Finding the right desktop specs
Like most consumers, you probably have an idea of how much you want to spend on a desktop. But how do you ensure that you get exactly what you need? The different shapes and sizes, the wide range of configurations, and the seemingly constant arrival of new and faster technology all make for a difficult decision. To help you find the right mix, we've outlined the four basic types of PC user.
User types: General purpose user | Gamer/power user | Digital media enthusiast | Home office worker
General purpose user
These days, $500 to $1,500 will net you 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. At $1,000 and up, you should easily be able to perform those tasks. Spend around $500, and in most cases you'll still be able to run common tasks without delay, although 3D gaming becomes a stretch.You will definitely find a dual-core chip in a $500 PC, and you're likely to encounter a quad-core processor near this price point as well. (Entry-level Nettops--the desktop version of a Netbook--are really the only PC you'll find using a single-core processor; they often feature the Intel Atom processor, the energy-efficient chip used in many Netbooks.) A good low-end to midrange desktop will feature 4GB of memory at minimum, and as you climb closer to $1,000, PCs will offer 6GB or 8GB of RAM. Integrated graphics are the norm for PCs hovering around the $500 mark, but a midrange graphics card from Nvidia or ATI with 256B or 512MB of video RAM is common as you move closer to $1,000.
If you're leaning toward Apple, your desktop options are the Mac Mini and the iMac. Either will get the job done for the majority of home users. Apple's pricey Mac Pro is strictly for digital media professionals and serious hobbyists.
| What to look for: |
|---|
| Quad-core CPU (Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core i5, AMD Phenom II X4, AMD Athlon II X4) or Dual-core CPU (Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core i3, AMD Phenom II X2, AMD Athlon II X2) |
| 4GB to 8GB of DDR2 SDRAM or DDR3 SDRAM |
| Integrated graphics chip from Intel, ATI, or Nvidia, or discrete ATI or Nvidia graphics card with 256MB to 1GB of video memory |
| 500MB to 1TB hard drive |
| Dual-layer DVD burner |
| DVD burner |
| Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) or Mac OS X Snow Leopard |
Gamer/power user
It's easy for the price to get out of hand with a power PC (Exhibit A: Maingear Shift). Shop around and you should be able to find a more than adequate gaming or digital design box for between $1,500 and $3,000. Look for Intel's six-core or quad-core Core i7 CPUs and 8GB of DDR3 RAM or more. You'll also need a large, fast hard drive--perhaps two or more if you plan to transfer and edit movie files. If your goal is digital design, Apple's Mac Pro continues to shine in this arena. We still won't recommend an Apple for gaming, though, so if that's your aim, it's Windows for you.The key ingredient for PC gamers is the graphics card. AMD (manufacturer of ATI Radeon cards) and Nvidia (maker of the GeForce line) are constantly leap-frogging one another in a race to claim the crown for 3D pixel-pushing dominance. ATI currently finds itself in the lead with the Radeon 5000 series, namely the company's flagship, dual-GPU Radeon HD 5970 and the step-down, single-chip Radeon HD 5870. Aside from being the fastest on the market, these ATI Radeon cards are notable for supporting DirectX 11 and being capable of playing games across three monitors. Nvidia's flagship graphics card, the GeForce GTX 295, has been out for nearly a year now and supports the last-generation DirectX 10. Rumors abound that Nvidia will soon release its DirectX 11-capable GeForce 400 series cards. If you are lining up a gaming PC purchase, it might behoove you to wait until these next-gen GeForce cards are released to see how they stack up against ATI's current crop.
