Buy a Desktop PC

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Buy a Desktop PC

• What, where, becarful with bargainf, customize
  your PC
• Use the Internet, Visit stores, basic software,
  printer, scanner, cameras, Internet service
  provider.

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How to Buy a Desktop PC

• With so many factors to consider, deciding which
  desktop PC to buy can be a real challenge. From
  components to software to accessories, new PCs
  offer a bewildering array of choices, and for
  some folks, sifting through the large number of
  options can be daunting .

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• The Big PictureBefore you go out shopping for a
  new desktop computer, you have to decide what you
  want to use it for.
• The Specs ExplainedFrom CPUs to RAM to optical
  storage, which specs are most important to your
  purchase.
• PC Shopping TipsWant some advice before you head
  to the store or visit a Web site? Recommendations
  will help you build a system that fits both your
  needs and your pocketbook.

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The Big Picture

• Today, almost any PC on the market can more than
  adequately handle such standard office chores as
  word processing and spreadsheets, as well as
  basic Internet functions like e-mail and general
  browsing. So for 1000 or less, you can get a PC
  that will suit most people's needs.
• If you're a more demanding user who wants to edit
  digital video or manage a large database,
  however, you may need more than the basics.
  Typically, you won't have to spend more than
  1500 or 2000 for a system that will suit you
  today and serve you well for the next few years.
• The best way to pay only for what you need is to
  carefully consider what you want to do with your
  system now, and try to anticipate what might
  interest you next year. Specific applications
  call for certain types of hardware, whether at
  home or in the office.

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Key Features

• Processor If you plan to use your PC for
  standard office productivity and basic Internet
  tasks, most any processor will do. But if you
  want more power, Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon
  XP/Athlon 64 systems are your best bet. To save a
  couple of hundred dollars, buy one or two levels
  down from the top--you're unlikely to lose more
  than 5 percent per tier in performance.
• Either the P4 or the Athlon XP can support even
  your most demanding work, such as video editing
  or high-resolution game play, with ease. Our
  tests show that P4 PCs tend to do a bit better
  than Athlon XP-based systems on multimedia tasks.
  You can find bargain-price PCs with either of
  these chips, even at the fastest speeds. To pay a
  lower price, you'll have to sacrifice graphics
  performance, hard drive size, and possibly
  monitor size (among other things).
• We recommend getting a system that has one of
  Intel's newer motherboard chip sets for its P4
  and Celeron lines. Because the newer boards have
  a higher-speed frontside bus (533 MHz for the P4,
  and 400 MHz for the Celeron), data moves more
  quickly between the processor and system memory.
  These boards are members of Intel's 850 and 845
  family--check the frontside bus speed to ensure
  you get the right ones.
• Intel P4 systems now top out at 3.06 GHz, while
  AMD's Athlon 64 is at 3800, with 4000 right
  around the corner. These newest chips boast 512KB
  of level 2 cache, equal to that of top P4s.
• The latest generation of AMD chips, called the
  AMD Athlon-64 FX-53, are designed for the highest
  performance computers. These CPUs include 1MB of
  level 2 cache memory and competes well against
  Intel's highest-end Pentium 4s.

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• Memory To give Windows XP and applications like
  it sufficient room to work, you should get a
  minimum of 256MB of RAM. If you can afford to get
  more, do it. Higher-end PCs should have at least
  512MB--that amount lets you keep more
  applications open and comfortably handles even
  memory-intensive applications like Photoshop.
• Three kinds of memory are on the market today
  PC133 SDRAM, faster DDR SDRAM (in 200-, 266-,
  333-, 400-, and 533-MHz speeds), and RDRAM (also
  known as Rambus, in speeds ranging from 600 MHz
  to 1 GHz). Remember that your motherboard
  determines what kind of RAM you can use--you
  cannot substitute DDR SDRAM for RDRAM or PC133
  SDRAM.
• Your cheapest option, SDRAM, still occasionally
  shows up in the lowest-end home and office
  systems. The PCs you already have probably use
  this memory, so you may be able to reuse your old
  memory in your new PC.
• The price difference between SDRAM and DDR SDRAM
  is just a few dollars (and occasionally
  disappears), however. And our tests show that DDR
  provides a boost over PC133, so DDR is your best
  buy. Many motherboards can take full advantage of
  DDR333 memory, while support for 400-MHz DDR is
  growing make sure your PC supports the memory
  speed before you buy.
• RDRAM offers a slight boost in certain
  applications such as video or music streaming,
  but it tends to be more expensive than the other
  memory types. However, we have seen more
  performance boosts in PCs that pair PC 1066 RDRAM
  with the fastest Intel processors, so it may be
  worth the extra money if you want every ounce of
  performance.

