Computer Technology Tip

Buying a New Computer

The last time I wrote about buying a new computer was for the December 2007 issue. A lot has changed since then. Laptops have grown in popularity because they now virtually equal desktop computers in overall function and price. Desktops are still viable and are often slightly less expensive with a monitor than laptops for equal specifications. Netbooks are relatively new and feature just basic computer functions. They are designed for Internet access and light duty word processing. They are the least expensive of the three types.

Let's start with the netbook. It has a smaller screen than a typical laptop, usually 10" but you can get them in a 12" size. The keyboard is slightly smaller than a standard laptop. They usually come with Windows XP operating system and sufficient memory for Internet related tasks. There is no optical drive built in. You must buy an external CD/DVD drive in order to load programs from a disk. Alternatively you can download programs from the Internet or use a flash drive to load programs on a netbook. Battery life is quite good - up to 8 hours in some cases. The reason for that is the smaller screen and a slower processor. Base price is around $350.00. If you want an external CD/DVD drive add another $100.00. You can get a nice laptop with a bigger screen that is faster, has more memory installed, and has a built-in CD/DVD drive for around $50.00 more than a netbook with an external CD/DVD drive. Netbooks weigh in just over 2 pounds compared to laptops that are up to 6 pounds. All in all you pay a lot for the small size. I recommend a laptop over a netbook.

Laptops offer advantages over a desktop. First, you get all the processing power you need. In addition you get portability. Take it to Florida in the winter and bring it home again. However there are disadvantages too. A somewhat smaller screen may strain you eyes over a period of time. A smaller sized keyboard than a regular keyboard makes for cramped typing. I find myself making more typing errors on a laptop than a desktop. Glossy screens are great for sharpness and contrast but don't sit with a sunny window behind you. The glossy screen acts as a mirror reflecting the light from the window which makes the screen harder to see. Another item is the touchpad. The touch pad allows you to mimic the mouse. Some people have trouble using the touchpad and prefer to connect a real mouse to the laptop. That's fine if you typically use the laptop as a substitute for a desktop.

My minimum hardware recommendations for both laptops and desktops require they have dual core processors. Names like "Core 2 Duo"(preferred) or "Pentium Dual Core" (both from Intel) or "Athlon (TM) X2 Dual-Core" from AMD are best. Avoid computers that utilize single core processors using names of "Sempron" or "Celeron" if at all possible. Choose a speed of 2 GHz or higher. Today's operating systems and many programs run much better with dual core processors. Select a computer that has a minimum of 2 GB's of memory. Higher is better particularly if you do photo editing. Hard drive storage size is usually adequate on almost all computers. 160 GB's is fine for normal use over a period of years but 250 GB's or higher is better if you store a lot of pictures on your hard drive. There are many other options available for computers that help personalize it for your needs and of course add to the cost. What I've outlined here is typical for most HM residents.

Both laptops and desktops feature the Windows Vista operating system. To be exact Vista Home Premium is targeted for the home audience. However, Windows 7 will make its appearance around October 22, 2009. Windows 7 is a reengineered Vista operating system. It's an evolutionary operating system based on Vista but should be worth the wait if you don't need to buy a computer now. I've been testing it and it seems slightly faster than Vista and it's stable. Vista is good too. My laptop has Vista Home Premium.

Shop for popular brands such as HP, Dell, and Acer. Acer is very price effective. Before going to a store get familiar with a manufacturer's line by visiting their web sites. HP can be found at www.hp.com, Dell is at www.dell.com, and Acer is at www.acer.com.

For more information about buying a new computer please come to our PC Club meetings. They are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM upstairs in the Ardmore room in Winfield Hall. THIS ROOM IS NOW A PERMANENT CHANGE FOR THE PC CLUB. Check the Hershey's Mill website at www.hersheysmill.org and click on Tech Tips for past Technology Tips articles.

Don Trauger

To get answers to your questions about computers, please come to the PC Club meeting. The computer club meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in Winfield Hall.

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