| What to look for: |
|---|
| Quad-core Intel Core i7 or Core i5, AMD Phenom II X4 CPU |
| 6GB, 8GB, or more of DDR3 SDRAM |
| ATI Radeon HD 5000 series graphics card with 1GB or video memory (or wait for details about Nvidia's forthcoming GeForce 400 series) |
| 1TB or larger hard drive, optional solid state boot drive |
| Blu-ray burner |
| Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate (64-bit) |
Digital media enthusiast
Whether you're editing photos or videos, or simply using your PC as a DVR, storage capacity is of the utmost importance to the digital media enthusiast. You'll also want a fairly robust configuration to run demanding editing programs such as Photoshop or Final Cut, but you'd be best served putting your money toward a fast processor rather than a high-end graphics cards. Graphics cards are needed for 3D games, but 2D graphics most heavily tax the CPU and memory. So, buy the best six-core or quad CPU and as much RAM as you can afford. Storage is relatively affordable, so it won't cost you too much to get a 1TB or 2TB hard drive (or two) to store your photos, videos, and music.If your enthusiasm for digital media stops short of editing and includes merely recording, storing, and watching, you can get by with lower-end components. Your focus should be on storage capacity and video connections. Video files are large, so we suggest at least 1TB of storage space. Also make sure your PC's video- and audio-out connections match the connections on your HDTV. Most likely you'll use HDMI, with DVI or DisplayPort being the other suspects. Living-room-friendly desktops typically come in a slim tower like Gateway's SX2800 series, or another small form factor such as Apple's Mac Mini, or Dell's Inspiron Zino HD. Because of their size and design, these smaller PCs have limited room for expansion, if they offer any at all. You may get only one hard-drive bay, for example, or you may need to stick with half-height expansion cards.
A pertinent question to ask yourself with a media PC: do you want to use your TV as your primary display? Queuing up Netflix streaming or Hulu.com is easy enough on your PC-connected TV, but simple PC tasks, such as writing e-mail and instant messaging, aren't ideal with the 10-foot interface that comes with sitting on your couch and squinting at small text and icons. This is why we think that wireless networking and smaller, cheaper PCs have helped the media PC come a long way. By minimizing the cables and their own footprint, these less offensive computers make it easy to justify owning two PCs: one that's hooked up to the TV and a more traditional system that sits on your desk (or lap). The desk-bound PC can even store the bulk of your media files if your smaller system doesn't have a large enough hard drive. You can also look for a Windows Home Server or another centralized file storage device to share files with every PC in your home.
| What to look for: |
|---|
| For editing video: Six-core or quad-core CPU (Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7, AMD Phenom II X4, AMD Athlon II X4) |
| For watching video: Dual-core CPU (Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core i3, AMD Phenom II X2, AMD Athlon II X2) |
| 4GB to 8GB of DDR2 SDRAM or DDR3 SDRAM |
| For editing video: Discrete ATI or Nvidia graphics card with 256MB to 1GB of video memory |
| For watching video: Integrated graphics chip from Intel, ATI, or Nvidia |
| 1TB or larger hard drive(s) |
| Dual-layer DVD burner or Blu-ray player and/or burner |
| Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) or Mac OS X Snow Leopard |
Home office worker
Graphics are less of a concern for most businesses, unless you run a design shop. At minimum, you'll want a system with enough power for multitasking your daily office chores. A dual-core processor will get the job done for most workers, though quad-core CPUs are trickling down into mainstream PCs and are a good bet for heavy multitaskers and any worker who spends a chunk of his or her day running graphic apps. A graphics card isn't required, and the money you save there can be put toward a larger flat-panel display and a better warranty. Of course, an iMac will get the job done, too, though at a higher price than your typical business PC.| What to look for: |
|---|
| Quad-core CPU (Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core i5, AMD Phenom II X4, AMD Athlon II X4) or Dual-core CPU (Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core i3, AMD Phenom II X2, AMD Athlon II X2) |
| 4GB to 8GB of DDR2 SDRAM or DDR3 SDRAM |
| Integrated graphics chip from Intel, ATI, or Nvidia, or discrete ATI or Nvidia graphics card with 256MB to 1GB of video memory |
| 500TB or larger hard drive |
| Dual-layer DVD burner |
| Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), or Mac OS X Snow Leopard |
Operating systems
Your OS choice boils down to Windows 7 or Mac OS X, though a third option is available for open-source believers and PC enthusiasts. At this point we recommend the 64-bit version of all operating systems, unless a specific application you need won't support it. Most will.