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• Storage You'll get at least a 40GB hard drive
  even in basic, sub-1000 PCs. And in most cases
  these basic PCs will come with hard drives 80GB
  or larger, which is fine for the majority of
  tasks. If you plan to work with graphics files,
  large databases, video, or music, however, you'll
  want to bump the size up to at least 120GB.
  You'll need it, because 30 minutes of
  uncompressed digital video takes up nearly 6.5GB,
  while 250 four-minute MP3s at 128 kbps use over
  1GB.

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• Graphics and display Responsible for generating
  all images on your monitor, the graphics
  subsystem ships in PCs either as a removable
  expansion board or as a chip soldered permanently
  to the motherboard.
• Only dedicated gamers or people who work with 3D
  modeling need a top-of-the line graphics card.
  Home users who want an inexpensive system with
  decent graphics should opt for one of the
  older-generation NVidia GeForce4 cards (if they
  can find them) For a bargain price, they deliver
  much the same performance with today's games. If
  you want to do some gaming and are keeping an eye
  on the future, get a lower-level GeForce4 MX
  board with 64MB of RAM, but read the fine
  print--not all of them will fully support
  next-generation DirectX 9 games. (See our "How to
  Buy a Graphics Board" for details on specific
  cards.) In the office, unless you're doing
  high-end graphics work, or Web or multimedia
  development, integrated graphics should satisfy
  your needs and save you money. Some motherboards
  with integrated graphics, such as models from
  Intel or NVidia, allow you a graphics upgrade
  option via an unoccupied AGP slot. Ask for the
  slot when you buy if you want to be able to
  upgrade later.
• Get at least a 17-inch monitor--prices are low
  enough that you should be able to get one for
  less than 200. For about 100 more, you can get
  a 19-inch monitor, which provides over 20 percent
  more screen area than a 17-inch model. If you're
  willing to spend 300 to 450, consider a 17-inch
  or larger LCD. It affords the same viewable area
  as a 19-inch CRT and takes up far less space.

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• Removable storage Your most cost-effective and
  flexible removable-storage option is a CD-RW
  drive. Iomega Zip drives, now waning in
  popularity, are slower and don't give you the
  same range of functions. Top-of-the-line drives,
  which offer up to 52X CD-R speeds and now offer
  24X CD-RW speeds, cost about 50 more than
  standard drives.
• Home users may want to consider substituting a
  DVD-rewritable drive for a CD-RW. You still get
  CD-R/RW functionality--though DVD rewritables are
  much slower than stand-alone CD-RW drives--and
  they store at least 4.7GB of data, versus 650MB
  for most CDs. They also let you create your own
  video DVDs to play in your living-room DVD
  player.
• But these drives cost about 150 to 350 more
  than CD-RW drives, and you might not be able to
  play your newly created discs in older DVD-ROM
  drives and DVD players. Moreover, there are three
  competing standards, and a particular PC vendor
  may offer only one of these types. New
  multiformat drives do help.
• Also growing in popularity are so-called USB
  thumbdrives. These keychain-size devices, made by
  a number of manufacturers, can store large
  amounts of data--ranging from 16MB to 512MB. If
  you use Windows 2000 or XP, a thumbdrive requires
  no additional software Windows will detect the
  device as soon as you pop it in a port, and will
  assign it its own drive letter in Explorer. If a
  standard key-fob style doesn't suit you, some
  companies have integrated thumbdrives into pens,
  watches, and even a Swiss Army pocket knife.
  Whichever model you choose, make sure you pick
  one that transfers data at USB 2.0 speeds. The
  older USB 1.1 devices move files at a poky pace.

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• Communications A modem, which used to be a must
  at home, now comes with nearly all PCs. If you
  have broadband Internet access, you'll need an
  ethernet connection as well. Fortunately, most
  new PCs have these built in as well.
• To share your broadband connection or to network
  your PCs, get a gateway/router. You'll probably
  spend about 80 for a wired version, or about
  120 for a wireless 802.11g (Wi-Fi) model (if you
  go wireless, you'll also need a card or an
  external adapter for each PC, and these run about
  75 each).
• For your business PC, an ethernet card is
  probably best. Unless your company has
  established standardized hardware specs, getting
  the vendor's integrated or default card option
  should work well and should save you a little
  money.

