Buying a new PC?

Buying a new computer? Here's some things to keep in mind......

    For most people, buying a computer is a major decision and purchase.  To help aid you in with this process I have compiled a list of terminology. Study this table so when you do shop for a computer you will know that basics of a PC thus eliminating any confusion you might have with this  technology. 

RAM/MEMORY

"Random Access Memory" - RAM allows a system to perform simultaneous tasks more quickly.  Today's current standard is 128  Megabytes (MB) of memory. As as a general rule you can never have too much RAM.

CPU/PROCESSOR

This is the system's main "chip".  CPU's (central processing unit) are divided into different  classes, ex., "386,486,Pentium, Pentium II, Pentium III, etc.  Their speed and power is measured in  Megahertz (Mhz).  The higher the Mhz, the quicker and more powerful the processor.  Today's current standard is a Pentium III class, 600-800 Mhz.

HARD DRIVE

The hard drive or "hard disk" is where information is stored on your computer.  Storage capacity is measured in  Gigabytes (GB).  The more GB a drive has, the more information it can store.  Current standard is at least 20GB.

CD Writer/Burner drive

This technology allows users to save data or audio/video to CD-R media. This media may then be read from any standard CD-ROM device. Current standards for a CD-R drive is 10x8x32x, that is 10x write 8x re-write and 32x read.

MODEM

A modem is what allows a computer to connect to the internet via regular telephone lines. It's speed is measured in  Kilobytes (K).  Today's standard is 56K. 

NIC or Network Card

A NIC card will allow you to interface with a network. Most residential applications using a NIC involve Cable/DSL technology. With Cable/DSL technology the home user can connect to the Internet at up to 1.5Mbps or 10x the speed of the fastest modem.

EXPANDABILITY

This allows the computer owner to add peripherals to the system, such as ZIP drives, DVD cd-rom drives, CD "burners", etc.  Also, how much more memory can be added?  Can the processor be upgraded without replacing the motherboard?

MONITOR

This is the screen that allows you to view what is happening on your system.  Monitors are categorized by SCREEN SIZE(15", 17", 19", etc.)----- DOT  PITCH (measured in millimeters (mm), the smaller the DP, the better the  picture), ex., .28mm, .27mm, .26mm, etc.----- and RESOLUTION (the higher the resolution, the better the  picture), ex., 600x800, 1024x768, 1280x1024,etc.  Current standard is at least a 17", .26mm, 600x800.
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