What to look for in a new computer, for non-nerds
As a computer guy, I get asked all the time by non-nerds (family, neighbors, etc.) for advice on computer shopping. The problem with asking me about computers is that I tend to ramble on and on about the virtues of PCs vs. Macs, or why Linux is so much better than Blah OS, or that the only true gaming system is a dual video SLI something something something RAM blah blah SATA something… (that’s all they hear, anyway, after the first three seconds of my reply).
So I’ve decided to put together a guide for buying a new computer for people that don’t speak nerd. Please bear in mind this is for home users that surf the web, email photos, and maybe watch a DVD or listen to MP3s. This guide is not intended for serious gamers or big nerds.
Step 1 — Desktop or Laptop
Decide if you want a desktop computer or a laptop (aka, notebook). Desktops are usually cheaper for the same horsepower, but you can use a laptop on the couch while you’re watching a movie. Either route is fine and ultimately doesn’t matter — just choose what’s right for your lifestyle.
Step 2 — Windows/Vista/Mac/Linux
This is a religious argument, so a single paragraph (or blog post, or entire web site) will never suffice for a proper comparison. So instead, just go with what looks pretty. Just take a look at these screenshots, and decide which one you think you could operate without having to read a user’s manual:
Step 3 — The details
This is usually the most confusing part of buying a computer. You need to know some technical jargon — there’s just no way around it. Otherwise, you stand a pretty good chance of getting taken for a ride. However, like anything else in life, you can just fake it and get by. Here’s some key terms and phrases to be aware of:
- RAM
- AKA, memory. This is what allows you to multi-task, or run more programs at once. 512MB (meg) is ok, but 1GB (gig) is better. anything more than that is overkill. Dual channel is just a fancy term for “fast”.
- Hard Drive
- This is storage space (or disk space). This is how many programs, photo albums, and songs you can have on your computer. This is always measured in gigabytes (gigs) — usually hundreds of gigs. Anything under 100GB is a joke anymore. It costs the manufacturers the same to make 80GB drives as it does 250GB drives, so don’t cut too many corners here. However, laptop drives tend to be smaller than desktop drives, so keep that in mind. SATA just means “copies fast”. Also, one meg generally equals one minute of music.
Note: Please don’t confuse disk space and memory — even though the same measurements are used, these are two completely different concepts; and the kid at Best Buy will laugh at you.
- Processor
- Also called the CPU, if you’re buying a non-Mac, you get a choice here. AMD and Intel are the two main manufacturers, and there are subtle differences that you probably care nothing about. Intel is slightly more stable, but AMD is slightly cheaper — however, most computers these days are rock solid, so don’t be scared that everything will crash if you go cheap. Speed is measured in MHz (MegaHertz). 3000MHz is pretty fast (AMD 3000+ is roughly the same speed as the Intel Pentium 3000).
For really basic computers, you can go with AMD Sempron or Intel Celeron, but these CPUs tend to be watered down for anything more than basic computer activties; but they can also bring the cost down quite a bit. Otherwise, go with the main chip lines, such as AMD Athlon64 or Intel Pentium Duo.
- Video
- Like that really nice widescreen HDTV, video resolution is the key here. The higher the resolution, the higher the picture quality. The higher the second number, the better (for instance, 1280x1024 is good). WXGA just means “widescreen“, but these screens tend to have lower resolutions, so watch out for that second number (you want at least 1024).
I hope this helps take some of the confusion out of computer buying.