How to Buy a

Computer
By Heman Lee

For use by the Asian Community Center

How to Buy a Computer workshop
Contents
How to Buy a Computer ........................................................................................... 1
Windows or Mac? ................................................................................................. 1
How Much Do You Want to Spend? ..................................................................... 1
Desktop or Laptop ................................................................................................. 1
What about Horsepower? ...................................................................................... 2
How Much Memory .............................................................................................. 2
Hard (Drive) Decisions .......................................................................................... 2
Go For a Large LCD Monitor ................................................................................ 3
What About Software? .......................................................................................... 3
Vista comes in different flavors ............................................................................. 3
Optical Drive (DVD/CD) ...................................................................................... 4
Additional Features ............................................................................................ 4
Vista or XP ............................................................................................................ 4
Method of purchase ............................................................................................... 5
Where to Buy? ....................................................................................................... 5
Accessories and Peripherals ................................................................................... 6
Inkjet Printer .......................................................................................................... 6
Laser Printer .......................................................................................................... 6
Multi-Function Printer ........................................................................................... 6
Webcam ................................................................................................................ 6
Trackball (Alternative to a Mouse) ........................................................................ 7
Ports ...................................................................................................................... 7
High Speed Internet ............................................................................................... 7
HOW TO SPEAK GEEK WHEN LOOKIN AT COMPUTER ADS? ................... 8
PC Buyers Check List ............................................................................................. 12
Form Factor ......................................................................................................... 12
CPU - Processor .................................................................................................. 12
OS – Operating System ....................................................................................... 12
RAM ................................................................................................................... 12
Productivity Software .......................................................................................... 12
Security Software ................................................................................................ 12
Warranty * Service .............................................................................................. 13
Monitor ............................................................................................................... 13
Optical Drive ....................................................................................................... 13
Hard Drive........................................................................................................... 13
Hard Drive Partition ............................................................................................ 14
Video Card .......................................................................................................... 14
Media Reader ...................................................................................................... 14
Modem ................................................................................................................ 14
Interface .............................................................................................................. 14
Sound Card .......................................................................................................... 14
How to Buy a Computer
Windows or Mac?
You may have friends, relatives or neighbors trying to pull you into the "Windows
vs. Mac" holy wars. In my opinion, the choice of operating system really doesn't
matter. From a beginner's perspective, each has point & click interfaces that are
pretty easy to use. Both will take you to the same Internet, and enable you to send
and receive email. Both offer word processing, and the documents they create are
interchangeable. Because Windows-based computers make up 90% of the market,
they are cheaper. It's the law of supply and demand in operation. And in some areas,
it may be hard to find technical or repair support for Apple Macintosh computers. So
if you're budget-minded, and you don't have any friends willing to help you with
Mac issues, I suggest you go with a Windows-based PC.

How Much Do You Want to Spend?

A good entry-level computer with monitor can be purchased for under $500, and
sometimes you even get a printer in the deal. So what should a newbie look for in
terms of speed, monitor, memory and hard drive specs? It doesn't have to be all that
confusing...

Price Application
Range
$500 - $600 Basic functionality for internet, word processing and business
applications.
$600 - 1000 Do more multi-media applications, such as digital photography and
photo editing.
> $1000 Video editing, Hi-resolution 3D gaming

Desktop or Laptop
Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Desktops generally start at a
lower price and offer more in terms of hard drive capacity and memory options.
Also, additions and repairs for desktop computers tend to cost less. The obvious
downside is that desktops take up a lot of physical space. Laptops, on the other hand,
are mobile units that you can carry anywhere.

How to Buy a Computer.doc 1 4/17/2009

 What about Horsepower? CPU
The CPU (central processing unit, or "processor" for short) is the
brain of your computer. In general, the faster the better. There are
two major brands of CPU’s, Intel and AMD. Usually AMD
machines will be cheaper that their Intel counterpart. Processor
speeds are measured in gigahertz (GHz) and as of this writing, the
fastest models available operate at about 4 GHz. Entry-level machines start at about
1.5 GHz and are more than adequate for web surfing, email and word processing.
The Current CPU technology is the multi-processor architecture. Basically it is
multiply CPU’s on the same chip. The Intel version is marketed as the Core 2
brand refers to a range of Intel's CPU’s. 64-bit dual (2) and quad (4) core. The
comparable AMD technology is call X2.

