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PRIME COMPUTING |
Over the past few months, we’ve taken a look at the Internet and
applications that help us to be more productive. So, finally we are ready to buy, but with
all the different systems available, which is the best one?
The speed of computers is measured in Mega Hertz (MHz), or millions of cycles per second. In fact, today’s processors are extremely fast, so much so that they have left the rest of the components in the computer behind. What does all this mean for the average home or small office shopper? Simply put – one of the fastest processors may not be necessary.
CPU speeds are now up to 450 MHz and will likely be beyond that by the end of the year! However the hardware manufacturers of the other 30 or so components inside your computer have not been able to keep up. Consequently the computer systems being built today basically peak out on overall system performance at about 300 to 333 MHz. Anything above that and the other internal components of the computer cannot keep up with the CPU’s increased speed, so there is not an appreciable difference in overall system performance.
During this writing, 233 MHz systems have become the standard, with 266 MHz CPUs closely behind. With the prices falling dramatically over the last year, now is the time for making your purchases. Remember the rules we have discussed over the last year and you should have no problem getting the system you want from $1,000 to $1,400 (monitor included).
Other recommendations include a quick look at RAM. RAM has also dropped significantly in price and you should keep 32 MB as your minimum. Hard Drives have also become economical. A good range would be from 3.2 to 6.4 GB. Finally, the monitor is probably the most difficult decision you have to make. Other parts of the computer can be easily upgraded, but the monitor cannot. So, if there are extra dollars available put them towards a 15" or even 17" monitor. And as always, if you have any questions, drop me an email at dguthrie@mindspring.com. Until next month - Happy Computing!
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Published October 1998, Alabama
Prime Times
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