Know Exactly What You're Getting
Jan 26 '00
Buying a computer is a major investment, and while your new "dream machine" will eventually only be suitable for use as a doorstop, there are a few precautions that one can take to postpone the inevitable. Namely, you should know EXACTLY what parts are going into your computer, and try not to cut corners when buying critical parts.
When I started college, I was given a brand new, top of the line Packard Bell computer (a 486-66 no less!). It came prefabricated and ready-to-go, software already installed. I later found out, after numerous crashes, disk failures, and much swearing, that the actual components in the computer were about as close to the bottom of the line as you could get. Eventually the whole thing just died.
Therefore, knowledge of the parts that are in the computer is perhaps the most important thing that one can do in order to ensure a long and functional life.
First of all, pick your monitor, mouse, and keyboard. It has been stated elsewhere that these are the most important and most overlooked parts of the computer and I agree wholeheartedly. While a poor human-computer interface may not necessarily cause carpal-tunnel or other physical problems, it most definitely will hurt productivity. This interface should be as effortless as possible. Get a nice, large monitor and a comfortable mouse. Don't waste money, but don't be cheap, either. You won't regret it.
Next, be sure you have a good motherboard. Depending on how long you plan to keep your computer, expandability may be an option here. Will the board support the clock speed that you wish to use? Will the board support higher clock speeds so that you can add a new processor in the future? How much RAM (Random Access Memory) will the board take? Will you be able to add more later on? Options such as AGP and on-board SCSI (pronounced "scuzzy") should also be obtained if it is within a good price range. The motherboard is one of the most important parts of the computer. It is actually what determines whether a computer is obsolete or not; if it cannot support higher CPU speeds and RAM, then obsolescence isn't far behind.
CPU and RAM are actually the easiest items to pick out. In general, more is better. A faster CPU and more RAM is always better. If you pick out a non-Intel CPU (such as the Athlon), be sure that your motherboard will support it. Buy at least 128 MB of RAM, although more is definitely recommended, especially for playing games or running the next generation of Microsoft operating systems (Windows 2000 is a real hog).
When choosing a hard drive, do not fall into the "more is better" trap that many manufacturers have set out for consumers. While it is definitely preferable to have more hard drive space, there are a variety of factors that make a hard drive "good". First, is the drive IDE or SCSI? There's a huge speed difference between these two; while IDE seems to be the industry standard these days, due to its lower price, SCSI is faster and is often worth the extra money, especially with operating systems such as Windows that use the hard drive to substitute for memory ("virtual memory") from time to time. Next, look at the spin rate and seek time for the drives. The more RPM's the drive has, and the lower the seek time, the quicker you will be able to access your data and the faster you will go. In terms of brands, I'd recommend IBM drives, since I've had very few problems with them over the years, and would dissuade anyone from buying Seagate and Conner drives (a Conner drive started my Packard Bell fiasco).
Remember that often the limiting factor in a computer's performance is data transfer between the hard drive and the rest of the computer. A superior hard drive will increase your computer's performance dramatically.
Finally, items such as the video card, sound card, CD-ROM, network adapters, and other various I/O parts are a little less critical and far more varied than I have time to go into here. They also vary depending on whether you like to play games, write programs, or surf the net. Try not to use generic parts; avoid that box in the electronics store that has the words "CD-ROM" printed on the side and nothing else. Talk to your friends, find out what they have and how they like it.
So what does all this mean? If you build your own computer, which I highly recommend, you'll get to choose exactly what goes into your computer and save a bundle, since you can typically build a $2200 computer for $1500 if you do it yourself. If you can build a computer yourself or know anyone who can, do it. You'll know exactly what you're getting.
The next best thing to building the computer yourself is to have one custom built for you. If you choose this option, make sure you specifically state which parts you want in your computer. It may help to bring along someone who knows computers; my experience has been that custom-built computer salesmen are a bit like car salesmen, and it's better to be careful than get cheated. And when you get it home, have someone you trust check to make sure that the store didn't slip in generic parts against your wishes.
For those who buy their computer prefabricated from a store, make sure you know what you're getting. Check the brands of the parts inside. Ask a salesperson. I know plenty of people who have bought their computers using this option and swear by it, but I also know a few who swore never to buy a prefabricated computer again (myself included). Hewlett Packard computers seem to be pretty good, as are Dell. Packard Bell and IBM computers seem to draw a few more complaints.
However you choose to obtain your computer, be sure that you know what parts are in it. Don't be cheap with items such as the monitor and mouse. Consider SCSI devices instead of IDE. Make sure your motherboard is upgradable. With any luck, our computers might outlive their two-year life expectancy.
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Epinions.com ID:
dave_huber
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Member: David Huber
Location: Los Angeles, California
Reviews written: 35
Trusted by: 40 members
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