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2000 Computer Buyers' Guide

Toronto Star special section, November 23, 2000

Copyright ©, Myles White, 2000. All rights reserved.

Please note: the articles below are the unedited text I submitted to the Star. They do not include graphical material that appeared in the supplement (I don't normally do that work), nor do they include the two articles on the section's front page which were not written by me.

The articles are all here, but you can cut to the one you wanted to double-check by clicking on the appropriate jump link below:

• Main: an overview of the market
• Questions: answers to some perennial buyer queries
• Chips: an up-to-date look at the difference between Celeron, Duron, Pentium, and Athlon processors, as well as details on chipsets (and why you should care)
• Network: a brief re-cap of the home networking market
• Shopping: scams, traps, tricks, and how you approach avoiding them
• What: What you get for what you pay
• Parts: a different approach to sorting out what goes into these things

Note: You might also want to take a look at the handouts I prepare for my seminars at the Computer Fest shows. Click here

2000 Computer Market Overview

After a skewed year in 1999 as companies and individual consumers adjusted to the Y2K phenomenon, some interesting trends have developed computer market for the year 2000. 

According to both US and Canadian sources (Dataquest and International Data Corp. (IDC Canada), over 60 per cent of consumers buying a new computer this year will be repeat buyers. They're either replacing older systems or buying a second or third unit for networking at home. However, if the sales trends set in the first half of this year continue, overall sales of both desktop and notebook computers will be down just over one per cent from 1999, according to Toronto-based Evans Research. 

Some other trends are emerging, too. As the price / performance gap narrows between more expensive notebook computers and less expensive desktop systems, more consumers are jumping on what has traditionally been a commercial / corporate bandwagon. Consumers now comprise nearly 25 per cent of the notebook market says IDC Canada, and Evans reports that the growth of this segment is over 30 per cent (based on actual and forecast unit shipments for 2000 compared to 1999 figures). 

In the meantime, the consumer portion of the overall desktop market is (depending on whether you get your figures from IDC or Evans) between 40 and 47 per cent.

Only 12 per cent of consumers buying a new system this year are paying more than $3,000 says IDC Canada (including both PCs and Apple products and both desktop and notebook systems), with the majority (39 per cent) paying between $1,000 and $2,000 and an only slightly smaller group (32 per cent) paying between $2,000 and $3,000 for their purchase. About 17 per cent of new system sales are in the under-$1,000 category and all figures include both a monitor and an estimated $200 to $300 for extra hardware and software beyond what comes with the unit (see the sidebar: QUESTIONS). The average cost of a new computer for home use is $1,890. 

What you get for the money always changes from year to year, but a more rapid than usual increase in computer speeds means not only that the top of the line systems have nearly tripled in internal processor speed over a year ago, but also that products at the bottom of the price curve are a clearly attractive alternative. They were last year's speed champs. 

Instead of releasing a new, faster processor once or twice a year, for example, both of the main PC processor suppliers, Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have been pushing out new products nearly every two months. It has been a dizzying ride, not only for consumers, but also for the manufacturers who have had difficulty figuring out how many of a certain model to stock. At least twice this year, both IBM and Hewlett Packard were caught short when, by the time they'd sent computers to the press for review and the reviews were published, the models were already off the shelves and replaced by faster systems.

The ranking for computer companies in the Canadian market depends a lot on who is doing the counting, whether they count unit shipments or actual sales, and where Canadian brands are counted compared to multinational "name" brands. It also depends on whether you're counting the whole market or just the consumer portion of it. For example, IDC Canada, based on 3rd quarter, 2000, unit shipments covering both desktops, notebooks, and servers, ranks IBM in the lead with 15.7 per cent, followed by Compaq (15), Dell (13.3), Hewlett Packard (8.7), Apple (4.6), Toshiba (4.2) and all others – including generic "white box" or unbranded locally assembled units, house brands, and large Canadian suppliers – at 42.7 per cent. 

However, based solely on 2nd quarter sales, Toronto-based 3D Micro's IPC brand jumps into fifth place with 6.3 per cent. It's also worth noting that the top three (IBM, Compaq, and Dell) have been switching in and out of the top position in this year's first three quarters. 

When you consider only the consumer portion of the desktop market, you get a different picture. Evans Research, based on 2nd quarter, 2000 sales, puts IPC in the lead with 15.1 per cent, followed by Hewlett Packard (13.2), Dell (10.6), Apple (7.2), and IBM (5.4). The remainder, including Compaq, white box units, house brands, and whatever, take the remaining 48 per cent of sales, bolstering the idea that consumer choices split about 50/50 between multinational and other products (IDC puts it at 46.7 consumer compared to 53.3 per cent commercial based on year-to-date figures for the first three quarters).

And, just in case you're counting, Evans also says that the consumer notebook market is led by Compaq (34.8 per cent), IBM (15.9), and Dell (15.6) with the remainder providing the other 33.7 per cent. It should be noted here that Compaq was the only multinational company with a specifically-targeted consumer notebook (the Presario) during the time of counting. HP's recent jump into the consumer market with its Pavilion notebook has only just occurred this month. And, if you factor in corporate sales, Toshiba ranks number one.

IDC Canada recently did a consumer buying survey and, according to their figures, the top three reasons people gave for buying a computer were for Internet access (over 25 per cent), to augment their children's education (18 per cent), and to augment their own computer skills (13 per cent). Other reasons given included to help with home finances, to use for bringing work home from the office, or to use in a home office, but said the researchers, none of these latter reasons was significant. 

One thing we do know, from a variety of sources, is that computer penetration into the home market continues to grow. IDC Canada's figures are typical. For all of Canada the company says that 57 per cent of homes have a computer and the rate of increase (about 3 per cent annually) shows no sign of slowing down. That represents roughly 6.8 million households. The highest penetration is in BC and Ontario (63 and 62 per cent respectively) with the lowest penetration still being the Maritimes (45) and Quebec (50). The Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) are just above the national average at 58 per cent.

