Buy a New PC

It is not easy to buy a new computer. You have to be sure of what you want to be able to make the correct selection. This not only requires being aware of the speed of the CPU or the size of the hard drive, but it is also important to know how to make use of your new assemble. PC World will make it easier for you.

An Important Thing

It is important to know what you want to do with your computer and ask this question prior to shopping for a new desktop computer. There are some guidelines to help you out.

Know More About The Specifications: There is a lot of jargon related to LCD monitors and optical storage to CPUs and motherboard which will be clarified here. It will also help you understand the specifications which are most important when you buy a PC.

Tips for Desktop PC Shopping: In case you are looking for advice before buying one you will get useful information in this article. You can design a system according to your requirement and your budget.

The main story: There are many individuals who typically use the PC to send e mails, browse the Internet and sometimes work on spreadsheet or documents. It is possible to do such jobs efficiently on the cheaper less expensive and low end systems which are available today. You can get that for even less than $1000. You can choose from some top value business desktop PCs.

In case you have some specific requirements you can get the basic model customized or upgraded by the PC seller. You can buy a bigger hard drive if you want more storage space. With an additional 4GB RAM you get extra memory. There is also an option of optical drive which supports the format you prefer and you will be able to see HD DVD films and burn Blu-ray Discs.

It is best to check the guidelines and then decide on your exact requirements for the present.

You can even think about your future needs if it is within your budget.

There is a need for higher end model if you want the system to edit digital video or maintain a bigger database. You can think of buying systems which start from $1500 to $2000. To find out more on speed, look at 5 Power Desktop PCs list.

There is continuous fast growth of the gaming-PC market. In fact game enthusiasts don’t mind even buying a computer for $3000 or more to get best performance. These PCs come with dual graphic cards and over clocked CPUs setups. This is not just entertainment, as gaming has become more than a hobby now. In the early times only some well known brands manufactured such sophisticated machines, but now this has become an important product for bigger companies who are looking for a piece of pie in the  gaming-PC market. This will give you more choice of gaming computers at an affordable cost. You can see top gaming PC chart.

Detailing Of Specifications

Processor: You can use a normal processor, in case you want to use your PC for regular office job and the internet tasks. You should go for Intel Core 2 Duo chip if you are looking for extra power and it is also a better option compared to the AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor. It is true that both are dual-core processors, have the ability of quick performance as well as multitasking for some video applications and graphics. It is Intel which stands above AMD in performance. You may spend hundred or two dollars more but will get an improved performance by five to ten 10 percent per layer.

You can also think of the dual-core 2.93-GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800 or quad-core CPUs such as the 3-GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor QX6850 for utmost multithreaded applications and multitasking. These processors are also well liked by powerful and high-performance gaming PC’s.

It is also good to use a four-core processor for people who play games or maneuver video or audio very often. This can be seconded as other than some games like World in Conflict and Crysis, there are very few optimized applications which need the expensive software like the new version of Encore DVD or Adobe’s Premiere Pro, Autodesk’s 3D StudioMax and Steinberg’s Cubase 4.

There are several new multithreaded software titles which will be marketed soon and most of them will gain from multiple-core processing. It will get the job done at a better speed as a combination multiple CPUs get the work finished quicker. You also have the option of upgrading when you want as the Intel’s present quad-core desktop speed kings match well with all LGA775-socket-based motherboard.

It is true that AMD is not at par in the race for high-end, high-performance quad-core CPU. A test was conducted which showed that  AMD’s Phenom 9600 CPUs could perform just like a one year old Intel chips. For the present it shows that it does not make sense to purchase a combined Spider platform of AMD.

At present quad-core may sound very intriguing, and is the dual-core which is more in demand. You can buy a quad-core processor, and can get improved performance by adding some optimized applications.

A simple tip is to go through the detailed CPU-comparison table on the web sites of Intel and AMD.
Memory: It is a well known fact that the PC will perform better and you will also be able to use more applications if your PC has more memory. You have no limitations to upgrading memory even after the PC has been bought but it will make more sense to purchase a system with preinstalled memory according to your needs.

A test run was conducted with Vista-versus-XP comparison by installing 512MB of memory installed the low-end test computers. There was no sluggishness in the multitasking test, but the Photoshop test almost became double in Vista. This suggests that you should avoid running Vista when the memory is less than 1GB and you have to be careful even with it.

As per the Vista RAM boost report, it will make a lot of difference when 2GB was used for the Photoshop test. When an old, basic Pentium 4 system was upgraded to 2GB, there was an improvement of ten percent in the performance. There was a gain of about five percent in a dual-core desktop. Any difference of less than five percent is not noticed in the fundamental business applications.

