Computers, like clothes, come in many different types, sizes, colors and from different manufacturers. Moreover, the specificities involved in identifying the kind of computer you want from an electronics store needs one to be armed with some finer details. Failure to this, many people have found themselves with devices that fall far below what they had expected, after parting with huge sums of money and letting the store keepers decide for them. They always regret for such mistake. Therefore whether you are thinking of getting yourself a laptop, a desktop, a notebook, a tablet or even a workstation, there are some underlying features common to all computers, and which at the same time make them different from each other. Knowing these features is very important for everyone who is planning to purchase one.
Use/Purpose
Computers, as we are all aware, are used to serve different purposes. From those who only want to play video games and watch movies, to our highly skilled engineers who use them for crafting complicated designs. The quality of the device you want should be guided by how you intent to use it. For a computer scientist and programming addict like me, you definitely need a machine that is well capable of dual – booting windows 10 and Linux mint (at the least), as well as launch and run the whole Oracle 11g Express Edition database and one of those resource hungry products of Adobe Systems (which we cannot do without anyway), without your computer losing its efficiency. This means that you need a computer with as large RAM and HDD/SSD space, and as fast clock speed as you can afford. On the other extreme is the group of people who wish to acquire a computer for light tasks such as preparing office documents, accessing the internet and watching movies/videos, or just for status. For such, a computer doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg.
RAM/CPU/HDD specs
These three are what determine how powerful a computer is. The size of the RAM (Random Access Memory) determines how many programs the processor can run at a given time interval, and thus the larger the space, the more the programs and files it can hold, and the faster the processor can switch between the programs without having to pause to load more data. When it comes to the CPU (Central Processing Unit, or just processor), Intel’s multiple core i series (i3, i5 and latest i7) is a good choice, depending on which of them you can afford. In case that is too expensive for you, an Intel Celeron or Pentium of 2.3 GHz or higher can suffice depending on how you use it. The processor is the brain of a computer and is a great indicator of its performance capabilities as a whole. A more powerful processor not only means that your laptop will run faster, it also allows you to run programs that lower spec computers struggle with (for example photo editing, graphic design and music creation software). Your computer hard drive (HDD) is basically like a house for your files. The larger it is, the more information/data (in form of files) it can hold. However, if you can afford it and don’t need a ton of internal storage, get a laptop with a solid state drive (SSD) rather than a hard drive, because you’ll see at least three times the speed and a much faster laptop overall. Among SSDs, the newer PCIe x4 (used with NVMe) units offer triple the speed of traditional SATA drives. All this is to say, get yourself a computer with as high and best specifications of RAM/CPU/HDD as you can afford.
New/refurbished/used
It is very important to familiarize yourself with these terms before you walk into an electronics store. A new computer is one that is straight from the manufacturer. It has not been used before. You will have the privilege of configuring it as you like from the start, and also enjoy the benefits of a genuine warranty. A refurbished computer is also from the manufacturer, but had been used before, then returned to the manufacturer either because of software or hardware hitches. The manufacturer corrects the hitches, fine-tunes it, re-decorates it and sends it back to the market, this time to be sold anew. A used computer is like a second hand vehicle, the only difference being that in the case of a vehicle we can check its mileage and guess how long it has been used. There is no such luxury when it comes to computers. It had been owned by another person, used for as long as they wanted (this might range from days to years), then brought back to the store for re-selling. As you can now guess, a new machine will cost you more than a refurbished computer, which in turn will be more expensive than a used one, all other factors being constant. Purchasing a used computer, needless to say, depends on your luck. You might get a high quality machine that will last for years without any trouble, at a cheaper price. On the other hand, you are inheriting all the problems and failures its former owner experienced while using the computer. Always enquire the status of the computer you are purchasing and use that information to bargain the price. Many people have bought used and refurbished machines when what they wanted is a new computer, and the store keepers will likely not furnish you with this information.
Price
Prices for each quality and type of computer varies widely. This, fortunately, allows one to stretch as far as they can. That said, a laptop computer can go for as little as KSh 20,000 depending on whether it is new, refurbished or used, up to as much as one can afford. With around that amount, a Dell inspiron 11 300, HP stream 11, Samsung Chromebook 3, Acer Aspire Switch 10 and Acer Aspire ES1-111M are some of the best options for a budget laptop. This list is not exclusive. The less the RAM, CPU speed and HDD/SSD space a computer has, the less costly it is. This therefore means that the more powerful the computer you want is the more money you will part with. Other types of computers also have their ranges (for example, a desktop will cost you a little less than a laptop, while a notebook might cost you more).
Brand/Manufacturer
Even though the brand of your computer is not as important as the factors above, it is a factor that, if ignored might haunt you later. Your computer is only as good as the company that stands behind it. Accurate and timely technical support is paramount in the use of your machine. Support is only part of what makes a laptop/notebook brand worth your money. You also have to consider how the manufacturer stacks up to the competition in terms of design, value and selection, review performance and other criteria. According to a recent research done by Laptop Mag (an American based electronics review company), HP comes first in the list of the 2019 best laptop brands. Following closely is Asus, Dell, Alienware, Lenovo, Razer and Acer in that order. The research was done to evaluate the 10 biggest laptop brands to determine which brand offers the best combination of quality products, cutting-edge innovation, helpful support, customer reviews, sleek designs and strong value. To be on the safe side, and to get the much needed support when your VGA port malfunctions or the finger print reader stops recognizing your thumb, go for a brand that has more credit in technical support to its customers.
Additional features
A computer is not exclusively what we’ve discussed so far. This brings me to the last point. A computer that has more additional features such as USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, WiFi and Ethernet connection capability, HDMI port, Bluetooth, DVD reader/writer, projector connector, microSD card reader, webcam camera etc should reign over the one that has less of these features, all other factors constant. These features come in handy as you continue using your computer. Other attractive features include finger print reader, touch screen, long battery life, better screen resolution etc.