[hamo81]

How to Choose the Right Computer for You



Step1
--==GAMING MACHINE==--

If you're looking for a powerhouse of a machine, you might want to consider purchasing processors like the AMD Quad-Core Opteron 8346 HE and above. AMD has been ahead of the competition for quite some time now, however, Intel may also have a few processors to consider, such as the Duo Core Intel T7400, 2.16 Ghz with 1333 Front Side Bus (FSB) with 8MB Cache.

Refer to the external resources for prices and comparison.

Step2
Along with processing power, you also need a very good video card to go along with your almighty PC. Anything from an nVidia 8800GTS 640MB GDDR3 (roughly $399) to an AMD Radeon HD 2900 XT Graphics Card (roughly $484) could make your gaming/performance dreams come true.


Step3
As far as sound cards go, the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro is among my favorites. Priced at about $279, this baby carries a "comprehensive selection of connectivity for audio creation, in addition to audio memory dedicated to higher gaming audio quality and performance."


Step4
On top of all this, a gaming machine would not be worth much without a nice motherboard on it. One of the better motherboards currently out there is the Intel DQ35JO Desktop Board. It supports a wide variety of equipments, controllers and expansion cards, such as Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo, Pentium Dual-core, Celeron, PCI, and PCI Express slots. This should give you plenty of variety to play with, should you choose to upgrade your machine someday.


Step5
Along with the above specification, I suggest you use at least 2 GB RAM when it comes to gaming or performing other heavy chores on your PC. This will always keep your PC from dragging while on the desktop, or inside the latest technological eye candy.


Step6
--==WORK COMPUTER==--

Generally, computers used for work do not ask for much. Because not much performance is needed, most of the things you need are based on software rather than hardware. If you need a nice computer for work/school, and one that can also perform well, you may want to consider the following:

- Dual-Core Intel® Core™ Duo T2130 1.86GHz 533FSB 1MB Cache: This is fairly priced (around $120) and is great for working performance.

- MSI nVidia 8600GT OC 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express Video Card: This card is highly aggressive to handle all general needs, without exhausting your pocket.

- Consider at least 512 MB DDR RAM, though obtaining 1GB is always much more helpful, considering the vast amount of memory today's applications use.


Step7
When it comes to software, I have to honestly advise you to stay away from Windows Vista, at least in the meantime. The Vista Operating System is meant for powerful computers, since everything about this guy tends to use a decent amount of memory. Here's a little secret: There is virtually NOTHING that Windows XP can't handle. Stick to the most convenient choice, whether it's Windows XP or MAC OS X.

- Windows XP Professional Edition
- Microsoft Office 2003
- Any good working anti virus application, such as McAfee or PC Cillin.