What you have to look forward to as you set out on your journey to computer ownership is lots of often bewildering choices. And it doesn't matter if you're a first-time buyer or you've gone through this before, because a lot has changed in the past couple of years. And what we hope the Star's annual Computer Buyers' Guide will supply are some answers that will start you on your way.

Good luck.

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Questions

When it comes to buying a computer, there are several questions you're going to be asking yourself:

(1) Do I get a PC or a Mac? 

Apple improved its position in the Canadian computer market over the past year, rising from 3.6 per cent coming into 1999, to about 4.7 per cent as of the second half of 2000 (putting it sixth), according to International Data Corp. (IDC) Canada. That means that 95.4 per cent of the computers sold in the same period were PCs. 

Apple did slightly better when only consumer sales are counted and commercial products are left out, at 7.6 per cent. 

However, it's the following assessment that drives Mac fans mad: Despite the sales of the consumer iMac, the more robust G4 continues to be a niche product sold primarily to people who do graphics-related work for a living (advertising, desktop publishing, computer artwork). Although both a PC and a Mac will let you do the same things (word processing, number crunching, data storage, Internet surfing and anything else you can think of to do with a computer), and despite the fact that Apple now has models in the same price ranges as PCs (primarily the iMacs), they still cost more than a PC for comparable performance when it's measured by independent sources. 

Best advice to first-time shoppers: Your family members, friends, and possibly business associates – those who already have a computer or who work in the same industry as you – will either play a large role in helping you to learn how to use it or be the people with whom you'll need to exchange data. If they're happy with with they have, or you must get what they have, this question has answered itself for you. Get what they've got or you may have to find new friends or a new line of work.

(2) If I'm shopping for a PC, do I get a multinational name brand, a store's house brand, or a generic "white box?" 

Year-to-date (based on third quarter, 2000 figures and according to IDC), about 69 per cent of the computers purchased in Canada were from multinationals. These included both consumer and corporate sales, desktops and notebooks. Roughly 28 per cent were of the "white box" variety. 

Toronto-based Evans Research defines these categories somewhat differently, but they saw about 54.9 per cent of the pie going to multinationals (based on second half 2000 figures), 23.4 per cent going to "white boxes," 7.3 per cent to house brands, and 14 per cent to other "large Canadian suppliers." 

There's also a difference when we separate consumer desktop sales from the corporate market. Here the split between multinationals and home brands is about 50-50. 

Points to ponder: the major name brands often provide on-site service in event of a problem and have 24-hour, 7-day phone service as well as extensive Internet-based assistance. Local retailers often have none of these services, but their prices tend to be lower. 

None of the name-brand suppliers has ever claimed to me that their products are more robust than those of the local assemblers and, based on my mail from readers, that appears to be true. Given that both camps get their components from the same broad group of suppliers, it's also not surprising. 

Best advice: shop both markets while doing your homework and ask around about reputations.

(3) Should I get a notebook (laptop), desktop computer, or something else? 

With a projected total of just over 604,000 notebooks expected to ship in 2000 (Evans), they account for just over 17 per cent of the whole computer market, up six per cent from last year. But, there's no compelling reason for someone who is going to use their computer at home and has no specific plans to use its portability, to get a notebook computer. 

While the price/performance gap between desktop computers and notebooks is slowly closing, notebooks still cost nearly twice as much as a comparably powered desktop. 

Unless you also add an external keyboard and monitor, using a notebook computer hurts (either your neck, back, arms, wrists or some other part of your body) because otherwise, you can have the screen or the keyboard at the correct height to reduce strain injuries, but not both (they're not detachable). 

The consumer portion of the notebook market, despite a surge in sales last year, is still only 25 per cent and, unlike desktop systems, nearly 95 per cent of notebooks tend to be from multinational suppliers. 

Toshiba dominates the commercial notebook market, but Compaq, with its home-targeted Presario models, is the king of the consumer segment. Of the multinationals only Hewlett Packard has joined Compaq with a consumer model (the Pavilion), but it just began shipping this month and it's too soon to tell how its sales will compare. 

If you're looking for a smaller format, a so-called personal digital assistant (PDA), there are lots of choices, but only two generic types we care about. Products based on Palm Computing's PalmOS come from Palm, IBM, and a relative newcomer, Visor. 

Products based on Microsoft's Windows CE come from Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Casio, and a smattering of others. 

According to Evans Research, the overwhelming favourites in the market are Palm's branded products (80.3 per cent), despite the problem the company had earlier this year to fill all its orders. HP and Casio each have 6.6 and 6.4 per cent respectively, leaving everyone else with both Palm- and CE-based units fighting over the 6.7 per cent that remained. 

So-called "convergence" devices (cell phone / browser / info manager) and set-top Internet appliances didn't make enough impact on the market to be surveyed by either IDC or Evans last year, but both companies told me they were going to start building a picture of these markets for next year. In short, they're growing product classes that are beginning to appear over the horizon.

Best advice: Only consider a notebook computer if you need one, not just if you want one.

(4) How much should I expect to pay? 

Based on a survey conducted by IDC Canada earlier this year, the average price consumers pay when buying a computer is $1,890. Keep in mind that this and the figures that follow include a monitor, and $200 to $300 for additional external peripheral devices and extra software above what might have come with it:

• 17 per cent of consumers paid under $1,000.
• 39 per cent paid between $1,000 and $2,000
• 32 per cent paid between $2,000 and $3,000
• 10 per cent paid more than $3,000. 

Most commonly purchased peripherals included speakers (80 per cent), ink-jet printers (60 per cent), joystick or other game controller (30 to 35 per cent), scanner (30 to 35 per cent), and (too low to break out) digital cameras, docking stations for handheld PDAs, and external storage devices. 

Most commonly purchased software applications included entertainment (50 per cent), educational (40 per cent), Internet-related (24 per cent), and (too low to break out) accounting and finance, graphics, and small business management.

Best advice: There's no such thing as a computer too powerful for you, but there are lots that are too expensive. The "sweet spot" where you get the most performance for the least relative cash outlay is in the 800 MHz and slightly above range. See below.