Motherboards: You can get modern technologies which may not be in some PC’s with a new motherboard.  Like second generation, quicker SATA connections which have the capacity to reach 3 gbps, high-definition audio, gigabit ethernet and dual-card graphics also.

You can go through the top motherboard charts to find the right motherboard for you. The chart has been split into two for easy comparison between Intel- and AMD equipped motherboards rather than making an apple to orange contrast. Seven boards are on the AMD’s socket AM2, which is used with the newest AMD chips which needs DDR2 memory as well as seven boards with Intel’s socket LGA775, using company’s new quad-core and dual-core processors.

You must take a motherboard with a minimum of one or two USB ports in front so that you can easily plug USB pen drive and other gadgets. USB ports will also be required at the back for connecting all the other things from a printer to an external hard drive. Media Center PCs and more sophisticated systems, all need audio or video inputs as well as FireWire ports at an easily accessible place.

Intel’s “Skulltrail” motherboard is another addition for PC buffs. This motherboard supports the 45nm Penryn chips and has dual LGA 771 CPU sockets. It also contains two PCI 2.3 slots,   four x16 PCI Express 1.1 slots, two eSATA ports and six SATA 3.0 gbit/second ports. It is just great.

You must see all the things that you may require before you buy the PC.
The casing: It is very useful to have a good case which helps you work easily and has simple options to upgrade as well as service parts. With a well designed case you will not see the tools access from the outside. Hard drives are placed on convenient platform and there are cables with color codes for different parts.

You must leave some space if you want to expand later. It is possible that you will need free PCI slot and some open drive bays. Case designs also come in various shapes as well as sizes like the motherboards, known as form factor.

ATX is the most often seen form factor. It is possible to get details including the supply of power by the ATX specification and it also states the placement of the connectors behind the motherboard. It lines up with the holes in the casing. There are several variations in the form factor like MicroATX pursue the basic ATX specification with less number of expansion slots which only allows it to be used with small cases. There are some other motherboard formats. The standard before ATX was known as AT and the slim line PC’s use NLX. BTX has emerged as the new size which has been created to take the place of ATX standard. The main force behind the new form factors is Intel and has made some essential change in the design to augment cooling. PicoBTX and microBTX are the different versions of the BTX range.

There are some individuals who have a strong dislike for the marketed case designs. If you want your own design, it is possible to customize a PC case but you should have some idea about it. You can find some innovative case designs on the net.
Graphics Cards: They take the responsibility of producing the images on the monitor, as well as the graphics subsystem in a PC ships. It can be a chip which is incorporated in the motherboard or a removable expansion board. Integrated graphics card which is found in most low end PCs are good enough for general use but you can also purchase a discrete graphics board if you are into a lot of gaming. It is essential that your mother board has a PCIe x16 slot which will enable you to add a graphics card whenever you want.

A dedicated graphics card becomes very important if you are looking for graphics, gaming or any other multimedia programs to run at a better speed. You have a great reason to upgrade with the 3D-accelerated Aero environment of Microsoft’s Windows Vista. You will need DirectX 9-capable graphics chip as well as a 128MBdedicated memory to use Aero. You can go for nVidia’s GeForce 8800 GT. This is a very popular commercial graphics card has complete DirectX 10 support. This will make sure though that you don’t have to go for an upgrade soon.

People who are into gaming in a big way need a multiple-graphics-card setup. It either uses nVidia’s 3-Way SLI technology, this has up to three cards on a motherboard or ATI’s CrossFire technology, as this jams up to four cards on the motherboard. You have to remember that with more power you will have to pay a higher price and so you should be prepared to pay premium on the graphics cards and also for the latest SLI- or CrossFire-compatible motherboard.

It is essential to be sure which card will work best with your PC before you buy it.  It is possible to improve the performance a little of the old PCs by using AGP connectors. Generally new PC or one that can be upgraded has a PCI Express x16 slot for the graphics board.

Hard Drive: There has been a very significant increase in the minimum size of the new hard drive in the last year or so. It is possible for the buyer to get a desktop PC for less than $1500 with 200GB to 500GB drive. It is possible to get a drive with nearly 1 terabyte space, like the Hitachi’s $400 Deskstar. It is true that you will have to pay a lot more for such hard disks as they are at the top end. A bigger drive is much better if you want to store a lot of data like multimedia files and digital images on the system.

