How to Choose Your New Personal Computer

The components of the PC

Before we can make decisions, we have to know everything on your PC, and how.

O CPU Processor - The processor is the engine that runs on your PC instructions million times per second to get the job you want to do over. Modern processors have multiple cores and is known as dual core (2 cores) and Quad Core (4 cores, soon 'Octa 8-core processors will be available), which makes a bit like my wife is capable of make more than one thing at a time, or multi-task.

So let me ask my team to give one million lottery numbers and it takes eight seconds to complete (which actually end up in the blink of an eye). With a dual-core processor that only four seconds that I could get a sample to give me half a million numbers and the other to do the same at the same time. Therefore, in a quad-core with the same logic that only two seconds. Divide the tasks of this type is called multi-threading. Therefore, the theory is that if you can divide a large task into several smaller tasks that can be implemented simultaneously, the more cores, the better. But there is a catch. Not all tasks can be broken in this way and not all software vendors to write their programs in this way so you need to make sure that what you are able to take advantage of it then you will know if you should go a Duo or even a quad-core processor Octa.

The other factor that affects performance is the clock speed of the CPU expressed in GHz (cycles per second). Most processors these days are between 1.8GHz and 3.3GHz. All cores in a multi-core CPU will run at the same clock speed. So if you see a manufacturer, the designation of a PC as 12GHz, then what we are doing is to increase the clock speed by the number of cores (4 cores 3GHz). Perhaps to make your PC faster than phenomenal find anyone who knows. Clock speed is simpler than the number of cores, a faster clock speed means simply the fastest execution times, period. Therefore, if you can not get the benefit of more cores to be able to get the most out of the GHz

The memory (or RAM) - While the team is in memory of the CPU is where it stores its ongoing work. Computer memory is the fastest PC you can store information so that when their work is done where it prefers to do so. However, if you run out of memory that things will begin to store on your hard drive instead (known as virtual memory paging), and that is when things slow down dramatically. Therefore, be sure not to skimp on the memory more than enough of this, all you can afford. Secondary to that is the speed with which it is itself. As a guide to Windows Vista is really the first to come to its minimum of 1GB of memory should be 2GB (DDR2) or 3GB (DDR3) for the general use of light, and 4 GB (for DDR2) 6 GB (for DDR3) or more demanding applications or games.

Memory speed is measured in a combination of MHz, Type and latency. Its also important to remember that bandwidth is a different speed. Imagine the memory bus is like a road. A single lane road with fast cars traveling at 70 mph, each car will arrive at your destination quickly, but there are only so many cars that fit on the road. In addition a four-lane highway even in 55 mph slower cars to get to their destination in the same period of time, but all the cars take longer to reach individually, this is similar to the bandwidth. None-the-less the two are intertwined as clearly a narrow path, you can match the bandwidth of a multi-lane where cars are able to move fast enough.

Demanding tasks that could be done in a team in demand for bandwidth, or speed, or a balance of both to work optimally. The memory bus type of technology used also affects the bandwidth that is, DDR, DDR2, DDR3 etc. DDR means double data rate and after the number indicates the number of channels it uses to communicate. It is evident that the greater number of channels using the bandwidth will. DDR2 therefore has twice the bandwidth of DDR3 DDR and, in turn, 150% more bandwidth. As a rough rule of thumb in MHz memory speed should be doubled for each level of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration as each has a latency of approximately twice the penalty of its predecessor. Therefore, DDR2 memory to get the faster 400MHz DDR, DDR2 memory at 800 MHz needs, and because of its dual channel will have much greater bandwidth. Think about this carefully because DDR3 1333MHz is not automatically better than DDR2 1100MHz for those reasons, its frequency is assumed the best and latest technology is not always the case.

At the time of writing it remains to get a new PC with DDR3 1333MHz to 1600MHz memory. Or if it is then 800 MHz DDR2 or more. As far as latency is concerned, the file is complicated to explain, but if you're doing demanding work to ensure its low memory latency. For gaming in general and the working speed is more important than the bandwidth for video encoding and other tasks to move a large amount of data about the volume of bandwidth is the priority.

The hard disk drive (HDD or storage) - The hard disk memory is unlike a slow but permanent store. When the computer is turned off all the files ready to stay there when it switches back again. For the vast majority of people that the only relevant if the shop is large enough. Mechanical hard drives are so cheap now you can get much more capacity than ever likely to need not much money. Normally a new PC should have at least 300 GB of storage capacity.

If you do much photography, video database or below the speed of the disc is important to you. Four factors affect the speed of the hard disk 1) The rotation speed (typically 7200 rpm, but to 15000rpm), 2) What amount of data stored per square surface (plate), ie density surface, 3) the speed with PC interface, it must be SATA-II, which can transfer data up to 300MB / s, and 4) the speed at which the unit's head can move across the surface (half hour usually look around 8ms). The latter is usually the least important.

A new technology is maturing rapidly is the solid state disk or SSD. It has no moving parts and uses a special type of permanent memory (flash memory, like USB sticks) with computers to store data like a hard disk. It is a complex issue in itself and a specialized area. For the vast majority of people who are too expensive at present to offer great value and cheap SSD just outweigh the good will of a hard drive in a limited number of scenarios.

The graphics card (or GPU, GPU) - If you do not play, edit video, 3D graphics modeling, CAD design work, or you can skip this section as any modern graphics card should do. Including photographers and photography is limited mainly by the CPU and not the graphics card. The motivation to invest heavily in graphics card technology has been the demand for 3D graphics processing in real time. This is as it is now arguably more demanding processing power of the GPU cards in the high-end PC's main processor.

