What do YOU want to do?
Feb 17 '03
The Bottom Line The perfect PC is elusive, but you may already own it!
Buying a computer is just like buying another appliance to an average Joe. They check to see which is the "fastest" they can afford just like they check out a car's horsepower rating. Then it is "what's included" like monitors, speakers, and even a printer. Does it do DVD? Does it record CDs?
Before ANYONE buys a computer - first timer or not - is to do your homework! But not on the computers themselves - on yourself and your family (or whoever will be using the computer).
Nearly All Average Joes and Janes
Almost all of us use our computer to at least do these simple chores:
Internet
Web surfing
Chat
News
Productivity
Word Processing
Spreadsheets (some more than others)
Printing
Entertainment
DVD Movies
MP3 Music
CD-Audio Music
DivX movies (for some)
Making Audio CD compliations
An average person does not need the fastest machine. However, the real problem that this user must look for are bad deals and apples (no pun intended! seriously!)
First off, an Apple Machintosh won't be a bad thing. :) So really, no pun intended! In this case, it may cover all the basis. But lets move on to what we all know best: the PC.
For this modest use, you don't want to be tricked into getting too much. The minimum specs I recomend is:
A CPU with 700 MHz or up
Intel, AMD, Cyrix, it doesn't matter
128 - 256 MB of RAM
Depending on which OS you are using.
Windows 98 Second Edition and up
XP users make sure you have at least 256 MB of RAM
4 - 60 GB hard drive
If you're on dial up, you may not fill up your HD up so quickly. You may need a large HD if you plan on making lots of CDs or download lots of music/movies.
CD-RW drive
Speed doesn't really matter unless you care about time. In my experience, 24x is the slowest sweet spot.
DVD-ROM drive
Only if you want to watch DVD movies on your PC. Most DON'T! It's more comfy to watch it on the sofa in the living room.
Sound
Duh! But I'm sure even the lowliest PC have this!
Video
Um. No comment...should I even have to say anything?
The Right Software Bundle
MS Works (for most people this works fine), MS Office (expensive, but some need it - esp Excel people), CD-R burning utility, DVD movie app (for DVD users) - nothing else, as it tends to clog the system up!
It's not really an expensive list, now, is it? In fact, this may be the PC under your desk right now! If so (and you fit into the "average person" catagory), you may not need to upgrade or buy a new PC.
If only a few things are deficient, then a simple upgrade is in order. This is way cheaper than a new PC, and will restore it's usefulness for a fraction of the price.
Content Creation
Content creatition requires a bit more OOMPH in computing power. Content creation includes making/editing movies, music, photo editing, etc. I will NOT included 3D modling, but I will not discount it either. Check the list below for an explaination:
2.4 GHz and up CPU
Actually, it is also important to look at the FSB (front side bus) speed. This will be harder to compare with out there in "retail" land because it is not an advertised spec. However, it is important in your case. This describes how fast the interface is between the CPU and the memory. The higher the better. For AMD CPUs, the fastest for now is 166 MHz (double data rate is 333 MHz), but can be pushed (overclocked - love this word, eh?) to 200 MHz and beyond (DDR 400 MHz and up). However, stability is more important than speed so I don't recomend it here. You don't want to corrupt a 3 GB movie file! Intel guys the fastest is 533 MHz. But of course, the faster the CPU itself, the better (the advertised speed). The fast FSB is helpful during the editing process, but the fast CPU speed helps during the compression process.
512 MB - 1 GB of RAM
Working on large files like photos, music, and movies, you need a lot of RAM, or else Windows will hit the slow @$$ hard drive! You may need 1 GB of RAM depending on how heavy you are into this "content creation" catagory. But again, FSB helps out a lot in this area! See above.
60 GB - 120 GB hard drive
Large files may need a lot of memory to open up and work on, but at the end, you still need to save it somewhere. You need a large hard drive! The bigger the better! Movies take up the most, while audio takes up the 2nd worst. Large photos can probably do with the smaller end hard drives (60 GB).
Sound
Another "no duh" need, but in this case, it depends on how hard you work the audio end. Music and movie editors need to pay attention to this more! High end audio can be found from Creative Lab's SB Audigy 2 (consumer level, still), or higher professional end that is even out of my league (sound mixers, etc).
Video
For photo and movie editing, you want the best 2D card, and shouldn't worry about 3D. This will be hard card to find, since most are trying to market 3D cards. ATI makes some very good 2D cards, as well as Matrox (number 1!). But if you do a lot of 3D modling, you will want a professional 3D card, and not the consumer-level cards. Otherwise, if you do a small amount, a consumer-level 3D card will do (such as GeForce and Radeon). Don't forget video capture cards and Firewire ports if you plan to transfer video from your camcorder to the PC!
Monitor
Unlike the average Joe, you may need a really good quality monitor if you create media. Don't skimp here!
DVD+-RW and CD-RW
You need to publish your stuff some way, right? This is a no-brainer except for the DVD+-RW drive. With the DVD recordable and rewritable war going, your best bet would be a combo drive from Sony. Sony is the only one to make a drive capable of writing to +RW and -RW (as well as +R and -R, and CD-R and CD-RW).
