What computer should I buy if
I do not have a lot of money to spend?
Getting the best for the lowest price should
be a given, but do not ever sacrifice just to get something. Make an educated
decision. Always remember that the most important part of a computer is the
main system board or motherboard. Always start out with a motherboard that
can accommodate newer and faster processors as they become available and/or
more cost effective. The manufacturer of the motherboard should also provide
bios, firmware, and software updates as time goes by. As new hardware and
software comes to market some motherboards need a fix in order to use the
new technology and this is the reason why updates are very important. You
can check the support given by a computer manufacturer by simply going on
the web, searching for the manufacturers home page and choose support. and
then choose the link for downloads or software & downloads. Look for
Bios and/or Firmware and check to see if the manufacturer is keeping
the consumer current with fixes and updates. Finally, the case should be
well made with room for additional internal and external devices and the
case should accomodate any standard power supply just in case it has to be
replaced or upgraded in the future. If you follow these guidelines you will
not have to make and concessions in the future because of the wrong decision
you make now because of monetary reasons?
What is the motherboard?
The motherboard is the main system board that is mounted in the
computers case. All of your components and accessories are plugged into
the motherboard and are controlled by the motherboard. This is the most
important component in the computer besides of course the processor and the memory modules.
What motherboard should I want in my computer?
Since the motherboard is so important, I recommend the best. To
me, the best brand is ASUStek, for the service and reliability.
Of course, if you choose not to build a system and want to buy a name brand,
you will not have a choice in the motherboard that is used in the computer
system and in this case I recommend Compaq / Hewlet Packard or Dell.
I hear a lot of talk about processors and speed. What
should I get?
My choice is to always use the boxed version of the Intel Pentium 4 processors.
The boxed version comes with a much longer warrantee than the tray version
and on the boxed version the fan and heat sink is assembled and warrenteed
by Intel. If spending the least amount of money possible is your goal, you
could use an Intel Celeron processor, although I still prefer to use the
Pentium 4. It's worth the extra bucks in the long run. I usually do not suggest
using the newest processor to hit the market because although it is the fastest,
it is also not cost efficient. New processors are always pricey when they
first come out and to upgrade to a faster processor at a later time will
save you a bundle. Hence the reason for my instructions on what computer
to buy.
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