1. Computers Are Your Future Twelfth Edition Spotlight 3: Buying and Upgrading Your Computer System Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 1

2. Buying and Upgrading Your Computer System Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 2

3. Getting Started the Right Way Selecting a computer system requires: o Right way: Knowing computer terminology Understanding the relative value of system components Determining software needs and the system required to fulfill those needs o Wrong way Buying a system based only on price Being influenced by sales hype Purchasing a system without prior knowledge Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3

4. Notebook, Netbook, or Desktop? Notebooks o Rival the power of a desktop machine, yet more expensive o Portability and size are main advantages Netbooks o Lighter and smaller than a notebook o Longer battery life Desktops o Not as portable, but have more processing speed and RAM o Can have larger internal drive Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 4

5. Notebook, Netbook, or Desktop? Notebook theft o Doubled over the past year o Often inside job o One of the top three computer crimes o Many firms lost notebooks with sensitive data Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 5

6. Mac or PC? Two main computer system platforms: o Windows (PC) o Mac Users tend to be very loyal Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 6

7. Mac or PC? Differences between Macs & PCs o Software More software is developed for PCs—more popular o Although popular packages, such Microsoft Office, available for both o Virtual Machine (VM) software allows Macs to run Windows software Examples: Parallels, Parallels Desktop, VM o Use PCs: Business and engineering areas Macs: Artistic areas o Cost—Macs usually cost more Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 7

8. Choosing the Right Hardware Hardware needed Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 8 o Processors o Memory o Hard disks o Internal and external drives o Monitors and video cards o Printers o Speakers and sound cards o Modems and network cards o Keyboards and mice o Uninterruptible power supplies o Notebook cooling pads

9. Choosing the Right Hardware Consider when choosing the best microprocessor o Brand o Model o Clock speed o Number of cores o Power consumption Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 9

10. Choosing the Right Hardware Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 10

11. Choosing the Right Hardware Memory—the more, the better o RAM (temporary storage) Allows CPU to process more instructions Supports more applications running simultaneously o Secondary cache Provides an additional location for memory storage o L2 and L3 cache Quickly accessed Allows systems to work faster Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 11

12. Choosing the Right Hardware Hard disk storage o Relatively inexpensive o Purchase as much as possible Drives o Decide on internal or external o Should meet your needs CD, DVD, Blu-ray o Flash drives—an excellent supplement Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 12

13. Choosing the Right Hardware Monitors o Video card—controls the quality and resolution of the display o Size in inches o Display standards SXGA, WXGA, WSXGA, WUXGA o Interface AGP, PCI Express, PCI Express Base 2.1 o Dot pitch—The smaller the dot pitch, the better the display Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 13

14. Choosing the Right Hardware Printers o Color inkjet o Monochrome laser o Color laser o Multifunction (fax, scan, and print) o Wireless Consider: o Print quality o Speed o Cost of printer and price per page o Associated supplies Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14

15. Choosing the Right Hardware Speakers and sound cards o Provide full advantage of the multimedia capabilities o Consider higher-quality speakers if you purchase a lower-priced computer system Network interface card (NIC) o Needed to connect to a network Wired, wireless, or both Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 15

16. Choosing the Right Hardware Keyboards and mice o Can be upgraded to suit special needs Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 16 Ergonomic keyboard if you have pain when typing on a standard keyboard. A wheel mouse includes a scrolling wheel and programmable buttons.

17. Choosing the Right Hardware Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) o Provides power for a short time if lost o A wise investment Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 17

18. Choosing the Right Hardware Notebook cooling pad o Protects from heat o Can add years to the life of your notebook Other items: o Backup system o Locks Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 18

19. Shopping Wisely Base decisions on such items as: o Top-of-the-line models vs. bargain-bin specials o Local stores vs. mail- order and online companies o Buying used vs. refurbished o Name-brand vs. generic PCs Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 19

20. Shopping Wisely Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 20

21. Upgrading Your System Upgrading a computer system o Consider whether: It will be in violation of the computer’s warranty You have the knowledge and skill level to perform the upgrade Upgrading or buying a new computer may be the most cost-effective option Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 21

22. Upgrading Your System Common upgrades o Adding an expansion board Identify correct type of expansion slot Press new board into place and screw in place o Upgrading memory Purchase the type and amount of memory needed Ground yourself against static electricity Install memory Check the Web for information Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 22

23. Caring for Your Computer System Surge protection Purchase a UPS Never plug a computer into the same outlet as a refrigerator. o Refrigerators tend to cause power fluctuations Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 23

24. Caring for Your Computer System Allow sufficient air circulation Turn the computer off before connecting or disconnecting cables Do not stretch or mash cables Clean a computer and printer with a damp, soft, lint-free cloth Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 24

25. Caring for Your Computer System Cleaning monitors o For light cleaning—gently wipe the monitor surface with a clean, soft, lint-free cloth o If stronger cleaning is required: Unplug the monitor Use distilled water to dampen the cloth Wipe the monitor surface with the damp cloth o Never spray any kind of liquid directly on the monitor Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 25

26. Caring for Your Computer System Run a disk defragmentation utility on a regular basis Install both antivirus software and antispyware o Never install and run software or open received files without checking them for viruses or spyware Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 26

27. Some Final Advice Do research before buying a computer system and results in an informed purchase. Research your purchase—read newspapers and magazines and search the Web. The more sources used—the easier it will be to make an informed decision. Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 27

28. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 28