Double Click
Trading Up
Overdue for a system upgrade? Here are a few factors to consider...
FROM: JUL-AUG 2006 ISSUE | BY ROBIN DAY
There comes a time when everyone needs to buy a new computer. Perhaps you want to be the first on your street to be up and running with Microsoft Windows Vista when it is released to the public, or maybe you have finally worn out that old Windows 98/Pentium 1 system that has been chugging away under your desk for close to 10 years. Whatever the reason, if you are ready to take the plunge and invest in some new hardware, here's a look at what is currently available and how to find the right system for your needs.
System Requirements
Before you ever set foot in a computer store, you need to decide what you want to do with your new system. The best components for an office machine are not the best for gaming or multimedia, so if you spend your life answering e-mail and crunching numbers in Excel, you will want a different machine than someone who uses it primarily to edit home movies and burn DVDs. Gaming and multimedia are the most demanding in terms of system requirements, so expect to pay a little more for a system that can handle these applications. Most office users can get by with a fairly basic system, with perhaps a memory upgrade to accommodate heavy multitasking if you are prone to running several applications simultaneously.
Desktop or Notebook?
Another key question is whether to go for a notebook or a desktop system. If you need mobility, a notebook is the obvious choice but again, your primary use should be considered. If you spend most of your time on the road, a full-featured
desktop replacement may be your best bet while an occasional traveler might get better mileage out of an inexpensive model with basic functionality in addition to a desktop system for back at the office.
Wireless networking is almost a must for notebooks these days and most come with built-in WiFi connectivity. IEEE 802.11g is the current standard but compare the specifications of systems you are considering carefully, especially when it comes to security features. Not all 802.11g systems are created equally — some manufacturers do not implement all of the available features, resulting in some models being less secure than others.
CPU Selection
The arrival of dual core processors has been one of the more publicized improvements in CPUs in recent years. Developed as a solution to a variety of issues including the power requirements and heat generated by today's high-speed processors, dual core processors are essentially two CPUs in one. They are a promising development; however, the average user is unlikely to see a significant benefit until the next generation of software hits the streets. For now, the increased cost (anywhere between $250 to $500) makes dual core an expensive option for the office.
One other consideration in the dual core debate is that of software licensing. Most software is licensed for a single CPU and technically, a dual core system gives you two. This is more of an issue in the server market but it may also affect desktop users. Although it is hard to believe many vendors would charge double just because you have a dual core system, it is not inconceivable that there will be a premium charged for software that incorporates the multithreading necessary to take full advantage of multiple cores.
Graphics
This is an area where business users can frequently trim a few dollars from their budget by opting for basic functionality rather than going high-end. For most business applications, the integrated graphics built into many motherboards are more than adequate.
On the other hand, for graphics-oriented applications, a dedicated video card with at least 256MB of memory is in order. Of course, true power users will want to check out the multi-screen displays offered by companies such as Digital Tigers. Their Zenview Arena Elite system provides up to seven monitors that can either be used independently or joined to form a single huge display.
Monitors
No matter how much you spend on a video card, the images on your old 15-inch CRT monitor will pale in comparison to a high-resolution 17- or 19-inch LCD. An LCD will still cost a bit more than similarly sized CRTs, but the higher quality and space savings are well worth the extra cost. Many factors must be considered when buying any display. When it comes to LCDs, two of the most important considerations are the contrast ratio and the native resolution. Contrast ratios measure the difference between the darkest and brightest colours on your screen. A ratio of 400:1 is adequate for most uses, but a higher ratio will result in a better image. The resolution of a display, measured by the number of pixels per inch, is what determines the quality of the image on your screen.
Most 17- and 19-inch LCDs currently on the market have a native resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels. It is important to remember that because the pixels in an LCD are a fixed size, they will always look their best running in their native resolution. Most will allow you to switch to lower settings to make images appear larger, but the quality will be significantly reduced.
Storage
The trend in hard drives has not changed much in the past 10 years. Larger, faster drives appear on the shelves each month and the older models are sold off at lower prices. This is one area where I have never opted for the leading-edge product. Instead, I suggest going with a slightly older model; preferably one that is just reaching the end of its shelf life. You can usually get a slightly smaller drive that may be a bit slower, but will cut your cost by 25 to 50 per cent if you shop carefully. It is easy to add more storage at a later date if you run low; however, with standard drive capacities exceeding 200Gb, this will not likely happen for a while.
One thing that has changed in the last couple of years is the availability of reasonably priced external hard drives that offer decent performance. In the past, external drives have always been either prohibitively expensive, painfully slow, or both. Today, most external drives cost only about $50 to $100 more than similarly sized internal drives, and their USB 2.0 interface provides adequate speed for most uses.
CD/DVD Drives
Ever since CD-ROMs replaced floppy disks as the media of choice, prices of CD-ROM drives have been falling even as speeds increase. Today, the fastest rewritable CD drives cost well below $100 and you can buy a decent DVD-RW drive for about $25 more. Whether you use them for backups, burning your own music CDs or DVD movies, these drives are well worth the price. I use my DVD burner regularly as a backup device and it has paid for itself several times over by allowing me to recover files that would otherwise have been gone forever.
Mac Attack
This column would not be complete without at least a brief comment on Apple's decision to move to Intel processors and the ability to run Windows on Mac hardware. While Apple purists may see this as blasphemy (some have commented that it is the equivalent of putting a K-car engine into a Mercedes touring sedan) I don't see it as a bad thing. Over time it could lead to improvements in hardware as well as in operating systems and software.
As Apple hardware gains in popularity, PC hardware manufacturers will be forced to match Apple's quality, and innovations will find their way into PC hardware more quickly than in the past. On the software side, perhaps we are seeing the thin edge of a wedge that will eventually see the Apple O/S running on PC boxes, providing Microsoft some much needed competition.
Gone Shopping
It seems every time I write one of these upgrade articles, I end up heading down to my local computer store, looking for a few new toys. This time around, I already have a 19-inch LCD, a DVD burner, and a notebook that rarely gets used, so I guess my options are either a dual core CPU or a shiny new Mac. Of course, I could always opt for a shiny new Mac with a dual core processor...happy shopping!
[ TOP ]
Robin Day, MBA, CGA, teaches financial management at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He is also president of Virtual Information Technologies Inc.E-mail rday@virtualit.ca.
"Double Click" is co-ordinated by
John Yu, M.Sc., CDP, FCGA. Yu has been in the IT industry since 1970 in a broad range of roles in technology and in management. He is
vice-president, Information Technology, at
CGA-Canada.