There is a continuous debate on the
benefits between buying computer components to build your own customized
personal computer and choosing a store-built, ready-to-use computer at your
local store. Apparently, store-built computers provide you the convenience of
selecting the model of the PC that closely measures up to your specification,
then you bring it home or to the office and plug it and voila! It's ready for
use. Buying computer components on the other hand, gives you the liberty to set
up your own PC according to the exact specification using branded parts that
are more durable and easier to replace when you want to upgrade your system.
However, putting together delicate computer parts is not everyone's cup of tea no
matter how simple the instructions may be. Whatever choice you make depends on
what suits you best so it is important to have a better understanding of the
kind of computer hardware that should be inside your personal computer.
The hardware inside your computer
including the box that houses all of these comes from different individual
manufacturers, and these parts are assembled together under an operating system
which is a software that is usually run by Microsoft. To keep the prices of
store-built computers popular, distributors would normally utilize the generic
parts that may be of inferior quality, and because they have to cater to a
standard market, it is difficult to find a personal computer that is tailor fit
unless you result to buying computer components instead.
You purpose of buying a computer may
be categorized according to the following needs:
For basic computer tasks - these
include doing Microsoft office functions like Word and Excel, internet access
for email, getting in touch with friends and family through social media,
browsing or research, online shopping, online banking, music downloads, video
viewing, etc...
Gaming - from simple card games,
simulation games such as flying a plane or driving fast speed cars or
motorcycles, platform games like the famous Mario, Action-adventure games that
can be categorized as hard core games requiring high resolution videos, etc...
For video-animation work, graphic
design, and watching high density movies - to get the best results for these
categories, you will need high intensity computer components.
Here is a list of the basic computer
hardware to guide you in choosing the kind of personal computer that will best
suit your needs:
Random Access Memory or RAM - this
allows your computer to read data faster, thus a higher ram accelerates the
speed of your computer system the capacity of which is measured in gigabytes. A
2 gigabyte ram or 2GB can already provide a good speed for your computer
system.
Hard Disk Drive - this is the
hardware that stores the primary information and data. So even if you do basic
tasks only, you will still be collecting an assortment of data that you would
want to keep and logically, your stored files will continue to increase through
time. Choose a hard disk that has at least 160 GB to ensure a large capacity
for storage. External hard drives are also available should you need more space
for storage of large files including your back-up files. You can ask your
computer store about this when buying computer components.
Central Processing Unit - also
called as the microprocessor is the brain or your computer where the functions
of a program are executed. The CPU triggers your operating system that boots
your computer. Most microprocessors are manufactured by Intel and AMD, but
Intel continues to be the more popular choice. When buying computer components
such as your CPU, you look at the clock speed, the cache memory and the bus
speeds. These factors determine respectively how fast your computer will run,
how much data can be stored, and the speed your CPU executes in transferring
data to and from the other components. For basic computer tasks, an Intel Dual
Core is usually recommended.
Mother Board - this is where most of
the major components of your computer are embedded such as the microprocessor,
memory cards, video card, power supply, drive connectors and other computer
components. The type of mother board is essential when buying computer
components because you need to choose one that will allow you to upgrade the
peripherals installed on it.
Video/Graphic Cards - this computer
hardware is very important for gaming and for video and graphic uses because it
is the component that processes image data that comes out on your monitor. You
can choose from the less expensive 2D graphic images or you can go for the
latest output of 3D images. A highly recommended graphic card is the nVidia 1GB
graphic card with an Asus motherboard and a hard disk capacity of 500GB which
you can specify when buying computer components.
If you want a personal computer that
will fit your requirements to a T, it is recommended that you build your own
rather than buying a store-built unit. There are computer stores who can do
this for you, and who will assist you in buying the computer components of your
choice. However, if you are not too particular with the technical aspect of
your computer and you would rather choose a store-built unit, just make sure
that you purchase a computer that contains hardware that are replaceable and
upgradeable.