Computers are used everywhere anytime for multiple computing operations required in an office, professional or even home setup. We even have a pc at home for web surfing and watching movies. Without argument, we can say that PCs have become an inevitable factor in our daily lives. But when you’re buying a pc, you have to keep certain things in check. We’ll list down the important things you need to consider during your purchase and make sure to follow these tips to get the best PCs which can satisfy your work goals.
1, Budget
One important factor to consider is the budget. Make sure to get the best value for money pc when you’re buying one. Keep in mind that not all expensive PCs are the best, you can also avail one of the best PCs in the market at a comfortable rate. You can further cut down your cost by buying PCs during festive seasons to get huge discounts and offers. First of all, be sure of your needs. If you need a pc for casual web browsing and watching videos, you only require a pc with basic specs. Whereas if you’re a professional editor, graphic designer, or gamer, you will need a top-tier pc with great components offering great performance. You can always upgrade storage space and memory later if you need to. So buying a pc with an average storage space and memory will be enough for most users at first, only if you’re not a power user. Besides, make sure to get a pc with a processor that is only required to complete your tasks smoothly. For example, if you’re a student, a pc with an i3 or i5 processor or its equivalent ryzen 3 or ryzen 5 will be sufficient to effectively finish up your tasks. These processors can finish up most of the normal tasks efficiently and are quite cheap when compared to i7 or i9 variants. Whereas if you’re a gamer or a professional video editor you will need a high-end processor and also good graphics cards plus RAM capacity. Thus tallying out your needs and going for a pc which can fulfil them efficiently, can cut down your initial cost of the purchase to a great extent.
2, Processors
Processors are the heart of a computer. They determine the speed of a computer, for example, a dual-core processor is the basic model and will be sufficient for student purposes. Whereas if you require a pc for office use, it’s better to go for a quad-core or even octa-core variant, based on your requirement. The number of cores and threads plays a vital role in multitasking, and to do various processes simultaneously without affecting the speed, it’s always recommended to go for a minimum dual-core processor. Clock speed also determines the speed of a processor, so find a processor with the right clock speed needed to perform your tasks efficiently.
3, Memory
RAM is used by computers to store data temporarily. Higher RAM size means high temporary data storage, which runs the computer faster. The higher the RAM is, the better the computer’s performance. 4 GB is the lowest RAM size, but it’s preferred to go for an 8 GB variant for better performance. For heavy users like gamers, it’s always recommended to have at least 16 GB RAM storage to function effectively while running heavy games. Another thing to consider is the RAM type, DDR3 being the oldest, DDR4 is the standard type used by most users, and DDR5 is the latest type which is even faster than its predecessors, waiting to be released everywhere. Make sure you buy a PC with upgradable RAM slots for future upgrades if you feel like your computer is lagging.
4, Graphic Card
The graphics card is an inevitable factor for gamers and editors, who require great visual performance. It’s always recommended to go for a pc with a dedicated graphics card instead of an integrated one, as they ensure you get the best visual experience while browsing through heavy games and editing apps. Graphics cards also come with multiple cores and different clock speeds, which determine the speed and performance to function different apps simultaneously. Also, make sure to choose a monitor which supports the graphics card you choose for a seamless experience.
5, Storage Device
The size of the storage drives determines the storage space your computer offers. There are mainly two types of storage drives, the traditional HDDs which offer great storage space under low prices, and super-fast solid-state drives which are faster and more reliable than HDDs. It’s always better to opt SSDs, as they improve the overall performance of your pc. Besides, you have the option to upgrade them later if there is a need to, so buy a pc which supports SSD upgrades.
6, Optical Drives
Most PCs have optical drives inbuilt into them, but some latest models don’t have them. It’s better to buy one with optical drives if you need to watch a Blu-ray HD movie or you can always go for an external CD/DVD player and connect them to your PCs to watch HD movies stored in disks.
7, Monitors
Monitors determine the visual quality of your PC. Hence it’s better to not make quality compromises when choosing a monitor. Most PCs have LCDs, and the models vary in terms of size and price. 24-inch LCD monitors are commonly used, and they support 1080p resolution, but there are monitors which bigger sizes that support even 4K videos. If you’re a graphic designer, go for a monitor providing colour accuracy for a seamless and accurate editing experience.
8, External Peripheral Connectors
These come in handy when you want to read many USB cards simultaneously, and most PCs have them inbuilt. New model PCs have high-speed slots for supporting eSATA and Thunderbolt features, and they’re highly useful for connecting different external storage devices.
9, Warranties and Returns
Most computers come with a one-year warranty and some can even be expanded at an additional cost. Check the warranty period of your computer when you buy one, and ensure the return policy as well. Some PCs come with a refundable policy for a certain period, while some PCs have more restrictions, so make sure you buy one which is up to your mark.
When purchasing a new pc, consider all these tips to get the perfect PC for you. Even though a cheap price may seem welcoming to you, it’s always better to spend some money and get a new model, so that it supports all the latest OS updates and technologies.