There is no need for many of the business users for hard drive which is bigger than 80GB, but if it is also used for other things then you will need one with more space. In fact you can even get drives up to 750GB capacity and if you work on a larger digital photo, video files music, or databases, spreadsheets you can go for a bigger one. The performance of your system will improve by having two drives in a striped RAID 0 array. It will also help to have two drives put together in a RAID 1 or any same kind of configuration. It offers fault-tolerance if there is any hardware failure.

Serial ATA and spin at 7200 rpm are the popular drives nowadays; people who are into gaming or want speed will like the high-performance drives of 10,000-rpm Western Digital. You may have to compromise on capacity for the Western Digital Raptor X maxes with 150GB to get the edge in performance. You can check the best ten Internal Hard Drives to know more on it.

Monitor: You cannot take the computer as well as your eyes for granted. There are times when people get fascinated by big and attractive displays, when looking for a monitor and don’t consider an essential aspect which is the resolution of the monitor. A low end display has a resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels and this should be the resolution used for the monitor. You will need a more sophisticated graphics card if the resolution is higher to run applications which are video intensive. You must remember these things especially if you are tempted to purchase a 30-inch panel.

Even a 17- or 19-inch LCD monitor is good for some people but it is good to have a 22-inch wide-screen model and they will cost a little extra compared to the 19-inch equivalent. You can even take a digital monitor with DVI, as it offers a sharper image, in place of an analog model. These are available by default in the low end PCs which are often advertised online. It has become popular to have wide-screen or even dual-monitor displays. You must have graphics card with dual-DVI ports with the latter one.

Communications: Nowadays almost all PCs have a built in an ethernet port to access broadband and a modem which is used for dial-up Internet access. You will require a wireless internet adapter if you wish to have wireless internet connection.

You must get a router or a gateway so that you are able to share your broadband connection and even to have your PC in a network. You will be able to access network connection much faster by using a PC and router with gigabit ethernet compared to products with 10/100 ethernet. A card or an outside adapter is needed if you want to be wireless for every PC. You can check How to Buy Home Networking Products to know more.

Storage that can be removed: It is essential for PCs to have an optical drive, a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM model to read CDs and DVDs at least. You can also take a rewritable drive at a little extra cost to help you create backups for your data.  There are several PCs which provide a multiformat, dual-layer rewritable DVD burner. Many of the cheaper models often come with just a CD-RW drive. The most appropriate drive for a standard DVD, will be which can take care of writing to double- or dual-layer DVD discs and also has LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling option.

Many of us may think that the days of the rewritable-DVD drive is over with the introduction of the next generation of optical formats like HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc. It is not true, as it is much cheaper to write disc when you compare it to the new formats. You will also get very good performance when you have devoted DVD burner which has a writing speed of up to 20X.

The advantages of a rewritable DVD on a CD-R are well known. In a single-layer DVD media you can store almost 4.7GB and a double layer or dual-layer media has the option of storing about 8.5GB on a single disc. Rewritable-DVD drives support write-once and rewritable media just like CD-RW drives. You can make movies on write-once discs which can be played on regular DVD players as well as for archiving data. The rewritable discs on the other hand are good for keeping a backup of your file.

With time the prices are falling but DVD writers are more expensive compared to a CD-RW drive. You can purchase a drive which works well with a double or dual layer DVD writing, in case you are looking for the latest. It will also let you store additional data on a single disc.

Microdrives and USB thumb drives have also become very well-known. You can keep a large amount of data on this small keychain size gadget. This is being made by a large number of companies and some of them allow you to store more than 1GB or more. A thumb drive will not need any other software, with Windows Vista, XP, or 2000. You just have to connect the apparatus and Windows will sense is automatically and allot it a drive letter in the Explorer. There are a number of companies who have incorporated thumb drives in watches, pen drives or even Swiss knife and you can use it if you don’t like the regular key-fob design. You should take a model which is able to shift data at the speed of USB 2.0 as the older ones are very slow.

Windows Vista’s ReadyBoost characteristic is a technology which will allow you to add speed to the Windows when you put is a USB flash drive into the PC and is not very expensive. It is seen though that it may increase the speed of Vista to a small amount but it slows down the OS sometimes.
Mouse and Keyboard: You will find these in almost all systems. They have a two-button mouse with a scroll wheel and Windows friendly 102-key keyboard. There are some sellers who are moving from PS/2-connected devices to USB models. This is better as it has additional features like programmable keys which have the ability to open the wanted application or a web site. It has also become common to use a wireless keyboard or a remote control.

An optical mouse allows smoother movement and accurate control on the cursor with the help of a small camera and you must try to get that.  You will find them easy to maintain also.

