Essential Computer Buying Tips

There are a few basic things everyone needs to know before getting a new computer. Our computer buying tips help you avoid the traps when getting a desktop computer or computer parts.
Despite years of advancement, the fundamentals of the computer have not changed much. These computer buying tips will give you what you need to know and enough to keep you in the know for many years to come, no matter what the price, or type of computer.

Being at the head of the pack is a costly place to be. So, if money and your budget are any concern to you, then don't chase the latest fads. The newest stuff carries a huge price premium when older products have not yet passed their prime. Wait a few months for excitement to die down and see what happens, you might have saved yourself from making a big mistake. Getting the biggest thing from a few months back will get you a lot more for your money.

Research before you buy. Don't get a computer or add extras to a computer without getting the facts first. Sales staff are just that, salespeople, they will do their best, but often know only a little more than you do about what you plan to get. The Internet has a whole wealth of info available, and you can research as much as makes you happy.

Computers are more about the internals than the externals.

As with the computer in general, the CPU is a costly component. The fastest processor will cost you more and value for money goes down as the speed goes up. Up to the middle of the range in speed you will get the most speed per dollar.

More RAM is a good thing. Having the latest super-duper CPU won't help if your computer runs out of memory. Memory is essential for Windows and all the programs that run on it. When Windows starts it puts lots of things it needs in memory, and they stay there. All the other programs you start also use some memory and keep it until they stop, the more programs you want to use at the same time, the more memory you'll need. Just make sure you get 512MB or more for Windows XP and 1GB or more for Windows Vista.

Great looking cases that are hidden under a desk or in a cabinet won't get noticed. Are the USB and sound ports at the front for easy access and are they placed in an easy to reach position?

Hard drives should have enough space. I find 120GB enough, but you might need more if you save videos on there. RAID 1 keeps a mirror image of your hard drive at all times, so if one drive fails, you still have one with your data.

The key to good graphics is the graphics card. The latest games require them cutting edge cards, so get one to suit what you want to play. Games constantly push the demands on the graphics card, and if you want to keep up, you will be upgrading often.

Finally, the monitor is what you will stare at while using the computer. Wider and larger screens allow more stuff to fit on the screen. LCD is the norm, 19 inch or biggerFree Articles, wide screen if possible is what I recommend.
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Make Great Savings by Buying Replacement Parts from Wholesale Computer Parts Dealers

If you have been shopping in the market for a New computer system

, you might have noticed that most branded computers today have become highly unaffordable. Sure, prices have fallen in certain sectors that contribute to the making of computers.
The prices of memory have hit an all time low due to the enhancements in manufacturing volumes of memory manufacturers. The prices of mother boards and other assorted computer innards have also fallen steeply. But the fact remains that the branded computer manufacturers are in the business to make their own profits. Therefore, despite the all around falling in prices that we have been witnessing, the prices of good computers have remained more or less constant!

Does this mean that a good computer system will always remain unaffordable? Not really! If you consider sourcing your computer from dealers who specialize in wholesale computer parts. Wholesale computer parts are an excellent way to source out and build your own computer. Most people are of the opinion that wholesale computer parts are in some way inferior to the parts available in branded computers. The same was the case with me. I always believed that wholesale computer parts were a means for cheap and inefficient computer parts manufacturers to offload their inferior stock on unsuspecting customers. Until my computer broke down recently that is. When I took it to the authorized dealer, I got a quote that was very high. Being unable to spare that much cash, and being desperately in need of having my computer restored, I grudgingly made my way to a nearby wholesale computer parts dealer.

What I saw there amazed and astounded me. This wholesale computer parts dealer has his own repair service. And when they opened up my computer and diagnosed the problem, the repair quote I got was a fraction of what the authorized dealer had given me. I was naturally curious as to what had created the difference and suspiciously eyed the wholesale computer parts on display. But the dealer opened up my computer to show me that the replacement parts would be the very same that my existing computer had. As installed by the original manufacturer. When I asked him how this was possible, he explained the wholesale computer parts business to me.

Apparently, most computer parts manufactures manufacture more parts than required by an order from a branded computer manufacturer. This is an in-built quality control feature in order to ensure that a sudden spurt in demand or a quality crisis can be handled quickly and efficiently. When the order is processed without incident, the excess parts are offloaded to wholesale computer parts dealers for a huge discount. These wholesale computer parts dealers then sell these equally good computer parts for a discount to users like you and me, who know better and are willing to invest the time and effort that it takes to build our own computers. Which means, that by buying the parts directly from wholesale computer parts dealers, we stand to make great savings!

The next time you want to go in for a computer purchaseBusiness Management Articles, do consider new source apart from the regular computer manufacturers. Consider sourcing out your computer from the wholesale computer parts dealers. And you'll never regret your decision.
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