It certainly gets a little expensive here, but may still be cost effective if you choose your components wisely. (A bit about choosing and building later).
The Gamer
Here's the kicker - this may be the 2nd most expensive system compared to a content creator. But it will be the meanest and fastest machine! The reason why is because the cost goes into creating a stable, quality rendering, and fast number crunching machine on a CC machine. But in this machine, it's just all about speed! Really - would you miss a few polygons in a fast-pace game?
1.7 GHz and up CPU
Again, depending on what type of game you play, and how much cash you got will determine what CPU you may need or want or get. Also, just as in the CC machine, the FSB is important as well, but in this case, may be more important. Games runs better if they can talk to the memory faster. The pollys are being accelerated by the video card, so even a modest CPU speed can still redner your game playable.
256 - 512 MB of RAM
Depending on how you set your games, 256 MB will be enough. However, if you must play your games with the most advance settings on, you will need more memory, as well as CPU speed and a fast video card.
Video
More important than the CPU itself? Almost! You can't ignore your video card if you want to play games. You may not need the most expensive card out there, so do your homework on what you NEED versus what you want (or what the magazines are telling you to want). Older generations of GeForce and Radeon chips may suit you just fine. If you want to crank up the resolution, the quality, and the features in the game (as stated above), you need a really fast card like the Radeon 9700 Pro or GeForce FX. And if you need even MORE power (if you fit in this catagory, you will!), you can even overclock the the video some more! Unlike the CC machine, instability is not as important for the gamer - it's not REAL LIFE life and death. It's just a game. Remember to keep telling yourself that if you forget.
Sound
Depends on how hard you play your games, you must just want sound, or you may want HARDCORE SOUND. For the best, get a SB Audigy or Audigy 2. Of course, remember to pair it up with some booming speakers. What is a great sound card if you're going to run it through crap?
A gamer will always be at the edge of the technology seat, as will the content creators. Hardware goes out of date so fast, and gamers always have new games to play, which needs new hardware!
For the average user, he or she can be quite comfortable using the same old Windows on the same old mahine with the same old software as long as it does the job. Good for you if you fit in this catagory, because you will spend the LEAST for a computer (even in the long run), and can live under a rock for quite a while with this set up.
How SHOULD I Get Upgrades or a New PC?
If you are already building and upgrading PCs, doing it youself is a no brainer. However, most of us just want it to work, and wouldn't dare to crack open a $500 to $2000 machine. I mean, wouild you open up the valve cover of your car's engine if you didn't know what you were doing? (Would you even know what a valve cover is?)
Best Buy, Circuit City, Microcenter, and Frys - they all are brick and mortar stores which you can walk up, look at, play with, and ultmately just pull off the shelf and buy.
Dell, Gateway, and Alienware - they all can be bought online or phone and shipped out to you.
Which is the best way to buy a new PC? If you must choose between the two, you're pretty much choosing between which is the less evil of the evil. Dell have a great reputation, as well as Gateway and Alienware. Alienware is a bit alone.
However, both aren't super great options because they mass produce PCs. Most offenders are huge companies such as Compaq, Dell, HP, and Sony - they shove lots of unnecessary software (including their own) and they will eventually slow the PC down. Sounds familiar?
After having many calls from people who complains of a "slow" PC, I find that their setup isn't slow at all! It was all that gooey software. After cleaning everything up, and starting from scratch, new and clean, their PC "never was this fast before!". In their own words!
So if you already bought a PC like that, not all is lost. Unless it's a very gimicky PC (most Compaqs, HPs, and Sonys are). Otherwise, a fresh reinstall of Windows and the necessary programs that you use everyday is in order. Remember to back up, though! And if you don't know what you are doing, leave it to the pros.
Building a new PC? Leave it to the pros! But who are these pros? I've always said that hand-built PCs are way better than cookie-cutter machines. They are customized your way, and no BS software are installed. They last much longer usually than the others without slowing down (unless you are the one who is installing the gooey much uneeded software).
Mom and pop shops are the best way. Check your local Yellow Pages! Seriously! They are a dying breed, and without support, will become extinct. But of course, not all of them are top notch, so see what other customers they have served and ask them questions. Most places are usually unbelieveably honest because they would rather have you back and tell your friends and family about them. Repeat business and great customer service is the only thing they have going for them. They do more than Best Buy and Dell as they repair ALL PCs, and build ALL kinds of PCs, and even do house calls. Networking, printing, and weird problems can also be remedied.
Personally, one of the best I've encountered is based in Chicago (my home town), Personal System Innovations (PSI). Although they do repairs in Chicago only (unless you are willing to ship out your busted PC to them), they ship new PCs out to anyone in the country! They are too small to have their own ePinions.
Check them out at www.ps-innovations.com
So before you buy a new PC or consider an upgrade, check to see if your current PC is already fitting your needs, and don't go by hype!
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Location: Chicago, IL, USA
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If you mind is in the gutter, where are your hands?
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