The Hard Drive (long term memory) were all your documents and pictures are stored, this is one of the places where manufacturers have made up for their lack of ability to make changes to the processors and Operating Systems. Recently I have seen many manufacturers putting 1TB drives in a basic PC, that is the equivalent of 12 eighty Gig drives which was the standard drive just a few years ago. With that said though if capacity is important it to your needs, present and future, the bigger the better. Another consideration, which is important, is the rotational speed of your Hard Drive, which should be no less then 7200 RPM. The faster the drive the faster it can store and retrieve your data. This is are some companies which in an effort to save money have put in bigger drives with a slower rotational speed, buyer beware.  A new twist on this, is some PC’s come with a solid-state drive, no rotation at all, just a large bank of flash memory similar to what is used in those thumb drives you see everyone using these days. This type of drive are extremely fast, yet typically smaller in capacity, and are much more expensive making this feature offered only in the higher end laptops.
                                                                        
        The Random Access Memory (RAM) also known as the short term memory, sits between the Microprocessor and the hard Drive, the more RAM the faster your system will operate. Typically current desktops can be upgraded to 8 GB and 4 GB for Notebooks.  
         

        The Optical DVD Drive is slowly becoming obsolete. With the advent of portable hard drives and thumb drives just about the only reason to have the optical drive any more is to load new programs, as a system restore method, or to watch a movie. I would try to get at least a DVD±RW/CD-RW for that occasion you want to make a DVD.

       With regards to Applications, we often forget the programs we have on one computer may not be transferable to another, Microsoft Office or Office type products are usually not transferable and not part of the new system price. Microsoft does have a couple of lower price offerings such as Home and Student or Home and Office, when purchased with a new system they are offered at a lower price. You can also try a shareware product called Openoffice.org. Antivirus andAnt-Spyware are necessary; the first year subscription for the Antivirus can in most cases be bought with the system at an attractive price. As to which one I would stay away from the ones that promise to do everything, we all like the idea of a Swiss Army knife, but we also know that it is not the best tool for all the applications. Typically I recommend buying your Antivirus and Anti-spyware software separately.

          Two additional items you want to consider are how do you back up your data out side of the computer. I suggest devices such as thumb or flash drives, which are reasonably priced and often have enough capacity for all your Data. Another option is to buy an external hard drive and back up all the information on your system, operating system, applications such as Office and your Data. In case of a total hard drive failure this makes it a one step process to restoring a new hard drive and getting you up and running. The second item, is a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for your desk top PC, (not required laptops) the UPS in case of a power failure, it will allow you to keep your PC running long enough to allow you to shut it down properly. In addition, most units have a built in surge suppressor. 

        One you get your new computer set up at home is to call upon a professional, such as myself. We will come to your location, get you set up on the Internet, set up your email and transfer your favorites to your new computer, as well as your documents and pictures. Making sure you don’t lose anything, I will create a restore disk in case down the road you have some trouble and set up you new computer with your old printer, all at a reasonable price.

 

Steven West West IT Solutions 32 Oakdale Road Bradford, NH 03221 603-938-2311 Cell 603-748-4356 steven@westitsolutions.com westitsolutions.com   West IT Solutions Windows and Mac PC's Repair

West IT Solutions offers quick and reliable computer service and repair at a reasonable price, furthermore receive free phone advice about your computer problem and any other questions that you may have. No need to haul your desktop, laptop, or notebook computer to a computer repair shop every time it needs service or repair only to wait a week or more to get it back. West IT Solutions will come directly to your home or office and solve your computer problem right on the spot.??All work is guaranteed, so if we don't solve your computer problem, you don't pay. Simply call us to select an appointment time that fits your schedule. We offer same day, next day, after hours, and weekend service.? Please take a quick look at our website and our competitor’s website so you can make an informed decision before employing the services of a computer repair technician. Anti-Pharming And Anti-Phishing Software Anti-Spyware Software  Anti-Virus Software Virus Protection