How to Select a New Computer
Many of you who upgraded your computers during the initial Windows 10 launch may be again looking for a new computer. There are four major factors when selecting a new pc; chassis, features, specifications, and price. Chassis is usually pretty easy but it has expanded a bit in the last couple years. Do you want a laptop, ultrabook, desktop, small or tiny desktop, tablet, or a 2-in-1 device. This is usually a matter of personal preference but can be influenced by the other factors. We do recommend that if you are not moving your computer 90% of the time, you will get more bang for your buck using a desktop over a laptop.
Next you will need to check the features. You will need to decide what size screen or monitor you would like. Do you want a touchscreen? You should also look at the ports on the computer. How many USB ports are you currently using, is the video connection the same as you have, and do you want a backlit keyboard?
Specifications should be the most important factor when purchasing a computer. There are really 4 major things to look at CPU, RAM, Hard drive space, and graphics. CPU is the speed of the processing power. Intel and AMD currently use a number scheme (3, 5, 7, 9) to dictate the performance of their CPUS with the higher number being better. Our current recommendation for an office worker is an Intel i5 CPU. RAM is memory and dictates how many processes a computer can do at once. Our current recommendation for a basic office worker is 8 or 16GB of RAM. Hard drive space is something that is not as important anymore with the advent of cloud storage. Unless you have a need to store a lot of data a smaller drive at around 128GB or 256GB should suffice. Graphics is important if you are doing any type of video editing or CAD work. You should always consult the system requirements of software you are running before making a hardware purchase.
Price can be a concern when purchasing a new computer. Price is usually obtained by the combination of the other three factors. You will usually pay more for units with higher specifications, lighter weight, and better features. You should always remember that you and your staff are using a computer for most of your workday so trying to save $50 or $100 for equipment that you will use for 5 days a week for 5 years can be short sighted. Always reach out to your IT provider before making any hardware purchases so they can verify compatibility with your environment.