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• Sound In the office, the basics should suffice.
  Integrated sound in your PC is more than adequate
  for most work. At home, though, you'll probably
  want surround sound. If your PC doesn't already
  support surround sound, for 200 to 250, you can
  buy an upgrade sound card with Dolby 5.1 support,
  plus a decent set of speakers that includes a
  subwoofer.

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• Design A good case can make your everyday work
  easier and can simplify the task of upgrading or
  servicing components--an especially valuable perk
  in offices with multiple systems. A well-designed
  case will offer tool-less access to the interior,
  hard drives mounted on easy slide-out trays, and
  color-coded cables for internal and external
  parts.
• At home, look for at least two USB ports in front
  so that you can easily hook up peripherals.
  Systems with the newest Intel and Via chip sets
  (which use DDR SDRAM, not RDRAM) also offer
  integrated support for USB 2.0. Get the
  integrated support if you can--it works with
  older USB devices (no speed boost, however) and
  delivers 8 to 12 times faster performance with
  USB 2.0 peripherals such as external CD-RW
  drives.
• If you have a digital video camcorder, get a PC
  with a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port (you can also
  add it via an expansion card for less than 100).
  
• If you plan to keep the system for a while, make
  sure you have some expansion room. You'll want at
  least a couple of open drive bays and probably a
  free PCI slot as well.

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• Software Most home and office PC users should
  find Windows XP Home a perfectly acceptable
  operating system. You should drop the extra 100
  for Windows XP Pro only if you want to take
  advantage of its management features, such as
  Remote Desktop, which lets users control the
  computer remotely over the Internet. Most vendors
  now offer a choice of only XP Home or XP Pro.
  Make sure your PC manufacturer has pre-installed
  Windows XP Service Pack 2 if you're ordering a
  new computer.

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• Warranty and tech support Because most PC
  problems tend to crop up in the first year, a
  one-year warranty should be fine. A two- or
  three-year warranty will add about 150 to 200
  to your cost. Some vendors offer slightly more
  exotic support options For 39, Dell will give
  you priority call routing to tech support for one
  year. Businesses can get options like 24-hour
  on-site response, but they must pay dearly for it.

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• Keyboard and mouse All systems include these
  commodity components, usually a
  Windows-compatible 102-key keyboard and a
  two-button mouse with a scroll wheel. Many
  vendors are switching from older PS/2 connected
  devices to newer USB models that offer more
  features, like keyboards with additional
  programmable keys along the top that can launch
  favorite applications or Web sites. Newer optical
  mice use a small camera to detect motion,
  providing smoother, more precise motion and
  eliminating the need to remove the conventional
  coated ball and clean the dirty scroll wheels
  inside. A few of the highest-end input devices
  can connect wirelessly using radio frequencies or
  Bluetooth technology.

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The Specs Explained

• The vast majority of people buy a PC to browse
  the Web, check and send e-mail, and perform word
  processing or spreadsheet work. Today, processor
  power has gone beyond what any of these tasks
  demand Even the least-expensive,
  lowest-of-the-low-end PC can perform any of those
  jobs admirably. For less than 1000 you should be
  able to pick up a PC and monitor that, a year
  ago, would have resided at or near the top of our
  Top 10 Power PCs chart. The only reasons to
  exceed that price are if you want the latest
  doodads, if you're a gamer or you're interested
  in digital video and strain your PC for every
  iota of performance, or if you include additional
  peripherals like a printer or scanner.
• Most vendors let you customize and upgrade their
  base-model PCs with a mind-boggling selection of
  features. Need extra storage? Pick a newer,
  larger hard drive. Want a bigger monitor, but
  don't want to pay extra? Trade down to a slower
  processor or opt for a shorter warranty period
  (PC parts are more reliable than ever) to
  compensate for the extra cost of the CRT. Take
  your time and pick only what you need. And be
  sure to check our various Top 15 PCs charts
  before making your purchase. Below is a rough
  breakdown of some of your configuration options.

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Recommendations for the average user's minimum
requirements.

• A 3-GHz Pentium 4 or 2.4-GHz Athlon XP 3800
  processor. For everyday work, word processing,
  spreadsheets, and e-mail, you don't need the
  latest, greatest, and most expensive processor.
  Current AMD processors of the same clock speed
  perform some tasks faster than Intel processors.
• At least 512MB memory. Anything less will slow
  your work, especially if you plan to run several
  applications under Windows XP. Buy as much as you
  can afford, up to 1GB.
• Be careful when you buy integrated AGP graphics.
  If you buy a computer with integrated graphics,
  ask if it has an AGP slot. If it doesn't, you
  won't be able to upgrade your graphics chip.
• Subwoofers improve sound. Adding a sound system
  with a subwoofer (a large speaker that produces
  very low bass tones) can dramatically improve the
  sound quality of a home system, even if the
  speaker set is inexpensive. In the office,
  however, a booming subwoofer may trigger an
  uprising among your coworkers.
• A 17-inch digital flat-panel LCD monitor. Unless
  you're really pinching pennies, a 17-inch LCD
  will let you see your documents with greater
  definition (or at a higher resolution) than
  17-inch or smaller CRT displays.