How Much Memory (RAM)

When we talk about computer memory we mean RAM memory.
So how much you need? Don't confuse RAM with hard drive
(file storage) space. RAM is the temporary (volatile) working
memory that your computer uses to perform calculations and
manipulate files. When you turn on or boot your computer the
OS that resides on the hard drive is load into RAM. When you
open a document, it is copied from the hard drive into RAM. As
you and your word processor work on the file, the modified copy exists only in
RAM. When you save the file, it is copied from RAM back to the hard drive, or
permanent storage. And as with CPU power, the more RAM you have, the better
your computer will perform.

RAM Application
2GB Minimum for Vista. Web surfing, word processing
3GB-4GB Digital photo editing, power user. Small business server
4GB-8GB Video editing, Hi-resolution gaming

Hard (Drive) Decisions

The hard drive is your permanent file storage. All of your personal files, such as
word processor documents, photos, music, and emails are stored here, in addition to

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software packages and the operating system is stored on the hard drive. Most new
PC's come with a hard drive that's 200 gigabytes (GB) or larger. I recommend you
start with a hard drive of 250 GB or larger, but consider doubling that if you plan to
keep lots of photos, music or videos on your computer.

Go For a Large LCD Monitor

Here's the formula: Larger Monitor = Less Eyestrain
and Less Scrolling. I recommend a 19-inch monitor, or
even a 22-inch or larger, if you don't mind spending a
bit more. Don't worry about brand names here; they're
all pretty much the same

What About Software?

Most of the software you need, will come pre-installed on your new PC. The current
operating system is Windows Vista. Windows Vista does come with a few
application programs like Internet Explorer (for web browsing) and MS Mail (for
email) and WordPad (for word processing) Additional software may also be loaded
on your new PC know as ―TrialWare‖. TrialWare allows you to sample the
program with some restrictions. In most cases there will be a time limit of 30 days,
before you have to purchase the program.

Look for a computer that comes with anti-virus software pre-installed. If yours
doesn't come with any anti-virus package, check with your Internet service provider
to see if they offer anything for free. Failing that, you can download the free AVG
package.

Vista comes in different flavors

Windows Vista Home Basic is ideal for homes with basic computing needs like e-
mail, browsing the Internet, and viewing photos. Easy to set up and maintain, it
enables you to quickly find what you're looking for on your PC and the Internet,
while providing a more secure environment to help protect you from an
unpredictable world.
Windows Vista Home Premium is the preferred edition for home desktop and
mobile PCs. It provides a breakthrough design that brings your world into sharper
focus while delivering the productivity, entertainment, and security you need from
your PC at home or on the go. It has all the basic version's capabilities in addition to
many more features including: DVD authoring, HDTV support, touch-screen
capabilities and premium games. The Windows Vista Home Premium is strongly
recommended if you really need a budget operating system.
Windows Vista Business is the first edition of Windows designed specifically to
meet the needs of small businesses. Windows Vista Business Edition - This edition

How to Buy a Computer.doc 3 4/17/2009

is comparable to Windows XP Professional. Aimed at the business market, it has
features such as: fax support, a web server, dual processor capabilities, file system
encryption and dual CPU support. It can also handle most types of hardware and
software. It is a very capable version of Vista, and strongly recommended if you can
afford it, and need an operating system capable of handling all of your heavy-duty
and business needs.
Windows Vista Enterprise - This edition is basically an upgrade from Windows
Vista Business. It offers even more features such as: UNIX application support,
multilingual support and BitLocker Drive Encryption.

Optical Drive (DVD/CD)

Most computers will have a CD/DVD burner
as a standard feature. Usually it will have
Dual Layer support (DL), which means it
can read and write DVD that support DL.
CD or DVD options - Give some serious
thought to how you'll use your computer. Do
you intend to purchase music or movies from
the Internet? Most computer will come with a DVD-ROM (Read Only Memory)
which allow you to only read or play CD or DVD disk. If you wish to create DVD
disk, you need to get a DVD burner. With the burner, you can copy documents,
music or video onto a disk, Most DVD burners will burn both CD and DVD format.
For additional cost, a Dual-Layer DVD burner is the best. Until recently, all DVD
recordable drives on the market could only burn to a single layer disc, which limits
capacity to 4.7GB. The dual-layer burner doubles this capacity.

Additional Features
LightScribe – a laser DVD/CD label burning technology found in many popular
brands of DVD/CD burners, laptops and PCs -- gives people the ability to easily
burn silkscreen-quality photos, graphics, images and text directly onto LightScribe
CDs and DVDs. A simple title printed in normal mode will typically take a couple of
minutes. A fuller disc image will take approximately 15-20 minutes. LightScribe
CDs are available in gold, red, orange, yellow, blue and green.