Windows 7
You don't have Vista to kick around anymore. Microsoft retired the ill-received Vista with the release of Windows 7 in October 2009. It's a faster, more functional, better-looking, and less-paranoid operating system than Vista. There are four versions of Windows 7: Starter, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Most PCs you'll come across will feature Home Premium. Starter is a stripped-down version for low-power Netbooks. Professional includes more-advanced backup and restore features that use your home or work network and an ability to play nice with the older Windows XP machines on your network. Lastly, Ultimate includes all the features of Windows 7 Professional, along with Microsoft's BitLocker data encryption.Apple OS X Snow Leopard
Linux
Unless you like to tinker with your OS or are a staunch supporter of the open-source movement, odds are you're using a Windows PC or a Mac. Should you have a desire to experience another option, you'll find not a small number of Linux distributions, including Debian, Fedora, openSUSE, and Ubuntu. Though most Linux users are PC enthusiasts who installed the OS themselves, you will find some Linux preloaded on some brand-name PCs. For example, Dell offers Ubuntu on its Netbook, a couple of laptops, and one slim-tower Inspiron desktop.Choose a desktop case: Big or small
The variety in desktop shape and size has only gotten broader. Traditional towers are still popular because they offer the most room for expansion. But space-saving, small-form-factor (SFF) PCs have grown even smaller in the last year, and thanks to Apple, the all-in-one PC remains healthy.
Case types: Tower | All-in-one | Small form factor |
Tower
Dell Studio XPS 9000
All-in-one
HP TouchSmart 600
Small form factor
Apple Mac Mini
Selecting a desktop's processor and memory
Desktops' specs and prices vary widely, from budget boxes for basic tasks such as word processing and e-mailing to performance PCs for playing the latest 3D games or editing digital video. The speed and the type of processor and memory you choose will play a large role in determining overall system performance. Here, we'll help you navigate the many choices you have in this area.
Processor
The brains in any PC is the CPU, or central processing unit. It is the single most important component of a desktop PC. Generally speaking, the faster the processor speed the better your performance, but once you really start to look into the complex world of CPUs, you'll realize that determining which CPU is the best for you is a little more complicated than merely counting gigahertz. For one, of the two major PC chip players, AMD and Intel, AMD's chips feature lower clock speeds than similarly performing Intel chips. And secondly, most new mainstream and high-end PCs come with dual-core or quad-core chips in them, with six-core chips just hitting the market this year.
Some quad and six-core processors are prohibitively expensive, but AMD and Intel have each released affordable quad-core processors for mainstream PCs. Dual-core CPUs are now found only in low-end desktops. Dual-core chips will still suffice for the majority of users, able to multitask, process digital media, and take care of all the other general tasks for which we use computers.
Right now, the superior chip technology comes from Intel, in the form of its Core i7 processors, though AMD's competing Phenom II X4 chips also offer strong performance for the dollar, thanks to AMD's aggressive pricing. In the entry-level to low-end mainstream PCs, Intel's Core i5 and Core i3 are great chips, though you're likely to chips from AMD that offer competitive performance and prices as well.