(5) Where should I buy? 

Let's separate where you do your research from where you buy. The best advice is to get quotes from as many sources as possible, with as much detail (of component brand and model names) as you can. If your friends and family members tell you they didn't feel treated well at one or another place, that's a supplier you can take off your list (and the reverse is true, too). 

New this year in Canada are a lot more Canadian Internet sites (both manufacturer-direct and retail) from which you can get quotes. If you're shopping for your first system, of course, accessing the Net may be harder, but it shouldn't be too difficult to log on from your local library or a friend or family member who already has Internet service. 

When you're ready to nail your decision down, you'll generally get better prices and more detailed information from a local retailer, although the surroundings may not be as comfortable. Big-box office and electronics superstores also give advice and have prices, but unless things have changed drastically in the past few years, researchers have found in the past that their salespeople often don't listen too closely to your needs and may push the store's house brand on you if you don't have a specific brand in mind. 

Department stores are certainly comfortable places to shop, but in the past haven't scored well in the quality of information and price categories. Warehouse outlets may have good prices, but you can forget all about information and comfort. 

And that brings us to mail-order and the Internet. The risks are fairly straightforward when you're purchasing from someone whose address isn't where you live and that you've never heard of before. The stories of non-delivery, non-service, and outrageous return policies are legion (you get your money back minus the cost of shipping in both directions, a restocking fee, and the full retail cost of all the software is one tear-jerker). 

Buying from a US source brings its own surprises such as increased shipping costs to get the system (or peripheral), GST based on the Canadian price, and, if it's a multinational name brand, you'll discover that Canadian branches of US companies don't provide service for products purchased south of the border (gotcha!). 

Now, having said all that, I need to clarify something. IBM Canada, Compaq Canada, and Dell Canada all have direct-purchase options from their Internet Web sites and by phone. An increasing number of reputable Canadian retailers are also now operating Web sites from which you can buy products. I do not intend for my cautionary notes above to apply to these sources.

(6) Can I get ripped off? 

Yes, you can. While the vast majority of computer retailers are reputable, trustworthy, and not out to do you harm, there is still a minority who engage in what might best be called questionable business practices. 

I've probably made you crazy throughout this supplement (or at least I will) by repeating no one makes a whole computer; they're all assemblies of components that are supposed to work well together. However, a vague ad with few details allowing you to determine whose parts are in the computer can be an excuse for some people to shop the market for whatever is the least expensive and fits the description, without particular regard for its quality. 

Some components are cheap because they don't work and play well with others, were manufactured with little regard for quality control, or they fell off a truck or out of a discard bin somewhere. In short, if one or two computers in the group you're considering appear to be the same as the others, but their price is remarkably lower, something is wrong, and you won't like it when you find out what it is. If a deal is too good to be true, start wondering why.

(7) Can I buy a computer that's too powerful for me? 

No, you can't. But you can find a lot that are too expensive. 

Here's the order in which I'd put the money: processor and front-side bus speed, amount of memory, monitor quality, graphics controller features, hard drive capacity, then everything else. 

For normal home or small-business clerical use, a Celeron or Duron-based system will be quite adequate, unless all your friends and family members are Apple fans, in which case you'll look at the iMac. 

For power users (high-end gamers or professionals using their computer to make a living), then a Pentium III or 4, or Athlon (Thunderbird or Mustang) may be required. If that professional use is for graphics-related work, then, depending on the industry in which you work, the preferred platform may be a Macintosh G4.

(8) Shouldn't I wait for the newer technology I've heard about or for the prices to come down? 

No, you shouldn't. New technology is always just around the corner and when it arrives it pushes the price of existing technology down. New monitors, printers, scanners, and just about everything else you'll want come out every six months or so and the price of current products goes down. In fact, if you keep waiting, eventually that's all you'll do. 

Best advice: The time to buy a computer is when you need it. Do as much research as you can within a three-month window, then make your decision and act on it.

(9) How will I get the most enjoyment out of my computer? 

As soon as you buy it, stop shopping – see (8) above. 

By all means, ask your friends and family for advice about how to use your computer, but don't let any of them touch it. Get used to what you have before you allow well-meaning people put other software on the system or start messing with it to tweak its performance. 

Also plan to ignore those who tell you where you could have purchased a more powerful system for the same price (or less); they're just jealous. 

If you have no friends or family who own a computer, ask around for the name of a computer user group in your area. You'll meet lots of people eager to share what they've learned about the type of computer you have and the software you plan to use. It's a really cost-effective way to learn how to use your new system.

(10) Is there anything else I should remember? 

Yes. 

The computer and every component in it or attached to it should come with a technical manual explaining not only how to make it work, but also those things you'll need to know if you ever what to add anything to it. You're in much better shape if you can call around to ask about memory prices based on the specifications in the motherboard manual than if you have to carry the system case around to a retailer so you can be told what's in it. These manuals are yours by right and the bland assurance that, "We'll get them to you," should be viewed with heavy skepticism. Don't leave the store without them. 

Another way some shady characters try to get you to buy is to offer all sorts of "software included." While getting a software "bundle" with a computer isn't rare, it also isn't free (it's factored into the price). There should be manuals and discs with the original software on it. If the deal is conducted with a lot of nudging and winking, you're possibly being offered illegally pirated products. See the rule above about, "When a deal is too good to be true..." 

As soon as you get the computer home, particularly if you ordered a custom-assembled model with specifically detailed components, open it up and check what you got against the invoice. Understand, that sometimes, in the heat of the moment, a rushed or junior technician may have accidentally put parts in that were less expensive than the ones you paid for. 

A verbal assurance ("Oh, sure, it will do that.") that isn't written on the sales agreement, never took place. On the other hand, if it is on the agreement, you have the right to have that assurance honoured to the letter. 

A new computer should work with the software and hardware that comes with it, without problems and without errors. If it is constantly locking up ("crashing") or otherwise behaving strangely and you haven't done anything to it, then it isn't your fault. Something is wrong, and you should exercise your warranty.

