| Basic
Components: |
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CPU: |
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Central Processing Unit. The
most powerful microprocessor chip in your computer is the CPU. For
example the Intel Pentium chip handles the central management functions
of a high-powered PC. Intel's newest Hyper-Threading (technology that allows the CPU to
process two separate threads of data simultaneously) CPU supports a 1
megabyte on-board L2 cache (the on-board cache functions as a buffer to
feed data to the CPU at a faster rate). The speed of the
CPU is measured in GigaHertz (billions of cycles per second). |
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Recommendation: |
Good:
Intel Pentium Celeron D - 2.6 GigaHertz
or higher.
Power User: Intel Pentium 4 with
Hyper-Threading Technology - 3.0 GigaHertz or higher, or Intel Pentium D
- Dual Core - 3.0 GigaHerz or higher.
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| RAM: |
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Random-Access Memory.
Hardware inside your computer that stores information while you work.
RAM is one of the things that makes your computer run faster. RAM is not
permanent storage of data. When you turn your computer off, all data in
RAM is lost. RAM is available in different types, sizes, and
speeds. Currently, depending on the Motherboard, the Intel Celeron D CPU
uses PC-2700 ram with 533 MHz FSB (Front Side Bus). The Intel Pentuim 4
HT CPU uses PC-3200 DDR (double data rate) ram with 800 MHz Front Side
Bus. |
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Recommendation: |
Good:
256 to 512 MegaBytes
Power User:
1 to 2
GigaBytes
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| Hard
Drive: |
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A Data Storage medium that houses all
of the information in your computer. This would include your operating
system (Windows), device drivers, programs, and data you have created
using your programs (word documents, spread sheets, etc.). Unlike RAM
the Hard Drive retains data when the computer is turned off. Hard Drives
sizes are in GigaBytes or billions of characters. EIDE hard drives spin
at a speed of 7200 RPM. Older EIDE hard drives spin at 5400 RPM. New
technology hard drives are now on the market, and these are SATA (Serial
ATA) hard drives. Currently, these SATA hard drives have speeds
approximately the same as EIDE. Looking ahead,
the SATA hard drives will be faster and the prices will drop. The SATA
hard drives require different MotherBoard technology to support them. |
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Recommendation: |
Good:
40/80 GigaBytes (minimum) Western
Digital Caviar Ultra DMA 7200 RPM Hard Drive
Power User:
80/250 GigaBytes Western Digital SATA
Hard Drive
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MotherBoard: |
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The main
circuit board of the computer. All key internal and external components of your
computer plug into the MotherBoard, such as the CPU, RAM, Hard Drive,
etc. The speed at which information travels across the MotherBoard is
referred to as the BUS speed. Recently a new technology has been
introduced called PCI Express. This allows a faster data transfer speed
across the MotherBoard, especially for video graphics. |
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Recommendation: |
Good: Asus or
Intel MotherBoard with the Intel 865 Chipset (minimum) supporting 800
MHz System Bus speed and USB 2.0
Power User:
Asus or Intel Motherboard supporting P4
Hyper-Threading and Dual Core technology with with PCI Express support
and SATA and EIDE Hard Drive support.
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Case: |
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Often
called the "computer", the case houses and provides power to the
major computer components, including the MotherBoard, CPU, Hard Drive,
RAM, Video Card, Sound Card, etc. Those components not housed in the
computer case are usually referred to as "peripherals". The case also
houses the power supply. It is important to have a large enough power
supply to handle your current and future needs. Also important is that
the case be large enough and have enough ball bearing fans so the
internal components do not overheat and cause damage to themselves.
Miniature cases are to be avoided. Never put your computer in a
desk compartment or other small space where it can't breathe. Heat is
the enemy of all computers. |
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Recommendation: |
Good:
Mid or Full Tower Case with 300 Watt Power Supply
Power User:
Mid or Full Tower Case with 420 Watt
Power Supply and at least two internal ball bearing fans. With
fans, more is better.
