How to shop For a new Computer

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How to shop For a new Computer

• Opinions of a Computer Hobbyist

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Determine your needs
Email, internet, word processing, social
networks, genealogy, picture and audio editing
any modern computer will suffice. Focus on type
Tablet to Desktop Size of Screen Portability
Typing ability and need Cost Internet
connectability Large movie, picture or music
storage - hard drives size is your driver Video
editing 6 core 8gbytes of Ram Sata 6
Gaming Video cards Portability laptop
netbook Second Computer -laptop netbook -
tablet
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Determine your needs -continued

• Large movie, picture or music storage - hard
  drive size is important
• Video editing
• multicore, 16 Gb of Ram Sata 6 Video Card
• Gaming Video cards
• Portability laptop netbook
• Second Computer -laptop netbook - tablet

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Physical Needs

• Space for
• Desktop
• All-in-one
• Laptop
• Netbook
• Tablet

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Cost Range

• Upgrade components
• Keep Tower upgrade monitor
• Keep Monitor upgrade Tower
• Upgrade Operating System
• Add tablet or laptop for portability

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Can you wait
If it does what you want and has XP OS 756mbs
of ram or more 17 months left Vista OS and 1gb
or more ram 4 years left Windows 7 OS 1gb or
more- 8 years left Not to slow Next years
technology forecast to use less power
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Reasons to Buy Now

• New programs will not work on old OS or hardware
• Want a second portable computer
• It's just time to treat myself

Windows 8 Its here! You may love or hate
it! Good Deals on Windows 7 machines and better
deals on Windows 8 upgrade software until Jan
31, 2013 Windows 7 machines may sell out before
that date
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New technologies to look for
USB 3.0 ten times faster than 2.0 reduce backup
times SATA III hard drive interface -4 times
faster than IDE also called SATA 600 Solid
State Drives SSDs -to take full advantage of
SATA III RAID multiple hard drives acting as
one Intel i3, i5, i7 Third generation CPU (Ivy
Bridge) AMD A10
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PC Or Apple Computer
PC Multiple Vendors Widest Hardware
choices Widest Price Range More Software
choices 78 Market share More training
availability More hacking attacks

• Apple
• Single Vendor
• Better Integration
• Fewer choices
• Higher Prices
• 3.7 Market share of PC/Laptops
• Larger tablet share
• Large Cell Phone share
• More hacking attacks now,
• But still less than PC
• Operating system for tablet is
• different than Mac laptop or
• desktop

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Desktop
Most bang for the buck Cheapest and Easiest to
Repair or Upgrade Widest choices Least likely to
fail Cons Requires a lot of desk space
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All in One
Compromise between Laptop and Desktop Space of
Monitor and Keyboard Available in multiple
Monitor sizes Uses a standard size Keyboard
Cons Medium repair cost Higher initial
Cost Low upgrade ability
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All in One Examples
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Laptop
Smaller Size Prices have dropped Wide range of
prices and features Cons Highest Repair
Costs Highest failure rate but much improved
Screen size Upgrade normally limited to memory
and HD Battery costs
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Laptops tradeoffs
Screen size versus Battery Life and
Weight Processor power versus Battery Life Video
Power versus Battery Life Battery size
options Web cam and bio-metric options Portability
Cost versus power Wireless networking -
bluetooth
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Netbooks
Laptops designed for the on the go crowd Max
screen size 10.1 inches Low Power
Processors Build in Wi-fi and sometimes cellular
interfaces Reduced size keyboard Longer battery
life Great for internet, email, showing
pictures No CD or DVD May have Linux based
Operating System
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Tablets
Touch Screen Good for email, internet browsing,
games 7 to 10 screens Wireless Wireless Cell
Phone
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Tablets Continued

• Multiple Operating Systems
• Android new version every year
• Apple new version every 2 years
• Consider commonality with smart phone

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Evaluate the computer
Processor Power -type, of cores Memory size,
type and expandability Hard Drive size and
type Number of USB ports and types (USB
3.0) Other interfaces Firewire
-Thunderbolt HDMI - Display Port Bluetooth Wi-f
i
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Processor Types
Intel, AMD in Desktops and Laptops Dual core to 8
core Economy, Standard, Server classes,
mobile Netbooks mostly use ATOM single/dual core
processors Performance Ratings available in
Windows 7 Good charts at www.tomshardware.com
and
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Processors
AMD Sempron Economy Athlon, Phenom, A8, A10
Standard Operton Server Intel Celeron
Exxx Economy Pentium Core2, i3, i5,
i7 Standard Xeon Server Mobile versions
operate at slower speed to reduce power
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How to read Intel CPUs