Vista or XP
Microsoft Windows Vista is already pre-installed on most retail computer system
that you purchase at most computer or electronics outlet. In the business sector, XP
is still the predominant operating system because of the incompatibility issues.

How to Buy a Computer.doc 4 4/17/2009

Method of purchase
Most mass-produced computers are bought and configured online. Want the
personal touch, these manufacturers (DELL) provide telephone assistance. Other
option over the internet are the discounter or refurbish reseller. If you are on a
budget these could be a good option, but you need to do your homework. Want in-
person personal touch and assistant from a sales person, then go to a retailer.

Where to Buy?
Look at your local computer store first, they may have some good deals and offer
local support. Office supply and electronics stores such as Frys, Costco, Staples,
Office Depot, and Best Buy are good options to explore too. If you're comfortable
buying online, check out companies like Dell, Gateway and other vendors to
compare features and pricing.

How to Buy a Computer.doc 5 4/17/2009

Accessories and Peripherals
Inkjet Printer

This type of printers operates by propelling variably-

sized droplets of liquid or molten material (ink) onto
almost any medium. They are the most common type of
computer printer for the general consumer due to their
low cost, high quality of output, capability of printing
in vivid color, and ease of use
.
Like most modern technologies, the present-day inkjet
has built on the progress made by many earlier versions. Among many contributors,
Epson, Hewlett-Packard and Canon can claim a substantial share of the credit for the
development of the modern inkjet. In the worldwide consumer market, four
manufacturers account for the majority of inkjet printer sales: Canon, Hewlett-
Packard, Epson, and Lexmark.

Laser Printer
In business, the laser printer is the most common. A black and white laser can cost
as low as $200 to $300. The advantage of laser is its high quality of output and
speed. The more expensive color laser is capability of printing in vivid photo
quality Theirs is a hefty price attached since color lasers go for $500 - $2,000.

Multi-Function Printer
Another popular printer is the All-In-One
or Multifunction printer which combine
printing, scanning, copying and faxing all
in one machine. These printers are cheaper
than buying separate stand-alone devices,
take up less space and need only one
connector cable and one power outlet. One disadvantage is that if your printer stops
working, so does your fax, scanner or copier.

Webcam
Webcams (web cameras) are small cameras (usually, though
not always, video cameras), whose images can be accessed
using the World Wide Web, instant messaging, or a PC video
conferencing application. The term webcam is also used to

How to Buy a Computer.doc 6 4/17/2009

describe the low-resolution digital video cameras designed for such purposes, but
which can also be used to record in a non-real-time fashion.

Trackball (Alternative to a Mouse)

A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball housed
in a socket containing sensors to detect rotation of the ball
about two axes—like an upside-down mouse with an
exposed protruding ball. The user rolls the ball with the
thumb, fingers, or the palm of the hand to move a cursor.
Large tracker balls are common on CAD workstations for
easy precision. Before the advent of the touchpad, small
trackballs were common on portable computers, where there may be no desk space
on which to run a mouse. Some small thumbballs clip onto the side of the keyboard
and have integral buttons with the same function as mouse buttons.

Ports
Many upgrades and peripherals to computers now connect through external
interfaces instead of internal cards. Check to see how many and what type of
external ports are available on the computer for use with future peripherals. Look for
systems that have both USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 or FireWire ports. It should have at
least six USB 2.0 connectors and one FireWire ports. Many times media card
readers that support various different flash memory cards
for peripherals are also included.

Surge Suppressor
A Surge Protector provides premium power protection for
both home and professional workstations, and all connected
devices. A good quality unit will provide the most complete
protection from power surges, spikes, and AC
contamination available.

High Speed Internet

AT & T High Speed Internet

Type: DSL
Basic $19.95
Express $25.00

Comcast High Speed Internet

Type: Cable
$19.99 for the first 3 months, then $55 afterwards.

How to Buy a Computer.doc 7 4/17/2009

HOW TO SPEAK GEEK WHEN LOOKIN AT COMPUTER ADS?
The language of techies and geek is made up of acronym like DHCP, DNS, FPT,
SMTP, RTP, IEEE 1394, 802.11, etc. Also there of slang or brand name like Blu-
ray, Blue-Tooth, Pentium, Core 2, etc. Here are a few to know when you are
considering a new home computer system.

