Nsingi Lunanga
Module 1.3: Hardware
recommendations
Buying a computer
Buying a computer
General considerations when buying a computer are the following:
v Do you need to be mobile? If yes, then a desktop isn’t an option
v What are the hardware specifications of the software you want to use?
Theses specifications are usually on the packaging of the software or on
the website. Don’t purchase a computer that meets the minimum
requirements for the software – rather aim for 1 that is at least as
powerful as specified in the recommended requirements.
v What are the current standard specifications for an entry-level (the
cheapest) & a more advanced computer in the category you are considering
(e.g. a laptop or a desktop)?
v Is a legal operating system provided? You can save yourself unnecessary
expenses & trouble by being ‘legal’ from the start.
v Buy the best product that your budget will allow, esp. in terms of the
type of processor, the amount of RAM installed & the size of the storage
(hard drive, etc.), bc these 3 components are crucial in terms of the
effective functioning of your computer. If you can afford it get an SSD as
your system drive (the drive on which the operating system is installed).
The system unit
The system unit
,Nsingi Lunanga
CPU specifications, memory (RAM) & storage are generally the 3 most
important hardware specifications
CPU or processor
The CPU is responsible for running your programs & processing data
• Speed of a processor is measured
in Gigahertz (GHz)
• Modern CPUs often have multiple
cores (e.g. quad-core) which is
like having more than 1 processor
Notes on the chip
• The brand name (usually AMD or
Intel) & model (such as Intel i7)
can also be used to identify the
processor in an advert
• The standard-entry (cheapest)
processor is sufficient for general
computing tasks (e.g. Word
processing & Spreadsheets), email
& web browsing, as well as casual
gaming & multimedia (doing basic
photo viewing & editing, listening
to music & watching videos). This
should be sufficient for personal
Recommendations
users. SOHO users & mobile users
• Applications such as games, 3D
graphics, large databases,
spreadsheets & photo & video
editing need the best processors
that are available. Pwr users
should have the best CPUs they
can afford
,Nsingi Lunanga
Memory (RAM)
The RAM is the temporary storage area for running programs & for data
that is being processed
• RAM can also be identified by
terms such as DIMMS, DDR3 or
DDR4 RAM
• If more than 4 GB of RAM is
installed, you will need to make
Notes sure that you are using a 64-bit
version of an operating system,
otherwise you won’t be able to
access the entire amount of RAM
you have
• For any user the more memory
that you have installed, the
better – no matter what you are
doing with your computer. This is
Recommendations
bc, with more memory, more
data & programs can be loaded
for processing @ the same time
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
This is the main, permeant storage area for all your data & software.
Computers usually have 1 hard drive, but you can add additional hard drives.
If 2 computers are similar in price but 1 has an SSD & the
other HDD, then choose the 1 with the SSD
, Nsingi Lunanga
• A file server in a network, often
has a no. of large drives, bc it
has to store all the users’ files
• Besides the capacity of a hard
drive (e.g. 2 TB), hard drives can
be identified in adverts by terms
such as SATA (the internal hard
drive interface or connection) &
the speed @ which it rotates,
which is measured in revolutions
Notes per minute (rpm) – e.g. 7 200
rpm
• SSDs use technology that is
similar to flash memory. They are
becoming popular esp. on portable
computers such as laptops. While
they are quicker than mechanical
hard drives, they are generally
smaller in capacity & are a lot
more expensive
• Most users will never fill the hard
drive of their computers if they
simply use the computer for
applications such as word
processing, spreadsheet, email
browsing & web browsing
Recommendations
When you start using your
computer for media (music,
movies, video clips, photo
collections). Then you’d need the
largest storage you can afford
Video card
Module 1.3: Hardware
recommendations
Buying a computer
Buying a computer
General considerations when buying a computer are the following:
v Do you need to be mobile? If yes, then a desktop isn’t an option
v What are the hardware specifications of the software you want to use?
Theses specifications are usually on the packaging of the software or on
the website. Don’t purchase a computer that meets the minimum
requirements for the software – rather aim for 1 that is at least as
powerful as specified in the recommended requirements.
v What are the current standard specifications for an entry-level (the
cheapest) & a more advanced computer in the category you are considering
(e.g. a laptop or a desktop)?
v Is a legal operating system provided? You can save yourself unnecessary
expenses & trouble by being ‘legal’ from the start.
v Buy the best product that your budget will allow, esp. in terms of the
type of processor, the amount of RAM installed & the size of the storage
(hard drive, etc.), bc these 3 components are crucial in terms of the
effective functioning of your computer. If you can afford it get an SSD as
your system drive (the drive on which the operating system is installed).
The system unit
The system unit
,Nsingi Lunanga
CPU specifications, memory (RAM) & storage are generally the 3 most
important hardware specifications
CPU or processor
The CPU is responsible for running your programs & processing data
• Speed of a processor is measured
in Gigahertz (GHz)
• Modern CPUs often have multiple
cores (e.g. quad-core) which is
like having more than 1 processor
Notes on the chip
• The brand name (usually AMD or
Intel) & model (such as Intel i7)
can also be used to identify the
processor in an advert
• The standard-entry (cheapest)
processor is sufficient for general
computing tasks (e.g. Word
processing & Spreadsheets), email
& web browsing, as well as casual
gaming & multimedia (doing basic
photo viewing & editing, listening
to music & watching videos). This
should be sufficient for personal
Recommendations
users. SOHO users & mobile users
• Applications such as games, 3D
graphics, large databases,
spreadsheets & photo & video
editing need the best processors
that are available. Pwr users
should have the best CPUs they
can afford
,Nsingi Lunanga
Memory (RAM)
The RAM is the temporary storage area for running programs & for data
that is being processed
• RAM can also be identified by
terms such as DIMMS, DDR3 or
DDR4 RAM
• If more than 4 GB of RAM is
installed, you will need to make
Notes sure that you are using a 64-bit
version of an operating system,
otherwise you won’t be able to
access the entire amount of RAM
you have
• For any user the more memory
that you have installed, the
better – no matter what you are
doing with your computer. This is
Recommendations
bc, with more memory, more
data & programs can be loaded
for processing @ the same time
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
This is the main, permeant storage area for all your data & software.
Computers usually have 1 hard drive, but you can add additional hard drives.
If 2 computers are similar in price but 1 has an SSD & the
other HDD, then choose the 1 with the SSD
, Nsingi Lunanga
• A file server in a network, often
has a no. of large drives, bc it
has to store all the users’ files
• Besides the capacity of a hard
drive (e.g. 2 TB), hard drives can
be identified in adverts by terms
such as SATA (the internal hard
drive interface or connection) &
the speed @ which it rotates,
which is measured in revolutions
Notes per minute (rpm) – e.g. 7 200
rpm
• SSDs use technology that is
similar to flash memory. They are
becoming popular esp. on portable
computers such as laptops. While
they are quicker than mechanical
hard drives, they are generally
smaller in capacity & are a lot
more expensive
• Most users will never fill the hard
drive of their computers if they
simply use the computer for
applications such as word
processing, spreadsheet, email
browsing & web browsing
Recommendations
When you start using your
computer for media (music,
movies, video clips, photo
collections). Then you’d need the
largest storage you can afford
Video card
