Computer flat panel buying tips

Flat Panel is a relatively new technology when compared to the CRT or standard monitor technology and is now available for desktop computers. With new technology comes new important considerations to look at when purchasing a flat panel solution.

Technology

Before looking at what configurations you need to look for when purchasing a computer Flat Panel, it is important to know if you want a CRT or a Flat Panel and LCD monitor.

CRT Today, one of the most commonly used technologies for computer monitors. CRT, or Cathode Ray Tube, is a technology much like what you will find on most TVs. CRT monitors are an affordable solution but are bulky and very heavy.

Tips on buying a monitor can be found on our Monitor buying tips section.

LCD LCD, or Liquid Crystal Display, monitors are similar to what is found on portable computers. LCD monitors overall display much sharper of an image, are lighter and more space efficient; however, they are much more of an expensive solution for desktop displays.

Size

Dimensional Size When looking at LCD and Flat Panel displays, one of the most noticeable and considerable reasons for purchasing a Flat Panel is its size. As you will see, a Flat Panel display is about 1-2 inches deep.

Screen Size - When looking at Flat Panel displays, the screen size is measured differently from a standard monitor. Standard monitors are measured from the bottom left of the screen to the top right of the screen including any of the surrounding plastic or casing. However, when measuring an LCD, the actual viewable area is measured. The below chart is a comparison of an LCD sizes and the general comparison to CRT (standard monitor) displays.

LCD	CRT
13.5"	15"
14.5" - 15"	17"
18"	21"

Resolution

Resolution is the maximum resolution of pixels capable of being shown horizontally x vertically. Be cautious when purchasing a monitor at any size that advertises a large resolution size, such as 1,600 x 1,200 for a 15" monitor.

Some monitor manufacturers may allow for such high resolutions at a high cost but most users never need such resolutions. As the monitor increases in size, the image display will decrease; below is a listing of a usable resolution limit by the size of the monitor.

15" 800 x 600 or 1,024 x 768
17" 1,280 x 1,024
19" 1,280 x 1024
21" - 1,600 x 1,200

Other considerations

Refresh rate When purchasing a Flat Panel or LCD, the refresh rate is not important.

Display angle With an LCD you will find that it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to see from any other angle besides straight on. If you plan on using the display for DVD movies where other people may be watching the same screen, you may want to consider a CRT instead of a Flat Panel display.

Backlight Unlike a good CRT, a Flat Panel LCD is backlit and the light must past though polarization filters and other layers before emerging from the display. This is why most LCD are not as bright as a CRT.

Flat display A flat panel, unlike any CRT, is truly flat. Some manufacturers may advertise a CRT as being a flat display, but they will always have some curvature.

Controls When purchasing a Flat Panel or LCD you may find that there are not many controls to adjust the display. This is normal to expect very few and sometimes one or two buttons used to adjust the display.

Price range

When purchasing a Flat panel or LCD you should expect to pay more than a Monitor (CRT) as this is a new and improved technology. Below is what you should expect to pay by size of display.

14" display: $500 or less
15" display: $600 - $1,200
18" display: $900 - $3,000
22" dispaly: $3,000 or more

Ready to buy

Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a flat panel, ensure that the source that you plan on purchasing the flat panel from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.

Computer Hope is ready to setup and help you with issues you may encounter during the purchase and installation of your flat panel regardless if you purchase through us or another vendor.

To help support Computer Hope you can purchase directly through our well-known associate, Amazon. Click the below browse button to begin browsing through the flat panel section.

Read more ...

Computer DVD buying tips

Buying a DVD drive can sometimes be a confusing task. Below we have listed important considerations to look at when considering purchasing a DVD drive.

Technology

Before considering purchasing a DVD drive it is also good consider the other available options.

CD-R - CD-R, or CD Recordable, drives allow you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of doing, but at the same time allows you to create your own CDs for backup. An excellent solution for anyone that is in need of a CD-ROM and backup solution. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our CD-R and CD-RW buying tips page.