(11) What do you mean about upgrading? 

Upgrading your computer is a strategy you can use to keep it working satisfactorily for you for as long as possible before you have to start this madness all over again. 

But to be a successful strategy, you need to start that process sooner instead of later. Adding a little memory, another hard drive, a faster graphics controller, and/or external devices gradually as you go along keeps the system growing and stretches out the cash flow. If you wait until all the parts are inadequate to your needs, you'll pay too much all at once to bring the system up to snuff.

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Chips

It's easy to think that the big metal box with keyboard and mouse, plus a large glass eye, is the computer.

However, it's what's inside that box that's important, and perhaps the most important thing to know about what's inside is that no one makes a whole computer. It doesn't matter what the company and model names are on the outside, the components inside are supplied by a variety of companies. And the identity of the components makes a difference.

This article will focus on two of them, the central processing unit, also known as the CPU, or simply, "the processor" and a set of two to four chips on the system's motherboard comprising the processor chipset. Let's look at processors first (and because over 95 per cent of you will be shopping for a PC, we'll focus on that platform here.

Processors

PC purchasers will have five broad processor choices, three made by Intel Corporation, and two from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). The VIA Cyrix MIII hasn't penetrated the Canadian market and its specifications are vague, so we'll ignore it.

Intel's consumer processor model names include Celeron, Pentium III, and Pentium 4 (introduced on November 20, 2000). Intel also produces corporate products called Xeon and the soon-to-be-released Itanium, but they're unlikely to appear in any consumer PC, so we'll ignore them, too.

AMD's processor model names are Duron and Athlon.

The table below quickly illustrates their differences. Four factors combine to give you a sense of how well a PC processor will perform: its internal speed (about the only thing mentioned in the advertisements), its external speed, the amount of level 2 cache memory it has, and the chipset that supports it.

*Neither the Pentium 4 nor Athlon or Duron processors use a 400 or 200 or 266 MHz front side bus. The Pentium 4's main system bus is actually 100 MHz, as is the Duron and Athlon "Thunderbird." The Athlon "Mustang" uses a 133 MHz front-side bus. So why do others say differently? It's because few know that AMD "double pumps" its bus, while Intel "quad pumps" the P4. Twice or four times as much data is transmitted per clock cycle than is done on earlier processor architecturess. But the effect is the same, more or less, so most people just report the bus speeds as though they were real. Aren't computers fun?

Front Side Bus: The front side bus is the data pathway that connects the processor to main system memory (the 32, 64, or 128 MB of memory you boast about your system having), BIOS (basic in/out system – a combined traffic map and traffic manager of on-board components and internal peripherals), the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) bus, and the processor chipset.

There was once a back-side bus that connected the processor to level 2 cache memory when it was an external component, either residing on the motherboard or inside a cartridge. However, all currently available processors have the level 2 cache integrated into their circuitry and running at the same internal speed, so the back-side bus is no longer a concern.

The front-side bus speed is important for two reasons. First, the processor's internal speed (700 MHz, 933 MHz, and so on) is a multiple of the front-side bus speed. Both AMD and Intel strive for the highest multiplier effect rather than aiming at a specific internal speed. Secondly, the front-side bus speed determines how quickly data moves outside the processor on its way somewhere else to carry out the processor's instructions. So, just knowing how fast the processor is on the inside doesn't give you all the information you need to figure out how well the system will perform, which may also explain why manufacturers and retailers have been shy to share this information with you.

But the processor's internal and front-side bus speeds are only the tip of the iceberg. There are two more factors that affect performance.

Level 2 cache memory: When you buy a computer that's advertised as having 32, 64, or 128 MB of memory in it, that's an important performance indicator (and also has a direct effect on its price), but that main system memory is slow compared to how fast the processor runs and it can rob the processor of efficiency.

The purpose of the level 2 cache memory – much faster than main system memory - is to act as a temporary parking lot for data on its way into the processor and on its way out. It's also a place the processor can store the results of temporary calculations. Without it, the processor has to use main system memory directly, which slows it down. With cache memory, particularly when it's part of the processor die and running at the same speed, the processor becomes more efficient. With lots of it, that efficiency goes up.

You don't get a choice of how much level 2 cache memory comes with your system any more, because it comes as part of the processor, but it helps to explain why one processor is faster than another when all other things are equal. If we stick with our example above using 700 MHz as the yardstick and rating them from least to best performance, the ranking is Celeron, then Duron, then a virtual dead heat for Pentium III and Athlon (although the Athlon will have a slight edge). 

While the Celeron actually has more level 2 cache (128 KB) than the Duron (64 KB), it comes up about 25 per cent slower because the Celeron has a dramatically slower front-side bus speed. Looking the other way, while Duron has a higher front-side bus speed (200 MHz) than the Pentium III (133 MHz), it has only a quarter of the level 2 cache (the Pentium III has 256 KB). Now you've got it.

AMD has just released a new Athlon, formerly code-named Mustang, to compete with Pentium 4. While the company will increase the front side bus speed to only 266 MHz (compared to 400 MHz for Pentium 4), it also has plans to increase the on-board level 2 cache memory to 1 MB and when we get a chance to compare them the results will be interesting. 

Post publishing note: After this article went to press, preliminary results started coming in. See my review of the Pentium 4 for an update and visit Tom's Hardware for details.

Chipsets

The processor chipset is comprised of two to four components on the computer's motherboard. It determines: 

• the front side bus speed, and therefore which processor(s) it can use 
• the type, speed and upper limit of the amount of memory it can use 
• the type and upper limit of data transfer rates of hard drives, CD- and DVD- drives 
• support for Universal Serial Bus and FireWire (IEEE 1394), and which types of parallel port can be used (Standard, bi-directional, EPP, ECP) 
• support for advanced remote management and advanced power management 
• support for wake on ring and wake on LAN 
• PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus speed and how the PCI slots communicate with the processor 
• support for Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), how it communicates with the processor, and at what speed (1X, 2X, 4X)

All of these factors influence what you can do with your computer now and in the future, but the effect on the type of memory you get is pushing its way to the front. For some time, the "standard" type of memory accompanying PCs has been the same: synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM). As front side bus speeds have increased, so has SDRAM speed (e.g., PC66, PC100, and now PC133).