Basically, there are two contenders in the field of ATI and nVidia. Both are excellent and offer a similar performance in terms of price-value. Kept the crown exchange among themselves as to who is the fastest-final at any time. Generally, unless you need the best of the best in the second or third letter from the top of the range should do everything you need and will be considerably cheaper. Graphics cards have their own dedicated processor in his heart known as the GPU. The speed of the GPU is measured as the main processor is, in terms of cores (stream) and more cores MHz MHz and higher general, which is faster. There are differences between the architectural design of the GPU from ATI and nVidia can not be reliably compare core nucleus MHz MHz to look for in a vendor to make such a comparison.

Almost all cards now support dual DVI (digital) monitor outputs so you can have two monitors connected simultaneously. The other important thing that varies is the screen resolution to support you should expect a minimum of 1600x1200, the more you need more memory on the card (such as serving as a frame buffer) and the most powerful card to be quickly be larger than the screen size.

Multiple graphics cards can be installed using the ATI Crossfire or nVidia SLI GPU between rules and communications interfaces. It is also possible to have two GPUs on the card in a single case in which SLI or Crossfire will run to link the two GPUs on the card. Be careful of this method to increase your graphics performance like some games and applications are not designed to operate efficiently and not increase linearly each card (or GPU) is likely to give a yield of 40-60% gain on single card (or GPU).

Windows 32 or 64 bits (or operating system) - is all about memory. Computers use the binary system of 1 and 0 to express the numbers and the number of ones and zeros that determines how to use a large number, the computer can use. Each location in the computer memory referred by a sequential number as a street address for the postal service. 32-bits have allowed the management team of up to 4GB of memory, you can add more, but the team just wont see it and that is no longer sufficient. So now is the standard 64-bit address and that means we can reference 2 ^ 64 memory locations, or 17.2 billion gigabytes (or 16 exabytes)! Therefore, you must be a while before we have to change again. While most of the latest motherboards are accepting up to six sticks of RAM you have densities up to 4GB per stick, so the practical limit is 24GB.

Optical drives (DVD, CD and Blu-ray) - Optical drives come in three flavors Rewritable DVD (DVD-RW), DVD / Blu-ray Reader (BD-R / DVD-R) and Blu-ray Rewriter (BD - RW). Really speak for themselves in Blu-ray is superior to DVD in two ways 1), which uses blue laser light, which recorded a much higher density than a red laser DVD to have a greater capacity to 50GB in a 8.5GB DVD in general, 2) can play Blu-ray movies on a reader or Blu-ray Rewriter. If you do not care about any of these features do not need Blu-ray and you can save some money. Only movie fans in general, video editors or make use of Blu-ray.

Interfaces (connections to your PC peripherals and accessories) - All modern PCs have interfaces to support the following rules, Firewire (IEEE1394), USB2, eSATA and HD audio multichannel. Therefore, we hope this at least.

The case - through your PC does not really matter what you choose. However, if you think you are likely to want to update regularly then choose a standard size and construction of a brand and no case. Major brands are often cases deliberately designed to throw because they have no room upgrade, or non-standard sizes are very hard working and eliminate obsolete components. Also make sure you have a good cooling, front, rear and top amateur ideal, and is quiet. If you can afford to choose an aluminum-case rather than steel. Usually, they are much better and more easily updatable. Also make sure that some of the interfaces in the PC chassis sockets ie USB2, Audio, Firewire (IEEE1394) and eSATA.

There are a lot of factors that affect most advanced results that I will meet very briefly as a detailed explanation is beyond this article. Please refer to my article for details, where I go to all these in some depth (about justifying a whole article devoted to them).

Front Side Bus, HyperTransport (AMD) or Quick Path Interconnect (FSB or Intel Core i7 QPI) - this is a channel of communication (a "bus") between memory and processor. In the last decade has risen steadily from 10 MHz to the latest processor supporting it (the Core 2) hitting the roof in technology 1600MHz officially (though overclocking speeds faster when possible). QPI speeds of 4800 to the present 6400GT / s.

Overclocking - The right to competent and experienced suppliers that are simply the fastest PC you can buy and usually represent a very good price.

SpeedStep (or EIST) - sounds attractive, but it really is not. Is a technology that reduces power consumption when the processor is low.

HyperThreading - which allows the processor to create the illusion of Windows that has more processors than what it really does. Therefore, a quad-core processor would hyperthreaded had eight cores. Not as good as it sounds, but like all the processor is doing is allowing the cores to use the additional virtual-bit processor that are not occupied. So if you're doing your job very heavy, as there is no bit processor that are not occupied and will not be helpful at all. Which provides for general use around 10-15% improvement in performance. With processor loads actually gets in the way and can reduce yields by 5% or less.

Turbo - creeping back into use again with the new Intel Core i7 processors and type of work in the opposite direction to SpeedStep. It simply means that if the processor is a high demand on the PC to improve their performance by increasing the clock speed of 200-300MHz processors. Its utility is very exaggerated.

RAID - disk controller is a technology that can accelerate the transfer of record times and offer resistance in case of a car. It comes in different flavors for the performance of RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 5 or RAID10 for resistance by both the strength and speed.


Conclusion

Now you are armed with all the tools to take any vendors and retailers to task over its inadequate or incorrect specifications and questionable sales tactics. Get value for money and be firm about what their requirements are and what you expect for your money. Make sure your date is not specified and determined or more for their personal needs. Above all, have fun and enjoy it ...