Sound: The basic sound available in the PC is all right for office use. However you will like to use surround sound at home. You can upgrade your PC just for $100 worth dedicated sound card with Dolby 5.1 and a pair of speakers with subwoofer.

Very high-quality sound is seen in the latest PC motherboards as they incorporate High Definition Audio standard of Intel. In fact sound up to 7.1-channel, 24-bit output i.e. 32-bit internal processing and 192-kilohertz is produced if the hardware conforms to the given standard. The maximum output of older AC’97 specification was 20-bit, 48-kHz audio but the new standard offer considerably better quality of audio. It is essential to have a content which has been encoded at the higher quality level to benefit from the more sophisticated audio capability. It is possible to play songs on DVD-Audio or DTS audio discs.

You must make sure that you want to have speakers with home theater quality on your desktop workplace.  If you are interested in listing to music you should have a 2.1 speaker kit with a “0.1″ stands for the subwoofer. You can improve the sound quality dramatically, of a home system by adding a subwoofer, which are big speakers that produce very low bass tones if the speakers are costly. Though, it may not be a very good idea in the office.

Operating System: One has to make this major decision as to which operating system to use. In fact the highest selling operating system for last ten years is the XP.  You could be doing anything like accounting, photography, engineering, surfing on your PC, it has the needed software.

You have to be careful about holes to be able to run XP without a glitch. A lot of tightening has been done in Windows Security Center, Service Pack 2 and Internet Explorer 7, some work needs to be done on XP. It is essential to have the right spyware protection, firewall and antivirus software on your system.

It is expected as per Forrester Research that almost 40 percent of people using Windows for business will shift to Vista in the coming years. It is expected to go up to 73 million after four years compared to 12 million initially. Several security fixes for Windows XP from Microsoft is expected by April 2009. You don’t have to worry if you planning to upgrade, as there is enough time.

Security is better with Windows Vista but you require a third-party firewall and other better features as well as utilities. The best aspect is the looks which compel many people upgrade to Vista. The aero environment displays windows, icons, with more beautification in desktop features, like shading, colors etc has added to the charm of Vista. You will find the buttons glowing when you move the cursor over it. There are several intriguing features like translucent window frames, menus. Apple’s Exposé has inspired the Flip 3D task switcher and it shows well organized thumbnails of all the applications you are running.

Windows Sidebar which has a number of gadgets is a variant of OS X’s Dashboard widgets taken from Apple directly. It can be seen that several of the changes in Vista like the redesigned Control Panel, mail, Media Player, and photo previewing interfaces are just superficial. If you go down deep you will see that it has a similar dialog box like the Windows XP.

Switching to Vista will bear dividends for gamers. It is expected that the speed of the game will go up almost eight times with DirectX 10. Software developers find it easier to design graphics-hardware-accelerated applications with Vista’s Windows Presentation Foundation.

You will have to pay a price for the innovations in Vista. It has been seen in Test Center trials that even though Vista does well on hardware recommended by Microsoft, the same application runs quicker on Windows XP. It can be noticed in the games particularly. They are having problems with the Vista as the performance is not as per the specifications. If you don’t want to reduce performance it is a good idea to upgrade the PC also with the operating system. On the other hand, a system which is realistically equipped will give fast results while using documents, e mails, websites and search on internet with Windows Vista.

Shopping Tips for Desktop PC

Have you made up your mind to purchase a desktop? You can save money as well as not get hassled by following the guidelines listed below.

Warranty and Technical Support

You must think about the warranty and the technical support, as many of the problems in the PC appear in the first year. A one-year warranty is enough. You will have to pay around$150 to $200 for a two- or three-year warranty. It is possible to get 24-hour on-site response, but you have to pay extra for it.

It is a good idea to see the survey conducted by PC World’s Reliability & Service. Here all the readers conclude which makes of PC offer the worst as well as the best warranty service and technical support. There are several PC manufacturers who provide manifold services. You can pay for what you want.

Connectivity in the front

There are a couple of USB ports in the front of the case in a number of PCs. It makes it much easier to connect other peripherals. In case you find this vital, you should see PCs which have up-front audio and video connectors, FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports as well as USB 2.0 ports.

It is no point waiting for price reductions

The price of the PC keeps going down and you should not wait for that if you need a PC now. It is a price dropping game which will not stop and you will keep waiting for it. It is much better to decide on what you want and buy it.

Purchase more software when you need

You should buy an antivirus package, an operating system and an office suite. In case you require more you can check the software bundle given by the seller to upgrade your software. It will only cost you about $100, to get an upgrade from Microsoft Works Suite or some package like that to a complete office suite such as Microsoft Office XP Small Business Edition. This is very good value for money as t Office XP costs $300 plus.

