JG, this is from Walter Mossberg's column in the Wall Street Journal on October 14, 1999. It might answer a lot of your questions. Good luck!
Here's What You Need
When Buying a New PC
By WALTER S. MOSSBERG
Personal computers continue to get cheaper and more powerful. But
most mainstream tasks people do on PCs are easily handled on mid-range
or even low-end machines. That means it's a great time for consumers to
buy a PC.
Here's my annual autumn guide to buying a Windows desktop PC. As
usual, I am listing the key specs you need, and I strongly advise you not to
buy less or more machine than described below, no matter what the
salespeople say. Next week, I'll have a similar guide to laptops.
A few preliminary notes are in order. First, let's talk about the Macintosh.
It's a viable alternative, but it doesn't really require a guide, because
selecting a consumer Mac is pretty simple. If you want a consumer
desktop, get an iMac. It comes in three models, of increasing power,
ranging in price from $999 to $1,499, monitor included. The top two
models are optimized for video editing.
If you have a question you want answered, or any other comment or suggestion
about Walter S. Mossberg's column, please send e-mail to mossberg@wsj.com.
Second, let's talk about rebates. Many new PCs are now available with
$400 rebates if you commit yourself to an Internet access service for three
years at $20 or $22 a month. This looks attractive, but bear in mind that
monthly access fees are very likely to drop drastically over the next three
years, so you may be locking yourself into a bad access deal later to get
the rebate now.
Third, let's talk about something called the "legacy-free" PC. This is a
new type of Windows PC that eliminates certain familiar hardware features
in an effort to improve stability and reduce complexity. These machines
have no parallel (printer) port, no serial port, no special mouse or
keyboard connector and none of the older internal slots called "ISA" slots.
Instead, they use versatile, speedy plug-and-play USB ports to connect
everything -- printers, keyboards, mice, scanners and so on. The first of
these models of which I'm aware is the all-in-one Gateway Astro, a $799
iMac-style Windows PC available starting Thursday. This approach is a
good idea, but you may have to buy adapters and special cables to keep
using older printers and other peripherals.
Now for your shopping list.
Processor: Don't pay a penny extra for a very fast processor or an
Intel-branded processor unless you are a hard-core, heavy-duty
gamer or you are planning to edit video a lot. For everyone else
doing mainstream tasks like Web surfing and e-mail, running office
suites or using basic photo-editing or music-recording software, any
Intel, AMD or Cyrix processor over 350 MHz will do. The fastest
processors don't do these things any better than slower ones, and
you won't get your money's worth if you shell out extra for an Intel
Pentium III or the new AMD Athlon processor.
Memory: It's crucial. Get at least 64 megabytes, and 96 or 128
megabytes if possible. It will make all the difference in the
speediness of your PC. Having lots of memory won't stop Windows
98 from running out of "system resources" from time to time, a
maddening problem that stems from a Windows design limitation.
But you'll still be glad you have it.
L2 Cache: This is a dedicated memory bank that the processor
uses to speed up its operations. It's a must. The size of the cache
varies by processor design and PC model, but make sure you get
one.
Hard Disk: Try for at least a six-gigabyte size, larger if you plan to
collect a lot of MP3 digital music or other big files.
High-Speed Internet: If you plan to use
a cable modem, try to buy a PC with a
built-in Ethernet networking connection,
because cable modems typically use such
hookups.
Video System: Get at least four
megabytes of video memory, which is
usually separate from the PC's main
memory.
Monitor: Don't scrimp on this, if you
value your eyes, and don't settle for any
old monitor thrown into a bundle at the
store. If you're buying a traditional
monitor, get at least a 17-inch one, for $350 to $450. Or, for $800
to $1,100, you can get a 15-inch flat-panel monitor that is sharp and
bright.
Mass Storage: If your PC has a so-called DVD drive, which is
good mainly for playing movies, that's fine. But there's not enough
software on DVD to justify spending extra to get a DVD drive.
Much more useful are Zip drives, which are cheap and let you save
and transport large files.
Ports: Pick a PC with at least two USB connectors. If you're into
video, get an even faster new port called either 1394, FireWire or
I-link.
Brands and Models: All PCs are similar, but unless you're a
techie, I advise sticking with name brands like Compaq,
Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Gateway and IBM. You can buy a locally
built machine if the local shop is stable, reliable and friendly to
nontechies.
One great low-end buy is Compaq's Presario 5460, a $699 machine with
96 megabytes of memory (eight of them allocated to video memory), an
eight-gigabyte hard disk, a built-in Zip drive and a 475 MHz AMD
processor with L2 cache. This price is before any rebates and includes a
free, but optional, Internet account that requires you to view certain ads
while online. |
