Ciacfest

Archive for the ‘Desktop Computer’ Category

Are you planning to buy a new desktop computer? It is certainly a daunting task as options are available in plenty and most of the times we get confused which one to go for. There are many renowned companies that offer computers of different configuration. Prices of computer also vary depending on the configuration. But before buying, you must consider some important things. You can also consult a computer services company to get some detailed information about what you should buy.

Following are some of the most important things you should take under consideration before buying your desktop computer.

• Your Budget – Computers are available of different prices and you must consider your budget before buying. And in this context you should also consider your purpose of buying the computer. For instance, if you just want to check mails or want to surf internet then you certainly should not opt for a costly computer with high configuration. But if you want a computer for software development or for multimedia task, you need a technologically advanced computer. For buying a simple computer you don’t need to spend huge amount of money while for a technologically advanced one the cost will definitely be on the higher side.

• Hard Disk and RAM – These are two most important component of a PC. Hard is the part of the computer where you will store all the data. So, if you would like to store a large number of data such as pictures, music, movies or software programs, then it is always recommended to go for a computer with high storage capacity. The RAM plays a very crucial role in the processing speed of the computer. If there is a good capacity of RAM in your computer, the PC will run smoothly.

• Computer Hardware – There are also other computer hardware as well such as monitor, keyboard, mouse, graphics card, and speakers, etc. depending on your requirement you should buy all these components. For example, if you want to play a lot of computer games, then you should go for a gaming mouse and multimedia keyboard. Now wireless mouse and keyboard are also hugely popular. Although, these components are costly but for maximum satisfaction, you will certainly be ready to spend some more bucks. Monitor is another very crucial part. For multitasking, dual monitor configuration is the best choice. There are various renowned brands.

• PC Security – Do you want to use your PC to surf internet? If the answer is yes, you must think about PC security. There are countless viruses, spyware, malware, adware that are developed by the hackers to sneak into your computer and steal your personal information. So, you must install high quality anti-virus and anti-spyware programs for protecting your data. There are also many computer help provider that offer antivirus support to the computer users so that they can enjoy hassle-free and secure computing.

These are some of the most important factors you must consider before buying computer. While buying computer if you keep all these things in mind, it will certainly help you to get the best one.

When thinking of buying a computer most will struggle between the choice of buying a laptop or desktop. Power or portability is one question. A superior grade of electronics was at one time only found with desktops. With new technology and microchips becoming smaller this is no long an excuse. Many laptops will match or exceed most desktops on the market.

Laptops now have high quality sound and video capabilities. If the keyboard is small-scaled for an additional price you can add a wireless keyboard and mouse to enhance your experience. Living accommodations are becoming smaller which makes the laptop a viable option. Laptops now come with extras that allow you to plug in a larger computer screen. Most operating systems offer a plug and play feature that recognizes your monitor when you turn on the laptop. Wireless internet access is nice so you can move from the living room to the bedroom and not worry about cables. The negative side of owning a laptop to consider is that you have limited or no control over with upgrading to the latest video, sound card or motherboard. While this can be done with some models it will be limited due to compatibility problems.

Owning a laptop allows the convenience of being portable but regrettably if you leave your laptop unattended even for minute it may disappear. Laptop theft is one of the most popular crimes in libraries and schools. Software is now on the market that sends out a message of help to specific parties with the IP address of where that laptop was last used.

The biggest factor that contributes with deciding between a laptop vs a desktop computer is the expense. Since a laptop with all the extras can replace your desktop consider the option of putting that expense into a desktop computer. With careful planning your desktop may out live your laptop. A laptop over time may require new battery where with a desktop computer this is not a worry. When you go to your local computer store ask them you want a custom made computer with upgrade capabilities. Let us look at the case that holds all the guts that makes your computer work. Computer cases can now be insulated to provide a whisper quiet operation. Consider multiple fans or the ability to add that at a future date in case you move to a warmer climate. Count the number of vacant slots in your new computer for video or network additions.

