|
computerwriter.com
| |
Ø
Get What Your Friends Have … or be
prepared to get a new set of friends
v
Over 92% of Canadian
computer consumers bought PCs in 2000. Nevertheless, talking to your family and
friends will provide insight into what (or what not) to buy, where (or where
not) to shop and what (or what not) to do with your new system. No friends with
a computer? Seek out local computer user groups for advice and a very
cost-productive source of information on how to maximize your use of your
computer.
Ø
The Time to Buy a Computer is when
you need one
v
Prices always
go down and there's always something newer, faster, and bigger right around the
corner. You could wait forever.
Ø
White's Computer Consumer Bill of
Rights
v
You have a right to
expect new components in a new computer. Ask whether returned components or
equipment are used in the system you’re ordering.
v
You have a right to
expect that the components you get are legitimate and that the software provided
is not a pirated, illegal copy. A lack of manuals is your first clue.
v
Every component in a
computer has a brand name and model designation with behavioural
characteristics, features and performance specs you can check. Many companies
give vague descriptions of components so they can substitute whichever is a)
available and b) least expensive that week. You have a right to ask what brand
and model is being used (and whether the OEM version has the same features),
then to specify what you want when you place your order
v
You have a right to
expect your new computer to work properly with the software that comes with it,
right from the moment you get it out of the box. If it does not, that’s not
your fault, nor is it the fault of the software. You have a further right to ask
the vendor to honour the warranty and to make it work properly.
v
You have a right to ask
questions. You have a right to expect truthful answers. You have a right to have
all assurances written on the sales
agreement and honoured to the letter.
Ø
Name Brand or White Box (Clone) …
the answer depends on you
v
Neither name brands nor
locally assembled systems break more often. Service and support is slightly
better for name brands, but they're more likely to contain proprietary solutions
that will make them more difficult or expensive to upgrade. About 50% of
consumers buy a "White Box" from a local assembler.
Ø
No One Makes a Whole Computer
v
All
PCs are assemblies of separate components – each with its own manufacturer and
model designation – and you must do some homework to ascertain which are
better than others. Vague descriptions containing no details do not give you
enough information to allow you to properly assess a price quote.
Ø
Where Do You Buy?
v
Local computer stores,
"Big Box" specialty stores, department stores, and warehouse outlets
all offer a different shopping experience. However, if you go in without having
done any homework, without a brand in mind, they'll all sell you what they have
without paying attention to what you need. "Oh, sure, it will do
that," is a conditioned response, not one that's been thought out. A
salesperson is only expert on what the store offers and its price. S/he is the last
person to ask about what you need.
Ø
Processor Chart … and what they're
good for
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anything earlier than a
Pentium III Coppermine
|
XT, AT, AT-286, 286,
386 DX or SX, 486 DX or SX, DX2, SX2, DX4, Pentium, Pentium MMX, Pentium
Pro, Pentium II, Pentium III Katmai
|
Intel, AMD, Cyrix, IBM
(Pentium exclusive to Intel)
|
Varies
|
4.77 to 600 MHz
|
Technologically
obsolete.
|
|
Pentium 4
|
Formerly Willamette
|
Intel
|
Quad-pumped 100 MHz
(i.e., 400 MHz)
|
1.4 & 1.5 GHz
|
The newest member of
the Pentium family, released on November 20, 2000, the Pentium 4 (no Roman
numerals) uses the Intel 850 processor chipset, and only “speaks”
Direct Rambus DRAM. Uses Socket 423, so there’s no upgrade path to it
from any existing Pentium- or Celeron-based motherboard
|
|
Pentium III
|
Formerly Coppermine
|
Intel
|
100 or 133 MHz
|
Up to 1.13 GHz
|
0.18 micron versions of
Pentium III with 256K, full-speed cache. New "Flip-chip" package
that fits Socket 370. Older models still use Slot 1. Mobile version
available up to 850 MHz
|
|
Xeon, Pentium III Xeon
|
Xeon, and former Tanner
|
Intel
|
100 or 133 MHz
|
450 - 800 MHz
|
For corporate servers,
a Pentium III at its core, the Xeon is designed for up to four-processor
systems and prefers to use the 450NX chipset. Not for consumer desktops.
