Buying a PC - Part 2

In last week's article we looked at establishing what we want to use a PC for with room for expansion as we become more familiar with it and can make more use of it. This week follows on with how to establish what we need and the ever-important cost factor.

What is needed

If you are unfamiliar with the type of components that go to make up a modern PC, this step can appear to be really daunting. You will find vast amounts of information most of which are laced with jargon and terms that can easily confuse.

However, there are a number of ways you can approach this problem namely:

• Take your list of requirements (see last week's article - 23rd April 1999) to reputable dealers and see what they have to say with regards to the system requirements in order to do the things you want.
• Do some research on the Internet and look for sites like Suite101.com (the hardware section is good for this - but then I'm biased!). Establish the "bits" you need. This method is probably the quickest but could be confusing unless you find sites that are clear and are easy to understand.
  Ask friends and colleagues - particularly those with similar interests as you. This CAN lead to contradictions as they may not be computer experts and may disagree of components. Lets face it, we each of us have a preferred make and model of car, video, hi-fi etc so why should computers be any different? However, it is a way of obtaining impartial advice.
  • Go to your local library and research. There are plenty of books from beginner to advanced that will tell you about the different components of a computer. Be sure to choose books that are not too old. Computers change on a very frequent basis so an old book won't cover the latest technology. What was the best answer 2 - 3 years ago may not hold true for today. This method will give you the best grounding but does require some time and effort on your part. Time and effort by the way that won't be wasted.

  To help you on your way, here is a list of the basic components that make up a PC.

  • The "computer" itself. Buying a new PC will mean that you will get the basic components such as the box, the memory, the CPU, keyboard, monitor and mouse. You should ensure that the PC has a floppy disk drive and a CD ROM
    The copyright of the article Buying a PC - Part 2 in PC Support is owned by Chris Cruickshank. Permission to republish Buying a PC - Part 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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