Aspect Ratio - This is the ratio of width to height. A standard, non-widescreen

monitor will have an aspect ratio of 4:3, while the wider displays will have 16:9 or
similar. A wide format will actually allow you to see more laterally than you would
otherwise, hence the draw to have a wide monitor for movies and games. 16:9 is
actually the standard format for hi-def video, so if you plan on watching full screen
movies, you will experience less image distortion with this than you will with the
others.

AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port (also called Advanced Graphics Port, often
shortened to AGP) is a high-speed point-to-point channel for attaching a graphics
card to a computer's motherboard, primarily to assist in the acceleration of 3D
computer graphics. Since 2004, AGP has been obsoleted by PCI Express. However,
as of 2007 new AGP cards and motherboards are still available for purchase, though
OEM driver support is minimal. ATI Radeon - a brand of graphics processing units
(GPU) that since 2000 has been manufactured by ATI Technologies and
subsequently AMD and is the successor to their Rage line..

AMD is the second-largest global supplier of microprocessors based on the x86

architecture after Intel Corporation, and the third-largest supplier of graphics
processing units. It also owns 21 percent of Spansion, a supplier of non-volatile flash
memory. In 2007, AMD ranked eleventh among semiconductor manufacturers

Blu-Ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage media format.
Its main uses are high-definition video and data storage. The disc has the same
dimensions as a standard DVD or CD. The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the
blue laser (violet coloured) used to read and write this type of disc. Because of its
shorter wavelength (405 nm), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray
Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. A dual layer Blu-ray
Disc can store 50 GB, almost six times the capacity of a dual layer DVD.

Bluetooth - a wireless protocol utilizing short-range communications technology

facilitating data transmissions over short distances from fixed and/or mobile devices,
creating wireless personal area networks (PANs).

How to Buy a Computer.doc 8 4/17/2009

Core 2 - brand refers to a range of Intel's CPU’s. 64-bit dual-core and 2x2 MCM
quad-core CPUs with the x86-64 instruction set, based on the Intel Core
microarchitecture. The Core 2 brand was introduced on July 27, 2006[3] comprising
the Solo (single-core), Duo (dual-core), Quad (quad-core), and Extreme (dual- or
quad-core CPUs for enthusiasts) branches, during 2007. The newest line of Intel’s
processor is the Core i7.

DDR2/3 SDRAM or double-data-rate two synchronous dynamic random access

memory is a random access memory technology used in electronic engineering for
high speed storage of data. The latest type DDR3 which can transfer at 1600 MHz.

DirectX - a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling

tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft
platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as
Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay, DirectSound, and so forth. DirectX,
then, was the generic term for all of these APIs and became the name of the
collection.

DSL – Digital Subscriber Line is a technology that provides internet access over the
a local telephone network. DSL originally stood for digital subscriber loop, although
in recent years, the term digital subscriber line has been widely adopted as a more
marketing-friendly term for ADSL. Basically it is a faster way of connecting to the
internet over the standard dialup type modem.

DVD RW - disc is a rewritable optical disc with equal storage capacity to a DVD-R,
typically 4.7 GB.[1] The format was developed by Pioneer in November 1999 and
has been approved by the DVD Forum. Unlike DVD-RAM, it is playable in about
75% of conventional DVD players

GHz - Abbreviation for gigahertz. One GHz represents 1 billion cycles per second.
The speed of microprocessors, called the clock speed, often is measured in gigahertz.
MHz or megahertz (1 million cycles per second) was the previous measure for
microprocessors. Today’s computers have reached the GHz range.

Intel - is the world's largest semiconductor company and the inventor of the x86
series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers

LCD - A liquid crystal display is a thin, flat display device made up of any number
of color or monochrome pixels arrayed in front of a light source or reflector. It is
often utilized in battery-powered electronic devices because it uses very small
amounts of electric power.

How to Buy a Computer.doc 9 4/17/2009

IEEE 1394 (Firewire) - interface (although the 1394 standard also defines a
backplane interface) is a serial bus interface standard, for high-speed
communications and isochronous real-time data transfer, frequently used in a
personal computer (and digital audio and digital video). The interface is also known
by the brand names of FireWire (Apple's name) and i.LINK (Sony's name).

IEEE 802.11g - 802.11g, is an amendment to the IEEE 802.11 specification that

extended throughput to up to 54 Mbit/s using the same 2.4 GHz band as 802.11b.
This specification under the marketing name of Wi-Fi has been implemented all over
the world. The new standard is the 802.11n which still have not yet been
standardized.