Beginning with Intel's i820 chipset, a new type of memory has appeared. Direct RAMbus DRAM (DRDRAM) is about twice as expensive as SDRAM and Intel swears we'll see some differences in performance once it releases 400 MHz and higher front side bus speeds. But so far, no one has been able to measure any overall performance differences (in my tests, for example, DRDRAM systems write slightly faster, but read slightly slower).

Needless to say, with the increased price and unnoticeable performance difference, resistance to DRDRAM is significant not only among consumers, but also among manufacturers. Taiwanese chip set and processor manufacturer, VIA, is championing yet another type of memory: Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM). DDR SDRAM supports a front side bus speed of 266 MHz. Its performance is nearly double that of PC133 SDRAM and the cost differential is about 15 per cent. AMD's new 760 chipset also supports DDR SDRAM

Why care? SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, and DRDRAM are physically different and don't fit the same slots. They also require explicit chipset support. You cannot mix and match them, and if you ever want to add more, you'll have to know precisely what you have so you can get more of it.

Last Notes: Intel's 810 and 815 series chipsets distinguish themselves by allowing manufacturers to use less expensive SDRAM and to further cut costs by integrating graphics, sound, modem, and phoneline or Ethernet networking directly into the motherboard. While these options cut costs, integrating the graphics controller, particularly when it shares main system memory instead of having some of its own, slows the whole system down compared to one where the graphics controller is on a separate circuit board and has its own memory.

Systems with alternate chipsets from VIA or others may use DDR SDRAM, but simply because they don't have an Intel chipset doesn't mean that's true. AMD, VIA, and SiS also have chipsets that use classic SDRAM.

Last, but not least: earlier this year, Intel recalled all motherboards (both its own and from other companies) using the i820 chipset <italic>and<italic> a component called a Memory Translator Hub (MTH) designed to allow this chipset to support SDRAM instead of Direct Rambus DRAM. Many motherboards using this workaround solution are unstable, and Intel estimated there were just over a million of them worldwide. Intel wants to replace all of them, but not all of them have been returned (just a hint to explain why one system might be less expensive than all others appearing to have the same component mix).

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Networking

If the analysts are correct, about a third of people who have one computer at home also have more than one (ACNeilsen Canada) and close to two thirds of people buying a new system this year will be after their second or third computer (IDC Canada and US-based Dataquest).

If we use the figure of about 6.8 million Canadian households with a computer (based on estimates by IDC and extrapolated from Statistics Canada data), that means a potential market for companies selling home network solutions of roughly two million households.

Depending on whether you have two computers you want to tie together or more than two, you can expect the cost to be anywhere from about $100 (two 10 Mbps Ethernet network interface cards and an Ethernet cross-over cable or a phoneline solution) to about $75 per computer (including a hub if your solution is hard-wired Ethernet).

And I can tell that I'm just about to lose most of my readers unless I start making this a lot easier to understand. So let's do that.

Even if you have more than one computer in your home, there's no compelling reason for you to connect them to each other unless any or all of the following are true:

• You want to share documents among computers on a regular basis (more than once or twice a week).
• You want to be able to print documents from all the computers on one printer.
• You want to be able to put all your programs (the software applications you use) on one of the computers and run them from the others (as well as sharing documents).
• You have only one dial-up modem in one computer (or one outgoing phone line) or you have some form of high-speed Internet access and you want to share that with the other computer users in your house (such as your spouse and/or children).
• You regularly (more than a handful of times per month), bring a notebook computer home from work and want to be able to transfer documents from it to your home desktop and vice versa.

Choices

Sneakernet: Literally, this joke title means you transfer documents to a floppy diskette, Zip disk, or CD-ROM, then walk over to the other computer and transfer the documents to it. Simple, although time-consuming, with a range of prices from 10 cents for a floppy disk (all computers have this type of drive), to $400 for a CD-RW (ReWritable) "burner." The number of files you can transfer and their collective size may be limited by the medium you use for the transfer (1.44 MB for floppies, 100 to 250 MB for Zip disks depending on the drive model, and about 594 to 650 MB for CD depending on whether you use CD-RW or CD-R discs). Solves document transfer and shared printing tasks, but it's the most tedious solution.

Direct Cable Connection: Available only if both PCs are using Windows 95 or newer. Appropriate serial or parallel cables are widely available (even in office supply stores). A little more complicated to set up unless you're aware of the undocumented need to install Microsoft's IPX/SPX network protocol on both systems. Relatively slow transfer rates (although faster than Sneakernet and there's no file size limit) but really only suitable if both computers are in the same room (it's an alternative when you're transferring from a notebook). Cost: under $30. Okay for document transfer, but not good for program or Internet sharing, or printer sharing.

USB Connections: Direct Cable Connection does not support connecting two computers via their USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports, but several companies (Xircom, D-Link, and Anchor Chips) provide USB connection kits and appropriate software. The computers can be farther apart (up to 50 feet) and the transfer rate is faster than using either parallel or serial cable – up to 12 megabits per second – Mbps – compared to much, much less). The cost is higher, too (but still under $100). Not suitable for Internet, printer, or program sharing.

Infrared transfer: only works if both your notebook and your desktop have compatible infrared ports. Suitable for document transfer, but nothing else, unless your printer also has an infrared port.

