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Factors to Consider When Buying a New Desktop PC

If you are planning to buy a new desktop computer, it’s crucial to understand how various factors such as the RAM and CPU will affect the performance of the system. Along with the specs, you should also give some thought to any peripherals that you might need like extra monitors, optical drives, and connector ports. 

Consider Your Needs

Before you spend your money on a new desktop PC, it’s important to consider what your needs are and what you plan to use the computer for. If you are mainly getting a computer to use for school or college, then a desktop computer for schools might be a better fit for you compared to a gaming pc, for example. The speed you will need when it comes to your PC will depend on what you are planning to do with it. If you mainly expect to be conducting tasks that don’t use a lot of resources such as word processing or browsing the web, then you’ll probably need less RAM and processing power compared to somebody who would be using the computer to do a lot of gaming, video editing, or programming. 

Desktop CPU

There are several different CPUs or processors to choose from, but you will find that most are either Intel or AMD. AMD processors tend to be the most budget-friendly, but if you want the best performance then it may be worth spending more on Intel. The main things to consider when choosing a processor are the clock speed and the number of cores offered. The more processing power the tasks you plan to do on your PC need, the higher the clock speed and number of cores you will require. 

Hard Drive

Another factor to consider when choosing the right desktop PC for you is the hard drive. Some desktop computers still come with hard disk drives, but majority of new models come with solid state drives, which most users prefer due to the fact they are more efficient, faster, and more durable in comparison. The speed and the size are the two main aspects to think about when choosing the hard drive. Ideally, you will want at least 1TB when it comes to storage space. 

Memory

The RAM or random access memory will have a key part to play when it comes to how well your PC performs and how fast it runs. For general tasks that do not require a lot of power, around 4GB of RAM should be enough. 8GB tends to be enough for pretty much everybody and is the amount recommended by experts. However, if you are planning to use your PC for resource-heavy tasks like video editing, gaming, or programming, you should opt for at least 16GB of RAM for the best performance. 

Graphics Card

If you are buying a PC mainly for gaming or are planning to use it for playing games at least some of the time, then you’ll need to consider the graphics card. On the other hand, if you’re not going to be playing any video games with 3D graphics, then this is not a factor you will need to give any thought to. If you want to game on your PC, then you should look for a dedicated graphics card with at least 2GB of onboard memory. Consider the output connectors, overall performance, and the Direct X version that is supported. 

Optical Drive

With most movies and TV shows now available to stream online, an optical drive is not something that many people are bothered about when buying a PC. However, if you want to use your PC to play music on CDs, burn DVDs or watch movies from a DVD, then you’ll need to find one that comes with an optical drive. If you want to watch movies in HD, then you will need a Blu-ray drive. The good news is that even if the PC you want doesn’t have an optical drive, you can easily buy and connect an external DVD and Blu-Ray player to use with it instead. 

Monitor

Although there are now more all-in-one PCs today that come with a built-in monitor, there are several factors to consider when choosing a monitor or an all-in-one PC, including the screen quality. Today, most monitors are built using LCD technology, and the main differences between each monitor you’ll find available are the size and the price. A basic monitor might be all you need if you mainly plan to use your PC for web browsing or word processing. On the other hand, if you plan to do a lot of graphics work, gaming, or video and photo editing, then you will need to focus on making sure that factors that will affect this are good, such as the colour accuracy. It’s also worth considering the size of the screen, and if you want to use more than one monitor, how well they will work together. 

Peripheral Connectors

Before you buy a desktop PC, it’s a good idea to check what kind of external ports are available for connecting peripherals and how many there are. Ideally, you should go for a PC that has no less than six USB ports. Thunderbolt and eSATA are other high-speed connectors that might be worth looking out for if you plan to use external storage devices. An SD card reader can also be very useful to have. 

Cooling System

Last but not least, check out the cooling system in the PCs that you are interested in to make sure that it is up to standard. If not, you may need to purchase extra components to keep your PC from overheating, especially if you are going to be using it a lot. Overheating can cause serious damage to the internal components of a desktop PC, so a good cooling system is a must. Along with this, you can help by keeping it clean and dust-free and keeping the room where it is used cool. 

Desktop PCs may no longer be as popular as they were thanks to laptops, but they still have many uses. Whether you prefer a desktop, or you are buying one for a specific purpose such as gaming or schoolwork, these are some of the most important factors to consider. 

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