• There are 3 generations of the Core i3, i5, i7
  families
• For example i5-xyyy
• If x is 7 or 6 then first generation
• If x is 4 or 5 then first generation mobile
• If x is 2 then second generation
• If x is 3 then third generation
• The yyy is the clock speed
• http//www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/All-Core-i5
  -Models/943
• The i3 dual core, i5 quad, i7 four or 6 core

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AMD CPU

• FX-8xxx fits AM3 sockets
• A4-xxxx Dual Core fits FM2 sockets
• A6-xxxx Tri Core ,FM 2
• A8-xxxx Quad Core, FM2
• A10-xxxx Eight core, FM2

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Memory
DDR3 Speeds now 800 mhz to 1600 mhz 4gbs new
minimum 4 to 8 gbs supplied with 64 bit
OSs Check to see if all slots are full
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Internal Hard Drives

• SATA 2 is std, SATA3 new (twice as fast)
• 3.5 for Desktops, 2.5
• Sizes from 300 gigabytes to 3 terabytes
• RAID capability allows additional Hard Drive to
  be added for doubling speed or reliability or
  size
• SSDD Solid State Disk Drive - faster
• PCI-e SSDD - fastest
• SATA has replaced IDE drives

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Monitor

• CRT Oldest technology 17 -120 watts
• LCD Still very popular - 12 watts
• LED Newer technology 6 watts
• Wide Screen 16/9 width to height ratio
• Great for movies and spreadsheets
• older screens were 4/3 ratio
• Watch for types and numbers of interface VGA,
  DVI, HDMI, Display Port
• External Touch screens use USB to transfer
  touch data expect bluetooth
• in future

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Extra Features to Consider
Number and location of USB and Firewire
ports HDMI interface Connect to your HDTV Built
in Webcam Wireless in desktop and or
bluetooth Camera Chip Reader BioMetrics
Fingerprint or Eye reader TV Tuner (Digital or
Dual)
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Backup
Dont forget to get a backup drive Dont forget
to get a backup drive Don't forget to get a
backup drive USB 2.0, eSATA, USB 3.0 interfaces
(In order of speed) Stand along box (2.5 or
3.5 inch HD) Network drive (NAS) Single to RAID
configurations
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Operating Systems
Windows 7 Basic Windows 7 Home Premium (32 or 64
bits) Windows 7 Professional (32 or 64
bits) Windows 7 Ultimate (32 or 64 bits) Windows
8 Windows 8 Pro Windows 8 RT reduced version
for low powered ARM tablets Linux Mac OS 10
(Apples version of BSD/Linux) Tablets IOS 5
Apple Android
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Windows 8 RT

• Does run a version of Office - Word, PowerPoint,
  Excel, OneNote and Lync
• Does not run any other desktop programs
• Does have the desktop
• Does run WinRT applications that you can download
  from the Windows Store

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When and Where to Buy
Black Friday after Thanksgiving is the biggest
sale day Many pre and Post Black Fridays
Online Check papers for ads for local
sales. Online Check manufactures sites Acer,
Asus, Dell, Gateway, HP, Leno, Sony,
Lenovo www.tigerdirect.com, www.newegg.com,
www.amazon.com
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Interface Computer to Monitor

• No longer a single standard
• Both Computers and Monitors may have multiple
  interface choice.
• EGA / VGA same connector
• DVI
• HDMI
• Display Port
• Apple Video

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Laptops

• Low end Dual Core 15.6 lcd 350
• Mid range Dual Core 17 525
• Intel i3, 6gb memory, webcam, mic
• Ultra Light 15 900
• Mac Air 13 1300
• Gaming laptop 18 1990

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Others

• Netbooks - 229 -499 Windows or Linux
• Tablets - 250 - 500 android web OS
• Apple Tablets IOS5 499-899

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After you Buy
Remove all of the junk io bit uninstaller Trial
Programs including Anti-Virus Toolbars Brand
Utilities ISP utilities (sign up for AOL, MSN,
etc) Clean start up using msconfig.exe Clean up
registry using Ccleaner (portable ver.)
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After you buy
Make Recovery DVDs Found on hidden partition
read manual Load programs you want Run Easy
Transfer Wizard Transfers files and setting from
old computer Make Disaster Recovery Backup Start
the year out right -Backup, Backup