Home PNA (Home Phoneline Networking Association): Products are now available from Intel (although hard to find in Canada), 3Com, and D-Link to name but a few. They use your house phone lines at a frequency that their manufacturers say won't interfere with either voice or data transmission. Computers can be in any room with a phone extension jack (no remodelling required). The interface for each computer depends on the brand and model, but could be inside (in an expansion slot) or outside connected through a parallel port or USB port. External solutions are slower (1 to 1.5 Mbps) than internal solutions (now up to 10 Mbps). Cost varies, but you're looking at roughly $120 to over $200 for two systems, then more for each one. They are not compatible with hard-wired Ethernet networks (you can't get the two types to talk to each other). Fast enough to share Internet connections and printer, but marginal for program sharing.

Hardwired Ethernet: Now we're getting both fast and fancy. Requires an internal network interface card in each computer ($40 to $70 each) and a wire connecting them. A "cross-over" cable does just fine for two systems, but as soon as you exceed two, you need a hub ($129 to over $200 for a much faster "switch" hub). Running wires over doorways, down the hall and/or under carpets is not recommended (stringing cable through walls or from one floor to another isn't fun, either, but it's required). Transmission speed ranges from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps and this is pretty much where you want to be if you plan to share programs as well as documents. Does everything else, too.

Wireless: Too many incompatible "standards," too expensive, and too much hassle. There are plenty of companies working on this method, but I don't consider any of the solutions ready for prime time – at least for the home market – yet.

Home Plug Association (HPA): A future scheme – still under development by many of the same players doing Home PNA, but with no products yet available – that may some day allow you to get high transfer rates and connectivity through the plug in the wall.

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Shopping

Okay, here's the plan.

• Decide whether really need a computer, then whether you fit into the category of typical home user or professional/enthusiast and set an upper limit of what you can afford to spend.
• Start talking to friends, family, and business contacts or visit a few computer user groups to figure out whether you want a PC or a product by Apple. Ask them what they got, where they got it, and whether they feel good about it now. If you have a specific task to do with the computer, find out what software program(s) you'll need to do it. If the program(s) you need will only run on an Apple, the question has been answered for you.
• Regardless of the type of computer the software needs, find out what else it needs in terms of memory and storage space
• Get a convenient method to start storing information. A looseleaf binder or file folder will help you keep the information you're about to collect all in one place.
• Start doing homework and expect to be at it for several weeks. Most of the multinationals have stopped putting low-performance components in home systems, but if you plan to have a system custom-built or offered by a local retailer, you need to find out which components have better reputations for quality and performance than others and how they compare with what you're being offered.
• Salespeople are experts on prices. Some of them are even knowledgeable about the technology, although after you've read this supplement, you may know more than many of them do. Few of them really care about what you want to do with your computer.
• Use the Internet, even if you have to go to the library or ask a friend or family member, to do research on components or complete systems and their prices. <italic>Canadian<italic> Web sites selling directly from a name-brand manufacturer or from well-known Canadian retailers are safe points from which to purchase online. Others may cause more problems than they solve.

  Once you've done enough homework to feel confident that you're not going to get ripped off, narrow your selections down to two or three options, then go back and get very specific about components, technical support options, and warranties, keeping in mind that the lowest price isn't always the best deal and that verbal assurances are meaningless unless they're also written on the sales agreement.

• Once you've done enough homework to feel confident that you're not going to get ripped off, narrow your selections down to two or three options, then go back and get very specific about components, technical support options, and warranties, keeping in mind that the lowest price isn't always the best deal and that verbal assurances are meaningless unless they're also written on the sales agreement.

• If you fee uncomfortable about the deal you're being offered for any reason, trust your instincts.
• Make a decision and purchase your new computer when you need it; waiting for new technology or lower prices is a never-ending game.
• Once you've purchased your new system, stop shopping. That way lies unhappiness. But if for any reason you feel it isn't working properly, exercise your warranty. A new computer should work perfectly with all the software that came with it.
• Enjoy the heck out of your new system, keeping well-meaning friends and family from "improving" it until you get used to what you have. Then plan to repeat this madness in anywhere from two to four years once your needs and expectations outstrip what you bought this time.

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What You Get For What You Pay

Based on the price groupings provided by IDC Canada (see QUESTIONS), what can you expect to get for the money you pay? 

The trick is to find the "sweet spot" where the performance you expect is reasonably priced. That's usually not at either the leading or trailing edge; it's generally one or two steps back from the top. The newest systems with the fastest processors command a premium, while traditionally, the trailing edge has been dominated by slower systems with older processors and not much in the way of main system memory or storage capacity. 

One scheme that is still around, but not all that popular, is the "free" computer you get when you agree to sign up for an extended contract with an Internet Service Provider. Closer investigation generally shows that the Internet service is overpriced, and that the amount of screen real estate you lose to ads you can't shut off is excessive. The stats from IDC showing that only 17 per cent of consumers paid less than $1,000 for their new computer, leads their analysts to conclude that the free systems have not caught on. 

What I've done is to create a table, showing what you might expect to get in the price groupings, based on models advertised in print or online the week of November 7.

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Parts

You're going to be overwhelmed by computer terminology discussing the options available for both the inside and outside of a new computer. The following should help bring you up to speed...

Brand and model names: Automotive companies make passenger cars, mini-vans, SUVs and trucks. Computer companies make desktop computers, notebook computers, thin-clients, workstations, and servers. Ford (for example), makes Taurus, Windstar, Explorer, and F-150s among others. IBM makes Ispirati, Aptiva, NetVista, PC 300, ThinkPad, Network Station, Intellistation, and e-Server x among others. So it goes.

Style: Desktop computers from the multinationals tend to have fancier styling. Some (desktops from Compaq and Hewlett Packard and one notebook line from Dell) come with replaceable plastic "skins" with different colours. Apple's iMacs and G4's, of course, have a range of colours and shapes (the "Cube"). Most desktop PCs, however, follow Dell's example with off-white tan boxes, although some from IBM are black. A highly stylized case may make it difficult for you to add components to it later, unless they're purchased from the original manufacturer (which will raise the price), or they may simply not look very nice compared to the original.