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• A CD-RW or recordable DVD drive. Nearly all PCs
  come with a 1.44MB floppy disk drive, but many
  users find that a recordable DVD or CD-RW drive
  are better options for data storage and transfer.
  Both allow you to back up important documents
  (700MB on a CD, 4.7GB on a DVD), share files with
  colleagues, and create custom audio or video CDs
  or DVDs. A CD-RW may be all that most people
  need, but if you need to back up massive amounts
  of data or entire hard drives, choose the DVD
  recorder option.
• A 60GB or larger hard drive. A 20GB hard drive is
  fine for simple word processing or Web browsing
  tasks, but you'll likely fill that hard drive
  pretty quickly. In the long run it's best to buy
  more hard drive than you think you'll need.
  Today's largest hard drives reach 500GB, but
  unless you're planning to use your PC as a mini
  server for your office database or for electronic
  entertainment, a smaller drive may be more
  cost-effective.
• Connectivity up front. Many PCs now offer a pair
  of USB ports on the front bezel, so you can
  connect multiple peripherals without having to
  reach behind the case. If this is important to
  you, look for PCs with up-front FireWire (IEEE
  1394) ports, optical audio connectors, or USB
  2.0.
• Graphics cards for novice gamers. If you want to
  do some gaming and you're keeping an eye on the
  future, get a lower-level GeForceFX board or ATI
  Radeon 9800 XT with 128MB of RAM, but read the
  fine print--make sure it will fully support
  next-generation DirectX 9 games. You'll need a
  card with a built-in TV tuner if you plan to
  record video from your TV.

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Other Shopping Tips

• In addition to choosing a PC with the above
  specifications, PC shoppers can save money and
  avoid unnecessary hassle by following these tips
• Don't buy additional software unless you really
  need it. Purchase an operating system, an office
  suite, and an antivirus package. But if you need
  more, look for vendors' software bundles to
  upgrade your software. For as little as 100, you
  can often upgrade from Microsoft Works Suite or a
  similar package to a full office suite like
  Microsoft Office XP Small Business Edition (sold
  only with new systems, and lacks Powerpoint)--a
  great value considering Office XP runs more than
  300 off the shelf.
• Don't get caught up surfing price reductions. If
  you need a new PC now, don't wait a few months to
  see whether prices will drop further and
  upper-end performance will improve. Some readers
  find themselves stuck in an endless price-drop
  waiting game. Instead, decide when you need the
  system, and go for it.
• Buy above minimum specs for the longest useful
  life span. If longevity is a priority (and if you
  can afford it), get something closer to, but
  below, the current top of the line. This will
  extend the useful life of your PC.

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• Check an LCD monitor's interface. Depending on
  the brand or model of LCD monitor, it could have
  one of several different interface
  connectors--the part that plugs into the PC.
  These include the well-known VGA and also the
  newer (but better) DVI connectors. Before you buy
  an add-on, make sure it will work with the system
  you want--or that you at least have a money-back
  guarantee.
• Upgrade at the time of purchase. Often, you can
  get a better deal on a larger hard drive or a
  better monitor when you first order your
  computer. Even doubling the size of a hard drive
  may add very little to the cost, and upgrading to
  a Trinitron or ViewSonic monitor may add only 80
  to 100.
• Avoid gimmicky keyboards to save money. Many
  vendors tout fancy keyboards with extra buttons
  for launching apps. Save some money by choosing
  the cheapest option unless you have a specific
  need for the fancier one.
• Get the scoop on the vendor before you buy.
  Research which PC makers provide the best (and
  worst) technical support and warranty service.

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Brand name

• Dell
• Gateway
• Sony - Vaio
• Toshiba
• Acer
• ABS
• Compaq
• Emachines
• Frys
• GQ
• Much more
• CLONE A computer, software product, or device
  that functions exactly like another, better-known
  product. In practice, the term refers to any PC
  not produced by one of the leading name-brand
  manufacturers, such as IBM and Compaq.

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Donde comprar

• Frys
• CompUSA
• Best Buy
• Circuit City
• Kmart
• Wal-mart
• Dell
• Gateway

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