Ask if you wanted to upgrade the mother board can it be dropped in? Most motherboards come in a standard size but with technology becoming smaller it will be nice to know you are covered. As time moves forward new operating systems may request the need for more power like ram or a faster processor. You can now add the newest additions to your computer with minimum expense.

In this article I have outline considerations when you purchase your next desktop computer or laptop.

If you are in the market for a new or used desktop computer and are looking to get a good deal, then check out the following suggestions for finding a low cost desktop computer. The internet is by far the best method to use in locating a cheap desktop computer. It’s vast marketplace of discount specialty sites offer great prices and auctioneer websites list items for sale with a final price determined through bid wars.

When using the internet to find a cheap computer, then the first thing you want to do is to decide whether you want to have a guaranteed quality with a possible slight savings through a specialty site or less quality assurance but potential for vast savings through an auctioneer site. The budget you set for your new computer can be a determining factor as to whether you use an auctioneer website or a specialty one.

Specialty websites can help you find a cheap computer. You can find these sites by performing a quick search through a search engine for mass sellers of computers. There are websites that only buy and sell large inventories of desktop computers and allow you to reap a good deal on a new or used computer because they need to sell large amounts of products quickly. When looking through a specialty website, it is important to note whether or not the seller is a reliable one and if quality is assured with your purchase.

Through an auctioneer website you can turn to well known sites such as E-Bay for your bid wars. Searching all the listings on E-bay can help you find a cheap computer. Overall, you can find great prices on cheap desktop computers by using auctioneer and specialty websites that deal in quality, discount computers if you compare prices.

In 2004, Microsoft estimated that 50% of all PC crashes are a result of spyware! It doesn’t take too much time on the ‘Net to see that virus, trojans, worms, spyware, malware, etc are an always-present and ever-growing problem for home users and corporations. No one who travels on the ‘Net is immune from these dangers, regardless of age, race, or position. Every computer user who works or plays on the Internet needs some type of desktop computer security program installed.

So what about you?

Do you have an antivirus and/or antispyware security product installed on your computer? If so, then good for you! You are already on the road to maximizing your desktop computer security. If you don’t have an updated antivirus and antispyware software program then you need one!

You know the story. It can happen to the best of persons. We get busy and forget, or intentionally forget and hope the problem will go away or auto-magically fix itself.

In fact, I have trained hundreds of adult college students how to disinfect and keep their systems spotless clean and spyware-free by using FREE SOFTWARE! And not only getting their systems clean but keeping them clean and even more secure than by simply installing a purchased version and letting it do its thing!

So what do you do first? First, you need to locate a solid and reputable and freely available antivirus and antispyware program. I am NOT asking you to whip out your credit card and purchase a year subscription for another year’s updates for every computer security product you have installed!

There is a better way – FREE!

Expert Recommendation: “The Best Free Desktop Computer Security Products for 2010″.

1. AVG Antivirus Free Edition 9.0 ( free.avg.com )

2. Malwarebytes ( www.malwarebytes.org )

How To Install:

1. Download and install AVG Antivirus Free Edition 9.0. (See link above)

2. Download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (See link above)

To Summarize:

1. Download the software using the link I shared above…

2. On the website locate the free software download link…

3. Install the software by double-clicking the file that you downloaded.

4. When you install, accept the default settings that are recommended for you.

Please, please, please do not surf the ‘net without having some form of virus and spyware protection that you keep updated on a regular basis. If you are traveling the ‘net without protection you will endanger your security and the security of others in your network. Surf Safely – for your own sake!

Ever feel the top of your PC and it was really warm? If so, then do not stop reading! Some of the main reasons computers crash or stop working is because the hardware inside ends up breaking. If a computer isn’t too old, there is no reason for any hardware problems…unless you installed it yourself and made a boo-boo! This happens because your hardware becomes overheated. Hardware becomes overheated due to poor airflow inside of your desktop PC case. It’s like a person, about to have heat stroke because it’s been sitting in heat for long periods of time…so how would you help the person? Give him some water and a nice cool breeze! Of course I’m not saying to give your computer some water, but instead of water you can try cleaning it of dust and debris buildup every so often. As for the cool breeze, your case fans should take care of that for you.

