Tips for choosing the right desktop PC

Buying a PC can be tricky. There are so many specifications to choose from and multitude of models. How do you select the best PC from the heap ? The right attitude here should be which is the most suitable PC for me and not which is the best one in the market. The following are a few criteria which you have to keep in mind while shopping for a desktop computer.

CPU

Any recent processor from Intel or AMD is sufficient to handle the basic computing tasks. You don’t have to go for the most powerful processor in the market. For example, you can settle for an AMD Phenom 9600 Quad-core CPU or an Intel Core 2 Duo 8400 instead of choosing the latest quad 4 processor from Intel and still not feel any difference in your day to day use of the PC. Experts say that the performance gain after a certain point is minimal and only the professional multimedia specialists need every bit of extra processing power.

RAM

Also called memory. The big question is how much memory is enough memory for your machine ? And the correct answer to this question is as much as your operating system can handle. By definition, a 32-bit operating system uses 32 bits to refer to the location of each byte of memory. 2^32 = 4.2 billion, which means a memory address that’s 32 bits long can only refer to 4.2 billion unique locations (i.e. 4 GB). This means which ever be the operating system you use, as long as it is 32 bits, buying a computer with more than 4 GB memory is a waste because the additional memory will never be put to use by the OS. You can read two interesting articles on this topic at Coding Horror and Kernel Trap respectively.

Of course, things change if you use a 64 bit operating system in which case, do load your machine with more than 4 GB RAM. 2 GB to 4 GB is the right memory you should settle for in your machine as long as you are using a 32 bit operating system – be it Linux or Windows.

Graphics Board

Now a days, most people are increasingly watching movies and videos on their PC. While buying a computer, make sure your PC has a decent GPU. Something like Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX or ATI Radeon HD 4850 will be a good choice.

How expandable is your PC ?

When you are buying a PC, ensure that there are additional open PCIe slots available on the motherboard for future expansion. Check how many internal and external bays the PC has and also whether it has easy access to Firewire and USB ports.

Choosing the right hard disk

Put simply, bigger the better. Some where in the range 300 – 500GB would fit the needs of a home owner. Also take note of the drive’s speed – higher the RPM, better.

Other computer peripherals

Now a days, most people choose an LCD monitor as it is more power efficient than the CRT monitor which is fast going out of vague. Usually a 17″ monitor is enough for home use.  You can settle for the normal 104 keys US QWERTY keyboard. But make sure that you are comfortable typing on the keyboard before buying it. When choosing a mouse, choose a 3 button optical mouse (PS2 or USB) instead of  the one with the ball and rollers as the traditional mouse is prone to getting stuck due to dust and dirt caught in its rollers over a period of time. I have a Logitech 3 button optical PS2 mouse and it is a good one. A good pair of speakers are a necessity and if your budget permits, do invest in a web cam and a pair of microphone and head set too.

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