How to choose a PC – A guide to reading components

Choose a computer looking at the flyers of the megastore is not easy. Let’s see how to distinguish the best purchase to avoid disappointment later.

Hands up who has never been in the situation of having to buy a computer and get to browse in one of the many flyers of megastores in their city, to finish the reading with a big headache caused by the technical specifications of each product, all diverse and not easily interpretable.

If we were to do such a survey would not be a lot of raised hands.

Choose a pre-assembled computer, a technology expert, is considered a heresy. The assembled computers often provide less features than a computer created ” by hand ” by buying the components one by one. And as frequently happens that these machines bring with them a set of pre-installed programs that do nothing but slow down the operating system.

You know, backup software, antivirus trial, these things here. But we do not do the whole lump. Some pre-assembled computers sold by major chains of information technology products are pretty good, and we are here to give to each of you preparing a ” basic ” how to distinguish a good computer from the classic pack.

Rule #1: Know the protagonists.

The presence, in the pamphlets, of more or less detailed below each computer must necessarily be of help. For this reason, we need to understand to best interpret this information we are given. Let’s explain what are the most important components that make it different from every computer.

• Processor : CPU also called, is perhaps the most important component of your computer, used to calculate the heart and directly linked to the performance of each function of the product. The processor is important to know roughly two things: its frequency, measured in GHz (gigahertz) and the number of cores that move together. Both of these things are very important: the more CPU cores and higher frequency, the more powerful and able to perform tasks also very heavy. An excellent CPU for a fixed computer can be for example, a quad-core with 3.4 Ghz. A bad CPU can be fixed by a dual-core 2 GHz.

Why do we talk about desktop PCs? Why laptops on the story is slightly different : here the frequency of the CPU must be kept lower, to ensure that the product does not consume the battery too quickly. Some very cheap laptops are also equipped with CPU 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, which are not pure evil, but at least that should be backed by a solid-state drive, which will be discussed in more detail later.

Finding your way with the brands? AMD and Intel are the only major manufacturers of CPU for your computer. Both brands produce components very valid, but ultimately, there is a distinction with Intel processors rated at low power consumption, therefore ideal for laptops. The main rule is to get the exact model of the processor, before you buy the computer, plug it into a search engine. We’ll find out in this way more detailed information that might have been omitted from the flyers. Also, you can find out the release date of that type of processor, which is one of the most important things ever. Never buy computers with processors older than a year or two.

• RAM : the discourse here is much simpler. The RAM is the memory that is responsible for storing the data of open applications and the operating system. There’s more RAM, the more programs can be opened together. The recommended amount, these days, is 4 GB (gigabytes), but it does not hurt to have more.
• Video Processor : The unit dedicated to the development of what we see on the screen, called the GPU, it has its quite important for those who will use the computer to play or for work with video. In these cases, we must be attentive to the presence of an independent graphics card from the CPU, since many computers nowadays are born without this component, entrusting all the graphic work to a GPU integrated into the central processor. Something different for laptops: Except needs of gaming or video editing, laptops with integrated graphics in the CPU are fine.
• Hard Disk : it will seem strange, but it is a critical component. Not so much for the interior space of the computer, but its type is a traditional mechanical hard drive or solid-state drives (also called SSD)? SSDs tremendously improve the performance of computers, especially laptops with low CPU frequency. If you are going to buy a laptop with no expense spared, with the need for speed, make sure of the presence of an SSD. Several portable megastores are equipped with this type of unit, while it is very difficult to find a computer disk with SSD (by the way, the way the fastest CPU of desktop computers can compensate in part to the lack thereof).

Rule #2: Understand who you are and what you want.

Buy a high-performance computer from thousands of euro to surf the Internet is a waste. Similarly, buy an inexpensive slow and demanding to be able to use to play video games is a heresy. Before you buy a computer, try to use a good frames that you want to do with it.

• If you are an occasional user of the computer, you’ll probably want to know that the product is good surf on the internet, has so much interior space for your documents, reproduces high-definition movies, and that is capable of handling at least some program for writing and reading text documents. In this case, it is useless to spend too much, because even a low-level computer can handle these tasks. Portable or fixed, no big difference. The only care that you have to have is that it is not a product of one or two years old. You can find out easily by doing a Google search on the launch date of the processor whom it mounts.
• If you deal with in your spare time to perform more complex operations, such as program and video-editing software, it would be better to discard the computer with a CPU too low. Aim to produce the CPU recently, possibly quad-core processor with a frequency supported, maybe around 3 GHz The presence of more than 4 GB of RAM can help, as well as a dedicated video card and independent.
• If you prefer to occupy their free time with video games, the attention to be paid to the choice is twofold. To play the latest titles to your computer without problems require a good level of hardware, both in terms of CPU (at least 3 GHz quad-core) and RAM and, above all, the video processor. It is important to have a good video card, then find out all about the validity of the one mounted on the computer in question. Possibly, discarded laptops.

We stress that the best computer to play games is assembled piece by piece, perhaps with the help of an expert, because it often happens that these stores offer products, which are suitable to play games at their best. But if you cannot do otherwise, be careful what you buy.

Rule #3: Do not trust half of the information.

Seriously, a good circle of committed megastores knows less than you do after reading this focus. It is good to avoid following recommendations to buy seemingly inviting. ” Buy this, it’s a quad-core ” does not mean that you have a computer in front of a great power. May be equipped with quad-core CPU at low frequency, ideal for ” luring the fish ” that they are won by big words like ” quad-core “. Same goes for the video card, a video processor ” with two GB of memory ” is not necessarily fast, has only so much internal memory, but may not have an adequate frequency. Who needs a good video card will therefore have to comprehend the actual validity of the model in question, taking into account these other values? A search on the net solves all, remember.

Similarly, you should avoid following without further verification invitations to purchase that contain words such as ” ultra graphics ” or something like that. Mark carefully the components of the computer object and pass one or more days on the net to see if they are good components. If you are not well-specified models (some examples: AMD Dual Core CPU, Intel HD Graphics, Intel i3) is your duty to claim them from a salesman prepared. Alternatively, you can search the net model of your computer to find more information on the manufacturer’s website.

Once you understand the components below with the research. Google is your friend, as well as the forum dedicated to technology, full of people like you’re ready to help those who are less capable.