CD-RW - Like a CD-R drive, a CD-RW, or CD Read/Write, drive allows you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of as well as read and write to a CD-RW disc thousands of times instead of once like a CD-RW drive. While a little more expensive, this is another great solution for backups. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our CD-R and CD-RW buying tips page.

DVD - DVD, or Digital Versatile (video) Disc, allows a computer to not only do everything that a standard CD-ROM drive is capable of doing, but at the same time is capable of reading DVD Discs and DVD movies. For users who plan on playing games or watching movies on their computers, this is an excellent addition. Tips on buying these drives can be found on this page.

Why DVD?

DVD drives, like other technology, can be a confusing and sometimes be thought of as a non-important consideration. Below is some insight to why a DVD drive may be important as well as different considerations to look at when purchasing a DVD drive.

Why DVD? DVD by many is thought as just a solution for users to watch movies on their personal computers. While for many individuals this may be enough, it is important to also look at the factor that DVD is now being used in games or data DVDs, such as an encyclopedia. DVD prevents the user from having to switch between different CDs and instead places all the data on one DVD.

Decoding

Software vs. Hardware For the purposes of watching DVD movies on the computer, you must consider the two below possibilities for decoding the DVD movie.

• Hardware - Hardware decoding requires an additional card, called an MPEG card, be installed into the computer. This card allows for the movie to be mainly decoded with that card and not software or the CPU. This means other things can be done as you are watching the movie. However, this is the more expensive solution verses software, and requires additional system resources (IRQ/DMA).
  In addition, MPEG cards also give users the capability of connecting external video to the computer, allowing the computer to function as a DVD player for your home entertainment system.
• Software - Software decoding requires a software program and the CPU to be used to handle the decoding of the DVD movie. This solution is a cheaper solution but requires complete access to the computer, and in some cases users with processors lower than 200MHz on an IBM computer to notice poor quality video.

Other Considerations

Some other important considerations to look at when purchasing a computer DVD drive include:

Extras - Some manufactures of DVD drives will include extras such as a DVD movie or movies, cables, deals with DVD movie stores...

Warranty How long is the warranty and what does it cover.

Support Is the technical support number a free number; is it open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Price range

When looking at purchasing a computer with a DVD drive or a stand alone DVD drive, it is important to take into consideration that a DVD drive will be more expensive than a standard stand alone drive. The price of a DVD may vary depending upon its speed, included software and hardware, or its interface.

DVD: $100 - $300

Ready to buy

Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a computer DVD drive, ensure that the source that you plan on purchasing the DVD from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.

Computer Hope is ready to setup and help you with issues you may encounter during the purchase and installation of your DVD drive, regardless if you purchase through us or another vendor.

To help support Computer Hope you can purchase directly through our well-known associate, Amazon. Click the below browse button to begin browsing through the DVD section.

Read more ...

Computer processor (CPU) buying tips

Purchasing a processor is an important consideration when building or buying a computer. Below we have listed several considerations and additional information about what to ask and look for when purchasing a processor directly or already installed into a computer.

Type

The processor can be an important consideration for users who are building a computer. Today, there are three main processor manufacturers: AMD, Cyrix, and Intel. Each of these companies have good and bad reviews, and really each of them are very close in compatibility and reliability. When considering any of these processors verify the motherboard is compatible. For example, if an Intel motherboard is purchased or currently installed into the computer, purchase a Intel Processor, an AMD processor only works on a motherboard designed for AMD.

Considerations

Heat Sink

It is highly recommended that all processors have a heat sink. The heat sink helps to allow for the processor to remain cool and therefore run more efficiently. A computer processor with a missing, bad or failing heat sink can cause the computer to lock up, cause errors or encounter other issues. 

When looking at a processor, also consider the heat sink that will be attached to that processor and ensure that the processor being purchased is compatible with that heat sink.

Additional information and help on computer heat sinks can be found on our heat sink page.

Interface

Today, there is a wide availability of interfaces the CPU may connect to. Below is a listing of each of the interfaces and a brief description on each of them.

Slot
Slot A

The slot was first used and introduced by Intel when they released the Pentium II processors. This slot was designed to allow users to install the processor into the computer. However, because of the additional cost considerations, Intel has now gone back to the Socket what is now known as the FC-PGA socket. Computers that have the Slot are the Intel Pentium II and early versions of the Intel Pentium III.

