How to select computers when purchasing?

Let me tell you some important facts that you should take care of, when you select your very first computer, whether it’s a desktop or laptop.

Brand Name

The brand of a computer is something that overwhelms many people when they try to purchase their very first computer.

Some people convince them that Sony delivers best, HP is the way to go, Dell is dependable, Acer is cheap and value for money, etc. However, are you sure that what they are saying is correct?

I agree that brand matters, but it matters only as long as you purchase the product with right configurations and if it acts as per your needs. Else, you will despise that brand forever, also, from the next time, you will advice your friends to not to buy that brand because it failed you.

Before setting your mind about a particular brand, make sure to look at configurations and build. It matters a lot and if it is as per your need, then, go for it.

You should also consult about customer service with fellow customers, who own that brand and with the internet joining everyone, you can find reviews nearly everywhere.

Processor

Though, every part of a desktop is replaceable with a better one, same is not the case with laptops. Even then, when you make your purchase make sure to get a processor that can fuel your work with enough power.

Currently Intel Core I series is on roll and AMD is also delivering some very fine processors at low cost.

You don’t have to go for extreme versions if your work does not demand it.

RAM

RAM is an important factor because it improves the speed of your applications individually. If your RAM is not powerful enough, then you may experience load times in games and lags while transferring content.

Since applications use RAM to access data, RAM size is of utter important. You don’t have to go for 6 or 12 GB RAM, but a 4 GB RAM is a necessity so that you don’t have to upgrade your system later.

If you purchase a laptop, then the company will adjust your RAM number in a way that all of your RAM slots are occupied and there is nothing that you can do about it.

However, if you assemble your system, then you can go for a 4GB RAM in a single slot or 2GB X2 for two slots, in both cases, you will have additional slots left for future upgrades.

Motherboard

Like the name says, it is the mother of the whole computer. You should make sure that it has all connectivity options that you need. If you have an HD TV, then you might want HDMI port in your motherboard or DVI, 5.1 Channel audio ports, etc.

You should also check how much you can upgrade your system based on motherboard. Since motherboard holds the limit of RAM size, SLI or Crossfire graphics card upgrades (by including PCI X16 Express slots), cooling solutions, SATA ports, etc., it is always healthy to learn the limitations of your motherboard.

Graphics Card

Graphics card is now the most important part of any computer. No matter what you do, play games, watch movies, convert videos, render animations, calculate protein structure, etc, graphics card is one, which deals with all this fuss.

So… rather than backing down and purchasing a cheap graphics card that will make you weep when you start using some of what I said above, you should take a step forward and purchase a little more expensive one.

However, I am not talking about getting a Rs.50k card ($1000), but I am pointing at a Rs.10000/- ($230) graphics card, which is enough to let you do several things. It is not best, I agree, but it won’t let you down.

So, choose wisely and after calculating your needs. Laptop or desktop computer is not a life-time commitment; you can always buy another one. However, you would not want to do that. But what can I say… rest is yours to decide.