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Choosing a Computer



What will you use the computer for?


If you are choosing a computer, we need to decide first why you want a computer in the first place,

  • is the price an object


  • Will you be using it for gaming


  • for watching tv

There are 3 types of computer we should know when choosing a computer. Remember, there are more types of computer, but I'll be discussing just the most common for the average joe. These types are mentioned below.




Desktop Computer:

This is the budget PC, especially designed for surfing the web, listening to music and many more which doesn't require much power.






Entertainment Computer:

Computer designed for everything from gaming to watching TV on the computer, this is the computer I normally use in my living room.





Gaming Computer:

Choosing a computer designed for playing the latest games, I have this computer in my room, just for playing games, as you can see above this computer will be the most pricey of the three but it will probably be the fastest.





Confused?

Don't be if you don't like choosing a computer that's generic or premade, you don't have to, you can be creative and add lighting or small LCD screens to your computer

Why not buy an entertainment PC just for gaming if it's cheaper?

If you're asking yourself that question, I'm glad you asked, you will still be able to play games but because we will be using a medium range video card, you won't be playing games at higher quality rates.

Can I do everything with a gaming computer?



Yes, you can you can do everything IF you pick the right parts, which I'll show you just how in the next step, the next step is the most important one, what you pick is what you'll get for a long time.




Choosing the components


Many people now opt to build their own computer so that they are more in control of the specifications they want and save more than just a few pounds. There are a multitude of DIY’s found all over the Internet, and yes, it is possible to build one yourself! But before doing so, you must choose the right components for your computer. Here are some of the very basic components you need to get:


  • Computer Case

    • Aside from the color and design, choosing a computer case should be based on these important factors:

    Space:
    smaller computer case will limit your CPU components, will limit the upgrading capabilities of your computer and will cause more heat. The most important component that should fit in your CPU is the motherboard.

    Cooling:
    Your new computer case must have enough room to control heat, the best material is aluminum, and one of the best brands out there is ThermalTake, however if you just want a computer for browsing and listening to music etc, just look for any case (as long as it appeals to you).

    There are three types of motherboards for each type of case: ATX, micro-ATX and Extended ATX. The difference between them are basically just the size, to fit in a smaller case.
    Make sure that your computer case and your motherboard are compatible.

    More info cases

  • CPU

    • If you only use the computer to surf the web, do word processing, gaming and some graphics editing, the 1.6 GHz - 2.0 GHz might be enough. Extreme gaming, 3D rendering and video editing would need at least a 2.2GHz processor.


    Remember that intel tends to charge a bit more than AMD for the same competitive model, but intel tends to be one step ahead in speed. i3, i5, i7 are line of very fast new CPU, however if you just want to browse the net a low-mid range CPU will do the work just fine.

    More info on the CPU

  • Cooling

    • Processors usually come with a fan and a heat sink. When choosing a computer it is best to get a cooling system that is more efficient and quieter than the one included in the package. Remember to get a thermal compound to put onto the CPU core, they are usually included with CPU. The more components you have the more cooling you need.


    More info on Cooling

  • Motherboard

    • Choose a motherboard that matches your processor's socket type and supports the same bus type and RAM.

    More info on motherboards

  • RAM

    • Similarly, choose a RAM that is compatible with the motherboard. RAM right now is very cheap so the more you get the better, but at least 2GB should be good.

    More info on Memory


  • Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

    • The HDD is your permanent storage for system files, applications, documents, games and so on. Get the largest hard drive capacity that you can afford. If you are on a tight budget, you can get at least a 250GB. Most motherboards have IDE slots for hard drives. Newer ones also have SATA connectors for SATA HDDs, which are quite faster than IDE HDDs.

    More info on Hard Disks

  • Graphics Card

    • If you use the computer for regular office work, you can get a motherboard with a built-in video card. If you use it for gaming, you might want to buy a separate video card. Video cards usually use an AGP slot or a PCI Express slot on the motherboard.

  • Sound Card

    • Most motherboards have built-in sound cards which generally have good quality. If you use sound mixing or audio/video editing, or have a good speaker system you can get at least a 24-bit sound card for better quality (Creative Soundblaster). More info on Sound Cards

  • CD/DVD

    • Of optical drives, it is best to seek for a DVD/CD-RW combo or a DVD±RW; the latter is a better choice. DVDs have larger capacity to allow you to store more music and movie files and back-up data. If you do not expect to burn disks, you can opt for a CD-R or a DVD-R drive.

Where can I find a good deal


You can find great deals if you are choosing a computer at NewEgg.com.




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