Credit: NRL
Credit: Roccat Shopping Checklist: Desktops and Laptops
Here what you need to know to decipher the spec sheet on any given desktop or laptop PC.
Motherboard
An often overlooked component in the computer, the motherboard is what all other components of the computer plug into and acts like the central nervous system of the computer.
The two main brands of processors (AMD and Intel) have different motherboard sockets, meaning they are not cross compatible - this is not an issue when buying a prebuilt computer, however it you are selecting parts for a build ensure that your motherboard is compatible with your processor.
Processor type
There are two main manufacturers of CPUs (central processing units) - AMD and Intel - and competition in the processor market hasn’t been this strong in decades.
Whichever way you go, ensure that you choose a laptop or PC with at least four processor cores - with eight and sixteen-cores common at the higher end of the scale, as it will perform better when running multiple applications simultaneously or multi-threaded applications such as video rendering.
Gaming is less reliant on multiple cores to achieve higher performance than the above tasks, but if you plan on streaming games or video editing, ensure that your CPU has the grunt to handle the task.
For more information about choosing between an i5, i7 and i9, check out our guide to Intel CPUs here and our comparison of Intel Core CPUs and Ryzen here.
Processor speed
Credit: Intel The CPU is an important component of any computer and its speed will affect the performance significantly.
Within any specific range of CPUs it’s safe to assume that the higher the frequency (e.g. 3.0GHz, 3.5GHz, 4.0GHz) the faster it is. CPUs with a higher core count are able to spread the processing load over more cores. Additional cores and higher clock speeds are desirable because they allow your computer to do more things in a more efficient manner.
RAM
Credit: Supplied RAM (random access memory) is important because it provides the power to run programs at the same time.
It is important to know how much RAM the system has and how much it can be upgraded to at a later point - each motherboard (the circuit board which all the parts connect to) only has a certain amount of slots in which RAM can fit.
Up to a point, more RAM will speed up your computer, with 4 or 8 GB of RAM enough to handle day to day applications. Serious gamers and multimedia creators will want to start with 16 GB to ensure the memory can keep up with the rest of the system.
RAM is available at different speeds i.e. 2666MHz, 3200MHz, 3600MHz. Faster RAM increases the speed at which the memory can process data from the processor and communicate with the other elements of the computer.
Graphics
Credit: Nvidia Find out what graphics card the computer comes with. The better the graphics card the better you will be able to play games - so if that interests you, this is critical.
Some laptops don’t come with a dedicated graphics card, instead integrating graphics into the CPU. While this is plenty to deal with regular productivity tasks, it’s not going to cut the mustard when it comes to gaming and other intensive applications.
Storage
Credit: Andrew NeelCheck what size and type of storage the computer has.
With the popularity of external Hard drives and online storage, laptops are generally are important as they store all your files and information. The bigger they are the more they can hold.
Laptop weight
Check how much a laptop weighs, and even test out the weight yourself.
Weight can vary greatly between regular and gaming-focused laptops, which require more space and larger components as well as a larger power cable. Taking this into consideration is important before you start carrying around a big, heavy and noisy gaming laptop to work or the classroom.
USB ports
Credit: Supplied Check how many USB ports the computer has. USB ports are needed to connect extra devices, so if you have lots of devices you will need multiple USB ports. It's also good with a desktop PC if there are USB ports at the front of the computer that are easy to access.
USB ports will generally support either USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 - USB 3.0 ports are identifiable by the blue plastic used inside the port. USB 3.0 is capable of faster data transfer speeds than USB 2.0, and is common on higher-spec laptops and computers.
Networking
Most laptops will have built-in wireless networking but PCs require a wireless network card installed in one of the motherboard’s PCIe slots in order to be able to connect to a wireless network over Wi-Fi.
Wireless networking allows your computer to connect to the internet as well as stream video from the laptop to a screen connected to the same Wi-Fi network - this can also be achieved via cable connection to a video port.
Video ports
DisplayPort and HDMI are the best quality connectors to connect a PC to a monitor or HDTV, with DVI also available and capable of providing 1080p video.
Laptops will generally have one or these, or the increasingly available Thunderbolt 3, which uses a USB-C port to transmit video and audio.
For more information, check out our guide to computer cables.
Speakers
Credit: Amazon Desktop computers generally don’t come with speakers, with ports at the back or front of the case allowing connection to a pair of headphones or external sound device.
In the case of laptops it may be worth investigating the quality of integrated speakers, and while some manufacturers enter partnerships with established audio companies to integrate speakers into their laptops, quality varies greatly.
Keyboard, mouse and other peripherals
Check if any extras or peripherals come with the PC.
Some desktop PCs don’t come with any peripherals, such as a keyboard or mouse, and this will add extra cost to your purchase.
Next Page - Jargon Buster: Learn the difference between your ethernet and Thunderbolt ports!