Motherboard - This is the main circuit board that all of the other internal
components connect to. The CPU and memory are usually on the motherboard.
Other systems may be found directly on the motherboard or connected to it through
a secondary connection. For example, a sound card can be built into the motherboard
or connected through PCI.

Power Supply - An electrical transformer regulates the electricity used by the

computer.

MHz - Abbreviation for megahertz. One MHz represents one million cycles per
second. The speed of microprocessors, called the clock speed, is measured in
megahertz. For example, a microprocessor that runs at 300 MHz executes 300
million cycles per second. Each computer instruction requires a fixed number of
cycles, so the clock speed determines how many instructions per second the
microprocessor can execute.

NVIDIA Corporation (pronounced /ɪnˈvɪ.di.ə/), an American corporation,

specializes in the manufacture of graphics-processor. The company has become a
major supplier of integrated circuits (ICs) used for personal-computer motherboard
chipsets, graphics processing units (GPUs), and game-consoles. Notable product
lines include the GeForce series for gaming and the Quadro series for graphics
processing on professional workstations, as well as the nForce series of integrated
motherboard-chipsets.

PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI Standard (in practice almost

always shortened to PCI), specifies a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices
to a computer motherboard. These devices can take any one of the following forms

PCMCIA - PC Card (originally PCMCIA, or PCMCIA Card) is the form factor of a

peripheral interface designed for laptop computers. The PC Card standard (as well as

How to Buy a Computer.doc 10 4/17/2009

its successor ExpressCard) was defined and developed by a group of industry-
leading companies called the Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association (PCMCIA).

Pixel - In digital imaging, is the smallest piece of information in an image. Pixels are
normally arranged in a regular 2-dimensional grid, and are often represented using
dots or squares. Each pixel is a sample of an original image, where more samples
typically provide a more accurate representation of the original. The intensity of
each pixel is variable; in color systems, each pixel has typically three or four
components such as red, green, and blue, or cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

Resolution - The resolution of a digital image is defined as the number of pixels it

contains. A 5 megapixel image is typically 2,560 pixels wide and 1,920 pixels high
and has a resolution of 4,915,200 pixels, rounded off to 5 million pixels. It is
recommended to shoot at a resolution which corresponds with the camera's effective
pixel count. As explained in the pixels topic, shooting at higher (interpolated)
resolutions (if available as an option) creates only marginal benefits but takes up
more card space. Shooting at lower resolutions only makes sense if you are running
out of card space and/or image quality is not important.

SATA - Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) is a computer bus

primarily designed for transfer of data between a computer and mass storage devices
such as hard disk drives and optical drives.

SCSI - Pronounced "scuzzy," the small computer system interface is a method of

adding additional devices, such as hard drives or scanners, to the computer.

SDRAM - synchronous dynamic random access memory which is a type of solid

state computer memory. This type of memory is used in RAM.

USB - a serial bus standard to interface devices. USB was designed to allow many
peripherals to be connected using a single standardized interface socket and to
improve the plug-and-play capabilities by allowing devices to be connected and
disconnected without rebooting the computer (hot swapping).

Wi-Fi - is the trade name for a popular wireless technology used in home networks,
mobile phones, video games and more. Wi-Fi is supported by nearly every modern
personal computer operating system and most advanced game consoles, printers, and
other peripherals.

How to Buy a Computer.doc 11 4/17/2009

PC Buyers Check List
Form Factor
 Mini Tower
 Slim Tower
 Tower
 Ultra Small

CPU - Processor
 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E8600 (3.33GHz, 6M, 1333MHz FSB) [add $320]
 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E8500 (3.16GHz, 6M, 1333MHz FSB) [add $220]
 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E8400 (3.0GHz, 6M, 1333MHz FSB) [add $170]
 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E7400 (2.8GHz, 3M, L2Cache, 1066FSB) [add $60]
 Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E5300 (2.60GHz, 2M, L2Cache, 800FSB) [add $20]
 Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E5200(2.5GHZ,2MB L2 Cache,800FSB) [Included in
Price]
 Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E2200 (2.4GHZ,1MB L2 Cache,800FSB) [subtract $20]

OS – Operating System
 Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic, Service Pack 1 [Included in Price]
 Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium, Service Pack 1 [add $29]
 Genuine Windows Vista® Business, Service Pack 1 [add $99]
 Dell Recommended - Includes Windows Vista Business Assurance
 Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate, Service Pack 1 [add $149]
 Genuine Windows Vista® Business Bonus-Windows XP Professional downgrade
[add $99]

