When purchasing a computer, one could become overwhelmed by the amount of technical knowledge that seems necessary to make a wise buying decision. However, a simple understanding of certain basic concepts and options available to you will make the task of purchasing a computer much easier.
The first question one must ask oneself when purchasing a computer is, "Why am I buying this computer?".
Are you going to need a computer that you can carry around with you, one that is portable? Then you'll need a laptop computer. If you are only going to be using your computer at home and don't need to carry it around with you, then you could choose to purchase a desktop computer.
If you are purchasing the computer for use at work, you'll want to find out from your employer if Windows or Mac is best suited for your work environment. Although Windows and Mac can exist in the same computer network and swap information and share resources, not all computer departments have the knowledgeable technicians necessary to make this feasible. This is changing, however, as more and more companies make their networks accessible for both Windows and Mac.
Understanding a few computer terms is very important before you purchase a computer. The three most important technical terms you'll encounter when comparing computers for purchase is "memory", "hard drive storage or size" and "processor speed". I'll go over a very simplified explanation of each of these terms.
Memory - It is the amount of space available on chips in your computer called "RAM" chips. These "RAM" chips actually run all the programs on your computer. The bigger your memory, the more programs you can run at the same time and the faster it will all work together. In today's computer environment, you should have at least 512MB of RAM, and preferably 1GB (1GB = 1024MB) or more for the newest operating systems like VIsta and Snow Leopard. Of course, if you choose to use Ubuntu or another version of Linux, you could run on as little as 256MB of RAM and save yourself a lot of money.
Hard Drive Storage (size) - This is the actual amount of information you can store on your computer. The larger the size, the more music, videos, programs and documents you'll be able to store on your computer. Unless you have an excessive amount of music and/or videos you want to store on your computer, anywhere from 40GB - 100GB is more storage space than you'll probably ever use. Any more is just a waste of your money. If you ever do need more storage after buying your computer, there are external drives you can purchase that are as simple as plugging them in to your computer to get them to work.
Processor Speed - This is how fast the "processor" works. The Processor might be considered the brains of your computer. Depending upon what operating system you purchase, you'll want to make certain you have at least the minimum processor speed. With modern computers, my suggestion is that you make sure your processor has at least 1.5Ghz processor speed. The higher the number, the faster your computer will perform.
