What should I look for?

DeletedUser1105

(Edit: Sorry Elmyr, didn't realise I hadn't given a great title until I posted)

I am looking at getting a new PC, but don't really know much about hardware, so I won't know a good deal when I see one.

My main issue is memory, but I will probably buy a 2nd hard drive to go alongside any desktop I get.

Can anyone tell me what I should be looking for when buying a PC?

Just for example:

AMD Phenom X4 9650 <LI class=indentFeature>(2.30GHz, 2MB Cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
4GB DDR2 memory
640GB SATA hard drive (7200rpm)
256MB NVIDIA® GeForce G100 graphics
Dual Layer DVD Rewriter
9x USB ports
Media card reader
10/100 network LAN port
Click to expand...

I don't really understand the stuff in bold. I know what GB/MB is, I understand that, but I don't get why it has 4GB and 640GB - what's the deal?

Can anyone explain what the bold bits actually mean?
 

DeletedUser

4gb DDR2 memory is the Random Access Memory or the RAM.. which is a volatile memory.. it is basically a short term memory, which the computer uses as a scratch pad to work on..the contents of the RAM are automatically erased once the computer is switched off.

640GB SATA Hard drive (7200 rpm) is the Hard-disk which is the storage space where all your data.. your programs/softwares will be saved. Unlike the Memory, the contents of Hard-disk is permanent unless you wish to erase it.
7200 rpm is the rotations per minute the Hard-disk would turn, higher the amount, faster would be read-write speed.
SATA is a serial ATA type of hard-disk - in short a good hard-disk

256MB NVIDIA Geforce G100 graphics.. is your graphics card, with 256 MB RAM which This card is specifically used for graphics.. thus increasing your Graphical efficiency.. allowing you to play those wonderful games.. (a 512 MB would be much better)

AMD Phenom X4 is a quad core processor which essentially the brains of the computer
(good choice)
2.30 GHz.. is the processing speed of the processor..
2MB cache memory - this is the memory which is space used by the processor.. cache is basically the notebook specifically for the processor..

all in all a good config.. however i would increase and go for a higher end graphics card.. if you are into gaming..
 

DeletedUser1105

Brilliant thank you. Well, I was hoping to run Football Manager (it's takes too much space on my current old laptop), so it's more memory than graphics that I need.

Thanks though.
 

DeletedUser

sdjx22 said:
Brilliant thank you. Well, I was hoping to run Football Manager (it's takes too much space on my current old laptop), so it's more memory than graphics that I need.

Thanks though.
Click to expand...

Will easily run football manager on those graphics
 
nashy19

nashy19

Nashy (as himself)
Processor: 2.0GHz or Faster
Supported Processors: Intel Pentium 4, Intel Core, AMD Athlon
Memory: 1.0GB RAM
Hard Drive Space: 2GB
DVD-Drive: 4x Speed
Video Card: 128MB *Supported Chipsets (see below)
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible
Directx: Version 9.0c (included)
LAN: TCP/IP compliant
Input: Keyboard, Mouse

Those are the games requirements, it might be overkill, depending on what else you do.
 

DeletedUser1105

A few K? I don't have that kind of cash. I'd be putting the whole lot on the credit card and hoping to spend no more than £500.

Thanks for the help guys - it's definately given me something to think about.
 

DeletedUser

I would disagree. In working for myself, and as a tech lab for some rather prominent companies, I have had ample opportunity to witness the error in purchasing refurbished computers. Not only is it more likely you will be forced to obtain a warranty from the company that sold it to you (as opposed to the manufacturer), but there will be problems with that system.

Also, Packard Bell makes crap computers.
 
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