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Do you need help with choosing a PC? If yes please read on....

First, work out your total budget, a bit obvious.

PC or Laptop?

If you have the room for a PC and require a full keyboard and screen then a PC is a more usable option to go for, you also have many more upgrade options and generally larger capacities for storage of data etc. I would recommend a laptop if you require mobility, i.e. want to use in the garden or take on your travels or have limited space.

What to look for in a PC

I assume you have been to a superstore and they have confused you with mega-this and giga-that!

1) Memory - This is the short term storage of programs and documents you have created, turn off the PC and it is lost. This is generally measured in GB(Gigabyte) and we would suggest 1GB  is sufficient for XP Home/Professional  for Vista 2Gb plus, Windows 7 again 2Gb plus 1Gb = 1000Mb

2) Hard drive  (disc) - This is the long term storage of a PC and stores programs and documents that you have created when the PC is switched off. This is measured in Gb (Gigabytes), and we would suggest the following sizes 160 - 200Gb - home/home office PC used for Word and general Office use, Saving music, 1 track can be 3Mb. For DVD creating or video editing 500Gb  upwards.

3) Processor - This is the power of the PC and is comparable to the engine of a car, the bigger the processor the faster the PC will run programs. There are 2 types of processor Intel and AMD. We are asked constantly which is better, we answer, ask 20 people in IT which is best and you will get 20 different answers! Intel is the larger player in the market and is recognised as supplying a good product, AMD are the new boys but give better value for money. How to choose? We recommend choosing all the other bits required then going for the highest processor your budget allows. One point to look for is the large increase in cost per GHz (Giga hertz - not the same as Giga byte, but a measurement of frequency) an Intel 3.0Ghz P4 processor may cost £100 but a 3.2Ghz one will cost £130 that is lest than 7% speed increase for 30% price increase. Core2Duo is the latest offering and we would suggest avoiding  Celeron versions.

4) External connections - Look out for lots of USB's (Universal Serial Bus) connectors as most devices printers, Ipod, external drives have these. Ensure that any devices you have already can connect to the new PC, things like parallel ports on some old printers and Firewire for some video camera's. Also look out for TV inputs as this allow you to watch TV on your PC. Vista is a proving incompatible with lots of older printer so check your printer's, camera's etc are Vista compatible.

5) Keyboard and Mice - We do recommend choosing a quality one of each as these, as the mouse and keyboard are what you will interact with. If you are going for wireless ensure you have spare batteries, preferably units that can be recharged.

6) Add-ons - Most superstores encourage you to take scanner, printers, camera's etc, but consider what you will use these for after the newness has worn off. We would suggest that an all in one printer/scanner/fax is useful for small offices and home use where limited space is an issue. Watch out for all in ones where the fax uses the PC's internal fax - if it has one. Do not be persuaded to buy the cheapest printer, consider the cost of ink cartridges which could be £40 for a set.

7) Warranties - When spending all of your money on PC's it is easy to be sucked in to the need for an expensive warranty. All PC's come with 1 year manufacture warranty (other than the cheaper Dell ones that come with 90 day and we recommend staying clear of these due to this). We would recommend spending the money you would spend on a warranty on a better quality of PC rather than the cheapest PC you can find.

8) Monitors - There are 2 types, CRT which is the larger glass type and TFT which are the flat screens. CRT are much cheaper but are becoming less and less supplied by manufacturers. TFT are easier on the eye and take up much less desk space. We would recommend at least a 19", though 17" is good for small work spaces. Look out for TFT that can be used as a TV, these are likely to be more expensive but useful if tight for space. Consider widescreen if using with Vista.

Laptops

The above is the same for laptop with the following changes.

1) Unless you are spending lots on a laptop do not expect fast game play and speedy use. Most laptops are restricted with slower speed hard drives and processors.

2) We would recommend buying a good brand of laptop rather than ones built to specification or really cheap ones.

3) Choose a laptop with a good battery life, ones marked as Centrino are better and should last 4-5 hours.

4) Warranties - The opposite goes for laptops, take out the longest you can. Repairing hardware problems on laptops is likely to be more expensive and the manufactures can charge a fortune. A 3 year warranty with accident cover should be less than £100, which is good value. Check you home insurance, as some cover laptops.

5) Get a good quality carry case, with lots of padding and keep 13A plugs away from the screen.

6) Look for lots of USB's again as this is the best way to upgrade a laptop, i.e. if you need a TV input to watch TV, you can purchase devices that plug in to the USB. But do remember if the device uses too much power to get a Powered USB hub, you will thank me as this can save a blown up USB port.

We are receiving lots of interest in Windows 7. We have a release date of October 2009 and believe this is the true replacement for Windows XP. We have tested on our own PC's and are finding it is quick and stable. If purchasing a PC or laptop ask for the upgrade options to Windows 7.

Lastly these are only our own ideas on what is required, and you should ensure you are happy that this advice meets your own expectations. We are unable to take responsibility for any of the above information and any mistakes.

If you have any suggestions or feel that the information is misleading or incorrect, please let us know by email to  - sales@pcsouthwest.co.uk

Happy computing

 PC Southwest Ltd

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