Buying more then you need...

When it comes to picking out parts for a computer, you always should look for the best. It may cost you a few dollars more, but in the specific categories of CPU, Video, and RAM, it is best to focus your money in those areas to get the biggest you can to fit your budget.

The Central Processing Unit, or CPU, of a system is the key that makes everythine come alive. Today's fastest computers can go upto 333Mhz on the x86 (Intel, AMD, & Cyrix chip makers) platform. The only current 333Mhz chip out there is made by Intel, in thier Pentium II design. This is a new type of chip that fits into a "slot" (Slot 1) on the motherboard like the RAM on your board does. The other computer manufactures still use the 'socket' method to hold thier chip to the motherboard. The Pentium/586 chips use Socket 7. Processor speeds keep rising and a 300Mhz of the AMD's K-6 is due out any time now to fit the current Socket 7 design. Also in the future Cyrix plans on releasing their next generation chips (300Mhz +) using the Socket 7 design as well. Although we've reaced a monsterous 333Mhz now, it just doesn't stop. So, it's good to buy a chip and motherboard that will support you the longest.

As I talked about before, 3D Graphics have been becoming more and more intergrated with the working of ALL computer applications. 99% of all video cards made now-a-days have some kind of 3D processing on them. Todays applications usually ask for 2 to 4megs of video ram to help speedup displays. Many people do not realize that if you have a 'not too good' video card, your whole system performance can drop. It is crucial to make sure that you have a video card that has enough power and ram to suit your needs. 4megs is a minimum when buying a graphics card.

Software companies love to make programs that use up LOTS of ram on your computer. This is why it is important that you have enough to keep all your running programs happy. Over the past few years, prices of RAM have dropped significantly. Before when 4megs of RAM would cost you $160, today you can buy 64megs of RAM for around $160. While a good standard for today is buying 32megs or ram, the future will be at least 64megs of ram. Today, there are mainly two types of RAM, EDO-RAM (Extended Data-Out RAM) and SDram (Synch-Dynamic RAM). The newer of the two, brought out in the last 12 to 15 months, can improve system performace by upto 15% (2%-3% in indiviual programs), just by using it, although it will be 15% to 30% more in price. Make sure when buying a motherboard, it can support 168pin DIMM banks for SDram.

Along with the intense use of RAM that software uses, computer programs today use up more hard drive space then ever. 6.4, 7 and now 8.4gig Hard Drives are rapidly becoming the standard if you want it to last awhile. And make sure it is Ultra-ATA, the populatity of EIDE drives is just about gone. If what you think as a HUGE hard drive can't be filled up. It can be filled up faster then you can ever think. One way to fill up that hard drive rather fast is by downloading lots of files from the internet. The use of a modem on a computer has become ever more popular with the WWW and the thousands of Internet Services Providers. Currently the fastest way to surf the new with one conventional phone line is with a 56k modem. Two standards are currently out, 56kFlex and USR's X2, make sure you find a modem and ISP (Internet Service Provider) that both use the same standard. The hope for a single 56k standard should be here by then end of the 1st Quarter 98.

Most CD-Rom based programs currently only need a 6x or 8x drive MAX to run correctly, but due to falling prices on CD-Roms, you can buy a 32x (13x mininum, 32x max.) drive for only a few pennies more then a competing 10x or 12x drive. I mean, at least you can install Corel Draw 7 faster. Also, picking a good sound card is not always important, but for the advid gamers and computer music listeners, a sound card can mean as much as any other component. The new Sound Blaster AWE 64 can play 64 simultaneous voices, compared to many of the 16 and 32 bit devices. Just trust me on this, it sounds better with 64.

The final peice to picking out parts of a computer is the monitor! A monitor is what makes the computer really useful. In the past 6 months the price of 17" monitors has started to take a dive. You can now find 17" monitors for as low as $300, but decent ones start at about $550. Make sure when selecting a monitor it has digital controls, and nothing higher then .28 (usually read: 'point 2-8') Dot Pitch (the lower the better), and at least 1280x1024 viewable resolution (1600x1280 is not really needed, but can be helpful if you are doing CAD drawings and such). Oh and one more thing, make sure it is EPA Compliant. Monitors can get very hot, very fast. Buying a cool monitor may help lower your electric bill. :-)

Now since you know what to look for, maybe it would be good if I told you where to find these prodcuts. Time to Price Hunt