Computers and Technology

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.