How to Best Configure a new Windows PC Computer

Last column I boldly stated that the amount of memory you have in your computer is the most important factor in how fast it runs programs. I still think that's important, but I skipped another factor: chip speed and design.

While it's true that faster chips are better than slower chips as the brains of your new computer, it's not true that ANY faster chip is better than ANY slower chip. For example, a Celeron dual core processor running at 1.6Ghz might not actually be faster than a dual core Intel Pentium processor running at 1.5Ghz. Why? because some of the PC chip designs are focused on minimal power consumption, better efficiency for specific tasks (usually graphics), or less complicated fabrication and lower market price (like the Celeron, which is intended to be a lower cost alternative to the Intel Pentium line).

Not complicated enough? Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) make functionally identical CPU chips that manufacturers who don't want to pay the "Intel Inside" premium often use instead. They're sufficiently identical that you can choose either Intel or AMD without worrying about Windows compatibility or stability, but now we have even more questions about which to choose! Is an Intel Pentium at 2Ghz faster than an AMD Athlon at the same speed?

*boom*

Did you hear that? It was my head exploding. Man, I hate this stuff, and it's one of the most obvious ways that Microsoft has let the marketplace massively overcomplicate its basic infrastructure question.

Let's just sidestep this and say that you should buy the fastest processor you can afford, and we'll just sweep the question of different CPU architectures under the proverbial rug, okay? Phew!

So we've looked at CPU, we've looked at RAM, the next question to consider is disk space. Fortunately that's easy: bigger is ALWAYS better. Except if it's a tradeoff between a big, slow disk and a smaller, faster disk. Ah, I knew there'd be some complication here.

Disks are typically rated both by how fast they spin (for example, 7200rpm) and how fast they can read and write data ("throughput"). A big disk that runs at 5400rpm might be noticably slower than a disk at 7200rpm, especially if the data pipe (the throughput) is smaller too.

Whether it's a critical decision for you depends on how often you run applications that are working with massive data files or not. If you are getting your PC to look at photos of your grandkids and surf the Web, then a bigger, slower drive will be just fine. If you're a graphics professional, however, or edit video, then the speed of your drive and the throughput are far more important and can make the difference between a task taking a few minutes and an hour or more.

The last question is about the optical drive. Should you get a DVD-ROM drive, a Blu-Ray drive, one that only reads or can read and write? I'll say up front that it'd be very weird to get a computer that can't read DVD disks, but whether you want to burn DVDs again depends on your expected usage. Remember, though, that DVD disc make nice big backup devices too, so those 250 pictures from your recent trip to Costa Rica can all fit on one disk rather than spreading across three or more.

If you don't have serious data needs, however, I wouldn't pay for a Blu-Ray drive, either as a player or (considerably more expensive) a drive that can burn this very high capacity format.

Those are the hardware specs. For software, I'd still recommend you shy away from Windows Vista. It's still not quite ready for prime time in my opinion and the rock-solid Windows XP is a far better alternative. Most likely, the Home edition is just fine for you too, even if you're a small business.

Here's a key tip too: when you order your computer, tell them in no uncertain terms that you do NOT want any demoware or other software or applications installed on your computer. Otherwise you'll find that the first day of your new computer will be focused on deleting junkware, not installing your own apps and data files.

Phew! That's quite a long answer to your question. I hope this gives you some ideas about how to speed up your existing computer (from the last blog entry, The Most Important Factors When Buying a New Windows PC) and a good idea about what to seek with your new one, if you choose to buy a replacement computer. Good luck!