RAM
 1GB Single Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz - 1DIMMs [Included in Price]
 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz - 2DIMMs [add $10]
 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz - 2DIMMs [add $30]
 3GB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHZ - 1x2GB 1x1GB [add $60]
 4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz - 2DIMMs [add $140]

Productivity Software
 Microsoft Works 9.0. Does NOT Include MS Word [add $10]
 Microsoft® Office Basic 2007 (Word, Excel, Outlook) [add $149]
 Microsoft® Office Small Business 2007(Basic + PowerPoint & Publisher) [add
$279]
 Microsoft Office Professional 2007 (Small Business + Access database) [add $399

Security Software
 No Pre-installed Anti-Virus/Security Software add $0
 McAfee Total Protection for Small Business 30-day Subscription [Included in Price]

How to Buy a Computer.doc 12 4/17/2009

  Special offer - Save $35 McAfee Total Protection for Small Business, 15-months
[add $34]
 Dell Recommended
 Special offer - Save $39 McAfee Total Protection for Small Business, 24-months
[add $50]
 Special offer - Save $24 McAfee Total Protection for Small business, 36-months
[add $75]
 Trend Micro PC-cillin with AntiVirus + Spyware removal, 15-months [add $69]
 Norton Internet Security™ 2009 15 Month [add $69]

Warranty * Service
 1 Year Basic Limited Warranty and 1 Year NBD On-Site Service [Included]
 2 Year Basic Limited Warranty and 2 Year NBD On-Site Service [add $39]
 3 Year Basic Limited Warranty and 3 Year NBD On-Site Service [add $69]
 1 Year ProSupport for End Users and 1 Year NBD On-site Service [add $59]
 2 Year ProSupport for End Users and 2 Year NBD On-site Service [add $99]
 Be sure to select 3 Years of Dell ProSupport for the price of 2Years
 3 Year ProSupport for End Users and 3 Year NBD On-site Service [add $99]
 Dell Recommended
 Select 3 Years of Dell ProSupport for the price of 2Years

Monitor
 No Monitor [Included in Price]
 Select from 17"-19" Monitors
 Dell 17 inch Widescreen E1709W Analog Flat Panel [add $160]
 Dell 17 inch E178FP Analog Flat Panel Display [add $160]
 Dell 19 inch Widescreen E1909WFP Analog Flat Panel Display [add $180]
 Dell 19 inch E198FP Analog Flat Panel Display [add $180]
 Dell 19 inch Widescreen 1908WFP UltraSharp ™ Digital Flat Panel [add $210]
 Select from 20"-24" Monitors

Optical Drive
 Single Drive: 16X DVD-ROM Drive [Included in Price]
 Single Drive: 48x CD Burner/DVD-ROM Combo Drive [add $20]
 Single Drive: 16X (DVD+/-RW) Burner Drive [add $30]
 Single Drive: 6x Blu-ray Disc TM (BD) Combo (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD)
[add $250]
 Single Drive: 6x Blu-ray Disc TM (BD) Writer Drive (Writes to BD/DVD/CD) [add
$350]

Hard Drive
 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ [Included in Price]
 160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ [add $10]
 250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ [add $20]
 320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ [add $60]
 500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ [add $100]

How to Buy a Computer.doc 13 4/17/2009

  750GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ [add $170]
 1TB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ [add $300]

Hard Drive Partition

 40GB Primary Partition [add $10]
 60GB Primary Partition [add $10]
 50 Percentage Primary and 50 Percentage Secondary Custom Partition [add $10]
 90 Percentage Primary and 10 Percentage Secondary Custom Partition [add $10]
 80 Percentage Primary and 20 Percentage Secondary Custom Partition [add $10]

Video Card
 Integrated Video, Intel® GMA X4500HD [Included in Price]
 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3450 -supports DVI,HDMI Connections [add $70]

Media Reader
 No Media Reader [Included in Price]
 Selection made in Bluetooth section add $0
 Dell 19-in-1 Media Card Reader [add $30]

Modem
 No Modem Option [Included in Price]
 56K PCI Data Fax Modem [add $30]
 Dell 1505 Wireless-N Network PCIe Card [add $79]
 Data/Fax Modem plus Dell 1505 Wireless-N PCIe Card [add $109]

Interface
 IEEE 1394a Adapter [add $30]

Sound Card
 Integrated 5.1 Channel Audio [Included in Price]
 Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy HD Software Edition [add $25]

How to Buy a Computer.doc 14 4/17/2009