Time to buy a computer? Tips for making the right choice

noreply@blogger.com (Bin Patera) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:48:00 +0000

Here is the other traditional factors are all PC buyers should note:
• Windows or Macintosh. The religious war continues. I generally prefer Macs, their Windows counterparts, but Windows 7 is a catchy, polished operating system that Apple's advantage narrows.
Macs have the malware scourge, the PC over the years made avoided. We'll see how it played out over time. Meanwhile, peripherals and accessories you are working to connect to Macs in general only, without plagued the incompatibilities that have historically Windows-based PC. Windows 7 reduces this overhead.
You will always pay a premium for a Mac. The entry-level MacBook laptop starts at $ 999, the entry-level iMac all-in-one desktop from $ 1199. You can find a decent laptop and desktop for half the price, even if not exactly apples comparisons with, uh, apples, is partly because of the dandy iLife multimedia software with OS X for things such as organizing photos and movies.
In the past, rejected, Macs, some people with their own hands, because they work in companies whose software requires Windows. You can no longer be in this situation. For years, Macs run the able versions of Microsoft Office and other popular PC software. And Macs can recognize all common file types, from Word documents, images in JPEG format.
In addition, you can rocket into cyberspace with a Mac as easily as you can with a PC. And if you run Windows programs on a regular basis on a Mac, you can do this by integrating the boot camp program in Snow Leopard or via a third party program such as Parallels or VMware Fusion. You have to jump and run for a full version of Windows on the Microsoft operating system on a Mac.
• chips not far from the tree. The brain of the computer is the processor. Most low-cost PCs and workstations running dual-core processors from Intel and AMD, so that they easily handle two tasks at the same time usually. Computers are more expensive than Intel multi-core i5 and i7, which are designed to handle multiple tasks are quickly and efficiently.
If you want to be into gaming or video editing, you will have a machine with graphics processors, companies such as ATI and Nvidia. As graphics processors are "integrated", may their memory be shared. Often a better, more expensive option with "discrete" graphics, whose memory is not shared leave. On a laptop, discrete memory deliver superior performance, but the battery may be faster.
• storage. Think big when you a lot of music, pictures and especially video files. Consider 250 gigabytes a minimum these days for a hard drive, but it's not uncommon to exceed 1 terabyte on a desk. The so-called solid-state drives are faster but more expensive and less generous with storage.
• Memory. You can never have enough memory, especially if you are planning or graphics-intensive video editing. Desktop and mainstream notebooks usually with 2 GB to 3 GB of RAM, 2 GB is the minimum required to come for a state-of-the-art "64-bit" Windows 7 machine, 2 GB is also the point from the consumer machines from Apple. But the PC's memory has become cheaper, so you do not pay too much for 4 GB or more.
• Netbook vs laptop. Netbooks are light on your wallet and light on the way back. They usually weigh 2-3 pounds and costs less than $ 400, sometimes even less if you commit to two years of data access through a cellular mobile operators.
There are many compromises: cramped keyboards, small screen sizes, limited storage and Wimpy processors. Microsoft developed a Windows 7 Starter Edition for netbooks, but it lacks the fancy graphics of more expensive versions of Windows 7 Netbooks do not have the CD and DVD. Therefore, these computers are really modest budget for web browsing and other computing tasks.
• More to think. Make sure your PC has a large USB ports for connecting peripherals. Some machines include a FireWire port to connect to most camcorders. If it is important to make sure it's there. HDMI is a viable option for people who want to connect their computer to an HDTV. ESATA connection is another way to be connected to some external hard drives.
With Windows 7, Microsoft and its partners, pushing hardware manufacturers multitouch on some PCs and laptops. These machines need touch screens and more profitable. You can use your finger as an alternative to the mouse / keyboard and finger paint, play music or manipulate images.
Whether you are a Mac maven or favor a PC, the computer since the last time you were a buyer changed.

Computers Info Guide

Time to buy a computer? Tips for making the right choice