No Pentium 4 version likely (see Itanium).
|
|
Celeron
|
Celeron
|
Intel
|
66 MHz except for
newest 800 MHz version
|
Up to 800 MHz
|
A Pentium II at its
core, Celeron is Intel's "Basic PC" processor. Uses a 370-pin
socket, but there are many converter boards to allow you to use them in
Slot 1 systems. Only newest versions support Pentium III multimedia
extensions. Only newest version (800 MHz) uses 100 MHz front-side bus.
|
|
IA-64
|
Itanium
|
Intel
|
??
|
Unknown
|
Still unreleased, but
serious testing going on
|
|
Cyrix MIII
|
Based on Celeron
|
VIA
|
Who cares?
|
"400, 433,
466"
|
New Celeron clone.
Taiwanese chipmaker, Via, is the new owner of Cyrix and IDT (WhiChip).
Speed based on "Power Rating" and therefore, not reliable
indicator of performance (forget it)
|
|
K6-2
|
n/a
|
AMD
|
66 MHz
|
300-475 MHz or higher
|
Technologically
obsolete, 256 K on-board cache running at speed of processor. Out-performs
P-III of same speed for business apps, but only with substantial Level 3
cache. Up to 44 per cent slower on multimedia (e.g., gaming &
graphics) apps. Not impressive when used as a mobile processor for low-end
notebook computers.
|
|
K6-3 or K6-III
|
Sharptooth
|
AMD
|
100 or 133 MHz
|
350 to 450 MHz
|
|
Athlon
|
K7 “Thunderbird”
|
AMD
|
Double-pumped 100 MHz
|
500 MHz to 1 GHz
|
Early versions use Slot
A. Newer use "Socket A" with cache sizes up to 8 MB. Independent
benchmark tests show that Athlon Thunderbird outperforms the Pentium III
running at the same speed.
|
|
Athlon
|
K7 “Mustang”
|
AMD
|
Double-pumped 133
|
Up to 1.3 GHz
|
Latest version of the
Athlon uses Socket A and the best companion chipset is the AMD 760, which
supports DDR SDRAM. Matches or exceeds performance of Pentium 4 on some
tests
|
|
Duron
|
Duron
|
AMD
|
Double-pumped 100
|
Up to 850 MHz
|
AMD claims this
“lite” version of the Athlon performs 25 per cent faster than a
Celeron of the same clock speed. Uses “Socket A”
|
|
"K8"
|
SledgeHammer
|
AMD
|
??
|
Unknown
|
Not due until Q2, 2001.
Rumour has it that SledgeHammer will run today's 32-bit apps, but not
tomorrow's 64-bit software designed for Itanium. The company is gambling
there will be software versions for both.
|
Ø
But which processor do you really
need?
|
Workstation / Server
|
Fastest Pentium 4 or
Athlon Mustang
|
|
Dual Processor
|
Xeon for now
|
|
Professional /
enthusiast
|
Fastest Pentium 4 or
Athlon Mustang
|
|
Small Business
|
Celeron or Duron,
Pentium III or Athlon Thunderbird – it depends on use (Photo work or DTP
needs more oomph)
|
|
Corporate Desktop
|
Celeron or Duron,
slower Pentium III or Athlon
|
|
Home (typical)
|
Celeron or Duron,
slower Pentium III or Athlon
|
|
Home (gamer or artist)
|
Fastest Pentium 4 or
Athlon Mustang (or perhaps one step back from the leading edge to save
money)
|
|
Mobile Professional
|
850 MHz mobile Pentium
III with SpeedStep for power, slower
Mobile Pentium III or Celeron
or K6-x to save money
|
Ø
Processor Chipsets
v
Play a huge role in determining the type of memory, front-side bus speed
(and therefore which processors you can use), hard drive transfer rate, and
support for advanced features (FireWire, USB, power management, various wake
options, and remote management options)
|
Company
|
Chipset(s)
|
Processors
|
|
Intel ( www.intel.com
)
|
815, 815E, 815EM
|
Celeron, some Pentium III (SDRAM support)
|
|
|
820, 840 / 850
|
Pentium III / Pentium 4 (DR DRAM support only)
|
|
VIA ( www.via.com.tw
)
|
Apollo series
|
Chipsets for both Pentium III and Athlon with DDR
SDRAM support
|
|
AMD ( www.amd.com
)
|
760
|
Newest chipset for Athlon and Duron with DDR SDRAM
support
|
|
SiS ( www.sis.com.tw
)
|
Several
|
Chipsets for both Pentium III and Athlon with SDRAM
support only
|
Ø
Where to get more unbiased info…
|
http://www.