The AMD processors use the Slot A interface

Socket
FC-PGA
Flip Chip
Coppermine

The socket is the most commonly used and found interface for processors today. The socket has been used in all Intel processors preceding the Intel Pentium II and is now being used for the Intel Pentium III and above processors with the name FC-PGA, which is short for Field-Programmable Gate Array. The FC-PGA is a socket and not a slot processor and is also known as the Intel Coppermine or the Flip Chip.

Slocket

Slocket, which is a slot card, can be used to connect a socket or FPGA processor. This is not an actual interface but can be an option for users who have a slot adapter with a computer that supports speeds of a socket or FPGA processor.

When looking at the interface of the CPU, it must match that of what is on the motherboard unless it is possible to use a Slocket. Additional buying tips on computer motherboards can be found on our motherboard buying tips page.

Names

The names of the processors can be very confusing and are used as a method of helping to sell a computer or computer processor. Below is a listing of some of the more commonly used names and a brief description on each of them.

Intel family names:

Pentium - The 80586, or P5, the Pentium is the generation above the 486 processor line.
Pentium Pro - Chip designed to help speed up Windows 32-bit software
Pentium with MMX - Processor with additional 57 new instructions and enhanced speed to graphics and multimedia software. MMX is now included in all Intel processors that have been released after this processor.
Pentium II and III - The first of the Intel processors to include the Slot adapters. These processors were the next generations of the Intel Pentium processor.
Intel Coppermine - The Socket (FC-PGA) version of the Intel Pentium III and IV.
Intel Flip Chip - Another name for the Intel Coppermine.
Intel Celeron - The low end Intel processors designed to help lower the prices of the computers by reducing or at first eliminating the level 2 cache.
Pentium IV - The next generation of Intel processors, these processors were over 1GHz and were the FPGA processors.

AMD family names:

AMD K6-2 - Socket 7 processor with the 3DNow! technology and first to have the 100MHz bus.
AMD K6-3 - K6-2 chip with Level 2 cache memory that runs at the speed of the CPU.
AMD Duron - Like the Intel Celeron, the AMD Duron is an affordable solution processor allowing for the price in the overall computer to drop.
AMD Athlon - AMD generation with features such as the 200MHz bus speed
AMD Thunderbird - The latest AMD processor, this processor is the socket version.

Speed

The speed of the processor is an important consideration as it is what will rate the speed of the computer and help the computer run faster overall. 

When looking at the speed of processors available, we highly recommend that you do not purchase or consider purchasing a processor that has just been released. The price of the processor will be at a premium price and if you give that processor 2-4 months it will drop in price dramatically.

Effects

Upgrading the computer processor may have the below effects on the computer.

• Allow for programs that may require steeper processor requirements to be run.
• Help the computer or computer programs speed in load and opening time. Note: In many cases this may not be noticed or will not be dramatic.

CPU installation

Additional help and information about installing a computer processor and other computer hardware can be found through our Installation section.

Read more ...

Computer CD-R buying tips

Buying a CD-R or CD-RW drive can sometimes be a confusing task. Below we have listed important considerations to look at when considering purchasing a CD-R drive.

Technology

Before considering purchasing a CD-R or CD-RW drive, it is also good to consider the other available options.

CD-R - CD Recordable drives allow you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of doing with the added ability of creating your own CDs. An excellent solution for anyone that is in need of a CD-ROM and backup solution.

CD-RW - Like a CD-R drive, a CD-RW or CD Read/Write drive allows you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of doing with the ability to read and write CD-R and CD-RW discs. While more expensive, this is another great solution for backups.

DVD - DVD, or Digital Versatile (video) Disc, allows a computer to not only do everything that a standard CD-ROM drive is capable of doing, but at the same time is capable of reading DVD Discs and DVD movies. For users who plan on playing games or watching movies on their computers, this is an excellent addition. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our DVD buying tips page.

