.Laptop &Desktop PC Buying-

BUYING TIPS

Tips on buying a Desktop Computer

Quick links

Introduction

New vs. Used

Mac vs. PC

What to look for

Brand of computer

Scams

Price cheat sheet

Description of Portable PC (Laptop) Terms

Desktop PC Recommendation  - Mach - 2009

INTRODUCTION

Purchasing a home or business computer can be a big and sometimes costly decision. Below is a listing of helpful suggestions for what to look for and ask when purchasing a home or business computer new or used.

NEW vs. USED

Before purchasing a computer, consider if you should purchase a new or used computer. Many individuals who sell computers before they are out of date allow you to purchase a relatively decent computer. Before purchasing a new computer from a computer manufacturer, look at what is available and review the below precautions when purchasing a computer.

• Ensure that the computer has no physical damage by inspecting the ports as well as the inside and the outside of the case.
• Ensure what you are getting what you pay for. This is explained in more detail later on this page.
• If the individual selling the computer indicates that the computer comes with a manufacturer warranty that has not been completely utilized, for example, the computer has a standard 3 year warranty and the user is selling it after 1 year, ensure the warranty is transferable by the computer manufacturer. Many manufacturers will not transfer the computer warranty.

If you are selling a computer, ensure that the computer's hard disk drive is erased to help prevent users from looking at potential personal data.

MAC vs. PC

This is always going to be a heavily discussed and debated topic, the Apple Macintosh vs. Standard PC Clone. Both options have good and bad reasoning behind them and it used to be a very important choice. However, because of advancements in both the Mac and the PC, both are a good option overall. We feel that this option is best left to the individual purchasing the computer.

If you find yourself working with a PC/Mac computer at work and/or home or family members have a PC/Mac and you need the capability of transferring files or programs from your PC/Mac to a new computer, consider purchasing a PC/Mac as it will be something that will be more familiar. It is important to note that the Macintosh can run Windows as a clone, and therefore, most programs and data that can be used on a PC can also be opened in a Macintosh. In addition, the PC computers have the capability of opening Macintosh files.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

When purchasing a computer it is likely that you will have a general idea of what you may like in the computer or how you would like to configure the computer. Below is a listing of the various components likely to be found in a computer and recommendations and tips when considering any of the below components.

BRAND OF COMPUTER

When looking at purchasing different types of computers, you will likely hear different stories, some good and some bad. Regardless if the story is good or bad, these stories are always based off of the experience of that user. While it may be true that the user had a bad or terrible experience with that computer, all computer manufacturers have had users who have had a bad experience and there is no such thing as a bad or perfect computer manufacturer. Below is a listing of various things to consider when purchasing a computer and in some cases how to tell the good from the bad. 

SCAMS

Unfortunately, like anything, it is possible to be tricked or for computer companies to scam you. Below is a listing of what to look for when purchasing a computer.

• Get what you pay for - Ensure that the product you are purchasing is what you are paying for. It has been known that computer companies may list a processor being a specific speed, however, actually have a totally different speed of processor in the computer. This unfortunately can be very easy as any user can 'over clock' a processor making it appear as one speed but in reality being a completely different speed. For example, you may buy a 733MHz processor but instead get a 500MHz.
  
  To determine the processor speed, open the computer and look at the processor itself. Do not look at the processor through a software program or through BIOS as these values can be changed or tricked.
  
   
• Legal software - When purchasing a computer, ensure it comes with legal software. Many end-users or small computer companies who build or sell computers may not provide you with legal copies of the software that is illegal. Verify that the software that came with your computer is on a standard CD and not a burnt CD. A burnt or home-made CD will generally be a different looking CD and have a gold or green bottom. Ensure that if the software requires a license or registration number that it was included with the computer. An example of software that includes these certificates is Microsoft Office and Windows. 

Description of Portable PC (Laptop) Terms - March 2009

Motherboard

This is the board through which all the other components of the PC connect. A motherboard with cache memory will increase system speed by 10-20%.   However, most laptop CPUs come with their own cache and do not require it from the motherboard.

Input/Output ports. This includes serial, parallel, external video and other connectors. The more types of ports you have, the more choices your computer has for communicating with other devices and computers.

CPU

The CPU is the brain of your computer. Most of the time, your CPU is idle, so a faster CPU does not necessarily make a faster computer. However, tasks involving multimedia presentations can require a great deal of CPU power.

Memory

Also known as RAM. This is where the computer's CPU works on problems. Having more RAM can give the largest increase in system speed, unless you already have enough, in which case adding more can be useless. How much is enough? Good question. Here are some guidelines for Windows XP:

Case

This can be the single biggest problem with a laptop. Sure, it runs great, but if it hurts your hands to use it, you’ll probably be very unhappy. If possible, try out any proposed purchase first, or at least a very similar setup. Most people are uncomfortable with keyboards that have the space bar too close to the front of the case. See Pointing Device.

Hard Drive

Also known as storage. This is where the computer puts programs and information for permanent storage. Always buy as much as possible. The trend in software has been toward larger and larger application suites, so a good rule of thumb would be to think of the largest amount of storage you will need, then double that.