| PROCESSOR | PRICE RANGE | BASICS |
|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i7 | Higher-end | Intel's flagship quad-core processor, currently the fastest desktop CPU. Some models feature Intel Hyperthreading, which can effectively double the number of processing threads on a chip based on the number of cores. The top-end six-core Core i7-980X Extreme Edition is priced to where it's out of the reach of the vast majority of PC buyers. Intel has filled out the line with more moderately priced chips, such as the i7-800 series. |
| Core i5 | Midrange | A step down from the flagship Core i7 line, the Core i5 is basically a Core i7 with Hyperthreading disabled. |
| Intel Core i3 | Lower-end | Intel's latest budget-priced CPU. Less expensive than Core i5, these dual-core CPUs also support Hyperthreading, which lets them emulate two extra processing threads, making them virtual quad-core chips. |
| Intel Core 2 Quad | Lower-end | Intel's first full line of quad-core desktop chips. Will be replaced by faster Core i7, i5 and Core i3. |
| Intel Core 2 Duo | Midrange/lower-end | Intel's hugely successful line of dual-core CPUs are fast, power efficient, and affordable. Currently popular in all-in-ones. |
| Intel Pentium D | Lower-end | Mainstream dual-core chips. Never well loved because of lack of performance compared with faster AMD Athlon 64 X2. Relegated to the bargain bin. |
| Intel Celeron D | Lower-end | Budget-oriented dual- and single-core CPUs. Slow and out-of-date. |
| AMD Phenom II X4 | Higher-end/midrange | Second-generation, quad-core Phenom. Improved architecture, faster clockspeeds. Compete with Intel's Core 2 Quad chips on price and performance. |
| AMD Phenom II X3 | Midrange/lower-end | Triple-core processor found on mainstream PCs. Priced to take on Intel Core 2 Duo chips. |
| AMD Phenom II X2 | Midrange/lower-end | Dual-core version of AMD's latest processor family. Low-end chip for entry-level PCs, alternative to Intel Core 2 Duo. |
| AMD Athlon II X4, X3, X2 | Midrange/lower-end | Similar to Phenom II chips, but less expensive and not as fast. |
| AMD Phenom X4, Phenom X3 | Midrange/lower-end | AMD's first attempts to unseat Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad. Rare in new systems. |
| AMD Athlon 64 X2 | Lower-end | An older chip with respectable dual-core performance. |
| AMD Sempron | Lower-end | AMD's Celeron competition. Rare, cheap, and slow. |
Memory
The amount and type of memory you choose goes a long way toward dictating your system's level of overall performance. Microsoft recommends a minimum of 1GB to run Windows 7, but doubling or even quadrupling that amount is worth the relatively minor added expense. In fact, memory prices have come down to where you'll find 4GB or even 6GB in PCs that cost less than $500.Written in one of two ways, memory speed is referred to by the speed in which it communicates with the CPU (400MHz, for example) or by its data bandwidth (3.2GB per second or PC3200).
For the most part, you'll find two different types of memory in new systems: DDR2 SDRAM and DDR3 SDRAM. DDR2 has been the standard for years; DDR3 was introduced in 2007 with Intel's P35 chipset. AMD didn't release a chipset that supported DDR3 memory until earlier this year with the launch of the AM3 chipset. DD2 memory features speeds between 400MHz and 800MHz, and DDR3 has a range of 800MHz to 1,600MHz. AMD uses DDR3 memory in a dual-channel model, and Intel supports DDR3 in a triple-channel mode, which is why you'll see Intel-based systems with 3GB or 6GB of memory. Though faster and more energy efficient, DDR3 is still expensive and generally found on higher-end PCs (Core i7 motherboards support only DDR3, for example), though we have started to see DDR3 memory on some AMD-based PCs priced well below $1,000.
Desktop video graphics
When deciding on the graphics subsystem, you'll come to a fork in the road. One path leads to integrated graphics, which come as a chip on your computer's motherboard that shares the system's main memory. If you have at least 2GB of main memory, an integrated video chip won't siphon enough of it to really slow things down, but to guarantee smooth video playback, you're better off with 4GB of system RAM.
Integrated graphics
| ATI Radeon HD 3000 series |
| ATI Radeon HD 4000 series |
| Intel GMA X3000 series |
| Intel GMA X4000 series |
| Nvidia GeForce 9000 series |
3D graphics
If you're attempting to upgrade an older system, there's a slim chance that adding a card means buying one to fit in an old AGP slot. The newer PCI Express graphics card standard has been around for five years now, and you'll likely find PCI Express rather than AGP in any new purchase since the summer of 2004. You can still find AGP versions of ATI and Nvidia graphics cards, but the vast majority of new 3D graphics cards require a PCI Express slot. PCI Express 2.0 doubles the bandwidth, and PC Express 2.0 cards are backward compatible with PCI Express 1.0 slots. Make sure you buy a card that matches your expansion slot type.Graphics cards based on ATI or Nvidia technology can cost anywhere from $50 to $600 depending on the features and the amount of memory. Dedicated memory of 128MB should be enough for the basics; gamers can find cards ranging from 256MB to 1GB of memory, depending on how much they want to spend.
