| Holiday Buying Guide |
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Holiday buying can be stressful enough without all the gigabyte and megahertz confusion that comes along with figuring which computer to buy for that special someone or as a family gift. When figuring out what computer to buy, the first thing to do is to assess the computer’s anticipated usage. Will it be for a college student to have in on campus? Will it be for the kids to play video games? Will it me primarily used for email and bookkeeping? These are important questions because each situation has different requirements. To straighten out some of jargon, I have put together a brief computer-buying guide.
Hard Drive is the storage place for programs and for things like pictures, music, documents, etc. This can be thought of as long-term memory. You remember birthday parties, graduations, and other special events. The higher the capacity of the hard drive, the more that can be stored. Keep this in mind in you anticipate an extensive music collection.
RAM is temporary memory that is accessed when programs are opened. Once the program is closed, the memory is releases. Like right now you are aware of every little detail in your surroundings, such as where you are sitting or which socks you are wearing, but once time has passed, these details are no longer relevant. The more RAM in the computer, the more available resources to pay attention to the little details, which means the programs will run faster and more smoothly. This is particularly important if you anticipate a lot game playing.
Processor, or CPU, is essentially a traffic cop. It sees what is coming and keeps the flow of traffic smooth. The faster the processor can handle the traffic, the quicker and smoother the computer will run.
Laptop verses desktop is a common topic during the purchase of a computer. The easy way to decided which is best for your situation is to ask if you need portability. If you can see using the computer at different locations around the house or maybe on the deck, a laptop may be a good option. If the computer will be in a stationary place, a desktop may be a better option. If space is an issue, check out some of the compact, streamlined cases available.
The bottom line is that you need to do your homework. Get information from a couple of different stores and take them home to compare. Buying the first computer you see often leads to disappointment. Take the time to make the right choice to suit your needs. Don’t be taken by “special deals” or “limited time only” gimmicks. There will always be another “deal,” especially during the holiday buying crunch. Remember to stick to your budget. Bigger isn’t always better unless it will better suit your needs. |