Interface

The first and foremost important consideration is the Interface that the CD-R and CD-RW drive uses. If you are an IBM user, you have a decision between an IDE, SCSI or USB interface. Macintosh users will want to consider between SCSI and a USB interface.

IDE Each IBM computer has the capability of having a total of four IDE devices connected to it. It is likely that one or two of these are already being used, one by the hard disk drive and one by the CD-ROM drive.
IDE devices are a great solution to consider when thinking about the interface you want to use as the drives are easy to install and are relatively fast.

SCSI Every Macintosh computer has a SCSI port built onto the Motherboard or has an Interface card for SCSI devices. Not all computers have a SCSI card, which means you need to purchase an interface card before installing a SCSI CD-R drive.
SCSI devices are one of the more difficult drives to install but are the fastest solution of the three available interfaces.

USB USB is a new interface available on newer IBM and Macintosh computers. USB is a fast solution but is the slower of the three interface possibilities. What makes USB a strong competitor is they are usually always easy to install and are a portable solution, meaning these drives will work with other computers with USB ports.

Software

The next important consideration to look at when purchasing a CD-R or CD-RW drive is the included software. The software is what allows the computer to interface with the CD-R or CD-RW drive and be able to copy files onto the blank CD. Poorly written software can hinder the ease of use of a CD-R or CD-RW drive and sometimes cause errors with the CDs that are created.

Speed

The speed of the CD-R drive can also be an important consideration, as this determines the amount of time this drive takes to create or read a CD. Users that expect to not burn many CDs may want to look at the slower, less expensive drives, while users that expect to burn several CDs may want to look at the faster, more expensive drives.

Other considerations

Some other important considerations to look at when purchasing a computer CD-R or CD-RW drive include:

Warranty How long is the warranty and what does it cover.

Support Is the technical support number a free number; is it open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Price range

For a CD-R and CD-RW drive, not to be confused with a CD-ROM or DVD drive, can vary depending upon the speed, the included software and the interface the CD-ROM drive uses.

Standard IDE/SCSI CD-R Drive: $100.00 - $200.00
Standard IDE/SCSI CD-RW Drive: $160.00 - $300.00+
USB CD-R and CD-RW Drive: $150.00 - $200.00+

Ready to buy

Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a computer CD-R or CD-RW, ensure that the source that you plan on purchasing the CD-R or CD-RW from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.

Computer Hope is ready to setup and help you with issues you may encounter during the purchase and installation of your CD-R or CD-RW, regardless if you purchase through us or another vendor.

To help support Computer Hope you can purchase directly through our well-known associate, Amazon. Click the below browse button to begin browsing through the CD-R or CD-RW section.

CD drive installation

Additional help and information about installing computer CD drives and other computer hardware can be found through our Installation section.

Read more ...

Computer CD buying tips

Purchasing a CD-ROM drive is a relatively easy task but can involve some considerations when purchasing.

Technology

Before considering purchasing a CD-ROM, it is also good consider the other available options.

CD-R - CD-R, or CD Recordable, drives allow you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of doing with the added ability of creating your own CDs. An excellent solution for anyone that is in need of a CD-ROM and backup solution. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our CD-R and CD-RW buying tips page.

CD-RW - Like a CD-R drive, a CD-RW, or CD Read/Write, drive allows you to do everything that a standard CD-ROM is capable of, as well as read and write to a CD-RW disc thousands of times instead of once like a CD-R drive. While a little more expensive, this is another great solution for backups. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our CD-R and CD-RW buying tips page.

DVD - DVD, or Digital Versatile (video) Disc, allows a computer to not only do everything that a standard CD-ROM drive is capable of doing, but at the same time is capable of reading DVD Discs and DVD movies. For users who plan on playing games or watching movies on their computers, this is an excellent addition. Tips on buying these drives can be found on our DVD buying tips page.

Interface

The first and foremost important consideration when purchasing a CD-ROM is the interface that the CD-ROM utilizes, such as IDE, SCSI, USB, Parallel or PC-Card.

IDE/EIDE The most commonly used interface with IBM computers, IDE/EIDE/ATAPI interface is found on all IBM compatible motherboards. This interface allows for a total of four devices to be connected.