Save by buying simple keyboards

In order to popularize the system there are several sellers who advertise fancy keyboards with more buttons. Unless and until you need the fancy one, you can save cost by taking the simple and cheap option.

Importance of the interface of LCD monitor

The interface depends on the model or even the brand of the LCD monitor. The monitor could have one of the many interface connectors. It is the section which gets connected to the PC. VGA and the superior DVI connectors are most common. In case you are going for a display which is not in the bundle, you must ensure that it is well supported by the system you want to take. You can make sure of money-back guarantee.

It is better to upgrade when you buy the PC

It is seen that the sellers offer a much better deal like higher quality monitor or a bigger hard drive when the computer is ordered.  You may not have to pay much even if you double the hard drive size. It is also possible to pay just $100 and get a much better monitor.

Go for PC which is higher than minimum specifications to use for longer time

In case you want to keep a system for long and have the money, it is best to go for a system which is on top of the line. You will be able to use the PC for much longer.

Are you planning on buying a new personal desktop computer system? The following points mentioned below will give you a decent idea on how to go about buying the best computer which is suited to your needs. Because of the dynamic nature of the Computer Industry these points will be updated regularly. Many links have also been given which will provide with more detailed information about the chosen topic.

Processor (CPU)

Choosing the right processors have become a bit more difficult than it was previously. Though the two main manufacturers are still AMD and Intel, it now depends on the number of cores present in the processor and the speeds of them. Processors from each company have their own performance ratings which makes their comparison even tougher. Because of the complexity it is better to click on the links below to get a detailed explanation about CPU’s based on budget and use.

Hard Drives

Hard Drives basically depend on their speed and their size. Performance and capacity of the hard drive are based on their size and speed. It is best to have a minimum of 500GB or more of space in a desktop, though the speed of these hard drives are usually around 7200RPM.  It is possible to find some hard drives which clock at 10000rpm. Serial ATA is the type of the interface which is used in most of the present hard drives.
Monitors: An integral part of a computer is the monitor. Before people could choose between CRT’s and LCD’s but now LCD’s have become a standard norm and most people buy them because of their smaller size and their lesser power consumption. But the most important difference is in the costs of the LCD’s based on their size. There is only small difference between the price of a 19-inch LCD and a 22-inch one thus making the 22-ich much more value for money, though the prices of the 24-inch are dropping. These screens generally provide with picture at a 16:10 format but now some of them have perfected the 2:1 format thus making movie watching even more enjoyable.

Memory (RAM): DDR2 is the type of memory which most desktop computers use. Though DDR3 is also out, it is more expensive and not so popular yet. The amount of memory used should be at least around 2GB though the ideal amount is 4GB. The speed of the memory can also have an impact on the performance. More the speed better is the performance. Also it is more useful to buy a memory with lesser number of DIMMs because then it allows memory upgrades in the future if required.

Optical Drives (CD/DVD/Blu-ray): Almost all systems currently sold have DVD burners, even the cheaper ones.  While buying DVD burners you should make sure that it supports both +R/RW and the –R/RW formats and that the speed of recorder is 16x. it is also possible to buy Dual or Double layer media support drives but then, they are less feasible due to higher media cost. Extra features such as LightScribe and Labelflash are also available which support the burning of labels directly onto the compatible discs. For people wanting to watch high definition video format, they can now buy blu-ray enabled discs.

External Connectors: Most of the upgrades and peripherals connected to computers are externally connected instead of being internally connected. When buying a computer system make sure about the number and type of external ports present.  Both USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 or FireWire ports should be present on the computer. The system should have a minimum of six USB 2.0 connectors and one FireWire port. Sometimes media card readers supporting different types of flash memory cards are also present.

Video Cards: Video Card technology is a very dynamic industry which constantly changes around every 3-6 months. If you don’t involve in much graphical work then integrated graphic cards will work fine, but otherwise there is a large range of cards to choose from. Performance, amount of memory on the card, output connectors and the version of DirectX supported are some of the parameters considered before buying a card. Avid gamers should consider a Direct X 10 card with a minimum of 512MB of memory. Most of the newer systems use the PCI-Express graphics normally.

Have you started feeling that your old computer is something like an old automobile which is worn out and has crossed too many miles on its odometer, and it’s definitely time for a change or an upgrade? If so, this is how you should decide.

