| With the rapid pace of technological
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| | a CD-R drive, you can record your own
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| developments, nothing has become as
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| | data and music CDs, and with a DVD-R
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| ubiquitous as the computer. Everyone's
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| | drive, you can burn files in a DVD
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| got one. And they are used for all manner
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| | format, allowing you to store movies and
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| of endeavour, by people of all walks of
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| | data in far greater quantities. The CD-RW
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| life. So, do you simply buy the computer
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| | (DVD-RW) drives allow you to use
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| that someone's selling? Or do you do some
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| | re-recordable media. Your decision will
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| homework and figure out what detailed
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| | depend on what you want to use your media
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| specifications are going to make some
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| | drives for and what you want to store.
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| difference to you? At au you can compare
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| | Other removable media will possibly
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| the prices of a wide range of different
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| | include flash card storage, which is
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| computers from different vendors and of
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| | usually plugged in via the USB ports on
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| different specifications. This guide will
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| | the computer. MONITORS For a detailed
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| help you find what you're looking for.
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| | explanation of monitors, please see the
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| Mac or Windows (PC) At the outset, you
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| | article on au dedicated to Monitors. The
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| need to decide what you are going to use
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| | monitor for your computer is integral to
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| the computer for. This will help you make
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| | its function and aesthetics. If you are
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| the fundamental decision of whether you
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| | working in graphics you may want to stay
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| should go Mac or PC. Although, with the
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| | with a CRT monitor. However most bundle
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| advent of the dual core processor (an
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| | offers these days are supplied with LCD
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| Intel chip now used by Mac) the
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| | monitors, which have the advantages of
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| differences are narrowed a little, there
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| | smaller space requirements, use lower
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| are still some choices that can help you
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| | energy and offer wider screen images.
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| favour one system over another.
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| | However they generally are more expensive
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| Historically, Mac computers have a
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| | (although prices are dropping everyday),
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| reputation for greater stability that
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| | can frequently be not as bright, have
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| comes from a more robust operating system
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| | limited viewing angles and sometimes
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| than Windows based computers. Largely for
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| | require a digital interface connector.
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| this reason, Macs have been the computer
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| | For graphics intensive work, LCD screens
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| of choice for the graphic design
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| | do not have the same capacity to render
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| industry, the music production industry
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| | colours in gradients as CRT monitors.
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| and the video production industry. This
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| | Once again, size matters. Bigger screens
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| has prompted the software manufacturers
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| | cost more than smaller ones. VIDEO AND
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| to make professional software packages
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| | SOUND For a detailed explanation of video
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| for these disciplines that favour the Mac
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| | cards, please see the article on au
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| operating system. Although they have
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| | dedicated to Video Cards. The interface
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| packages supporting the Windows operating
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| | between the CPU and the Monitor is
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| system, they are often less capable.
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| | provided by the video card. One of the
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| Consequently, if you are engaged in these
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| | basic decisions you need to make is
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| industries and need your computer for
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| | whether you require a 3D or 2D card.
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| this type of work, you should consider
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| | Video cards come in two different types:
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| Mac. Mac computers appear to attract
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| | those that use an AGP (accelerated
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| fewer viruses and software malfunctions
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| | graphics port) on the computer
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| than do Windows based PCs. On the down
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| | motherboard and those that use the PCI
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| side, there has always appeared to have
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| | bus. Data transfer rate is critical to
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| been limited software support for Mac
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| | video performance. Faster video cards use
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| systems. Another decision that may guide
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| | an AGP, and this proves a faster data
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| your choice is the aesthetics of the
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| | transfer than PCI cards. Most video cards
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| computer. If you have limited available
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| | also have their own video memory
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| space, there is nothing quite like the
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| | installed on the card, a feature that
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| iMacs or the mini Macs for space saving.