|
CanadaComputes.com
|
tomshardware.com
|
sysopt.com
|
motherboards.org
|
Canadacomputes.com
|
Ø
Graphics controllers … a slow one
will make a powerful computer seem sluggish
v
Names such as VGA and
SVGA are meaningless, while "standards" such as EGA, 8514 and XGA have
disappeared. You want to ask about brand name, speed measured by a benchmark
test, amount of on-board memory, and add-ons such as hardware MPEG. Then
negotiate price. They're always changing and the speed of these things increases
several times each year. For most users, whatever comes with the system will be
adequate. If you plan to do desktop publishing or artwork, or to run high-end
games, or want to watch TV, or get good results from DVD, then more homework is
required to determine what will work best for your needs.
Ø
Memory … specs on the box are
misleading — you need enough to run several applications simultaneously
v
Get as much as you can
afford. Don't leave the store without at least 64 MB, but 128 - 256 MB will make
you happier. Want to buy more? For compatibility, always buy more of what you
already have (size, type, refresh rate, base speed, contact metal). Consult your
system manual.
|
|
|
|
SDRAM
|
Synchronous Dynamic
Random Access Memory – least expensive and most common this year.
|
|
DDR SDRAM
|
Double Data Rate SDRAM
– twice as fast as SDRAM, about 10 per cent more expensive. Supported by
VIA and AMD (760) chipsets
|
|
DRDRAM
|
Direct RAMBus DRAM –
Intel’s memory type of choice. They say it’s fast, but benchmark
testing can’t find the speed. Twice as expensive as SDRAM
|
Ø
Hard Drives … Data always expands
to fill the container. Get a big one; start saving for another one
|
|
|
Access time
|
Fast: 8 ms. Median: 10
to 12 ms. Slow: more than 12 ms
|
|
Throughput (data
transfer rate)
|
ATA-33, 66, 100 suggest
that you may get 33, 66, or 100 MB/sec transfer rates, but that depends on
your chipset, and how well your motherboard is designed. These numbers are
theoretical maximums (speed limits), not an absolute indicator of
what you’re going to get.
|
|
Rotational speed
|
5400, 7200 or 10,000
RPM. 10K drives are usually SCSI (small computer systems interface) and
noisy.
|
Ø
Monitors … money spent here will
be well spent
v
17-inch, non-interlaced
monitor w/ .28 mm dot pitch or less and at least 72 Hz vertical refresh rate.
|
Monitor
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Dot Pitch
|
On the inside of glass
cathode ray tube (CRT) are phosphorescent dots. Between the electron gun
and the phosphors is a mask used to focus the beams. If a shadow mask, it
has round holes and dot pitch
measures the diagonal distance between two dots of the same colour.
Smaller numbers indicate smaller spaces (more dots) and a sharper image.