Technology for personal computers keeps changing everyday and is very dynamic. Based on the time, a manufacturer takes to launch a new computer, it can be safely said that your computer which was bought last month is now outdated. Supposing you have bought a computer at the end of its given cycle, it may be possible that a newer model has replaced it which is cheaper and better. If you have the means to buy computers which are the latest and the greatest then it’s quite good, but for most people buying a computer is based on limited budgets.

If your computer is simply getting old then you have several choices. Either you can just go and get your old system upgraded by adding new hardware or by replacing old ones. Or simply you can buy new one.

But before taking this huge step you must think deeply and make sure about the reasons for changing your old computer. Was it very slow or did it have reliability problems? Are you a computer game freak or you like transferring pictures from your camera to the PC or do you need to edit videos? These are the kinds of reasons you must think about before upgrading your computer.

It is also possible for you to consider the fact that your existing computer does not meet you requirements. Even though you may get enticed by super thin, lightning fast computers it is always possible that you do not need such high gadgetry in your computer. You may just need the computer for browsing the net or sending emails or usual bookkeeping and to a maximum writing a novel, and thus a computer with very high processor speeds is not really required.

While you can buy a new PC, you can always just get it upgraded in order to save money and stay within budgets. It is quite obvious that computer manufacturers would not like to hear this but then upgrading your computer can save costs and thus remove the likelihood of changing your PC for years and even months.
When is the correct time?

It is important to first determine whether your computer is eligible to be upgraded before actually looking at the types of computer upgrades. To this accurately you must check the age of your computer. If it’s less than 2 years old then is better to upgrade but those which are more than three or four year old should consider buying a new PC because an outdated system will not be able to support and make use of the new upgraded software like graphic cards and hard drives.

There are different cases of upgraded based on the compatibility of your system. Some PC’s won’t be able to use newer components such as processors because of incompatibility while others may be able to work with it though at a lower speed and less performance. Another obstacle is that finding upgraded components of older devices such as memory chips etc may turn out to be more expensive as well as quite difficult and scarce to find.
When to Buy New

Though the age of the PC plays an important factor there isn’t any strict rules on whether to upgrade or not. What happens sometimes is that the total cost of upgrading to a much higher configuration results in the price reaching to the price of a new computer. If such a case arises, you should go for a new computer which can provide you with more reliable service along with the latest technology.

But there are certain devices and applications which require a fast computer. These devices include video editing software’s from camcorders or highly advanced computer games. Very fast processors having lots of RAM along with high performance of hard drives are required for these. Though it is possible to manage it with just upgrading the computer but there are certain compromises with that option such as the fact that you have to wait for the computer to keep up with your functioning speed. Another drawback is that you will have to settle for inferior video effects as compared to the advanced effects of a newer system.

So suppose you ultimately decide to buy a new computer the question arises about what to do with the old one. It is quite useless to sell it because old computers fetch very less in the after sale market. But then different options are available.

Tips about what to do with your old PC:

Deciding on the proper path for upgradation

Upgrading your computer isn’t very hard. If you can work well with a screwdriver you can manage doing it. Though, it may actually require some amount of skillful, systematic work. And if you aren’t exactly that type it’s better to let someone else do it instead of you, especially a computer enthusiast. Most of the major computer upgrades are mentioned below along with their general prices along with links to more detailed articles.

One word of caution! It isn’t exactly advisable to change your computers microprocessor. Even though few years back it was possible to easily upgrade microprocessors manufactured by companies such as Kingston and Evergreen. This option is no longer possible because of the fact that nowadays microprocessors are manufactured for specific platforms at specific speeds. Even you were able to find a new processor there would not be a significant change in the performance. Thus the processor is one of those components in a computer which has to work together to get the maximum performance.

Transferring your information

One of the first things people worry about while buying a new PC is how they are going to shift all their information from the old computer to the new one. It’s quite a huge task but there are many solutions. Most probably your new system will come installed with an OS known as Microsoft Windows XP, this OS allows transfer of files from your old computer to the new one. What you have to do is just go to the start menu, click on all programs, then accessories, system tools and then choose the files and transfer wizard option. Supposing you don’t have a home network then you will have to buy a special cable which costs around 20$ to make the connection happen.

But there is one limitation of the files and settings transfer wizard which is that it is not able to transfer the application to the new computer from the old computer. In this case you have to reinstall them. Programs such Eisenworld’s PC Relocator are available for 30$ which can help in aiding this process.

