Updated 3 May 2008
Buying
a computer can be a confusing experience. There's a lot of jargon to
deal with and the specifications can leave even the most tech savvy
customer with glazed eyes and a headache.
To help you, we have the
standard specifications for most home and small business users. You
should read these specs in conjunction with our buying a laptop and
buying a desktop guides. If the jargon is
becoming too much, check out our jargon buster
page.
When shopping for a computer,
be careful of gimmicks. Deals that are too good to be true often are.
We also suggest steering clear of rebate offers as we find they are
cumbersome and ineffective.
Bear in mind these are the
minimum specifications. If the budget will stretch to a better system,
then by all means go for it. More memory, a bigger hard drive, better
video card or faster CPU will make your computer more of a pleasure
to use and extend its life.
We like Macs and if you
are considering one, these specifications are still valid. Most Apple
models will meet these requirements. Visit our Mac
versus PC page for the pros and cons of both and why the more expensive
purchase price is offset by other factors.
Standard Desktop
This is a standard, general
purpose home system desktop. If you have specific needs such as sound
mixing, CAD programs or game crazy kids then you will need something more
advanced.
CPU: Intel Core2
Duo Processor 2.66GHz or an 64 X2 Dual Core 4000+
Memory: 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Hard drive: 320Gb SATA drive.
Video: 256Mb PCI express video card with DVI. We steer people
toward ATI brand as the rival nVidia is in our Vista Hall of Shame.
Monitor: 20" monitor with DVI and VGA inputs
Optical drive: 16X Max DVD+/-RW Combination Drive with double
layer write capability
Other
features: Built in ethernet, sound and as many USB ports as possibly
with at least two on the front panel for easy access.
Operating system:
Windows XP Home. Make sure the XP disk is supplied with the system.
If XP is not an option, choose Vista Home Premium or Business.
Warranty: Three year onsite parts and labour.
Budget: $1,800 for a PC, $2,300 for an iMac.
Standard Portable
For portable computers, it's
a balancing act between portability, features and price. The specifications
we have here are what we believe are the right combination for the typical
user. Visit our choosing a laptop page where we discuss how to determine
what meets your needs.
CPU: Intel® Core™2
Duo Processor 2.4GHz
Memory: 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Hard drive: 160Gb SATA drive.
Other features Minimum 3 USB ports, built in Ethernet and wireless
Video: Built in graphics accelerator
Monitor: 15" monitor. For Apple users, the equivalent MacBook
only comes with a 13" monitor.
Optical drive: 16X Max DVD+/-RW Combination Drive with double
layer write capability
Other
features: Built in ethernet, sound and wireless. We like to see
three USB ports on a system, but smaller systems may not have these.
Operating system: Windows XP Professional. Make sure the XP disk
is supplied with the system. If Vista is the only option then choose
Home Premium or Business versions.
Warranty: Three year back to base parts and labour.
Budget: $1,600 for a PC, $2,200 for a MacBook
Business users
Every business is unique. We
can't give any useful general advice without knowing something about your
business needs. Contact us for our consulting
services.
A system to these specs
should last the typical home user or small business for the next three
to five years.
It is possible to cut the
price by ditching the three year warranty, getting an onboard video
card, choosing a smaller hard drive or less RAM, but those systems will
struggle to keep up with the changes we can expect over the next few
years.
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