Computer Tips
Bonus desktop uses
- Jukebox (to entertain you during long days in the office)
- DVD player (for when the workday is done)
What can I expect to pay for a desktop?
A desktop PC alone (keyboard and mouse included) should cost roughly $800 to $1,200. An LCD monitor adds $300 to $500 to the cost, and a CRT increases your total by $100 to $300.
Does the Desktop have advantages over Notebook PCs?
Typically, Desktop computers are geared for high-end and more advanced type usages than a Notebook PC. Each has its own advantage -- A Desktop usually can accept more peripherals and can be easily upgraded to a larger capacity than Notebook PC. However, have you ever tried to take your Desktop with you on a road trip? Not very practical is it? This is one of many advantages you acquire with a Notebook PC in regards to mobility. Especially today where we are fastly starting to realize HOT-SPOT Cafes. In other words, locations such as a coffee shop where while we have a coffee and pastry, we can also benefit from the coffee shop high speed wireless internet access. There are endless possibilities to be gained from both the fixed Desktop versus Notebook configurations. What you have to do is evaluate which best suits your needs...or...get both.
Once you've decided that you're willing to invest in a new desktop or notebook computer, it's hard to know where to start. For most business uses, you'll need to cover the following bases:
Processor:
Although today's budget processors boast more than enough power to run typical office apps, if you spend a bit more for a midrange CPU, your investment should last closer to five years than the typical three-year PC life span.
Bare minimum: Desktops: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ or Intel Pentium 4 520 and Notebooks: Centrino, Celeron, 1.0ghz - 2.0+ ghz.
Memory:
Hopefully, your small office is doing brisk business, which means you're well versed in the art of multitasking. If so, you'll want enough memory to run a few applications at a time. Buy enough memory to power Windows XP while running a variety of today's office apps.
Bare minimum: 512MB.
Graphics:
A budget graphics card such as ATI's Radeon X300 or Nvidia's GeForce 6200 will aid both graphics and overall application performance, but most offices can get by with integrated graphics as long as they avoid buying a PC with an ancient chipset.
Bare minimum: Integrated graphics provided by computer manufacturer.
The difference between an integrated graphics card and a discrete card doesn't look like much, but if your business is heavily invested in graphics work, you'll want to shell out for the latter.
Monitor:
Make sure your screen fits the job. Graphics and spreadsheet tasks call for larger screens; e-mail requires very little space.
Bare minimum: 14 inches for an LCD, 15 inches for a CRT.
Recommended: 15 inches for an LCD, 17 inches for a CRT.