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Monitor: |
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The video
display unit that sits on your desktop and serves as your computer
screen. Monitors are available in two basic types. The CRT (cathode ray
tube - looks like a TV set), called "flat" or "perfect flat" and the LCD
(liquid crystal display) called "flat panel"- pictured on the left. The
LCD Flat Panel monitors are more expensive, but have a smaller footprint
on your desktop. The better LCD monitors can support digital (better) or
analog input from the video card. With LCD Monitors we must watch
closely the "response time". This is how fast the monitor redraws the
picture. If you get a LCD with a slow refresh rate, some video or games
may be jerky to watch. Be careful when you buy - rebuilt or refurbished
monitors may be called "new" and have a one year warranty. You want a
"brand new" monitor with a three year warranty. |
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Recommendation: |
Good:
17" CRT Flat or Perfect Flat model
Power User:
17" or 19" LCD with Digital and Analog inputs and 8 ms or less
response time. |
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Video Card: |
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A circuit
board that plugs into a MotherBoard slot, usually an AGP (accelerated
graphics port) slot or PCI Express slot (newer/faster/more bandwidth) and handles multimedia applications and
graphics-intensive web sites freeing up the CPU (thereby increasing your
computers speed). The monitor plugs into the video card which is accessed
thru a slot in the back of your computer. The better the graphics chip
on the video card, and the more ram built on the video card, the faster
the display on the monitor. Top of the line games need very high
performance video cards. Better Video Cards have both Digital (better)
and Analog outputs.
Video Cards that are built onto the
MotherBoard and cannot be upgraded are to be avoided. |
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Recommendation: |
Good:
AGP or PCI Express Video
Card with good graphics chip (ATI) and at least 32 MegaBytes of RAM on board.
Power User:
ATI Radeon PCI Express with at least 128
Megs of DDR (double data rate) RAM and Digital and Analog outputs.
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Speakers: |
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Produce
sound (music, voice, etc.) based on data created and sent by the sound
card. Today, computer speakers have become very high quality and many
include a sub-woofer for good bass. |
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Recommendation: |
Good:
Altec Lansing stereo speakers.
Power User:
Altec Lansing 2.1 (2 stereo speakers, 1
sub-woofer) or better. |
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Sound Card: |
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A circuit
board that plugs into your MotherBoard that adds audio capability to
your computer, providing high quality stereo output to the speakers. |
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Recommendation: |
Good:
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live or Integrated Sound Card (built on
MotherBoard) Power User:
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy
II or better. |
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CD-ROM: |
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Compact
Disk - Read Only Memory. An optical storage technology that stores and
plays back data. "Read Only" means the information can be displayed and
used or copied, but cannot be deleted or changed (on the disk). One
CD-ROM can hold around 650 megabytes of data, or the equivalent of 450
floppies. The speed of a CD-ROM refers to how fast the disk spins in the
device. |
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Recommendation: |
Good and Power User: Any high
quality unit with a speed or 52x. Example: LiteOn 52x CD-ROM. |
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CD-Burner or DVD/CD Burner |
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A CD
Burner is the informal name for a CD recorder, a device that can record
data to a compact disc. CD-Recordable (CD-R) and CD-Rewritable (CD-RW)
are the two most common types of drives that can write CD's, either once
(in the case of the CD-R) or repeatedly (in the case of the CD-RW). In
the CD-R recording process, the data is actually etched into the disc
(burned) with a laser. In the CD-RW process the disk must first be
formatted (burned) and then data is copied to or erased from the CD-RW
media. Almost all burners can do both tasks - record
(CD-R) and rewrite (CD-RW). The best way to determine this is from the
specs. "52x32x52a" would be a spec for a current burner. The
52x means
the record speed (CD-R), the 32x means the rewrite speed (CD-RW) and the
52a (a = average) means the read speed. If you have a CD-Burner, then a
separate CD-ROM is not necessary.