When considering purchasing an IDE/EIDE/ATAPI CD-ROM drive it is important to verify that you have the available connections for the device.

SCSI The only method with Apple computers and commonly used interface with IBM computers, the SCSI interface allows for a total of seven devices to be connected to the computer and is a faster solution than the IDE/EIDE interface.

If you are user of an IBM compatible computer, it is important that you ensure your computer has a SCSI interface already present in the computer. If not present, you need to install a SCSI card before being able to install a SCSI CD-ROM drive.

USB The USB interface allows a user to install a device and supports up to 127 devices.

Before you can install a USB CD-ROM drive, it is important for both IBM and Macintosh users to verify that a USB port is present on the computer. If not present, an interface card needs to be installed.

Parallel Solution available for PC computers, Parallel CD-ROM drives allow users that may not have the available resources or may have a portable computer to connect a CD-ROM drive.

PC-Card (PCMCIA) Excellent solution for users utilizing an older laptop that does not have a CD-ROM drive to connect a CD-ROM drive to their computer.

Transfer rates

Transfer rates can sometimes be a misleading when looking at purchasing a CD-ROM drive. The transfer rate of a CD-ROM drive is how fast a CD-ROM drive may be able to access the data from a CD. This speed is only going to be noticeable when installing a program or copying large amounts of data from a CD.

Price range

For a CD-ROM drive, not to be confused with a CD-R, CD-RW or DVD drive, the price can vary depending upon the speed and the interface the CD-ROM drive uses.

Standard IDE/SCSI CD-ROM Drive: $50.00 - $200.00
Parallel CD-ROM Drive: $150.00 - $300.00
PC Card and PCMCIA CD-ROM Drive: $100.00 - $300.00

Ready to buy

Once you have reviewed the appropriate information and believe that you are ready to make a purchase of a computer CD-ROM, ensure that the source that you plan on purchasing the CD-ROM from is a reputable source and you have reviewed our section on what to look out for when purchasing over the Internet.

Computer Hope is ready to setup and help you with issues you may encounter during the purchase and installation of your CD-ROM, regardless if you purchase through us or another vendor.

To help support Computer Hope, you can purchase directly through our well-known associate, Amazon. Click the below browse button to begin browsing through the CD-ROM section.

CD drive installation

Additional help and information about installing computer CD drives and other computer hardware can be found through our Installation section.

Read more ...

Computer case buying tips

Purchasing a computer case is not an important consideration for users who are purchasing a computer from a computer m

anufacturer as most manufacturers do not offer different types or colors of cases. However, those building a computer may find it important to consider the below considerations.

Color and case type

Today, there are a wide variety of computer case colors and case sizes for the PC. When looking at the case, consider the color of the case and its size. Most cases come in either urban white or white. Additional information about the computer chassis including the color and size can be found on our chassis definition.

Location and size

Before purchasing a computer case you should think out where the computer is going to be placed.

• Is it going to be on your desk or your floor?
• Is it going to have enough space at its location with the monitor and other peripherals possibly next to it?
• If it's in a bedroom will it be quiet enough if left on while you sleep?

Upgrade availability

• Does the case have enough bays for adding additional hard drives or other drives?
• Does the case have the availability for slots for additional expansion cards to be placed in?
• Is the computer easy to work in or will it have to be completely disassembled to get to certain parts of the computer?

Motherboard

If you are assembling your own computer, make sure that the motherboard form factor you plan to purchase is going to be able to fit into the computer case. The standard motherboard form factor today is ATX or microATX.

Power supply

If you are assembling your own computer, make sure that the computer case either comes with a power supply or that the power supply you plan on purchasing will fit into the computer case.

Additionally, if you are building a gaming computer with an advanced video card make sure that the power supply is big enough to support the video card along with all other hardware in the computer. If you cannot find the video card recommended power supply requirement, we suggest using at least a 500W PSU.

Service

Many case manufacturers are creating their cases solely for computer manufactures and may not sell to end-users. If you are building a computer and able to order such a case, it is likely that service or support may be slim or not available as well as long distance. Take this into consideration when purchasing a computer case.

Read more ...