CD-ROM Drive

This is necessary for loading many new software titles, and can usually be used as an audio CD player as well. The x rating (e.g. 12x) is a measure of how fast the CD spins compared to an audio CD player. New CD-ROM drives are starting to use constant angular velocity mechanisms (audio and older computer mechanisms are constant linear velocity). Therefore the data can be read faster at the edges of the disk as compared to the inner tracks. These newer drives will give either give a speed rating at the inner and outer tracks (e.g. 12-24x) or will give the outer track speed only (e.g. 20x Max). However, there is no standards body for CD-ROM drive naming, and several manufacturers add a few to the x rating. Access time and transfer rate are the most important aspects of CD-ROM drive. Lower is better for access time, higher is better for transfer rate.

DVD-ROM and DVD-RAM are new technologies in removable storage. All DVD drives can read CD-ROM disks, so you can get one of these instead of a CD-ROM. DVD drives are more expensive than their CD-ROM counterparts, but a DVD-ROM disk can hold the equivalent about 12 CD-ROMs (6 per side). This is enough storage to hold a full-length movie. Current DVD-RAM disks have slightly less capacity (about 8 CD-ROMs) and the DVD-RAM drives are quite expensive, but you can use them as a convenient backup device as well.

Floppy Drive

3.5" 1.44MB is standard. Floppy disks are used for backups, transfers between computers, and software distribution. They should never be used as primary storage as they have failure rates hundreds of times higher than hard drives.

Screen

This is your primary feedback from the computer. Larger screens are easier to read, and higher resolution screens give you more places to put your multiple windows.

There are two main types of laptop screens available now: Dual Scan (DSTN) and Active Matrix (TFT). Both are based on backlit LCD shutters. The difference is that TFT screens update faster and can be viewed from wider angles. Objects moving rapidly on DSTN screens tend to blur because of the slow response time of the screen. There have been improvements to the DSTN technology to increase screen response time. These improved DSTN screens are usually called something like "Fast Scan" or "High Performance Addressing" screens. They fall between regular DSTN and TFT screens in both price and performance.

Video Card

Most laptops can drive their own display adequately, but they frequently don’t look very good on external monitors. It’s a good idea to look for one that will drive an external monitor at the resolutions listed on the recommendation chart. A video card with 3D application support would be a good buy.

Keyboard

This, like case and pointing device, is a matter of personal preference. Most people prefer a keyboard with around 19mm key spacing. Most laptop keyboard keys do not depress as far as a typical desktop keyboard. Look for one that has at least 3/4 throw. If possible, try out any proposed purchase first, or at least a very similar setup.

Sound Card

If the laptop you like does not come with built-in sound, you can get PC cards that will provide this function. However, the speakers will not be built-in and can be unwieldy.

Speakers

Built-in stereo speakers are convenient, but for presentations or music enjoyment, external speakers will probably have to be purchased. For external speaker recommendations, see the desktop section.

Pointing Device

Also known as mouse. This, like case and keyboard, are a matter of personal preference. If possible, try out any proposed purchase first, or at least a very similar setup.

Operating System

Windows Me will give you the most options when purchasing application software. It is much easier to set up and maintain than previous versions of MS Windows.

PC Card Slots

Also called PCMCIA. These are your laptop’s expansion slots. Modems, sound cards, Ethernet cards, and other add-ons can go here. More is better.

Ethernet Card

If you connect through an Ethernet port, this is a must have item.

Modem

This provides network connectivity over the phone. 53/33.6 thousand bits per second (v.90 download/upload) is the fastest currently available speed.

Many modem alternatives are emerging. These include ISDN, xDSL, and cable modems. These new technologies are all faster and generally more expensive than a traditional modem. You can contact your local phone company or cable provider to see if they are offered in your area.

 Battery

The battery is what your laptop runs on when it's not plugged in. Look for battery life of 2 hours or more. An option to put in a second battery in place of the diskette or CD drive is a plus for long trips. There are several types of batteries to choose from:

Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) are cheap and can last many years, but NiCds have "memory" and thus require regular discharging to remain viable. If not discharged and charged every 30 days or so, the battery will permanently lose some capacity. If NiCds are well cared for, they can have life spans of 2000 cycles or more.

Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) can hold about 30% more charge than NiCds, and are less affected by memory problems.  NiMHs have shorter life spans than well cared for NiCds. (Approx. 500 cycles)

Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries have some of the best characteristics of NiCd and NiMH batteries. They also have nearly twice the capacity of a NiCd. They do not suffer from memory problems. They are also rated at around 500 cycles.

Warranty

One year is standard, though many newer laptops are coming with three year warranties. More is better.

Desktop PC Recommendation  - Mach - 2009

All components have a short explanation available by clicking on them. This may be helpful in choosing a system that doesn't match these specifications.

If you are buying your computer from a major PC manufacturer, it may be very difficult to find the specifications for each component. If this is the case, just compare what you can find to the list below and then try to find reviews of the specific models in which you're interested in PC related magazines or web sites.