Some manufacturers have taken to measuring horizontally. A 0.22 mm
horizontal dot pitch is roughly equivalent to 0.26 mm diagonally (but it
sounds better)
|
|
Stripe Pitch
|
If a rectangular mask
is used, a method formerly patented by Sony under the name,
"Trinitron," the mask type is generically known as aperture
grille. Space between two colours is measured horizontally and is roughly
equivalent to 0.25 mm. It's an objective assessment, but to my eyes, they
give a sharper picture.
|
|
Pixel Pitch
|
A confusing term
applied to LCD monitors. Instead of beams being focussed on small glowing
dots, each pixel is composed of three fixed crystal cells which twist to
allow more or less light through to change colour values. Some companies
call the horizontal distance between two cells of the same colour pixel
pitch. Others call the size of each pixel, Pixel Pitch, while others
measure the distance between
pixels. If we're measuring cell to cell or pixel size, the range is 0.28
to 0.31 mm. Distance between pixels can range from 0.2 to 0.02 mm.
|
|
Anti (or low) radiation
|
There are two commonly
quoted "standards" for measuing emmissions for monitors, MPR (aka
SWEDAC) and TCO. Seeing these doesn't help unless you also see which
version (e.g., MPR-II, MPR-III, TC0 95, TCO 97 or TCO 99). Each newer
version is more stringent than the last.
|
|
Non-Interlaced
|
No big deal any more.
All monitors sold today are non-interlaced. You'll only find interlaced
monitors (which flicker badly) sold used.
|
|
Vertical refresh rate
|
This represents the
number of times per second that the picture on screen is redrawn on each
scan. Higher numbers (e.g., 75 Hz or more) are best at the resolution you
plan to use.
|
|
Resolution
|
The number of picture
elements (pixels) columns by the number of rows. Most folks want at least
800 by 600 (for a 15" monitor) or 1024 by 768 for 17"
|
|
Mask types
|
Shadow mask: round
holes. Aperture grille: rectangular grid. Aperture grille produces sharper
image, but it appears curved at the left and right edge.
|
Ø
Printers …
|
|
|
|
|
Dot-matrix
|
Impact printing,
inexpensive, low cost consumables, fast
|
Low quality output,
noisy, very cheap models wear out quickly
|
|
Ink-jet (or 'bubble'
jet)
|
Relatively inexpensive,
better colour quality than dot-matrix, as well as letter-quality type.
Very quiet. Most popular type of printer today for colour.
|
Not very dense blacks,
inks tend to run out quickly and are water-soluble. Colour models with black ink in same container not cost
effective. Jets can clog.
Cost-per-page higher than any other printer other than dye
sublimation (see note below)
|
|
Personal laser
|
Less expensive than
you'd think. Low running costs compared to inkjets
|
Monochrome only. 6- to
8 pages per minute output (which is still faster than an inkjet)
|
|
PostScript Laser
|
Fully scalable font
set, good software support, excellent for graphics and desktop publishing
- standard memory usually 2 MB (but
4 MB is better).
|
Postscript printers
have been both coming down in price and going up in resolution (The
minimum standard is 600 dpi). Models up to 17 ppm available at a price.
|
|
Colour laser
|
Great quality, Lower
running costs than an inkjet
|
Still expensive ($3,600
and up), but steadily falling in price
|
|
Multifunction Fax
|
Several devices with
one footprint, one power supply and one relatiely low cost
|
If one part goes down,
all functions are lost. They'll do one thing well, but others,
particularly scanning, just so-so.
|
v
The less expensive an
ink-jet printer is to buy, the more it will cost to run. According to a survey
conducted by PC Magazine in December 2000, the least expensive printer, a
Lexmark Z32, printing 25 black and white and 25 colour pages each week, would
cost US$2,800 to operate over a 3-year period, while a much more expensive
Epson Stylus Colour 670 would have cost only US$970 for the same period. You
can check out the whole list by clicking here
Ø
CD-ROM drives … are toast …
Consider CD-RW instead (or, sigh, DVD)
|
|
|
|
CD-ROM
|
Compact Disk-Read only
memory (you can't save data on a CD-ROM disc; you can only read it.
|
|
NnX
|
Drives 12X and less
spin at that rate no matter where the read head is in relation to the
centre or outside of the disc. 16X drives and above use a different method
of reporting the speed and work that fast ONLY at the outside edge where
there is seldom any data. The average performance is about half the stated
marketing number when compared to the older drives.
|
|
CD-R
|
Recordable CD-ROM
drives that allow write-once, read many recordings. Usually dual speed for
record, quad for playback. Some early models may not allow multi-session
recordings. Media costs about $3 per disc.
|
|
CD-RW
|
Eraseable, re-writable.
