Buying A Computer Essay Research Paper Buying

Buying A Computer Essay, Research Paper

Buying a Computer today is much more complicated so it was 10 old ages ago. The picks we have are abundant, and the information we must garner to do those picks is much greater. The mean consumer is a more educated purchaser ; they at least have some thoughts of what they want in a computing machine. Yet, we must still inquire ourselves these important inquiries ; such as: What will the primary map of my computing machine be? What computing machine constituents should I see at the clip of purchase? How much money do I have to pass? Where should I travel to buy my computing machine?

For this study, I will see the demands of a typical household: utilizing a mini-tower Personal computer with the Windows 95 operating system, word processing, and entry-level publication plans ; every bit good as, an anti-virus bundle, games with high-ranking artworks and sound, and the cyberspace. I will besides see the undermentioned constituents ; those indispensable for the computing machine to work quicker, and more efficient. They are as follows: Cardinal Processing Unit ( CPU ) ? System Memory ( RAM ) ? Storage Device ( s ) . The followers is a elaborate expression at the CPU, RAM, and Storage devices ; the of import constituents that you should see when buying a Personal computer.

Computer systems, peculiarly the higher-end theoretical accounts, come in several Configurations: desktop, mini tower, or tower. The constellation you chose should depend & # 8211 ; to some extent & # 8211 ; on the sum of enlargement, ( if any ) you may desire to be after for in the hereafter. Most tower constellations have a greater sum of expandability than mini tower and desktop theoretical accounts. Besides, the sum of infinite that you have in your place for the system should be taken into consideration. Tower constellations are normally placed on the floor ; ( nevertheless, non the mini tower theoretical accounts ) whereas, desktop theoretical accounts are made to sit on

the surface where the keyboard and proctor are located. The first consideration is the CPU.

Today, the Intel Corporation is still the taking maker of microprocessors. However ; other bit makers, such as Cyrix and AMD, are quickly mounting the industry ladder to vie with Intel in the CPU market place. Although these other microprocessors are likely merely every bit good as an Intel, there may be some elusive differences in them that may impact their public presentation. The velocity of the processor is really of import ; this is the step of its clock rate & # 8211 ; which indicates the figure of instructions that can be processed per second. Ten old ages ago, the? Intel 386? followed by the? Intel 486? processors, where considered? state-of-the-art engineering? . In 1993, Intel introduced their? Pentium? theoretical account microprocessors. Today, we have processor velocities available up to1GHz.

There are besides options as to the theoretical account or degree of CPU we can buy. Intel produces a CPU called the? Celeron? , which uses the same direction set and package, but has a less sophisticated architecture than the? Pentium? theoretical accounts. ? Celeron? processors are less expensive, and could intend 100s of dollars in nest eggs. In add-on, AMD produces two microprocessors that compete with Intel? s? Pentium? and? Celeron? ; they are the? K6? and the? Athlon? processors. The difference in the public presentation of computing machines that use either AMD or Intel processors, are virtually impossible to bring out ; they run the same package, every bit good as, the same peripheral devices.

Furthermore, computing machines with AMD processors retail for less than computing machines with Intel processors? a great trade for a household on a limited budget. The following constituent to see is memory ( RAM ) .

Random Access Memory ( RAM ) , is system memory, or? on board memory? . Ram temporarily shops informations while running application plans ( from which one works. ) The sum of RAM a computing machine needs depends on the operating system and application package you plan to utilize.

To run Windows, your computing machine needs at least 32 MB of RAM. Today, most computing machines include at least 128 MB of RAM. The more RAM you have, the faster your system can transport informations to and from the processor. Most consumer advocators recommend buying every bit much RAM as you can afford at the clip of your initial computing machine purchase. With memory merchandising for an norm of $ 5 per M, it makes sense to upgrade even older machines. In other words, if you have $ 300 to pass to do your system faster, you could purchase a faster CPU, and acquire 1.5 times more velocity utilizing the bing memory, or you could buy extra memory, and acquire 100 times more velocity, utilizing the bing CPU. It is rather easy to make up one’s mind that the purchase of excess memory is the superior pick.

RAM Cache is particular high-velocity circuitry that helps the computing machine operate faster by temporarily hive awaying often accessed or late accessed information. There are two degrees of cache memory. Internal or first degree ( L1 ) cache is built into the CPU. The first degree cache is fastest, because it is used by the internal grapevine direction treating constituents of the CPU.

An external or 2nd degree ( L2 ) cache can be installed on the motherboard. When the CPU needs informations, it foremost checks the internal cache, which is the faster beginning. If the information is non at that place, it checks the external cache. If the information still is non found, a hunt of the slower RAM must be made. Finally, the 3rd consideration is storage devices.

A storage device can be classified as an internal or external difficult thrust, a CD-ROM or DVD thrust, and the many different types of tape thrusts on the market. Virtually every computing machine on the market today comes equipped with a 3.5 floppy thrust, one internal difficult thrust, and a CD-ROM or DVD thrust.

