Microcomputer Services
<<< This page automatically redirects to http://it.uoregon.edu/help/buyersguide/ >>>

General Guidelines

What Are Your Primary Computing Applications?

Before tackling any of the decisions about which hardware and software to purchase, ask yourself what you foresee as the primary applications of a computer in your life your short- and long-term expectations. Will you use it mostly for text-based word processing? E-mail? Spreadsheets? Games? Some or all of the above? What is your major, discipline, or work function? What about multimedia, graphic-based applications, web-browsing and animation? What will you be doing with information you receive or generate? Processing it? Displaying it? Printing it out?

The answers to these questions will help guide you in selecting the hardware and software you'll need. For example, if you're planning on using your system solely for word processing, a very basic configuration may suffice. However, if you're going to be doing desktop publishing, using memory-intensive graphics programs like Adobe Photoshop, or 3-D design work extensively, you'll be looking at a reasonably high-end system.

Selecting the Software You'll Need

Selecting software to purchase is largely dependent on your answers to the above questions. While there are some software packages that are platform-specific, most popular software today comes in versions for both Macintosh and Windows systems and are nearly identical in their graphical user interface.

Three questions you should ask yourself when considering a particular software package:

1. Is it compatible with software that will be used by people I'll be working or sharing data with?

2. Will it do the job I want it to?

3. What kind of support is available?

For example, most popular word processors like Microsoft Word and WordPerfect are quite compatible and will all do the job, but support for WordPerfect is limited on this campus. We'll be looking at software considerations in more detail later on in section 2 when we talk about purchasing a complete computing system.

Minimum Hardware Recommendations (for new purchases)

RAM: 512MB minimum, 1Gb or more highly recommended
Hard Drive: 40GB minimum, 60GB or more recommended
CPU: Dual CPU, also called "Dual Core" for example the Intel "Core 2 Duo" or "Core Duo" are recommended. The newer "Core 2 Duo" should be about 25% faster than the original "Core Duo" but both are great compared with single processor machines.
CD-ROM: CD-RW/DVD-ROM or CD-RW and DVDRW (DVD Writer) recommended

Displays: Flat panels are highly recommended. For laptops, we like the new high contrast, high gloss widescreens. The Apple MacBook and Dell
"TrueBright" displays are examples.
Printer: color inkjet, black & white or color laser. Color lasers can now be had for as little as $350.
Wireless: For laptop users, any 802.11g or newer (802.11n) wireless card, which can be added to any notebook after purchase.
Modem: You may wish to verify that your new computer includes a modem if you need one (56k). This is becoming less common.
Video Card: More memory (MB) the better. 128MB minimum; more recommended, especially for gamers. Laptops may have less than comparable desktops.
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 or newer. Windows XP Professional (Home is acceptable for home-only use); Windows Vista Business or better.

Laptop Notes: For many years, external card slots have been PCMCIA. Current generation laptops either come with no card slot whatsoever, or they tend to include PCI Express card slot which has a different form factor. The express cards are faster (5x PCMCIA) and use less power. At the moment (11/06), they are not yet very common so you may have problems finding a particular express card for your application (but moving forward, this is the technology you'll want to have).

Our Recommendations

For general computer use (word processing, email and web browsing), buy a name-brand system. The vendor should have a good website so that you can download driver updates as needed.

We also recommend Apple Macintosh computers. Why? Viruses and spyware are widespread on Windows, and removing this malware is frustrating and time-consuming. Also, please check with your department for any requirements or recommendations they may have.

The Macintosh MacBook, in the size of your choice, is an excellent laptop. If you are looking for a desktop, consider the iMac or the Mac Mini. The Mac Mini is a wise choice for those who already have a monitor, keyboard and mouse. The University of Oregon also has a site license for the Mac OS X operating system.

If you need to run Windows, we recommend Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2. We will be evaluating Windows Vista as it becomes available.

Intel-based Macintosh: All of the current generation Macintosh computers use an Intel processor. This enables both Macintosh desktops and laptops to also run Microsoft Windows XP or Vista side by side. Parallels software ($80) and a full-Windows license (~$200) would be required to do so. Windows running on the Mac is comparable in speed to a stand-alone computer running Windows, but does not work for fast-paced gaming due to video subsystem limitations. Business applications like Microsoft Outlook and Access should work well.

Your Responsibilities as a Buyer

The ultimate decision of what hardware and software to purchase is yours. Let's take a look at some common misconceptions that new buyers have about computers in general and the quality of support they expect.

One of the most common misconceptions we encounter is that any computer is capable of running the latest software, such as Windows XP or Microsoft Office. In fact, many older computers are too inadequate to run Windows XP properly. Given the low price of new computers you may be better served by passing on the used computer and buying a new model instead.

Another misconception we come across frequently: "Today's computers and the Internet are easier than ever to use." While they may indeed be easier to use, they still require a significant investment of time and energy on your part to navigate software and procedural learning curves. The reality of a new system is that your productivity will likely decrease at first until you've begun to master it.

The Microcomputer Support Center provides service to large numbers of buyers, so we ask for your patience. We request that our clients set up and install their own machines and software whenever possible. This may require reading the manuals or other related documentation. However, our support staff will assist you if an installation is unsuccessful or you have other hardware or software problems. If you purchase equipment or software elsewhere, we may need to direct you to the vendor for assistance, depending on the nature of the problem.

Before making a purchase, we expect you to check with your department to find out if there are any special requirements you need to be aware of, such as the computer access and software requirements of Architecture Business and Law. And, we assume that you have done some initial investigation by talking with your friends and relatives who have computers, browsing equipment reviews in periodicals like PC Magazine or MacWorld to get a feeling for product reliability and customer satisfaction, etc. You can find a lot of useful magazines, journals, and other researching resources in the Documents Room, 175 McKenzie Hall. Finally, we invite you to ask our staff for their educated opinions and recommendations.

What do I get when I spend more money?

Desktops: Aim for 1Gb or more memory. High-end video cards are better for gaming (and are otherwise unnecessary). CD and DVD burner. For most, having a CD burner and a DVD player is sufficient. Desktop Windows PC's have fallen dramatically in price. If you have some money to spend, invest in a nice flat panel monitor. Examples include Apple, Sony, Samsung, or the newer Dell 24" flat panel. If going the Windows route, get avoid the Celeron processor. Dual-core, dual processor chips, are the best available for a typical user. Dual processors mean you can run two or more applications at nearly best-speed simultaneously given that applications are delegated between the two processors. Additional cost of dual processor (dual core) is not significant.

Laptops: You tend to get a more capable lighter weight laptop as you spend more money. You also tend to get more integrated features. Apple's MacBooks are highly recommended. On the Windows side, stick to name brands you recognize like IBM, Dell, Fujitsu, Sony, HP etc. Each product family has a home-user unit (i.e. Dell inspiron) which is not as durable as their business unit (i.e. Dell Lattitude). The cheaper units can be fine, but tend to be very fragile. All laptops are fragile. Their lifespan is most often dictated by the care in handling that they receive.

Back to the Buyer's Guide Main Page