Multi-session recording, attractive cost
|
|
DVD
|
Digital Video /
Versatile Disc. You know you have a modern drive if ALL of the following
are true: It will handle discs up to 17 GB capacity; it has a transfer
rate of 2,170 KB/sec or faster (2.17 MB/sec); it explicitly guarantees it
will read CD-R AND CD-RW discs, and the CD-ROM playback rate is stated as
24X or faster.
|
|
Transfer rate
|
The speed at which
data, once found on the CD surface, is passed to the computer. Higher
numbers are better and the current average rate is half what's advertised.
|
|
Access time
|
CD-ROM tracks are laid
in a spiral with data starting at the centre. Information is read
sequentially, not at random like a hard drive. That's why they're so slow.
The lower the number for access time, the better the performance and the
faster you'll get your data
|
|
Multi-session photo CD
|
When you have pictures
transfered to Photo-CD, an index or "session" is created. When
you go back and add more pictures, another index or session is created.
Multisession CD-ROMs can read the multiple indexes, while those that are
not multisession stop at the first and can't see anything else.
|
Ø
Modems … gotta have one in today's
environment
|
|
|
|
POTS
|
Plain old telephone
system. Standard modems as we know 'em. Current top internationally
approved standard is V.90 (56 kbps), but no achieves this speed. Does fax.
|
|
ISDN
|
Integrated Services
Digital Network. Cost more money to acquire, to install and to operate
monthly. Capable of 1.5 megabits per second (mbps). Does fax
|
|
Cable (WAVE)
|
@Home is an example,
but it's only available in certain neighbourhoods. Speeds can be high, but
not if several people on the same node are active at the same time.
Requires installation of a network card in your PC. Bad reputation for
poor reliability, poor customer service. No fax (keep your POTS modem)
|
|
Direct Satellite
|
Direct PC is an
example, but it's hideously expensive to set up and operate. Speeds up to
400 kbps. No fax.
|
|
ADSL
|
Asymmetric Digital
Subscriber Line. Not widely available yet. Uses POTS copper lines, with
upload speeds to 64 kbps and download speeds up to 6 mbps. No incoming fax
(use the modem)
|
|
"ADSL Lite"
|
What Sympatico sells.
Limited to under 1 Mbps download, requires open expansion slot and network
card. Does fax
|
|
Web TV
|
Despite its name,
doesn't use cable modems such as @Home. The three currently on the market
(Sony, Philips, Sega) use POTS modems. Fax? You're kidding, right?
|
v
V.90 modems rated at 56
kbps get 46 kbps on average.
v
"WinModems"
use your processor for hardware functions that standard POTS modems used to
provide. They're cheaper, but they will not work outside Windows.
v
Transmission rates
are always measured in bits per second (Kbps or Mbps). Data transfer rates
are always measured in bytes per second. There are 8 bits in 1 byte, but it’s
best to divide bits per second by 10 to cover error correction and compression
time. Soooo, a 48 Kbps transmission rate gives you about 4 KB/sec data transfer
on a good day. A 1.5 Mbps transmission rate gives about a 150 KB/sec data
transfer. Got it?
