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- Calculator Vs. Computer
- Brain Vs. Computer
- Analog Vs. Digital Computer
- Supercomputer Vs. Mainframe Computer
- Mainframe Vs. Minicomputer
- Printer Vs. Scanner
- OCR Vs. MICR
- File Vs. Folder
- exFAT Vs. FAT32
- FAT32 Vs. NTFS
- FAT32 Vs. exFAT Vs. NTFS
- CPU Vs. GPU
- GUI Vs. CLI
- GUI Vs. CUI
- Cache Memory Vs. Virtual Memory
- Register Vs. Memory
- RAM Vs. CAM
- SRAM Vs. DRAM
- DDR2 Vs. DDR3
- PROM Vs. EPROM
- CD Vs. DVD
- Blu-Ray Vs. DVD
- MMU Vs. MPU
- Computer Terminologies
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- Bit
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How to Buy a Computer?
How to Buy a Computer?
You may have heard of different computers, including desktops, laptops, and tablets. But, before you start buying, you should keep in mind what you want to do with your computer. What is a purpose and why are you purchasing it?
In this article, we will suggest and guide you on what you should keep in mind whenever you want to purchase a new computer or laptop. As desktop computers are highly customised systems, it is better to understand their components first and their configuration before visiting the manufacturer or the retailer shop to purchase directly. Some popular names are Dell, Lenovo, HP and Apple. A desktop computer should be selected based on some key components like Monitor, Operating System, Optical Drive (CD / DVD / Blu-ray), Memory, Hard disk, and CPU.
Monitor
A monitor is a display device; it shows data on the screen, images, videos etc. Visualisation in terms of contrast and colour of images, and videos attracts users to get connected with the screen, so, it plays a vital role. During the selection of a desktop, you should think about its size, resolution, picture quality, color contrast etc. There are two types of monitors CRT and LCD; LCD monitors are the best in choice in terms of electricity consumption, color effects, and visual effects and the rate is also low.
- Size − It is the diagonal size of the LCD screen which includes a big picture screen as compared to CRT screens which is preferable to watching video data, watching movies and playing games. It will increase the productivity as well.
- Resolution − It includes several pixels. For example, a 24-inch display has 1920x1200 (width by length) and a 22-inch display has 1680x1050 pixel quality. High resolution provides better picture quality and a nice gaming experience.
- Inputs − We can fix cables, and USB drives directly to the monitor, hence a monitor can take input from cables, and USB drives to run the things on the monitor. They can also have USB ports.
- Stand − Modern monitors have adjustable stands so that users can set them as per their comfort.
- Recommended − 24-inch LCD.
CPU
A CPU is the brain of a computer; it's a main part of the computer system. All the processing-related things are done inside it; the processor executes all the incoming programs that come for execution. A good system and its performance always depend on the processor.
- Frequency (GHz) − This determines the speed of the processor. More the speed, the better the CPU.
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Cores − CPUs can range from single core to multiple cores; depending on performance requirements. The cores are as follows −
- Single-Core CPUs − Older CPUs specifically designed for basic tasks may have only one core.
- Dual-Core CPUs − Many mid-range CPUs have a core feature.
- Quad-Core CPUs − A mid-to-high-end desktops, and laptops, quad-core CPUs have four cores.
- Hexa-Core, Octa-Core, and Beyond − CPUs with six, eight, or more cores, are mostly found in workstations and servers.
- Brand − Intel or AMD. To choose Intel or AMD, a user should have a clear mindset about the requirements. For example - AMD like Ryzen, is best in use for multitasking; it saves money. While Intel, like Core, is better for gaming and tasks needing a lot of power. Intel is more popular and is in trend.
- Cache − A primary aim of CPU cache is to reduce the time it takes to access data and instructions that are often used by the processor. The higher the L1, and L2 cache, the better the CPU performance. There are three levels of cache L1 Cache (Level 1 Cache), L2 Cache (Level 2 Cache) and L3 Cache (Level 3 Cache).
- Recommended − Intel Core i3-3225 3.30 GHz Processor.
Memory
- RAM is considered Computer Memory as the performance of a computer is directly proportional to its memory and processor.
- Today's software and operating systems require high memory.
- Today commonly used RAM is DDR3, which operates at 1066Mhz.
- As per Windows 7, 1 GB is the minimum RAM required to function properly.
- Recommended − 4 GB.
Hard Drive
- A hard disk is used for storage purposes. The higher the capacity, the more data you can save in it.
- Nowadays computers are equipped with a 500GB hard drive, which can be extended to 2TB.
- Most hard drives in desktops operate at the standard performance speed of 7200 RPM.
- Recommended − 500GB.
Operating System
- The Operating System is the main software of the computer as everything will run on it in one form or another.
- There are primarily three choices: Windows, Linux, and Apple OS X.
- Linux is free; however, people generally do not use it for home purposes.
- Apple OS X works only on Apple desktops.
- Windows 7 is very popular among desktop users.
- Most of the computers come pre-equipped with Windows 7 Starter Edition.
- Windows 8 was recently introduced and is available in the market.
- Windows 7 and Windows 8 come in multiple versions from Starter, Home Basic, home premium, professional, ultimate, and enterprise Edition.
- As the edition version increases, their features list and price increase.
- Recommended − Windows 7 Home Premium.
Optical Drive (CD / DVD / Blu-ray)
- Optical drive is the drive on a computer, which is responsible for using CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs.
- Nowadays, DVD burners are industry standards.
- DVD Burner can burn CDs, and DVDs and play them.
- DVD Burner is cheaper than Blu-ray drives.
- Blu-ray drives can play HD movies but are costlier components.
- Recommended DVD Burner.
FAQ's on How to buy a computer?
1. Which computer is best to purchase?
Make a decision; you want to purchase a desktop and laptop computer. In today's time; most people are purchasing laptops, it's easy to carry and convenient. Dell, HP, and Lenovo are some common names which a user purchases.
2. Which processor is best?
In general, AMD Ryzen and Intel are the most widely used. A user can opt Intel Core i7-14700K , AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, Intel Core i9-14900K, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, Intel Core i5-11600K.
3. Which RAM size is good to have in a computer?
In todays scenarios and high computing aspects, at least 8 GB RAM is required in a laptop for good performance.
4. What is the key difference between SSD and HDD Hard Disk?
SSD (Solid State Disk) − its a fast and durable data storage disk; its too expensive.
HDD (Hard Disk Drive) (Recommended) − its the most commonly used disk, offers more storage and less price.
5. Which operating system is best?
Commonly used operating systems are 1. Windows 2. Ubuntu 3. Mac and Linux-based operating systems. Windows operating system has an attractive Graphical User Interface (GUI) and is in trend. Mac operating system is used in Apple's machines and Linus has mostly used in organisations or companies' machines.
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