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| | increases a computer's memory
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| iMac's all-in-one desktop units are
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| | performance. Today, these memories are
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| compact and complete with all the
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| | often 128M or 256M, and can be more in
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| connectivity you need. However, the look
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| | the higher-end cards dedicated to
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| of other brands may be more to your
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| | sophisticated video work or gaming. Video
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| taste, with many models available in
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| | cards performance is also affected by
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| compact packages and modern colour
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| | what is known as clock speed or clock
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| schemes to suit practically all
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| | rate, cards with a faster speed offer
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| dйcor. Now that you've made that
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| | faster performance. Cheaper computers,
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| basic decision, you can start comparing
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| | and laptops and notebooks, have an
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| the apples with apples.MacWindows XP
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| | integrated graphics chip included in the
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| HomeWindows XP ProfessionalThe Components
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| | motherboard instead of a discrete video
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| of Your Computer The two factors that
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| | card. This type of configuration is not
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| determine the price of your computer are
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| | as powerful or as fully functional as
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| size (yes it does matter) and speed.
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| | having a separate video card, which can
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| Either or both of these two dimensions
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| | allow more comprehensive gaming, the use
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| are a factor of practically every
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| | of multiple monitors and faster and
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| component that makes up the machine.
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| | better rendering of images. For a
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| Naturally the highest price tags go with
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| | computer to reproduce the sounds recorded
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| the combination of biggest and fastest.
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| | in games, movies and music products it
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| CPU The heart of the computer is the CPU
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| | requires a sound card. Quality of sound
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| (central processing unit). You need to
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| | can be affected by the sound card your
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| decide which CPU you want driving your
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| | computer has installed. It's important
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| computer. These come from different
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| | that you know how you want to use the
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| manufacturers, and the current
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| | sound reproduction processes of your
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| development of the technology is called
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| | computer. If you are a musician and want
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| Dual Core, which means that there are two
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| | to record audio, then you will want to be
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| processors on the one chip. Dual Core
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| | sure that you have excellent
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| technology delivers more performance with
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| | connectivity, good midi access and at
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| less energy requirements. Intel and AMD
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| | least 16-bit (CD quality) audio
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| are the two leading CPU manufacturers,
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| | reproduction. Sound cards give you the
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| and they offer different products under
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| | possibilities of full cinema surround
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| different names. Current processing
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| | sound, and the many subtle effects
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| speeds range from about 1.4 GHz
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| | employed by high-end games. Nearly every
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| (gigahertz) through to 3.46 GHz. But it
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| | computer comes with a set of stereo
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| is not simply just a matter of speed.
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| | speakers. However it pays to have a good
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| There are other considerations. Mac
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| | listen to what you're buying. Make sure
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| Operating Systems have a different
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| | you listen to program that you are
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| architecture to Windows and will perform
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| | familiar with (take your own CD along)
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| many functions faster with a slower speed
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| | and compare the sound in a quiet
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| CPU. A dual core chip at 1.4 GHz will
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| | environment. Many speaker systems for
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| deliver a better performance that a
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| | computers have poor frequency response
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| Pentium 4 chip at 1.8 GHz. A 1.4 GH dual
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| | and are underpowered. For desktop use
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| core chip running a Mac with OSX Tiger,
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| | that does not involve a quality listening
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| will perform better than a 2.0 GHz
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| | environment this may be satisfactory. But
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| Pentium 4 processor running Windows. You
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| | if you want to listen to music and watch
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| need to decide what you want your
| |
| | movies for the full effect, then you need
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| computer to do, what your major software
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| | to consider buying a good quality set of
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| requirements are before you decide on the
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| | speakers. Use the search facility of au
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| CPU processor. However, for everyday
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| | to compare specifications and prices of
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| use, a processor faster than 1.8 GHz will
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| | different speaker systems. KEYBOARD AND
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| deliver excellent performance. As a rough
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| | MOUSE The choice of keyboard and mouse
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| rule of thumb, choose a Celeron for low
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| | are personal choices. Sometimes it
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| cost computing, a Pentium 4 for mid-range
| |
| | depends on what you do on your computer,
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| budgets, or an AMD Athlon for bigger
| |
| | whether you have formal typing skills or
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| budgets. You can compare computers based
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| | whether you're a two-finger hack. Serious
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| on Pentium, Celeron, Athlon or Dual Core
| |
| | writers may prefer an ergonomic keyboard.
