As it comes to the time for the purchase of your new computer, many people are at a loss in regard to what they actually need versus what some salesperson is trying to sell them. I bet at some point you were thinking whilst being confused with all the options, what computer setup do I get?
We want to make that process easier for you, so we will break down some of the basics for the best computers or laptops in this post. For the purposes of this post, we will be concentrating on Intel-based, Windows Personal computers, so here goes:
What Do You Want To Do?
This is actually the first question that you should consider. Determining what you are going to be making use of your computer for can help you establish a baseline for the specifications of a new computer, such as:
- Will you be doing things like reading email, surfing websites (media, social posts, Internet searching) with maybe the occasional document created?
- Will you be coping and editing large or hi-res photos or videos? Creating complicated presentations or looking to be able to access large databases?
- Are you going to be playing resource-intensive video games or creating a lot of streaming/training videos?
- Is this heading to be a work PC with heavy daily use?
They are the types of questions you should answer before you start looking at your computer setup.
If you need help figuring it out, the experts at Best Computer Repair are always open to help you. Whether a home or business computer or laptop, we will gladly help you narrow down what will fulfil your needs better.
Soo… What’s Next?
Certain activities will dictate a more evident dependence on PC specifications, such as high-end games, video/music editing, or heavy utilization programs such as ArtiCAD. For the purposes of this section, we are considering a general usage home/office computer.
RAM
For general purposes (and most OS’s), the factor standard is 8 GB minimum. In typical situations this amount of Ram memory is sufficient to handle most mundane tasks, simple spreadsheets, looking at photos, streaming videos, and participating in more basic video games.
For better multitasking and snappier response, 16 GB is preferred, but more Memory is always better. Especially with newer operating systems on computers or laptops like Windows 10 and Macintosh Operating-system Monterey, it is imperative you choose the right computer setup.
Storage (HARD DISK DRIVE)
When it comes to storage, it’s always better to have more than you will need. If in doubt, go bigger. Presently, for standard HDDs (typical drives), the popular size is 1 TB (1000 GB). If you select for an SSD (Solid State Drive) 250 GB – 500 GB as most of your drive, a 1 TB HDD is an excellent pairing for storage.
Graphics
For everyday efficiency tasks, the included graphics processor found on many boards is typically adequate in the computer setup.
However, if you need to get into more graphically challenging pursuits such as high-end photo editing, video production, or gaming, you are going to need to upgrade to a Graphical Processing Unit, video card (GPU).
GPUs can range from significantly less than £100 to many hundreds of pounds, depending on which kind of performance you wish in your computer or laptop. Check again for an upcoming article on GPUs.
Processor
This is the core of your personal computer. The choice you make here will have an effect on the entire performance and capacities of your computer.
For the purposes of the post, we will give attention to Intel processors because they are arguably the business enterprise and gaming standard.
Intel’s current processors will be the basic Pentium series and the 8th technology Intel Core series of CPUs – Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and the new “Extreme” Core i9s.
- Pentium – This is Intel’s very basic type of processor. They are usually for light computer use. The 8th generation Pentium processors were like Core i7’s with lower time speeds.
- Core i3 – This is actually the everyday degree of the series. This CPU is more than adequate for tasks like surfing the web, music, word processing, etc. The newest i3 processors may also manage light or casual gaming. This is the business entry-level of CPU.
- Core-i5 – This is the lowest standard for those doing more complex tasks such as complicated, multi-monitor documents, picture editing, music development, and participating in graphically demanding games. An i5 is our recommended CPU rate for average business/gaming systems.
- Core i7 – This is actually the high-end of this series. My personal computer is running this CPU is the decision of any serious gamer or enthusiast. It should also be the decision of any professional shooter, videographer, musical company, or any business using top-quality data-driven software. It is also a great choice for the home consumer or fellow GEEK like myself 😀
- Core i9 – This is Intel’s new cutting-edge series. These would be utilized for extreme game playing, mega-tasking, very high-end content creation. This series has Intel’s first 18-core processor. This makes me want to drool…. err ok so there you have your CPU’s
Suggested Starting Configurations
Budget:
CPU: Intel Pentium
RAM: 8 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 500 GB hard drive
Every day:
CPU: Intel Core i5
RAM: 16 GB RAM
HARD DISK DRIVE: 1 TB hard drive
Basic Business or Gaming:
CPU: Intel Core-i7
RAM: 32 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 500 GB SSD and \ or 1 TB hard drive
Demanding Business, High-End Video games, Power Users
CPU: Intel Core i9
Memory: 64 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 1 TB SSD with optional 1-4 TB storage secondary drive.
The above-mentioned information covers the fundamentals of choosing a new computer. Hopefully, it offers you more perception of what your loved ones or business needs in new hardware for the computer setup.
Like everything, computer needs such as safe-keeping and RAM may differ, but these are a general guide for choosing the new PC based on how you plan to use it.
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To our continued health and success
Eric – CEO Best Computer Repair –
Bridgend and South Wales.
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