How to Select a New Computer: The Breakdown

Here is a common question that I hear all the time: So I need a new computer; what’s a good one? To which I reply: I need a glass of wine; what’s a good one? The answer to both of these questions depends on many factors including tastes, preferences, uses, etc. Today, I will help you answer this question so that you will have no doubts that you picked a good computer!

First order of business: Choose a form factor. Your options vary from desktop (generally big and stationary), laptop (portable), netbook (ultra portable and small) or tablet (small with no keyboard or mouse). Traditional computing is accustomed to the desktop and laptop.

Newcomers to the game are the netbook and tablet. A netbook would be used if you require a very small computer with a keyboard and touchpad. Tablets have become very popular for basic computing functions and are touch based (no keyboard/mouse).

Next: Select your operating system. The popular choices, currently, are Windows, Mac OS and Andorid (on the tablet side). If you chose dektop/laptop as your form factor then you will likely want Windows or Mac OS. If you select the tablet form factor, you may select from Windows, Mac or Google’s Android.

The case for Windows: Microsoft Windows is the most popular choice as you can find any type of machine in any type of price range. Windows runs about 90 percent of all computers and is compatible with nearly all software. The cons are that it is targeted by virus creators because of its popularity and requires constant security updates as holes are found.

The case for Mac: Apple’s Mac OS has a very trendy following. Their machines are very sleek and have nice lines. They advertise that Mac OS is very easy to use. Since it doesn’t have a huge market share like Windows, there isn’t as big of a virus problem among users. Mac’s are very popular with graphic design enthusiasts and professionals as this is the choice machine for this area. The cons are that the Mac is rather expensive when compared to Windows and only comes in a handful of models. Only Apple sells Mac machines. They do not allow outside manufacturers to create and sell hardware with their operating system. It’s all done in house. This is the big difference from Windows.

The case for Android: Google’s Android operating system currently runs cell phones and tablets. Google also has another operating system that runs the Chrome OS on a netbook type device called a Chromebook. See my previous post for more info. The Android OS on a tablet is a very recent addition to the arena which is currently challenging the Apple iPad. If you are looking in to a tablet computer, it’s worth your time to take a look at some Android tablets.

So now that you have your operating system selected, it’s time to pick your hardware. There are many hardware choices and your options will vary depending on the manufacturer that you purchase from. All manufacturers have the same basic selections though. When making your choices, you need to know what you will be using your computer for. Will it be for some general web surfing and emailing? If so, then you can go lighter on the hardware and you won’t need a ton of horse power. Graphic design or engineering? You better beef up on your hardware or you’ll be watching the screen while the computer is processing.

Processor: This is the brains of the operation. I prefer Intel processors no matter what the application will be. They are solid and work well. You’ll see terms like i3, i5, and i7. This refers to the number of processors on the chip. More precessors = more horse power. Also you’ll see processor speeds like 2Ghz, 2.5Ghz, etc. More Ghz = more horsepower generally speaking.

RAM: Think of this as a table. More RAM = longer table. The longer the table, the more applications you can put on that table and run at once (Word, Excel, Web browser, Media player, etc.). Currently the standard amount of RAM installed in a new machine is about 4GB. I would recommend that at a minimum. I like 6GB personally. If you are doing some heavy computing, you can go 16GB +.

Video Card: This is the piece of hardware that renders images on your display. Generally you’ll see video cards with onboard ram with 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, etc. I would recommend around 1GB unless you are a serious gamer or graphic artist. Then you would be better off with 2GB +. Also, there are video cards that will support two monitors. This is nice if you need additional space to view running applications.

Hard Drive: This is your local storage for files. Popular sizes are 100GB, 250GB, 500GB and up. Depending on your application, 100GB will serve most people well. Consider what you will store on your hard drive: music, picture, data files. You can usually add additional hard drives if you happen to run out of space.

These are the basic areas that you will have to make decisions about when selecting a new computer. Once you have your form factor and operating system down, it’s just a matter of picking your hardware options. This will depend on your specific use. Now you have a basic idea of what you need to know when selecting that new computer! Time for a glass of wine!