Computer Requirements�for today, anyway!

By: Scott Hendison   �  Published: May 2002  - Last  Updated 11-2004

In May of 1999 I wrote an article called �Minimum System requirements�. You can read it here http://www.pdxtc.com/199905-minimumsystem.htm. It outlines what I felt at the time were important facts to know for a new computer purchase, and most of it still applies today. This article is not exactly an update of that one, but more of a companion to it, that you will hopefully find worth your time to read.

As of now, unless you are an avid gamer or graphic artist*, the minimum system that you should consider purchasing will have a 20 gig hard drive, 128 Megs of memory (RAM) and a 1 GHz CPU. That said, it may be difficult for you to find such a low end system. Most hard drives are larger, and most CPU�s are faster, giving you all the storage space you could ever use, and more power than you probably need.

Memory though, is another story. All too frequently, these high powered systems with tons of space are still coming with only 128 megs of ram. I suspect it�s because memory prices have actually risen over the last few months, while everything else continues to drop.

Ram though, is your most precious resource after hard drive space. Without enough memory, your computer cannot do all the things that you want it to, no matter how fast your CPU is.

As you might know, I am a stickler for keeping unwanted programs out of my system startup. Unless I want it to run, it doesn�t run. Programs like Real Player, Gator, Comet Cursor, etc have been meticulously removed and they stay completely out of my way.
(read http://www.pdxtc.com/200010-perfectcomputer.htm to find out how)

Still though, running at this very moment on my computer, in addition to my Windows XP OS, (Operating System), is all of the following�

Norton Antivirus with e-mail protection (of course), MSN Messenger (for instant messaging), Internet Explorer (for browsing web pages), Microsoft Outlook (for e-mail and calendar), Microsoft Word (for writing this article), and Windows Media Player (for playing music).

Even though my CPU is plenty fast enough at nearly 2.0 GHz, the applications that are all open at the same time, because I NEED them, are using an enormous amount of memory. That�s why I recommend 512 megs of ram for any new system you may consider down the road. Next time I do it, it will probably be a full 1 GHz of RAM.

Another essential piece of equipment is a CDRW (Rewritable CD) drive. A DVD is nice sure, for watching movies, but a CDRW drive will hold over 500 floppy disks of information. You may not think that you need a CDRW drive, and you may be right, but for $50-$75 extra on a system build, it�s well worth the investment.

With a CDRW drive you can make copies of all your important documents, folders, pictures, and even entire CD software programs that you don�t want to risk losing. Not to mention that you can make copies of music CD�s or even create your own greatest hits CD�s of various songs or artists. Imagine your entire My Documents folder safe and sound on a single CD or two in your closet. No more fears about your computer crashing and losing something important.

Finally, the ultimate essential ingredient to your computer (whether new or old) is current Antivirus software (I like Norton). If you are reading this without having UPDATED antivirus software on your computer, then shame, shame, shame on you.

Without Antivirus software, not only are you endangering yourself, but you are endangering EVERYONE that you have ever communicated with via e-mail. The first 6 months of 2002 have brought no less than 190 new virus threats that are more contagious and destructive than anything you�ve ever seen. Do you think they�re going to stop any time soon? Not likely.

*If you ARE an avid gamer or graphic artist, just e-mail me at [email protected] and depending on the current point in history, I�ll tell you what you probably need.
 

***Update 11-2004****

If you don't have Windows XP with a minimum 800mhz processor and 256 megs of ram, you should buy a new computer before you attempt to purchase any new software.

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