by GeekGal

Created on: September 30, 2009

How to choose the best computer for your needs.

Not all computers are alike as I'm sure you are aware of by now. They come in all shapes and sizes and formats. So, how do you go about picking out the right computer for you? Most people get a bit confused when trying to pick out a computer. Should it be a mac or a pc? Should it be a laptop or a desktop? How much memory? What about the hard drive space? There are a bunch of things to know when you go to purchase that computer! So, to get your started here is a list of what some of the terms mean:

RAM - this is Random Access Memory and is basically the memory of the computer. As of this posting I wouldn't recommend anything less than 2 gig.

gig: this stands for Gigabyte and is used to measure the amount of ram or hard-drive space. Usually the more the better! Also comes in megabyte (mb) but in today's world stick with the gigabyte!

HDD or Hard Drive: this is where all the programs are stored. For most home users 120 - 180 gig should be enough. However, if your into gaming or into music or videos or pictures then you may want to go much larger. You can always add external hard-drives or usually even internal hard-drives later but if you know you want your entire 50 CD collection of music on your PC then you may want to go big! Usually 500 gig should be way more than you would need at least to start. You may even want to start with 250 and then double it if you need to. It really depends on the amount of videos, music and pictures you plan to put on your new computer. Let the sales rep know how much you plan to use these items and he/she should be able to give you a good size estimate.

Video Ram: this helps the video to perform better. Most home users shouldn't need to worry about this but if your a gamer then you may want to go for the gold on this one!

Ethernet or Network: this is located on the back of the computer and can be either a card that has been installed or it can be attached directly to the mother board. Whichever it is, this is what you need to get hooked up to a network or the Internet. If you use Cable or DSL you will need this card, if you use dial up or satellite then check with your provider.

Keyboard/Mouse: You probably know what these do, but just to let you know, your new computer will usually come with one, but you can change these out at anytime for one that is either more ergonomic or perhaps one that is wireless.

USB port: These are small and rectangle in nature and are used to plug peripherals

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