Choosing the right computer for you

Now that you have narrowed down what type of computer you want you can move on to the next step of choosing one which has the right specifications for you.

All computers consist of the following components to function:

• Mainboard - allows all components to connect together
• CPU - brain
• Memory - short term storage
• Hard Drive (HDD) - long term storage
• Optical Drive - plays CD/DVD

When you buy a notebook, all-in-one or tablet, your device will potentially also have a wireless card, speakers and webcam built in.

The main thing you need to decide on when purchasing your next computer is what size brain you think it needs.

Now this can be confusing with all the different computer manufacturers out there using different brands of CPU's.  You may even see adverts saying "Dual" and "Quad" cores and think what is this?  Well just to confuse you more it is just another type of CPU "brain" in the market.

The good news is that it you don't have to be confused when looking anymore!

From our experience within the computer industry there are three main chips that you should be considering when purchasing a new computer for general use. They are the Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 chips, and they will give you the best chance of enjoying your computer's performance over the next few years.

In our retail store we like to use the following analogy when explaining the differences between the different levels:

• i3 is the 4 cylinder car it is economical and will do most things. Its a great entry level.
• i5 is the V6 which is great for almost everything that requires a bit more power, great for regular users.
• i7 is the V8 for those that want to be going at light speed, perfect for impatient or experienced users.

With this simple analogy, you should find it easier to help narrow down the choice of which computer you need to buy based on your particular needs.

In today's market place you will be seeing lots of specials based around "Pentium" and "Celeron" chips (CPU's).  The reason why they are so cheap is because they are old technology and are the lowest speed computers, and we would not recommend purchasing a new computer based on either of these at this point in their life cycle.

As always, if in doubt, or if you have some special requirements, don't hesitate to ask your local computer store.