In today's world, a home computer is almost as commonplace as a television set was ten years ago. Many people work, study, or play using personal computers. At the same time, not everyone knows exactly how to choose a computer in a store.
Decide on your needs
There are several important criteria that influence the choice of a particular configuration. First of all, this is the ratio of the available budget to the functionality that you hope to get. Obviously, a powerful gaming computer will cost much more than an office machine, but if you do not plan to get acquainted with the latest in the gaming industry or work with graphics and video at a professional level, there is no point in overpaying. On the other hand, when buying a computer for games, it is better to choose a configuration with a "future" margin so that you do not have to upgrade the machine every six months.
The main components that affect the performance characteristics of a computer are the processor, video card, RAM and, indirectly, the hard drive. Before going to the store, it makes sense to consult with tech-savvy friends and get acquainted with the results of professional tests of certain devices and configurations, so as not to be guided by the only principle “the more expensive the better”. For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that in the case of choosing a computer, this principle is almost always justified, but there are many tricks that allow you to save money due to a relatively small loss of performance.
For simple tasks, an integrated video card is quite enough, but more demanding applications require a discrete video card, the price of which can be up to 50% of the cost of the entire computer.
Execution options
Having figured out your capabilities and needs, you should decide on the dimensions of your future purchase. In fact, you can choose from four options: a full-fledged system unit with a monitor, laptop, candy bar and nettop. Each of these options has certain advantages and disadvantages.
In modern configurations, SSD hard drives are increasingly used. They are much more expensive than conventional HDDs and are smaller in volume, but they work much faster. As a rule, the operating system is installed on them.
The system unit is convenient for working in one place, you can easily replace individual devices in it, it is easiest to cool it, but you have to pay for it with cumbersomeness.
The laptop is suitable for those who value mobility, as it allows you to work almost anywhere, but it is difficult to integrate a complete cooling system into a compact case, so there is a high probability of overheating during games.
Monoblocks are a liquid crystal monitor with a built-in system unit and sound system. They are quite compact, which allows you to free up space on the table and avoid tangled wires, however, monoblocks are more expensive than similar configurations of system units and are rather heavy. In addition, due to the monolithic design, difficulties arise with the replacement of parts and cooling.
Finally, nettops are small system blocks, no larger than a thick book. Their power is enough for the most simple tasks: the Internet, music, working with texts, undemanding games. As in the case of the system unit, in addition to the nettop itself, you will need to purchase a monitor, keyboard, mouse, sound system, so using nettops when traveling is irrational.