Hard Drive upgrade for around $70 to $140

It doesn’t matter what you do with your computer but the hard drive space keeps running out. This is especially true in the context of music fans or movie enthusiasts. Your old computer probably came with a small hard drive of around 10 to 20 GB. It is seen that after RAM upgrades, hard drive upgrades are most popular. Nowadays the prices are very reasonable such as a 40GB one for $85 or an 80GB one for $100 and a bigger 120GB one for $140. Larger drives give you more space to expand. Sometimes external hard drives can be used if the bigger drive doesn’t fit inside your computer.

Memory upgrade for around $25 to $75

Changing the amount of memory inside your computer is one of the most economical and effective ways of improving the performance of your computer. Also it is very popular. The more the RAM, the faster and better the applications will function. It is quite probable that your old computer has only 64MB or 128MB of RAM. Upgrading the memory to at least $40 worth 256MB will definitely make an improvement in the performance considering nowadays there are lots of memory needing applications namely latest games and office suites. Locking up or strange behaviors of the computer will also reduce considerably with the increase of RAM. Also upgrading to 512 MB of RAM is not a bad idea since it is quite reasonable but the performance gain isn’t comparable to the change from 128MB to 256MB of RAM.

Based on the type of design of your computer you will come to know about how memory you can add or remove and start from the beginning. To know more you can refer the step by step article on how to increase your computers RAM.

Upgrade your CD-RW Drive for around $50 to $100

By chance if your computer did not come with a CD-RW drive which allows you to edit, copy or create your own CDs, then upgrading it is a very useful and productive option. With this you can share photos with other people, or make backups of all your data and even create and mix your own kind of music. It gets even better. The prices of these CD-RW drives are shooting down, and are now down by around 50%. The “Upgrade guide” will give you a suitable procedure to upgrade.

Upgrading Graphics Card for around 100 to 150 dollars

Supposing you require to copy photos from a digital camera or you like to play games, then having a decent graphics card can help everything in being faster and also will allow sharper and higher resolution images at the same time which are easier on your eyes. Upgrading you graphic card is worth the investment. Remember we are talking about only the value graphic cards. All high end graphic cards use hi-fi technology and also require fast processors (normally at least 2GHZ) and also require loads of RAM, which you should have if you are a gaming enthusiast.

Sound System which costs around $100 to $300

Most off-the-shelf PCs come with mediocre (if that) sound systems, including both the internal sound circuitry and the all-important speakers. If you’re into PC music, a new sound card and latest-technology speakers make a difference you can hear. Numerous choices are available, from inexpensive to wallet-emptying, but spending $75 to $100 for a new sound card and $50 to $100 for speakers can give you a sound system that rivals the stereo system in your living room.

*Normally most off the shelf computers come with a poor sound system which can be either internal sound circuits or external speakers. If you like music then an upgrade of the soundcard is a good option. There are many choices available. You can choose from inexpensive to atrociously priced sound systems, but having a budget of around $75 to about $100 on a new sound system can definitely rival the music system in your living room.

Upgrading Monitors for $100 to $500

Some computer upgrades do not require opening the PC case. It is a good option to upgrade your monitor since you stare at it all the time you use the computer. Thus getting a bigger, better newer monitor is worth the effort and good for your eyes. Supposing your old PC has a 14 or a 15 inch CRT is a good choice to go for a 17inch which is around $100 to $125 or a 19inch which costs $175 to $250, one which will provide comfortable working hours even if you are working with spreadsheets all the time.

It is also possible to go for modern flat screen LCD monitors. These are crystal clear and very bright. Having a small 15inch LCD monitor which costs around $250-$300 is itself a strong improvement over the conventional CRT’s(it is important to remember that while comparing the sizes of LCD and CRT’s, the size of the LCD is around the size of the diagonal of the CRT which is normally an inch smaller than the tube size). Another important thing is that the prices of the LCD screens are falling. It is possible to get a 17 or 18inch LCD monitor for around $400 to $600.

Monitor upgrading is very useful since you can use it regardless of whether you buy a new PC or not since it follows plug in and play method.

Points To Consider When Buying A New Personal Computer

It will help consumers searching for a new Personal Computer to go through the guidelines mentioned below. It is not very easy to decide on which desktop Personal Computer to buy, as there are many aspects to be considered. You are spoilt for choice with variations in the peripherals, components as well as the software. It can be an intimidating experience for some individuals, just to check out the numerous options available in the PC market.

Buy Only What You Require

Typical office tasks like worksheets, word processing or fundamental internet jobs like browsing and e-mail can be done satisfactorily by more or less all the PC’s available in the market nowadays. In fact most people can get a Personal Computer for around thousand dollars for their basic requirement.

