Choosing a computer

[Panic Button]

Can anyone please direct me to a website that helps me understand what processor and video card I should choose in a new computer please?

[ChuckFickens]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/125647/how_to_b uy_a_laptop.html

It's for laptops, but the important information is still correct for a desktop (obviously ignorring anything about batteries and so on)

But very quickly, unless you are a gamer then you won't need a top spec graphics card or CPU. for normal web browsing and other "home" use pretty much all currently available PC's will be up to the job.

[Panic Button]

Thanks.

I used to understand that Celerons were not as good as Pentiums, but now there all these Core Duo phrases, and I am in a fog.

On this PC World website there are drop down menus with so many choices of processors and cards that I don't know where to start

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_pag e.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1122721768.1229001651@@ @@&BV_EngineID=ccegadeflgimjedcflgceggdhhmdfof .0&page=ProductList&category_oid=-35410&show_a ll=true

[VHG]

Intel do seem to have a huge number of diferent CPU names and types and it can get very confusing.

In simple terms it goes as follows (slowest first)

Anything named Celeron (slowest)

Anything named Pentium (slightly faster)

Anything name Core 2 Duo (faster still)

Anything named Core 2 Quad (fastest)

Most CPUs Intel make are now "duo" processors (even the Celeron and Pentium) except of course the Quads.

For "general" computing use then any Core 2 Duo is fine.

[VHG]

If it is any help, I built a PC back in February with a Pentium Dual Core E2180 running Vista.

It also has 2Gb of memory and it runs fine with Vista.

The Pentium E2180 is slower than any of the Core 2 Duo's so buy a Pc with any one of them and you should have no problems.

[VHG]

Graphics cards is a bit more dificult.

The PC World web site does not list individual graphics cards, only the amount of memory on them.

I would say 256Mb of graphis memory is plenty for "general" computing (could probably get by on 128Mb).

Unless you plan to play games then you probably dont need to worry too much about graphics cards.

Gamers can pay up to �250 for JUST the graphics card, but for those of use doing basic "office" work probably any graphics card will do.

[VHG]

If you REALLY want to learn about Intel CPUs then see this web site.

http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number /

In terms of choosing a PC you can ignore many on that list (they are either no longer made, or used in servers, or not available yet)

The main two to consider are:

The Pentium Dual Core

http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number /chart/pentium_dual-core.htm?iid=pn_ov+list_pd c

and Core 2 Duo

http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number /chart/core2duo.htm?iid=pn_ov+list_c2d

On both those lists the slowest CPUs are at the bottom, and the further you go up the list the faster they get.

Note that CPUs for DESKTOP PCs use different numbers than those for LAPTOPS.

[Panic Button]

Thanks VeryHelpfulGuy.

Please take this as three stars for all your answers ***