Monday, July 31, 2000		On Hardware

Before you buy a computer...

By Vipul Verma

MR Mehra has been planning to buy a computer for the past one year but has not been able to decide which computer to buy and also is it the right time to buy or not? Every time I meet him he asks me only one question – which computer I should buy. Like Mr Mehra, there are thousands of people who are serious about buying a computer but have not been able to decide what they should buy.

If money is not the constraint then this question is meaningless; but if you wish to spend your money wisely then it is a very critical question. The world of computers is very fast changing and at times very confusing, too. Every day some new product is being launched or the technology is being upgraded. So by the time you decide, you learn that the product has already become obselete and new technology has come and that makes you rethink. But now the question is, does the frequent change in technology really matter to you that much?

Before taking a decision on what kind of hardware you require, you should know the following:

1. Understand very clearly, what kind of work is going to be performed on the computer. It’s true that all uses of the computer can not be jotted down. But if the uses are categorised at a macro level, then the correct hardware requirement can be known. For example, if a person works on an accounting software in DOS mode then the technology does not affect him much and he may not require the latest hardware to optimise his performance. All he might require is larger storage capacity (hard disk) or some improvement in RAM. Similarly, if a person needs to make only general communication by writing letters or printing small stationary, even then the performance is not directly proportional to the latest hardware. But if software development or heavy data processing work is to be done, then better hardware may optimise the performance and the user should go in for the latest technology. Therefore, there are no universal criteria for judging what is the best in hardware, as it may vary from case to case.

2. It is often seen that personal computers for home are often used less in comparison to office computers. So if you are planning to buy a computer for home and if it will not be used much then you can settle for the “immediately previous” technology or even if you opt for the latest technology you can plan for cost-effective models. For example, rather than going in for a Pentium III-650 Mhz, you can go for a P-III 500 Mhz or 600 Mhz or the cost-effective Celeron-based computers. As a home user you will not be able to perceive much difference performance wise and at the same time the expense involved would be justified. However, if you want to use it for your professional purposes then the latest technology should be given preference.

3. What is most critical in a computer that should influence your decision: Well, this is the often-ignored but most important question that does not occur to most prospective buyers. All they know is that P-III 650 Mhz is better than P-III 600 Mhz, but there is a difference. Again, the answer to this question revolves around your usage. If your usage is going to be more Internet-based then your focus should be more on RAM (random access memory). For better access of the Net and for faster opening of Web sites, you need higher RAM rather than a better processor. So in this case RAM is most critical for you. Normally, if you go for any computer you will get 64 MB RAM as standard configuration. If you want to have better performance you must have at least 128 MB RAM, higher would be even better. In this case you can always compromise with the processor speed and in this way you can have a better computer and, may be, even at a lower price, which would fully cater to your need. If you are buying a branded computer then you are sure about the quality of RAM. However, if you are going in for an assembled computer, then you should insist on better quality RAM like Techram, Simtronics, etc., that comes with a lifetime warranty. These are slightly more expensive then the normal RAM but it works trouble free for longer periods.
   There are a couple of other very important things that would matter to you when you start working on your computer. One is choosing the right hard disk. Nowadays, hard disks are available with mind-boggling storage capacities, but most of them have slower speeds. Well, it may sound unfamiliar to you, but hard disks too have speeds. Normally, the speed of a hard disk is 5400 rpm. But there are certain hard disks, like the IBM, which come with a speed of 7200 rpm. It is a matter of fact that despite having a slower processor speed, overall performance of the computer may look tremendous if you have a high-speed hard disk. Technically speaking, these are primary IDE hard disk, but have excellent performance. Going cost-wise, it will definitely cost more, but if you compromise with an unduly large hard disk storage capacity then the cost difference would not be much.

4. Upgradability of a computer: Keeping pace with changing technology may not always prove as expensive as you might think it to be. It is only a matter of planning. Often you will see that for the same configuration there are cheap end and expensive models available. The cost difference is primarily due to the cost difference of individual components. Mostly cheap models have two major issues. The hardware in the form of motherboard is not of a standard company or it is not suitable for future upgrades. Nowadays, the bus speed and the speed of RAM has gone up. RAM is now coming with a speed of 133 Mhz as compared to the 100 Mhz speed which is still available in market. But a majority of motherboards available in the market still support 100 Mhz speed. Therefore, they are selling very cheaply in the market. In some cases, the motherborads do not have the standard number of USB ports, which nobody tells you when you go to buy a computer. These computers are kind of obselete and are thus selling very cheap. So while deciding on your computer, you should make it doubly sure that the computer you are going to buy is the latest and has future upgrade capability. Remember, three months later you may find 133 Mhz RAM as standard and six months later you will find it very difficult to find 100 Mhz RAM, if you wish to upgrade it. So, ideally, go for the hardware which is fully compatible with future upgrades, no doubt you shell out slightly more right now.

5. What is best for you, a branded computer or an assembled computer? Again, there are no universally applicable criteria which tell you what is best for you. There is no doubt that branded computers are better, but they carry a higher price tag also. At the same time, assembled computers are cheaper but you are not sure of the configuration they have. Well, in order to decide on this issue, a balance between your budget and usage should be the criterion. If you are planning for a computer purely for home use and plan to spend on the latest configuration, then you should plan for a branded Celeron computer for the reasons mentioned earlier. Here you may also opt for an assembled P-III computer for a little extra amount, but the best deal for you may be in a branded computer like Compaq, Wipro, IBM, etc. If you are planning to buy for professional use, then, if your budget permits, you should go for a branded computer. If you are buying a computer just for basic stuff and will not be using it much, then a good assembled computer could be the right option. Good assembled computers also prove very efficient; in any case, if you buy an assembled computer you should be fully confident about your dealer.

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