There are a huge variety of computers available in the market with the difference being,
operating system, RAM capacity, graphics card, hard drive capacity, laptop or a PC, and certain other features. Getting a new computer is of course a great experience, but not able to choose the right one can be a daunting task as well.
While deciding which computer to buy, consider the following features:

1. What do you want to do with your computer?
The choice obviously depends on the work the device will be put to. Of course, the functionality guides the kind of computer. Which of the following tasks will your computer be performing?

• Only to check emails and browse the web.
• Important office work.
• Playing games.
• To create music, videos, and images and show your talent.
• Only for entertainment.

2. Decide between PC, laptop or a notebook
• A notebook is a small notepad with small screens ranging from 10 to 12 inches. It generally comes with a slow CPU, Ram of about 1 to 2 GB and not much hard drive space. They are extremely portable and have a battery life of about 1 to 4 hours depending on the task it is being used for.

• A laptop is portable, good for students and office goers but with limited gaming abilities. It is heavier than a notebook and with a battery life of only about 3 -6 hours depending on the tasks being handled.

• A desktop is more powerful and less expensive than a laptop and also easier to upgrade but it takes a lot of space and requires purchasing of a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

If you want something on the go, a laptop or a notebook is the right choice for you, otherwise, consider going with a desktop.

3. Decide the required technical specifications
• Memory requirements: Decide how much memory you will require depending on the complexity and volume of tasks you will be using your computer for. Nowadays, budget PC’s come with 4 or 6 GB of RAM which is quite good for day to day use. If you just wish to check emails or browse the internet, 2 GB should be enough but 4 GB will provide better performance and less lag between switching tasks.

• Choosing operating system: Decide whether you will like Macintosh or Windows or the less common Linux operating systems. Among all these, Windows is the most common which means software as well as online help exist more widely.

• CPU: CPUs with multiple cores helps perform better by allowing you to run multiple tasks at the same time. So, look for something with more cores for better performance. Even the less expensive PCs these days come with at least 2 core CPU.

• Graphics card and LCD: To play the latest games on the PC, choosing the graphics card becomes very crucial. Most graphic cards include on board memory. The on board memory helps render images onto your screen and free up your local ram for other tasks. You should try for 2GB and greater. Also, the quality of LCD monitor is very critical because if you are planning on long periods in front of the computer this could really affect your eyes.

• Hard drive: Choose whether you wish to go for solid-state drives, SSD, that have low capacity but can deliver high performance or traditional hard disk drives,HDD. Asides from the performance between SSD and HDD the other barrier is price. HHD though slow at times provides you a great deal of space for the fraction of the cost of a SSD. In recent years the introduction of Solid State Hybrid Drives, SSHD, has helped provide a hard drive with a partial performance upgrade of an SSD, with the space of a HDD and a price point between the 2.

Choosing the right computer from the huge range of choices available can be a difficult task but by steering your decision towards the technical requirements, the task can be made easy. Decide what you need, follow the above tips for choosing the right hardware and feel confident in choosing the right computer for yourself!

If you still feel overwhelmed by the process of buying your computer, feel free to reach out to us and we will gladly give you a hand.