What computer should I get? - Part II

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Summary: A new computer is a major purchase, and knowing what computer to get isn't easy. I continue my review some of the important things to think about.

In a previous article, What computer should I get?, I avoided answering the question directly because there is no single answer. Instead, I began to walk down the list of decisions I found myself making as I had to answer that question for myself. This article continues down that path.

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So far I've discussed Type, Brand, Model, Weight and Screen Size. Continuing down my list of priorities:

Memory: As I've mentioned elsewhere, the one thing that has the biggest impact on Windows' performance is the amount of RAM installed. It's the one update that can have immediate payoff and the one option that can far extend a computer's useful life. I recommend that you a) get more than you think you need now, and b) make sure you can install even more later.

In my case that means one gigabyte of ram installed and the ability to add another gigabyte someday in the future.

Processor Speed: This model of laptop was offered at speeds of 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 ghz. The highest speed typically comes at a premium price that isn't really proportional to the increase in speed. So processor speed isn't something I invest a lot of money into. I selected 1.8ghz as a compromise.

Most people look only at processor speed when selecting a system, and while it's important, it doesn't necessarily make as much difference as you might imagine. If you're browsing the web for example, processor speed is almost irrelevant - it's your download speed that limits you. If your machine has a slow disk then that may make a larger difference for many applications than processor speed. And as I said earlier, having enough memory perhaps makes the biggest difference of all.

Hard Disk Size: I haven't filled up the 20gig drive on my old laptop and haven't filled up the 60 gig drive on my desktop, so clearly disk space wasn't a terribly important issue for me. With the expectation that I might carrying around more MP3s in the future, I sprung for the 60 gig drive to keep it on par with my desktop and give me plenty of room for the future. Another factor in my decision was the rotational speed of the drive. There were two 60gig models offered, one at 4200rpm and another at 5800rpm. This can be an important component of a system's overall speed, so this is a case where the extra speed was worth it to me and I selected the slightly costlier, faster drive.

For normal word processing, email, and internet browsing, the smallest available hard drives - typically 40gigs right now - are more than sufficient for most folks' usage. If you plan to have a lot of images, music, or videos, then your hard disk space becomes more important.

Wireless Capability: I need wireless. In fact, I'd probably say that there's no reason not to get at least 802.11b wireless capability in any laptop these days. The incremental cost is low and the flexibility later can be significant. In my case, while I run a 802.11b network at home, I sprung for the 802.11g card for future compatibility with faster networks. I also elected the Intel rather than Dell-branded solution.

As I said, I can't really see buying a laptop without a wireless network card included any more. For most cases 802.11b will be plenty and keep you compatible for years to come. There are many technology providers and I typically recommend name brands whenever possible - I've had good luck with Intel networking components.

Peripherals: I tend to add very few additional components when I purchase a machine. I let my future needs drive what to purchase and when. However, I did spring for:

• An additional battery that can be swapped in place of the CD/DVD drive to the Latitude can run longer with two batteries installed.

• A DVD drive. I elected not to get a CD or DVD burner because I've never had call for that the way I use a laptop, and my desktop already has this.

• No floppy drive. I rarely use one any more.

The peripherals that make sense for you will vary based on your expected needs. A CD burner for example is almost a must for backups if you don't have one on another machine already. Make sure you know what peripherals use standard interfaces, such as USB or PCCard, and can be added later versus those that are proprietary to the machine and are more appropriately purchased at the same time as your machine (like the DVD drive I selected).

Software Included: OK, I'll confess that I have an advantage here. As a former Microsoft employee, I have access to current Microsoft software at discounted prices through the company store, so I rarely pay for bundled software with my machine. That being said, since the system will come with an operating system installed, I selected Windows XP Pro with media. It'll save me the install time. Since I have my own security and antivirus solutions I also declined any additional software.

Operating System choices both easy and difficult: the "XP" part is easy, but whether to choose Windows XP Home or XP Pro will depend on your needs. What's critical is to insist on getting the media or CDs for the installed operating system. If you ever need to reinstall your operating system in case of failure or other issue it'll be impossible unless you have the original media. A previous article on this subject - I don't have an installation CD for Windows XP - what if I need one? covers some of the issues.

Price: Computers and software are my career and hobby, so you might expect that I'd be willing to throw more money at a computer than some folks. As it is, I made my selections and then looked at the price. I was fairly happy with the price on my laptop of just under $2500.

Obviously price is an important component for everyone. There's no real rule of thumb I can offer here only to state that all of the decisions that lead up to this are tradeoffs against the final price. Bigger, faster hard drives, more memory, name brand network cards, and so on all add incrementally to the price. It's one of the reasons I like the Dell web site for ordering because I can craft a machine to meet my needs and make tradeoffs against my budget. Even if it's only a guide to configuring a computer you might purchase elsewhere, it's an easy way to see the impact of some of your choices and decisions.

Now my machine's on order. Once it arrives, I'll describe the steps I take to set up the new computer.

In the mean time, are you looking to give someone a computer as a gift? Read my article covering what to look for: What computer should I give?

Update: Well, my new machine arrived. Read the next installment: What if my new computer doesn't work?. (And yes, once it's working I'll follow up with my initial configuration as promised.)

Related:

• Ask Leo! - What computer should I get? (Part I)

• Ask Leo! - What computer should I give?

• Ask Leo! - What if my new computer doesn't work?

• Ask Leo! - Windows XP Home or XP Pro?

• Ask Leo! - Why is my machine slowing down?

• Ask Leo! - I don't have an installation CD for Windows XP - what if I need one?

Article C2232 - November 25, 2004