So as you have learned, one of the main causes for hardware failure is poor airflow in the computer case. Airflow is as important to a computer as food is to people. Without the proper airflow, your hardware will end up getting stale air instead of fresh air, and will increase the build-up of dust. Newer desktop PC cases are focusing on good airflow since this issue is becoming more and more common. When looking to buy a new desktop PC case, or even just concerned with your own PC’s temperature, be sure that it has the proper airflow needed.

Desktop PC cases should have at least 3 fans/vents built into the case. You should have one fan placed in front of the case so that it can blow fresh air into the case. You should also have a fan in the back of the case, blowing the air inside of the case out (PSU’s typically have a fan built in that also sends air out of the case. This creates a good airflow throughout your entire case, always keeping the air fresh and it will prevent dust from building up quickly. Most of the newer cases also keep a fan on top of the case, this is called a blowhole. Just like any other blowhole, it shoots out air; this allows the air above the motherboard to rise outside of the case to prevent dust buildup. The most important fan inside of your computer is your CPU fan, this is because your CPU is the hardware that performs most of the PC’s tasks, and therefore it gets hotter. You should always have a fan blowing directly onto your CPU.

There are other alternatives to cooling your system rather than setting up fans in the correct positions to make sure you get the correct airflow, but it’s the cheapest method and it gets the job done. There is also water cooling, which is when water passes through hoses making sure the temperature stays cool. Water cooling is more expensive and is a hassle to install, but it is much more effective than traditional fan cooling. A method that is becoming more popular and is the most expensive is Liquid Submersion Cooling, submersing the hardware components in a thermally conductive liquid. This method is the most effective and there is no need for fans or pumps.

A desktop computer is a solid option for operating from a fixed location. It is convenient and reliable apart from being affordable. Another advantage is that the desktop computer can be upgraded whenever necessary without incurring huge expenses. But when it comes to portability, there is only one alternative – the laptop. Though much expensive than their desktop counterparts, a large number of consumers including students and executives opt for laptops because of the cardinal advantages of compactness and portability.

Once the consumer decides to settle for a laptop, many factors are to be considered before choosing an appropriate one. Laptops are available in different sizes, diverse features and sporting different operating systems like Windows, Mac, Linux etc. Windows is the most widely used OS, but some users are particular about specific operating systems for reasons best known to them. Another important factor is the weight of the product which is proportionate to the size of the screen and other features incorporated in it.

Modern laptops boast several innovative features. Some come with touch pads and inbuilt mouse, much to the convenience of those who are accustomed to desktop computers. Additional provisions are also given to enable the users to incorporate an external mouse if necessary. As a portable unit, a laptop depends on batteries to keep itself alive. But modern laptops are provided with A/C adaptors in order to make them independent of batteries wherever power is unavailable and when the device is used on the move.

The touch screen option is preferred by many users to enable easier navigation. Size of the keyboard is very often a contentious issue in this device. Larger keyboards are convenient for users. But when the size of the laptop becomes smaller the keyboard also becomes smaller. Touch screen incorporated laptops are able to accommodate larger keyboards to make them convenient for users. Such products can eliminate mouse and touch pads as well. Touch screens make the operations faster and reliable and eliminate the risk of clicking the wrong options accidentally. They also contribute towards cost reduction, as manufacturers can save the expenses incurred for providing mouse, touchpad etc.

Those consumers who make use of laptops invariably during transits are now bestowed with wireless connectivity to internet. Modern laptops are provided with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity options. It is important for shoppers to verify the capacity of the hard disk and RAM. Similarly the type and capacity of the processor are to be verified. Another equally important aspect to take note of is whether the strength of the processor and Memory are to be compatible with each other.

Battery life and size of the screen are some of the other factors that are to be looked into. The form, content and weight of the laptop depend on the features chosen. As mentioned earlier, laptops are expensive devices. The cost of the product is proportionate to the features or characteristics like Memory, Hard drive space and size of the screen. So it is important for the prudent shopper to buy a product which is just adequate for the purpose. Instead of going for a laptop with advanced capabilities, it is better to upgrade the existing system at a later stage if it becomes a necessity.