Best PC

What to look for when shopping for a PC

In this era of information technology, PC has become an indispensible part of our lives. Homes, offices, schools, malls, everywhere you can spot personal computers working tirelessly, making things simpler for all of us. Hence, when you decide to buy one for yourself, take care of certain points to get optimal results from this investment.

The most critical question that you need to ask yourself before buying a PC is:

What are you going to use the PC for?
The idea of buying a PC does not occur overnight. There were times when you thought that presence of a PC would have made your life easier. Recall those times and you will have one of the below-mentioned reasons:

I need a PC for my family

You ideal choice would a dual-core CPU that is adept enough to perform regular virtual family tasks like running productivity applications, playing MP3 audio/video, viewing photographs and surfing the web. As for memory, you can start from 4GB and go up until 8GB. For simple photograph viewing, you can choose 512 MB of graphics card. A sound card is required for listening to music. A modem/network card is required to be connected to the web.

I need a PC for doing office work/writing assignments

You need ample memory and multi-tasking capability. For memory requirements, aim for 500 TB or higher. Your PC will be great in multi-tasking if you get quad-core or a multi-core CPU.

I need a PC for gaming

Gaming facility requires your PC to have a faster hard drive. You should even consider purchasing two or more hard drives, if you are an avid player. The second main item to have an exciting, non-stop entertainment is the graphics card. For exceptional 2D and 3D games, you will need an advanced card. Make your needs clear to the sales person while you shop for one. Since these cards put a huge pressure on the CPU and memory, make sure you have enough RAM to deal with it successfully.

I need a PC for editing video/ photographs and watching movies

You would need a high-end graphics card for your PC. Enhance your memory and hard drive to 1 TB to 2 TB, so that you can store your videos, high-resolution photos and music. For an audio output, you will need a sound card. Use speakers to have a greater impact of the movies and music alike.

Components of PC

Well, now you know what kind of PC you need for yourself. A close look at the plethora of options that exist regarding various parts of PC and their functions:

1. Processor

Your PC needs a processor to process the information that you provide to it. Processor works in association with the motherboard, which brings up an issue of compatibility between the two. It is highly recommended that, before buying, you check that your motherboard and your processor are compatible. The task of processing involves speed and the faster processor promises faster PC.

2. Hard Drive

Hard drive is the ‘heart’ of your PC! All of your data is going to be stored here for you. Your hard drive should be a bit larger than your actual requirement so that you are always on the safe side with your data storage. As for speed, you would require a hard disk that does not slow down while performing its functions. Have a look at its Rotation Per Minute (RPM) capacity. This would let you know as how fast your PC is going to work. Finally yet importantly, other important areas that require your attention are Warranty- how long and what it covers, Technical Support- take down the number, as you might need it during the initial phase of your stint with PC.

3. Memory

PCs are supposed to store data and information. In order to save data in the most secure way, you should always have memory depending on the amount of data you want your PC to store for you. As understood level of memory differs from user to user but for a general PC to carry on regular tasks, it needs 512MB memory. A strong memory promises large applications to run smoothly, fast loading of programs and nil memory errors.

4. Sound Card

A PC comes with a sound card, which is good enough to provide you with a satisfying experience. However, if you wish to enhance your sound quality then you should go for speakers.

5. Video Card

A video card is a necessity for you if you wish to play games on your PC. A video card can make your movie/ game viewing a pleasurable experience. In order to have the best experience, you should have good power supply and memory.

6. Modem

You will need a modem for your internet surfing. You can have an inbuilt modem as well.

7. Network Card

You can experience faster downloads from the internet with a broadband connection. A network card is available in 10 Base or 100 Base. Choose a 100 base card for a zooming speed!

8. USB slots

These slots are required to attach external devices like printers, mice and keyboards. Make sure you have enough slots in the product to meet your needs.

9. Monitor

There are several options for you to choose from in terms of size and resolution. The size you choose may depend on your liking and the amount of space you have. As far as resolution is concerned, greater the resolution, better it is. LCD monitors have better resolution than TFTs.

10. Case

The case is the protector of your PC’s components. If you are buying a PC from a manufacturer then you do not have much to ponder, as your manufacturer will have all your components in a case ready for you to take away.

Conclusion

The PC, which you are going to buy, will be the best PC if you buy it with full knowledge of what you need. Choose the one that conforms to your requirement and your budget. Therefore, it is very important to consider all these factors before buying a pc. Conduct an online research and check for the latest features and facilities available in the pc and buy them for your use.