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Yesterday I wrote on things I wanted for Father’s Day. I tried to keep it simple, affordable and within reason. There was one glaring omission however. The item I would really like to have, is a new desktop computer. Not just any desktop mind you, but one that has a media focus. This desktop needs a large HD screen, it needs power, and it needs to be stylish because I would like it to become the central core of our home entertainment system. This in addition to handling every other function that you would like a computer to accomplish. Sound extravagant? Maybe a touch, but you would be surprised how affordable taking this route can be. Especially when compared to an older mode of thinking where one would purchase a television, dvd player, stereo and a computer. I’m thinking consolidation, and I really think this is the best way to go!

I started investigating, I found a few options that definitely stirred my interest. These being the new Dell Studio Desktop and the Dell Studio Hybrid.

The beauty of Dell is that they offer premium quality and great affordable prices, check out the following Dell discount codes! Their prices and free coupons certainly skew my decision, there are so many options and each of course has advantages.

So when shopping for a new desktop what should we consider? How can tally the score card, so a decision can be made? So much of this depends on what you are going to be using your computer for: if you are just a general daily user you won’t demand the same specs as a power user who is editing video or engaged in resource intensive gaming. I want mine to be configured primarily for entertainment. I also want it to look good in the living room.

But looks aren’t everything, it’s really important to buy something with the goods “under the hood” so to speak. The first thing is comparing the processor chip. Processor choices are a bit more difficult now than they were before. It is still really a choice between an AMD and an Intel processor. The difference really comes in how many cores there are in the processor and its relative speed. Each company now has a performance rating system that isn’t really easy to compare. a desktop with a dual-core CPU and enough power to run productivity apps, view and edit vacation photos, manage MP3s and videos, and even play many of today’s games–the core activities most common to families, students, and the general purpose PC user.

The second thing to consider would be the memory. Most desktop computers now use a type of memory called DDR2. DDR3 is now finally making its way to PC systems but it is more expensive. In terms of amount, it is best to have at least 2GB of memory in the system and preferably 4GB. Memory speeds can impact performance as well. I would make sure that there is ample room for future expansion as well. You may only need 2GB now, but in a couple of years I wouldn’t be at all surprised if many tasks you might want to take on required 4, 6 and so on.

Hard drives really boil down to size and speed. The larger the drive and the faster, the better the performance and capacity. In a desktop, it is best to have at least 500GB or more of storage space these days. In terms of speed, they are pretty much all running at 7200rpm now. A few high performance 10,000rpm drives are available. Most drives use the Serial ATA interface now for ease of installation.

Most systems sold now feature DVD burners, even the budget systems. It is best to make sure that you get a multiformat DVD burner that can support both the +R/RW and -R/RW formats. Speeds should be 16x for the recordable speed. Dual or Double Layer media support is also a common feature although less likely to be used due to media cost. Options also include LightScribe or Labelflash support for burning labels directly to compatible media. Blu-ray is an option for those wanting to use their PC for the high definition video format.

Video card technology seems to change every three to six months. If you aren’t really doing any 3D graphics at all, then integrated graphics may be just fine. Beyond this, there are a wide selection of cards. Things to consider include performance, the amount of memory on the card, output connectors and the version of Direct X supported. Those looking to do any gaming should really consider a Direct X 10 card with at least 512MB of memory onboard. Pretty much all new systems will use the PCI-Express graphics standard.

What good is a desktop PC unless it also has a monitor? Previously users would need to choose between a CRT or LCD monitor, but LCDs are pretty much the standard now because of their reduced size and power consumption. The real issue is more about size and cost of the LCDs. The price difference between 19-inch and 22-inch models make 22-inch the best overall value although 24-inch models are quickly dropping in price. Most all screens use the wider 16:10 format but some are now being released with a near 2:1 ratio best suited for movie watching.

Whew! I know it seems like a lot, but I think we can agree it’s a good investment and useful for the entire family. As for me, if my dearly beloved family is reading this I think I gave ample hints as to which new “affordable” computer I would like for Father’s Day….*coughs* - DELL!

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