When talking about the speed of a PC, two things come to mind, memory and processors. Memory is the component of a computer that
loads information so it is ready for use at a moments notice. The more memory you have, the more you can store. If you are capable of storing a great deal of information you
can easily run two, three, or even more programs at once at a normal speed (assuming you have a processor that can handle the amount of memory you are running.
Years ago
computer scientists believed that we would never need more than 256k memory. I would say they were just a little off! Home computers are now capable of supporting 8GB (gigabytes)
of RAM (random access memory). There are already motherbords that can support 16GB of RAM, but the 4GB memory cards are yet to appear. If you want to wait to build the ultimate machine,
I would say the texhnology will available in the next 6 months or so.
Now back to the question at hand, What size memory do I really need? It really depends on what you want to do
with your system. I would say to go no less than 2GB no matter what. Operating systems are getting bigger and more complex, which means more memory. A 2GB system can handle any OS
(operating system) out today, even the dreaded Vista! This amount of memory is suffice for everyday computing such as surfing the web, viewing pictures and video, chatting via web cam,
and just about any office software you might need. If you just want a basic computer 2 GB will do. Do not be tempted to get a 1GB computer or less, because you think you will not need more.
Consider a few things:
1. You may enjoy your computer so much that you begin using your computer for more things than you originally thought. Now your computer seems slow.
2. Computers seem to get slower and slower over time which is usually due to viruses, extra files, and bad system maintenance.
3. If you want your computer to last about 4 years you should do better than the bare minimum.
If you still deceide to get a bare minimum machine, please make sure it is expandable to 2 or 4GB.
If you are heavily into video editing, gaming, watching movies on your pc, or any
other memory intensive program, I would suggest buying a system with 4GB - 8GB of memory. These amounts of memory will make your computer lightning quick. If you have no patience for computers,
this is what you need. With the right graphics card, you will have a system that can handle the most memory demanding games and also be able to watch movies and video with tv quality. You will
also have the comfort of knowing your PC will be good for 4 - 6 years. Whatever your choice is, make sure you plan ahead and never impulse buy. |
