In today’s world computers are more prevalent and more accessible than they have ever been before. The prices of computers all across the spectrum of manufacturers are beginning to decline and the feature lists keep getting longer. In this sea of computers a consumer can get overwhelmed, especially considering the varying choices available. The first rule of thumb is to decide which segment of the market suits you. Excluding those who prefer Apple computers(OS X)/iPads, Windows 7 is the obvious option, and the typical categories of computer hardware to choose from are: "on-the-go", "gaming" and "everyday".
The general populous, using their computers for the average tasks (checking email, surfing the web, basic document formatting etc.) are considered the everyday users and the best choice is to buy a name-brand (Dell, HP, Acer, etc.) desktop computer with a long warranty . Even the most affordable desktop computer is now more than capable of providing an excellent experience while checking mail, surfing the web, online shopping and more. Features and specifications are almost irrelevant if this is all you need to do - but buy something with at least 2 GB of RAM, allowing your computer to run smoother and faster when multitasking. Some really great products on the market include the Dell Inspiron 570 MT and the HP Pavilion p6500z series, both of which offer a black finish, 2 GB of RAM, 320 GB of hard drive and a standard Windows 7 OS to tie the components together for $299 excluding the monitor. Another option available are products from Acer, one of which priced at a little over $400 is an attractive deal coming with features such as 4 GB of RAM and 500 GB of hard drive, more than enough for your everyday user but for a reasonable price. If these options are right for you, then no problem due to how easy it is to add additional hardware and software components to your PC making it a user friendly option.
For on-the-go, portable computing, the first decision to be made is what your size and performance preferences are. If it is expected that the laptop will be carried around once a day or more, avoid computers which weigh more than 2kg. Such a user should also consider netbook options for on the go use, but needs to recognize the differences between a laptop and netbook. Major differences include the obvious such as screen size, keyboard size and trackpad size. There are however hardware and software differences including less RAM and less hard drive meaning you may not be able to accomplish everything you need to on a netbook. Before making the decision, go out and try one for yourself! Apart from going and trying one out for yourself utilize the internet, read articles and reviews and to ask questions at forums such as What Notebook Should I Buy" is a good idea. [et]
Besides the everyday users and the on the go users, there is a third category which is more demanding than the other two combined, the gamers. Don’t worry though, there are more than enough options for even the most hard core gamer out there due to the incredible number of computer parts on the market, allowing you to customize your setup to just how you want it. If a dual core processor isn’t cutting it, they make quad core processors and Mac is even coming out with a 12-core processor! Graphics cards are being made more powerful than ever allowing your gaming experience to be even clearer and more realistic and there are thousands of power and cooling options as well to make sure your set up doesn’t over heat and that you have enough good clean power to get the job done.
There are differences in computer users out there, but luckily there are enough options for everyone - just look into what is right for you and you will walk away with the right computer for you.
This is an guest post by Michael Blumreich, who is also a contributor to Laptop Reviews.com. He's currently a university student and lover of all things tech.
