7/27/2009
If we were purchasing a new desktop or laptop computer, here's what we would want on it:
SPECIFICATIONS FOR A NEW DESKTOP COMPUTER
Home/Small
Business Desktop (Mid-price/Mid-range)
CPU: Intel
Core i7-920 Processor 2.66 Gigahertz (or 3.06 Gigahertz)
RAM: minimum 8.0
Gigabytes DDR3 RAM (the more RAM, the better) -- [you can only get 4 Gigabytes max,
if you order this system with Windows XP Home or Professional]
HARD DRIVE: 750
Gigabyte SATA Hard Drive (or 300 Gigabyte Western Digital VelociRaptor SATA2 Hard Drive)
DVD±RW DRIVE (DVD AND CD BURNER): 20X
DVD±RW Drive (or 8X
BluRay-RW Drive, which burns CDs, DVDs and BluRay disks)
ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM: Norton AntiVirus 2009 or Norton Internet Security 2009
ANTI-SPYWARE PROGRAM: Spy Sweeper
WARRANTY: 1-Year Warranty
(unless you want to pay extra for something you probably won't ever need)
MONITOR: 19" widescreen LCD Flat-Panel Monitor (minimum)
NETWORK CARD: built-in 10/100/1000
Network Card (you need this for High Speed Internet Service, such as a
Cable Modem or DSL service, and if you want to share files in an office or home
network)
OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows
XP Home, or Windows
XP Professional if you are a “power user” (or Windows
7, if you don't have any important software programs that only work with Windows XP)
ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE: Microsoft Works 2003 Suite or Microsoft Office 2003 Professional (w/ Microsoft Access, their database program), if you want to splurge, or if you need to create more professional documents, databases, slide shows, and so on, or Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 (or Professional 2007), if you want the latest and greatest office productivity programs.
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SPECIFICATIONS FOR A NEW LAPTOP COMPUTER
Home or Small Business Laptop (Mid-price/Mid-range)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4 Gigahertz (or faster)
LCD SCREEN: 15" High Definition WLED or WXGA LCD
WIRELESS NETWORK CARD: Internal Intel PRO/Wireless-N 5100 (or equivalent)
RAM: minimum 4 Gigabytes DDR3 (the more the merrier) [4 Gigabytes max, if you order this system with Windows XP Home or Professional]
HARD DRIVE: 500 Gigabyte Hard Drive (or larger)
DVD±RW Drive: 20X Drive (or 8X BluRay Burner, which burns CDs, DVDs and BluRay disks)
LIMITED WARRANTY = 1-Year Ltd. warranty
OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows XP Home or XP Professional (or Windows 7, if you can wait until October 22, 2009)
ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE (such as Office, AntiVirus, etc.): See New Desktop Computer section above.