computer systems Intended Usage What do you intend to use the computer Computer system validation course for? This is one of the key considerations when purchasing that desktop system. The main goal here is to get a system that will suit your computing needs. If you’re using the computer for professional or business purposes, you’ll want to factor stability and service support into your purchase decision. On the other hand, if you intend to use the system at home, you may want a more well-rounded PC that can handle multimedia applications, web surfing easily. Budget You’ll certainly need to consider your budget buying that PC. Low-end budget systems will save you a lot of money and are suitable for most home users. High-end systems with the latest Athlon 64 or Intel Pentium 4 processors will cost more and will be more suitable for those who want to play the latest 3D games or do heavy video or graphics editing. System Features OK, here’s where it gets complicated. A typical desktop PC has got so many components, it’s hard to decide which system is good or bad. We’re talking about a whole plethora of components from memory, video cards, sound cards, optical drives and so on. Here’s a stab at the most essential components in the PC and what you should look out for: CPUs The CPU is the brain of your system – so it’s a key consideration when buying that PC. The older chips like Intel Celeron and Intel Pentium 3 chips are now starting to become obsolete. If you want your system to last for some time, go for newer processors like the Intel Pentium 4 and AMD Athlon 64. Memory System memory is also very important – you can never have enough of it. Typically, look for at least 512 MB of memory in the desktop you want to buy. Anything less while pose a problem for business or graphics applications. Motherboards If you’re buying the system off the shelf from vendors like HP, Dell or eMachines, the motherboard brand will usually not be an issue. In fact, most PC manufacturers don’t publish the type of motherboard used in their desktops. The motherboard brand is of greater importance if you are building your own PC. Hard Drives My advice to you here is – get as much hard disk space as you can afford. A typical hard disk by today’s standards would be about 80 GB at least. If you do a lot of downloading off the Internet, or edit videos or have a huge collection of MP3s, you’d be better off with at least a 160 GB hard disk.