The DVD Burners read, write, and
re-write to DVD,s and read, write, and re-write to CD's. If you
have a DVD Burner, then a separate CD-Burner is not necessary.
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Recommendation: |
Good: LiteON 52x32x52a CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM
Power User:
LiteOn 16x DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-ROM -
also supports +R, +RW, and +R Double Layer.
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Modem: |
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A circuit
board that plugs into your MotherBoard that enables your computer to
communicate with other computers and the Internet. Phone lines are
"analog" and computers are "digital" so the modem has the job to
MOdulate
and DEModulate between analog and digital, thus the name MODEM.
Special Note: For today's Internet
User the old telephone modems are all but obsolete - try to obtain Cable
or DSL Internet service. |
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Recommendation: |
Good and Power User: A 56K -
V.92 internal modem. The 56K refers to speed and the V.92 refers to
error correction. The error correction is very important as phone lines
get older and lose their quality, |
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Ethernet Card: |
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A circuit
board that plugs into your MotherBoard and provides the capability to
connect or "Network" your computer to other computers and/or the Internet.
If you use a cable modem, your computer will need an Ethernet card.
Ethernet cards come in different speeds. A 10 Mbps card can
transmit/receive at 10 million bits (8 bits to a byte) per second. A
10/100/1000 Mbps card can transmit/receive at up to 1000 million bits per second. |
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Recommendation: |
Good and Power User: A 10/100/1000
Mbps Ethernet Card. Example |
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Keyboard: |
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The
peripheral device used to input information into a computer. It provides
a set of alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, symbol and control keys. When
a character is pressed, it sends a coded input to the computer, which
then displays the character on the Monitor. Keyboards are available in
corded and wireless models. Keyboards should come with a wrist rest. |
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Recommendation: |
Good and Power User: 104 key
(minimum) Keyboard with a wrist rest - either corded or wireless.
Examples: Logitech or Microsoft. |
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Mouse: |
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A
peripheral device connected to your computer, used to reposition the
cursor or move the pointer on your screen. A mouse usually has at least
two buttons, you can use to highlight text, open menu items, launch
programs, etc. A mouse can be corded or wireless. Some mice have a ball
on the bottom that rolls as you push the mouse, and some mice have
optical function. No ball, the mouse senses the movement by an optical
beam it emits. There is no need for a mousepad with an optical mouse. |
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Recommendation: |
Good and Power User: A high
quality "optical" mouse, with at least 2 buttons, either corded or
cordless. Examples: Microsoft or Logitech |
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Floppy Drive: |
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A device
in your computer that allows removable (a floppy disk) storage. Data can
be written to or read from a floppy disk in a floppy drive. Each floppy
disk can be removed, so you can store data on more than one disk. |
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Recommendation: |
Good and Power User: A high
quality floppy drive that accepts 3.5 inch floppy disks. Each floppy
disk should hold a minimum of 1.44 megabytes of data. |
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Operating System: |
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The
foundation software of a computer system. Responsible for controlling
and launching the installed applications and computer peripherals. It
schedules tasks, allocates storage, handles the interface to peripheral
hardware and presents a "default" interface to the user when no
application program is running. |
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Recommendation: |
Good and Power User:
Microsoft WindowsXP Home Edition with SP2 (Service Pack 2) or Microsoft WindowsXP Professional
Edition with SP2. The main difference between Home and Professional is that
Professional can network with a "domain" - or 10,000 other computers
(Client/Server Environment), while Home can only operate in a Peer to
Peer networking environment (recommended 5 computers or less). Home is perfect for the home or small
office (called SOHO - Small Office Home Office). Professional is needed
for larger businesses and for software applications that require
Client/Server environments. WindowsXP Professional is more expensive
than WindowsXP Home.
WindowsXP Media Center Edition is recommended for those users who want
to include full media capabilities to their computer. |
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