Buying a computer FIVE STEPS TO BUYING THE RIGHT COMPUTER FIVE STEPS: 1. WHY DO YOU WANT A COMPUTER? 2. DECIDE ON SPECIFICATIONS 3. THINK ABOUT BRAND 4. THE PROGRAMS YOU USE 5. CONSIDER THE EXTRA EQUIPMENT 1 WHY DO YOU WANT A COMPUTER? The first step in buying a computer may seem a little obvious, but it involves deciding what you want to use the computer for. Once you know that, you can choose a machine that will do the job you want, without paying more than you need to. Here are just some of the reasons why people buy computers: Education: Many people buy a computer for educational purposes. It may be for themselves, or for their children. Called 'edutainment', there's a wide range of software that's informative and entertaining, too. You can learn to fish, to type or satisfy a hunger for knowledge with one of the computer-based encyclopaedias. There's also a huge range of educational software for kids these days, and of course computers make it easier to put together well-presented school assignments. The Internet: Access to the Internet allows you to use a wide range of information services, including electronic mail (email) and the World Wide Web. Email is an easy way of sending messages to other Internet users around the world. The Web offers information and services through an easy-to-use graphics interface for research, entertainment and even for shopping. Business: Computers are now an integral part of most businesses. They have just about replaced the typewriter, but of course they are much more versatile. They have not only made letter-writing much easier, but also help with accounts, inventory control, sales presentations, client contact, and so on. Home publishing: If you want to write a novel, word processors make the likely re-writing less of a pain, and if you fancy yourself as a designer, desktop publishing (DTP) programs can be used to turn a simple page of text into a creatively designed newsletter. Creativity/crafts: More computer users are using their machines for creative pursuits, whether it's to print pictures for the kids to colour, make T-shirts or Christmas decorations, design a garden or even a home, fix-up your photos or create your own pictures from scratch. Games: The multimedia graphics and sound capabilities of modern computers can make for exciting action games ­ crushing an alien menace, flying a supersonic jet fighter or racing motorbikes. But there's a lot more to computer gameplay, including sophisticated strategy games and old favourites like the card game Bridge. There are also some great games for kids which provide a mixture of entertainment and education.   2 DECIDE ON THE SPECIFICATIONS Now that you've decided what you want to use your computer, we can look at the specification of a computer that will do that job. The basic things you need to decide on are the: Processor type and speed Amount of computer memory (RAM) Size of the hard disk Monitor size. If you want a computer that will allow you to play the latest games in all their glory, and all the latest Internet plug-ins, you'll need a high powered computer. If, on the other hand, you want a computer for typing the occasional letter, and to access your email, then a basic system is all you need and what's more, it will be much cheaper. There are two main strategies for selecting a computer - you can buy one that will do the tasks you want to do today, or you can buy one with enough "headroom" that will keep up with the demands of software some time into the future. Following are our suggested computer specifications for different types of users (to find out more about what the technical terms mean see the Power Guide. Budget family PC: You want a machine that can be used by all members of the family. Adults can use the machine for word processing and home accounts. Kids can use it for multimedia reference works for schoolwork, using the Internet, and for playing the occasional game. Processor: 633 MHz Celeron RAM: 64 Mb Hard disk: 15 Gb minimum Monitor: 14" or 15" Small business PC: You want a machine that can be used for business letters, accounts, graphics presentations and for accessing the Internet. Processor: 733 MHz Pentium III RAM: 128 Mb Hard disk: 15 Gb Monitor: 15" Serious games PC: You want a machine to play the latest and greatest games. Processor: 866 MHz Pentium III RAM: 128 Mb Hard disk: As big as you can afford Monitor: 17". Also look for a computer with a special 3D video card. Portable PCs: If you need to carry your computer around, or be able to put it away neatly, a portable or "notebook" may be what you're looking for. Generally they have less powerful processors than desktop models. Check the screen before you buy, some are much better than others. For more information click here.   3 THINK ABOUT THE BRAND Now you know the specifications you want for your new computer, you need to decide whether to buy one with a recognised brand-name. A brand-name computer is simply a computer that comes from a manufacturer like IBM or Compaq - ie from a well-known company that's likely to still be around if you have problems down the track and need technical support. In our experience, brand-name computers usually come with very good installation instructions, and a good range of software and other extras. If you're new to computers, or don't want to risk buying a lemon, brand-name computers have a clear advantage.   4 THE PROGRAMS YOU USE A computer is not much use without computer programs (software). You'll probably get some software when you buy a computer, but you'll likely to want more software to perform particular tasks, or to play a new game. Here's are some of the programs which may come with your computer: Windows 98 or Me. This is the operating system - the program that allows your computer to work with other programs. Office suite. This will often consist of wordprocessor, spreadsheet and presentation software - look for Microsoft Office or Lotus SmartSuite, Microsoft Works is a good budget option. Games. You may get some games, but don't expect them to be the latest releases.    5 CONSIDER THE EXTRA EQUIPMENT Consider the extra equipment you might need There's all sorts of other equipment (peripherals) available to help you maximise the use of your computer, here are the most common items: Printer. A printer allows you to print your computer-based documents on paper. The latest colour inkjet printers also allow you to print photographic-quality prints on your computer. Check our test of printers on page 36. Modem. If you want to be able to use the Internet, and send and receive faxes on your computer, you really need a modem. Make sure any modem you buy conforms to the V90 standard. Scanner. A scanner allows you to convert prints and photos into an electronic format on your computer. Once in your computer, you can view, edit, print and save the images. Refer to our scanner test summary on page ? for more information about scanners. Removable storage. If you need to be able to transfer picture files from your computer to other computers, a removable storage device might also be useful. A good example of this is the Zip Iomega drive.