Ø
Rules of the Game
v
You can’t get quality
for $1.98. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
v
You can’t get the
fastest computer there is. It’s still on a truck somewhere between the factory
and the store. Get what you can afford and upgrade later.
v
Everyone else knows
better. Snap and snarl at people who would ruin your parade. Do your homework,
make your choice, then enjoy the heck out of it. (Hint: as soon as you buy your
computer, stop shopping; otherwise you’ll just annoy yourself.)
v
If you’re still
afraid of ripoffs, you haven’t done enough homework.
v
The computer you buy
should work with the software that comes with it. If it does not (lots of
“illegal operation” errors, blue screens, or mysterious lockups), exercise
your warranty and ignore suggestions that it’s fault of the software or
operating system.
v
You’re going to want
another one. Sooner or later, new technology you can’t use, better software
that won’t run or your own sense of anticipation will drive you out the door
to get another computer.
v
To stave off the day
when that occurs as far into the future as possible, buy as close to the leading
edge of technology as you can afford and plan to upgrade before
you buy your next system by asking pointedly how you can upgrade with industry
standard parts. Avoid proprietary schemes that limit your purchasing
alternatives.
v
However, upgrading as a
strategy only works if you begin doing it soon after you get your system. If you
wait until everything is out of date, it will cost too much to upgrade. Start
over.
Ø
How much do I pay?
v
For a basic, "good
enough" entry-level system around $1,500. For a state-of-the-art, leading
edge system with all the best components, tons of memory, large hard drive
capacity, and extra toys and goodies, over $4,000. Sixty percent more for a
notebook. The average for most typical home desktop systems in 2000 was around
$1,890 with just adequate processor, memory, monitor and other components,
including software or printer.
Ø
What was that list of components
again?
v
The fastest or second
fastest processor you can afford. Motherboard chipset appropriate to your
processor and future plans. As much memory as you can get. Not less than 64 MB,
128 will be more comfy (100 MHz SDRAM or memory type suitable to your
motherboard’s chipset). As large a hard drive as you can afford (then start
saving for another). 56 K, V.90 POTS modem and Ethernet NIC. Accelerated
4x AGP, 3D graphics card with at least 4 to 8 MB of memory, but not necessarily
more. A monitor with a vertical refresh rate of at least 75 Hz at the
resolution you want to use and either a dot pitch of .28 mm or smaller, or a
stripe pitch of .25 mm. 16-bit, wave-table sound card, CD-RW or DVD-ROM.
3.5" floppy drive, mouse with scrolling wheel, keyboard with
"Windows" key(s), 2 – 4 USB ports, and at least a power conditioner
if not a UPS (uninterruptible power supply). Inkjet, personal laser or
multifunction printer. Windows Me or Windows 2000 Professional.
Ø
Getting more independent information
from the Web
v
Try these Web sites
(all begin with http://www.) CanadaComputes.com sysopt.com, motherboards.org,
tomshardware.com
v
And last but not least
. . . Let me say this one again: No one makes a whole PC. Every component in a
PC has a brand name and model designation that will allow you to research its
characteristics. All components are not the same. Advertisements and offers that
do not give these details also don't give you enough information upon which to
base an accurate price comparison.
Ø
Finding the Presenter … and
getting more information
v
Myles White is
associate editor of CanadaComputes.com,
a columnist in the Toronto Star, a contributor to various other computer-related
publications (including Your Office Magazine), radio, and television programs,
and is author of "How to Buy a
Computer (2nd edition)" and "How
to Avoid Buying a New Computer," both published by McClelland and
Stewart. He may be reached by fax at 416-425-4644, by Internet e-mail at myles@computerwriter.com
, or on the Web at: http://www.computerwriter.com
(where you’ll also find copies of
this handout, after the show is concluded.
v
His consulting rate is $150 per hour (not available for technology
manufacturers or software developers), plus expenses, and he is available for
speaking engagements at negotiable rates.
Ø
Copyright
notice:
v
This handout is
protected by international copyright (© Myles White, 2000, 2001). It may not be
reproduced, except for personal use, or quoted in whole or in part in any
medium, for any reason, without the permission of the author. In other words, if
you want to make one copy for your brother, go ahead. If you want to make 50
copies for some other reason, post it on your own Web site, or republish it in
your newsletter, you have to ask me, first (see above). Fair enough?
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|