Under the Hood

But the case isn't the computer. It's what's inside the box that makes the difference. For instance:

Motherboard (also known as main system board): brand/model may not be mentioned in the ads at all. You may have to glean its features from other info. If this is your first PC, don't worry too much about how many of what kind of <italic>expansion slots<italic> it has. Otherwise note that most multinational models this year will contain only Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slots and that the older Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) slots are largely gone. Your main task will be to find out if the motherboard has embedded <italic>graphics controller, audio controller, modem,<italic> or other on-board features that once used one of these slots.

Central Processor: This is the main component in your computer that does all the work. Think of it as the equivalent to your car's engine. In ads, it's likely to appear as C700, PIII/866, or it may be even vaguer (for example, "850 MHz PC") without any clue about who made the processor or which model it actually is. See the separate article on how to tell processors apart and why it's important.

Main System Memory: You can think of your computer's main system memory (often expressed in ads as "nnn MB RAM"), as the equivalent to your car's gas tank and fuel system. When a program is active, this is where it lives and works. The type of memory you get depends on the processor chipset on the computer's motherboard (see the sidebar). The more memory you have, the less likely your system will slow down when you try to run multiple programs at the same time (a word processor, spreadsheet, and Internet session) and the less likely it is that you'll see an error message indicating an "Illegal Operation" has taken place. For Windows 98, 98 Second Edition, or Windows Millennium Edition, the official minimum is 32 MB of main system memory (not enough), the comfort zone starts at 64 MB, and you'll be much happier with 128 MB. Heavy users may want to go beyond this.

Storage: Your hard drive (HDD in the ads) is where you store programs you're going to use and the documents (words, numbers, pictures, and so on) that you produce with them. Think of the hard drive as a combination of your car's passenger area and trunk. Hard drive capacities have increased significantly over the past few years and prices have plummeted, but the old rule still applies: get as much storage capacity as you can, then start saving up for more. Today, hard drive capacity is measured in gigabytes (GB) and I'd try not to leave the store without at least an 8.4 GB drive. 100 GB drives and larger will be commonplace by this time next year. We keep trying to kill of the floppy diskette drive, but it won't go away. Expect all new systems to have a single 1.44 MB floppy drive included.

Graphics: The graphics sub-system is comprised of a graphics controller (a separate circuit board or a set of chips mounted directly on the motherboard), the data pathway between it and the processor, the amount of memory it has to work with (and where that's located), and the monitor on which you see your work. We'll talk about monitors when we get outside the box, below. 

If you're using a PC at home for balancing your chequebook, doing some other "home productivity" projects, bringing work home from the office, doing a little Internet surfing, and perhaps providing some games for younger kids, then frankly the graphics controller you get isn't going to matter to you very much. If you make your living with your computer (particularly if you're doing desktop publishing-related tasks), or you're an advanced gamer, then it's going to matter a lot.

Here are some brief tips to start you on your way:

• A system advertised as "4X AGP" may have a processor chipset on the motherboard that supports 4X AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port); it doesn't necessarily mean it has a 4X AGP graphics controller in it.
• A system with its graphics controller on the motherboard, one sharing your main system memory instead of having memory of its own, is going to be slower than a system with a graphics controller sitting in the motherboard's AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot and containing its own memory.
• An AGP graphics controller with a large amount of on-board memory is going to be faster for both gaming and desktop publishing applications than one with less memory. However, just having lots of memory may not provide the 3D rendering and other game-related features you need unless it also has a special chip set designed to accelerate game performance.
• Graphics controllers that also allow you to watch television on your PC and/or provide hardware-based decoding for DVD (Digital Video Disc) movies will cost more than those that don't and they seldom satisfy arch-gamers but they'll perform very well for all other applications and games that demand less acceleration.
• A graphics controller needs only 4 MB of memory to render 16.7 million colours at reasonably high resolutions (see monitors below).
• If two PCs that are identical in all other respects have different graphics controllers, one slower than the other, the one with the fastest graphics will be faster.

Multimedia: Here's an interesting statistic from ACNeilsen Canada. At the end of 1999, 78 per cent of Canadians with a computer at home reported they had a CD-ROM (Compact Disc, Read Only Memory) player in their computer. Only seven per cent said they were considering buying a DVD (Digital Video Disc) player. DVD-ROM drives continue to be on everyone's, "Maybe someday I'll get one, but not right now," list. Instead, what's very popular is the CD-RW (ReWriteable) drive, also known as a "CD Burner." CD-RW drives will play back data and music CDs, and they'll also record data to CD-R (Recordable) discs as well as allowing you to re-use (erase, overwrite) the somewhat more expensive CD-RW discs. Much flexibility. The numbers you see associated with the devices, such as 32X / 12X / 8X (playback / write / re-write), indicates the drive's speed when it comes to playing discs, recording on them, or re-recording over them. When it comes to some type of CD- drive, however, you'd be hard-pressed to buy a computer today without one and you wouldn't want to do so, if for no other reason than that very few software programs come on floppy diskette any more.

Audio controllers are also considered part of the computer's multimedia subsystem. Like graphics controllers, they may be embedded on the motherboard or be a separate circuit board in an expansion slot, but unlike graphics controllers, this has little effect on overall system speed. Most home and small business users who are not professional musicians, keen audiophiles, or heavy gamers aren't going to worry about what they get. What you will find is that it's almost impossible to buy a computer in today's market that doesn't have one.

Communications: I consider both telecommunications and networking to fall under this category, but with high-speed offerings from Sympatico and @Home, the line between the two is getting blurry. Regardless of whether you use a phoneline or cable to get high speed, both end in an Ethernet network interface card in your computer. Some companies are shipping systems with built-in Home PNA (Phoneline Networking Association) to make setting up a home network easier (see the article on home networking). At the very least, it's becoming very difficult to buy a computer that doesn't have a dial-up modem in it and you'll want one anyway to use for sending and receiving faxes. What you're looking for is a "V.90" modem. Then you'll also be shopping for an Internet Service Provider, but that's a story for another day.