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| CPUs by searching those specifications on
| |
| | Keyboards frequently have different
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| au and finding different vendors and
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| | clicks and responses to others. You may
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| brands using different processors. RAM
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| | prefer an infrared cordless keyboard and
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| This is where bigger definitely means
| |
| | mouse. You may prefer an optical mouse on
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| better performance. RAM is the system
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| | which you don't have to clean the
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| memory that enables the computer to use
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| | rollers. Optical mice have no rollerball,
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| its programs and swap data between the
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| | and can be used on most flat surfaces,
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| hard drive and the program functions.
| |
| | but they are more expensive. CONNECTIVITY
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| It's important to match the speed of the
| |
| | Today, connectivity is everything. Your
|
| RAM of your computer with the speed of
| |
| | computer can have wireless connections to
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| the CPU. The more RAM you have available
| |
| | all of your peripherals: printer,
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| for your programs to work, the faster
| |
| | scanner, and other computers. Having an
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| will your computer run. Most computers
| |
| | onboard modem will only be really
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| today come with at least 256 M
| |
| | important if you are using a dial up
|
| (megabytes) of RAM. But memory is a
| |
| | internet connection. Broadband modems
|
| relatively cheap component, and it costs
| |
| | tend to be peripherals and you can
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| little extra to upgrade to 512 M or
| |
| | connect via USB, wireless or firewire. It
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| greater. HARD DRIVE For a detailed
| |
| | does pay to consider how you will connect
|
| explanation of hard drives, please see
| |
| | to the internet and other peripherals.
|
| the article on au dedicated to Hard Disc
| |
| | It's not always convenient to get behind
|
| Drives. The hard drive of the computer
| |
| | your computer to plug something in or
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| stores your program files and your data.
| |
| | unplug it. Some sound cards have a front
|
| As computers have advanced, so has the
| |
| | face panel with all the connections you
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| need for more capacity to operate
| |
| | need. The USB ports on Macs are
|
| programs and store data. People working
| |
| | conveniently located. Many PC
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| in media fields tend to work with very
| |
| | manufacturers haven't caught on to the
|
| large files and require large storage
| |
| | fact that it's important for some people
|
| space. Most computers in today's market
| |
| | to easily access the connections to their
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| come with a minimum of 40G of hard drive
| |
| | computers. To compare the different
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| space. However, this can be upgraded
| |
| | bundle offers from different brands, and
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| (usually in 20G chunks) to as much as
| |
| | to compare the different components by
|
| 200G or more. The effectiveness of your
| |
| | their specifications, search the au
|
| hard drive also can depend on its
| |
| | database for exactly the specifications
|
| physical speed (5400-7200 RPM) and the
| |
| | you are seeking. You can compare prices
|
| speed at which it can transfer data
| |
| | and vendors, and order what you need
|
| between the computer's RAM and the hard
| |
| | online with a few clicks.Andrew Gates for
|
| drive. Faster means better performance.
| |
| | comparison online shopping service au.
|
| REMOVABLE MEDIA You will want to have a
| |
| | au helps you compare the different
|
| CD-R or (CD-RW) drive installed in your
| |
| | computers from different brands in terms
|
| computer, and or possibly a DVD or DVD-R.
| |
| | of specifications and accessories. You
|
| For reading a CD ROM, all that is
| |
| | can also compare prices from hundreds of
|
| required is a CD drive and for watching
| |
| | different brands and vendors.
|
| DVD movies, a DVD ROM drive. However with
| |
| |
|
