Quad Port Pci

Choosing the Right Desktop PC for Your Needs

There are many different peripherals to consider when purchasing a new computer. It can be hard to find the right piece of kit to suit your situation, as new technologies become available and manufacturers update their models. If you are looking for a basic home computer you should be looking to spend no more than £200. This is, of course, if you already have a monitor, keyboard and mouse to use with it. If you are looking for a more powerful computer capable of handling more complex software, you could be looking at spending anything up to £1000 and more. Here's what to look for when making your decision.

 

Tower Unit

This is where all the number-crunching takes place; it is essentially 'the computer'. You will be familiar with it as the whirring box under your desk or monitor. This is usually the most expensive part of any desktop arrangement and as such needs great consideration. The processor is the PC's brain, and the more gigahertz (GHz) that it possesses signifies how quickly it will work. For standard computing look for a processor with either one or two cores, such as an Intel Pentium or Core 2 Duo. These should run within the range of 1-2Ghz and be capable of running most applications. For more advanced tasks, look for a quad-core processor, such as an Intel Core 2 Quad or AMD Phenom II x4. These run within the range of about 2-3Ghz. Bear in mind that the gigahertz rating for a computer is for one core, for instance, a 2.5Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo will run at a theoretical 5Ghz. Consider a faster processor for things such as computer-aided design and 3D gaming. All standard applications such as web browsers and word processors will run on any processor.

Random Access Memory, or RAM, is where your applications are kept while you are using them. As a result, the more RAM you have, the more applications your computer can run at once. RAM also affects speed, so the more you have the faster your PC should perform. For most tasks, RAM of 1GB or more will be sufficient. For more advanced multi-tasking and large applications, look for 2GB or more.

The graphics chip on a computer outputs the data onto a display unit such as a monitor or television. Most modern computers come with an integrated graphics chip, which will be sufficient for viewing standard video and internet browsing. If you want to use a PC for graphically-intense uses, look for a computer with discrete graphics which will come in the form of a dedicated PCI graphics card. Such recognised and trusted brands include ATI and nVidia. These have their own memory onboard, unlike integrated graphics; similar to RAM, the more memory it has the faster it performs. Look for a chip with more than 1GB for quality performance.

If you wish to burn CDs or DVDs, be sure to buy a PC that comes with a DVD-RW or CD-RW drive. A DVD-RW will come as standard in most machines, but be safe and check. If you wish to use the newer Blu-Ray format of discs on your PC, specifically check as these are not standard yet. The acronym for such hardware is BD, so if you want a Blu-Ray reader it will be designated as BD-ROM. Similarly, a Blu-Ray writer will be designated as BD-RW. BD-RW can cost significantly more so don't pay for it if you don't need it.

It is important to consider that if you have one component which is of a lower speed or size than the rest of the system this will bring the overall performance down. For instance, an ATI Radeon graphics card will perform better on a computer with a quad-core processor than a single-core. Remember though, if you don't need high performance, don't pay for it!

 

The Monitor

Most monitors on the market are LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), as the old CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) have since become redundant. These are thin and offer crisp, clear quality. All monitors use either the VGA or DVI outputs on your machine, so make sure that the monitor is compatible with the PC you wish to buy. Any 19 inch monitor will be ample space for standard desktop work. A widescreen LCD will be a better choice for watching video and for having windows side-by-side as they offer more horizontal space to work with. If you wish to buy more than one monitor for your machine, be sure that the computer you are buying has two video outputs. Dual video output will normally only be found on discrete graphics, so you may have to factor such a card into your budget in such a case.

 

Human Interface Devices (Keyboards and Mice)

Nowadays, USB keyboards and mice are the given standard. These will work on any modern machine and don't require any software upgrade, these will work as soon as they are plugged into your PC. Some keyboards still use what is known as a PS/2 connection. PS/2 ports are built into the motherboard with the USB, and will work plug-and-play. If you wish to use a wireless keyboard and mouse, these will normally come with a USB dongle which will stick into your PC and communicate as regular wired devices. Be sure that the range is sufficent to your needs. For instance, if you wish to use the keyboard and mouse from your armchair, get a wireless kit with a range of 15 metres or more.

 

Extras

Peripherals such as speakers and USB external hard-drives will be compatible with all machines, so don't look for these when buying a specific machine. To be on the safe side, look for USB 2.0 compatible devices for your machine as these are faster than standard USB and are becoming the norm.

About the Author

Originally posted by Jonathon at http://www.desktopdeals.co.uk

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Compaq HP Nc340t Pci-x Quad-port GigaBit Server 389996001 $92.72 Compaq HP Nc340t Pci-x Quad-port GigaBit Server 389996001

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QLogic SANblade 4GB Quad Port Fibre PCI-E PX261040110B $346.86 QLogic SANblade 4GB Quad Port Fibre PCI-E PX261040110B

HP NC325m PCI Express Quad Port GigaBit Server 416585B21 $177.36 HP NC325m PCI Express Quad Port GigaBit Server 416585B21

QLogic SANblade 4GB Quad Port Fibre PCI-E QLE2464ESP $346.86 QLogic SANblade 4GB Quad Port Fibre PCI-E QLE2464ESP

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HP Compaq Nc340t Pci-x Quad-port GigaBit Server 389996001 $97.56 HP Compaq Nc340t Pci-x Quad-port GigaBit Server 389996001

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HP NC364T Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E LP 435506003 $234.36 HP NC364T Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E LP 435506003

HP NC365T PCI-E Quad Port Server Adapter Standard Bracket $291.36 HP NC365T PCI-E Quad Port Server Adapter Standard Bracket

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Intel PRO/1000 PT Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E EXPI9404PTG1P20 $180.33 Intel PRO/1000 PT Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E EXPI9404PTG1P20

QLogic SANblade 8GB Quad Port Fibre PCI-E QLE2564SP $1174.83 QLogic SANblade 8GB Quad Port Fibre PCI-E QLE2564SP

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QLogic SANblade 2GB Quad Port Fibre PCI-X FC261040501 $63.33 QLogic SANblade 2GB Quad Port Fibre PCI-X FC261040501

HP NC325m PCI Express Quad Port GigaBit Server Adapter 416585001 $177.36 HP NC325m PCI Express Quad Port GigaBit Server Adapter 416585001

HP NC364T Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E LP D90972 $234.36 HP NC364T Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E LP D90972

NetApp PRO/1000 PT Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E 10600200A0 $238.83 NetApp PRO/1000 PT Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E 10600200A0

NetApp PRO/1000 PT Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E EXPI9404PTNAP $238.83 NetApp PRO/1000 PT Quad Port Server Adapter PCI-E EXPI9404PTNAP

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