Outside the Box

There are some external parts to your computer that you will not be able to do without: external ports, a keyboard, a mouse, and a monitor. If you buy one of the multinational brands, you have little choice over which keyboard and mouse you get. The system may come with a monitor, but often, it has to be purchased separately.

Ports: A typical configuration for a new PC should include: video graphics port (leading to the monitor), a parallel (printer) port, one or two serial ports, separate keyboard and mouse ports, a game controller port, at least two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, input and output audio ports, telephone line in and out, and if it has a network interface card, a network port. A new system may also include an IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port for digital video camera input and, depending on the graphics controller you get, there may also be port to take video to television (and/or video tape). You'll find it more convenient if both USB and FireWire ports are on the front of the system.

Keyboards: What most of today's keyboards come with are an extra row of buttons and controls along the top designed to allow you to invoke various programs with one button and to control CD-ROM playback and system volume. Take 'em if they're offered.

Mouse: Various companies now supply a mouse with either a scrolling wheel between its two buttons or a similar device (Microsoft, Logitech, IBM, HP, etc.). And it's one of those things with which you'll quickly become enamoured. Take it; it will be good for you.

Monitors: You'll find price groupings based on type (cathode-ray tube CRT - or liquid crystal display LCD). CRT monitors are about half the cost of the flat-panel, LCD displays that look so good on television.

There's another set of prices based on screen size; 14- and 15- inch, 17-inch, 19-inch, and 20-inch and above. These sizes represent the diagonal screen measurement, but for CRT monitors the numbers don't include the plastic mask around the screen. The actual viewable size may be anywhere from just under one to two inches less. LCD models report the actual viewable size.

There are two different types of CRT monitors: shadow mask, with round holes used to focus the unit's electron guns, and aperture grille, with a horizontal matrix that does the focusing. Aperture grille models produce a sharper image (to my eyes at least), but there are two very faint wires running across the screen, and they often produce an optical illusion of bowing at the outside edges (you'll get controls to adjust this). All shadow mask monitors are not the same and one of the main differences is in the sharpness of the image.

On the inside of the cathode ray tube's screen are fluorescent dots that light up when excited. There have to be at least three of them, corresponding to red, green, and blue, within each picture element (pixel: the smallest portion of the screen the computer can change) so that it can change colour. The diagonal distance between two dots of the same colour is reported as the monitor's "Dot-Pitch" and typically shadow-mask monitors will have a dot pitch ranging from 0.31 mm (very grainy), through 0.28 mm (a little sharper), to 0.26 mm (fairly crisp). The equivalent in an aperture grille monitor is 0.25 mm. Now comes the "Gotcha!" Some companies have been reporting the horizontal instead of the diagonal distance between the dots and coming up with numbers such as 0.22 mm. Bogus.

"Resolution" is the term that describes how many pixels are on screen, measured in the number across the screen, by the number of rows of them. Typical resolutions are 640 by 480, 800 by 600, 1024 by 768, 1280 by 1024, and 1600 by 1200. The resolution you see on screen is generated by the system's graphics controller, but in order to display higher resolutions, the monitor you have must support them by matching the horizontal and vertical screen frequency required. But even if the monitor can follow your graphics controller to its highest resolution, you'll need good eyes to use higher resolutions effectively. As the resolution goes higher, you can see more objects on screen, but they will be smaller. For me, that means I can't use a 15-inch monitor when it's set higher than 800 by 600. I need a 19-inch monitor for 1280 by 1024.

Vertical Refresh Rate reports how many times per second the monitor "repaints" the screen. If that number is less than 72 Hz (72 times per second), most people can notice flicker. It gives me headaches. You want a monitor that produces 72 Hz or higher at the resolution you plan to use most often.

Other things that will increase or decrease a monitor's cost: anti-radiation shielding up to various international standards (MPR and/or TCO), the number of things you can control (one high-end unit from NEC has settings to compensate for the Earth's magnetic field), whether it has on-screen graphics representing the controls, whether or not the monitor also includes a powered USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub, and whether it will "remember" its horizontal and vertical size settings when you change resolutions.

Options: There are additional items you may want to attach to the outside of your computer that don't fall into the "must have" category, although despite the statistical data to support the idea, I still find it strange that about 40 per cent of computer purchasers don't also buy a printer.

Printers: You'll find ink-jet printers starting at less than $99, ranging up to nearly $1,000. Personal monochrome lasers start at under $300 and go to full office models well over $2,000. Colour lasers start at $3,500 and rapidly climb to over $6,000. "All-in-one" or multifunction printer/scanner/copier/fax units utilizing either ink-jet or laser technology start under $700 and go up, depending on the mix of functions and printing technology in use. The cost of owning a printer is another matter. Ink-jets cost between 9 and 35 cents a page to operate, while monochrome lasers are in the 1 to 3 cent-per-page range. If you run a small business, printing 25 black and white and 25 colour pages per week, a colour ink-jet printer can cost, depending on the model, up to US$2,300 to operate over a three year period and the same study (PC Magazine, November 21, 2000) showed that it's the least expensive ink-jet printers that end up costing the most to operate. (Gotcha, again.)

Other favourite external peripherals people buy, says International Data Corp (IDC) Canada are external speakers (80 per cent) and joysticks or other game controllers (30 to 35 per cent). According to ACNeilsen Canada, 18 per cent of PC owners at the end of 1999 were expecting to purchase a scanner, while 13 per cent were eyeing a digital camera. IDC says 30 to 35 percent of people who bought a PC also bought a scanner and reported that much smaller numbers of people bought cameras, docking stations for handheld "PDA" devices, and external storage devices.

Scanners: For a flat-bed scanner, the most flexible and popular option, you can expect to shell out between $100 for a barely adequate model to around $2,000 for a top-of-the-line professional unit with lots of robust software. The biggest price grouping for consumers is in the $350 to $450 range, with very good models at just under $600.

Digital Cameras: You may be able to find a reasonable digital camera for under $500, but it will be one several ticks off the leading edge. For a good quality, featured-packed unit, start thinking in the $1,200 to $1,600 range.

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