In case you want to use the PC for more sophisticated tasks like editing digital video or keeping a huge database, you will need a PC with extra features. It will not cost you more than dollar two thousand or so and will be useful now as well as later. You can start by circumspectly going through your present needs and also foreseeing the requirements as well as interests for future say next year, so that you only spend for what you really need. You will need particular kind of hardware if you want to use specific applications in your PC, whether in the workplace or at home.

Whenever you have decided on purchasing the PC, buy what you actually need. We have put some suggestions for an average consumer to consider while buying PC and it will also help the shop owners to print and keep this article in their shop.

A 2.66-GHz Pentium 4 or Athlon XP 2800+ Processor is all you require broken bridges download free for day to day work, like checking e mail, browsing the net, word processing, spreadsheets etc. There is no need for the latest and the costliest process for these basic activities. In fact PC World, when tested current processors with similar clock speed, Advanced Micro Devices processors completed a few jobs faster than the ones offered by Intel.

You will enjoy working on your Personal Computer with a large monitor and should go for it unless you have a limited budget. You will be able to view things better on a 19-inch CRT monitor with a higher resolution, when compared to a 17-inch or smaller ones. You can even buy a 17-inch LCD monitor. There are a number of benefits like saving space and easy on your eyes. You will only have to pay around $100 or some more.. You can also be on a lookout for bargain as price of LCD tends to get lower.

Minimum required memory is 256MB and if you buy a PC with less memory, you will find it very difficult to work on it, particularly if you want to install Windows XP, as it will be sluggish. It is best to purchase a PC with 512MB memory option.

Use the correct Operating System on your Personal Computer. Windows XP Home is an ideal operating system for majority of the PC‘s used in the office or at home. If you want to use features such as Remote Desktop, which can help you manage the computer remotely over the internet, then only spend extra cash on Windows XP Professional.

If you love listening to music, subwoofers, which are huge speakers with low bass tones, will be useful as they considerably improve the quality of sound, compared to a home system. It may not be a great idea to use it in your workplace as can create a commotion.

Buy a System with Integrated AGP Graphics AGP slot. It is vital for the PC with integrated graphics to have an AGP slot otherwise it will not be possible for you to upgrade the graphic chip of the system.

It is vital to have a CD-RW or Recordable DVD Drive in the PC as most of the makers have stopped the use of 1.44MB floppy disk drive, for data transfer as well as storage. It is possible for you to keep a back up of important documents on both of them. These files can be designed as audio or video CDs or DVDs. It is better to have a DVD if you want to maintain a large amount of data backup.

Are you an avid gamer, then you definitely need a graphics card. You should also think of future and add a simple GeForce4 MX board with 64MB of RAM. Make sure you have gone through the details to check its compatibility with next-generation DirectX games.

New PCs are coming with a couple of USB ports on the front panel which makes it more convenient to connect the peripherals. It can be with USB 2.0 ports, up-front FireWire (IEEE 1394) or optical audio connectors. In case you need to plug in a number of gadgets, buy a system accordingly.

Go for a PC with a 60GB or bigger Hard Drive. It is all right to have a 20GB hard drive, if you only use it for word processing or browsing. Most of the time the hard drive gets filled up very fast and it is better for the long term to buy a system with more than required storage space. It is much more cost effective to have a drive with less capacity unless you want to use the Personal Computer for entertainment or as small server for your workplace. In fact now you can even get a 300 GB hard drive!

Some More Guidelines For You

When buying a PC you can save on needless botheration as well as cash by going through these points.

It is always best to buy from a reputed place so that you don’t end up with an undesirable system. Purchase from the one you can trust.

Get a PC with good specifications especially if you want to keep it for some time and you have the money. As far as possible take the one which is near the top of the line. You will be able to use your system for longer.

You can upgrade the PC when you are buying it as there are some manufacturers who give a better deal on a superior monitor or bigger hard drive at the time of placing the order. It may not cost you too much more.

There is no point taking a fancy keyboard, as most of the time it is just a way to advertise systems which are launched. Unless and until you require a fancy model, you can save by taking a simple one.

There is no need to purchase any additional software; all you need is an operating system, office suite, and an antivirus. The dealer’s software package also has some options.

There is no point in waiting for the price of the PC to go down and you should get one when you need. In fact price as well as the performance will keep changing with passing time.

Verify the interface of the LCD Monitor, as there are several kinds of interfaces depending on the brand and model of the LCD monitor. Ensure that the monitor you have decided on works with the system or has a money-back assurance.

There is no need to pay extra on the Warranty, most of the PC troubles typically show up in the beginning and a year’s warranty is normally enough.