The difficult thrust is the chief storage unit of the computing machine, used for storage of plans and informations files, so a high-capacity thrust is desirable

. Storage capacity, velocity, and accountant type are typically specified in today? s computing machine ads. Most computing machines are by and large shipped with at least a 10 GB difficult thrust, as many of today? s application plans are rather big.

CD-ROM ( Compact Disc & # 8211 ; Read Only Memory ) thrusts are optical discs that are physically the same as an audio Cadmium, but contain computing machine informations. The velocity of CD-ROM thrusts has increased since they were foremost introduced. The original single-speed ( 1X ) thrusts could reassign 150 Ks of informations per second to memory. Today, drives with 40X velocities are most common. Storage capacity of a individual CD-ROM is about 680 Ms, tantamount to more than 300,000 pages of text. Compact disc read-only memory are besides interchangeable between different types of computing machines. A DVD ( Digital Video Disc ) thrust is an optical, high capacity version of the CD-ROM. There are presently three versions of the DVD, a standard single-layer, single-sided phonograph record that can hive away 4.7 GB of informations, a

two-layer, single-sided phonograph record that can hive away 8.5 GB, and a two-layer, double-sided phonograph record that can hive away 17 GB of informations.

CD-ROM and DVD engineering has forged in front into the recordable and rewritable formats. We now have the CD-R & A ; CD-RW, every bit good as, DVD-ROM, DVD+RW, and now DVD-RAM. The recordable format allows you a? one-time? write to the disc. The rewritable format allows you to compose informations on the disc, and so alteration that information. Both of these formats require particular storage discs, and of class, particular disc thrusts to execute these maps.

Based on the type of maps for which you plan to utilize your computing machine, there will be a minimal set of system demands in order to use the package, and execute undertakings. Once you estimate the primary map of your computing machine, and make up one’s mind on the constituents you need to put in, it is clip to get down shopping. Let? s take a expression at some of the many resources available, and get down garnering information.

To happen out what types of systems are available, the first topographic point to get down is by picking up a transcript of one of the many computing machine magazines on the market, such as Personal computer World, PC Magazine, Byte, or one of the trade newspapers, such as InfoWorld or Personal computer Week. These magazines and newspapers normally have articles comparing the assorted types and trade names of computing machines and other constituents, such as proctors, modems, pressmans, and package. But beware, wear & # 8217 ; t set excessively much into the evaluation systems that these magazines and newspapers use, since many of the computing machine makers pay these

companies for advertisement. Use these evaluations as a manner to contract down your list of options.

One of the best beginnings for information are friends and household members. Ask if they have a system similar to the one you want to purchase. Find out if they have had any jobs with their system ; such as, compatibility jobs with any package applications, or hardware, and whether or non they sought proficient support from the system & # 8217 ; s maker. If there where compatibility jobs, inquire what steps they took to acquire the jobs resolved and how long it took to acquire the system working once more. Finally, inquire if they would purchase another computing machine system from that company in the hereafter.

Another good topographic point to look into information is the World Wide Web, ( of class, you need the usage of an cyberspace connexion prior to your purchase ) . Get down your favourite Web browser, enter a Uniform resource locator in the locater ; that is: www.Company.com, ( replacing the word & # 8220 ; Company & # 8221 ; with the name of a company ) . For case, www.compaq.com ( Compaq ) , www.ibm.com ( IBM ) , www.gw2k.com ( Gateway 2000 ) , or www.dell.com ( Dell ) . Normally these hardware/software/component ( s ) makers, will hold a complete listing of their line of merchandises, the system specifications, and contact information for inquiries non answered within their Website.

I recommend the undermentioned constituents for a new personal computing machine used by a typical

Family for family maps, school and mundane enjoyment:

Intel Pentium III/450 or AMD K6-II/400 processor with 512K of external cache memory? a lower limit of 64 MB of RAM? 10GB difficult thrust? 40X Max Cadmium? ROM? 56K modem with voice and facsimile capableness? 15in. SVGA Monitor? the keyboard and Mouse are truly capable to personal penchant? make up one’s mind what you need and what you will desire. You should buy as much? Personal computer? as you can afford. Don & # 8217 ; t cut corners on the chief system unit, ( proctor, microprocessor, memory, disc infinite, etc. ) . Remember, this system is traveling to last at least two to five old ages ( or more ) and you don & # 8217 ; t want to get down running out of disk infinite or memory the first month that you have it, merely because you trimmed down the sum of memory, or got a smaller difficult thrust.

Be realistic, smart and store about. Make certain you know precisely what you want and how to acquire it. Be careful non to allow salespeople speak you into something you don? Ts need. Most significantly: Plug in & A ; have merriment! ! !

Bibliography

Citations

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