| BUDGET | MIDRANGE | PERFORMANCE |
|---|---|---|
| ATI Radeon HD 5670 | ATI Radeon HD 5850 | ATI Radeon HD 5970 |
| ATI Radeon HD 5570 | ATI Radeon HD 5700 series | ATI Radeon HD 5870 |
| ATI Radeon HD 5450 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 | Nvidia GeForce 400 series (likely) |
| Nvidia GeForce GT 240 | Nvidia GeForce GTS 250 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 295 |
| Nvidia GeForce GT 210 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 | |
| Nvidia GeForce GTX 275 |
ATI currently finds itself in the lead with the Radeon 5000 series, namely the company's flagship, dual-GPU Radeon HD 5970 and the step-down, single-chip Radeon HD 5870. These ATI Radeon cards are notable for supporting DirectX 11 and being capable of playing supporting games across three monitors. They also happen to be the fastest cards on the market right now. Each card comes with DVI, HDMI, and full-size DisplayPort outputs.
A new wrinkle in graphics processing comes thanks to the GPGPU movement. "General purpose graphics processing unit," refers to the ability for programmers to direct their software to a systems' graphics chip, as opposed to the central processing unit. Certain kinds of tasks like video and photo editing and file conversion lend themselves to the linear processing GPUs are designed for, so for some kinds of users, nongraphical GPU processing will be beneficial. To take advantage of this capability, you will need support from your graphics chip, your operating system, as well as from the specific application. Most newer operating systems and graphics cards have this support, and support among major application suites is growing. You can expect to hear more about GPGPU computing over the next few years as the various vendors involved fight to establish supremacy of the technique. We expect it will eventually become ubiquitous, and you likely won't need to give it much thought.
Video in/out
DVI is the most common video connection for hooking your computer up to a PC monitor. Next to or in place of a white DVI connection, older PCs might feature a blue VGA port for connecting to an ancient CRT monitor or analog LCD. Some higher-end graphics cards feature HDMI and DisplayPort connections in addition to DVI. HDMI and DisplayPort connections have the advantage of being able to carry audio and video over a single cable; DVI just does video.Audio in/out
As with graphics, a PC can provide sound processing via an integrated chipset or a dedicated card. The latter option generally offers better sound quality and more features, as well as better performance. If you are after a completely immersive gaming or DVD-viewing experience, be sure to spring for a sound card. And if you have a digital speaker set bundled with your PC, make sure it has the appropriate digital-audio outputs, which are called S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface).Drives and storage
First, decide how big and fast a hard drive (or drives) you need. For example, if you plan to work with large video files as you make your way to Hollywood, spend the extra money on a large drive or two. Filmmakers will also want to be sure to invest in a DVD-recordable drive, and music downloaders will definitely want to include a CD burner.
Options: Hard drives | Optical drives | Networked storage
Hard drives
Hard drive
Following the proliferation of digital media content has been an increase in hard-drive size. Today, it's not uncommon to find a terabyte (1TB) hard drive in mainstream PCs that cost less than $700. You'll find single drives with capacities up to 2TB. Mainstream users should target 500GB hard drives at minimum, and will likely find a system with 640GB, 750GB, or even 1TB that fits comfortably in their price range.
Most desktop drives spin at 7,200rpm--the faster a drive spins, the faster you can access its data. Power users looking to eek every last inch of performance from their PC might look at 10,000rpm drive from Western Digital (VelociRaptor) or Seagate (Cheetah). Seagate even has a Cheetah model that spins at 15,000rpm. Storage capacity is somewhat limited on these fast-spinning drives; the biggest VelociRaptor drive is 300GB, and the biggest Cheetah drive is 600GB.
Faster than any spinning drive, however, is a solid-state drive (SSD). They cost much more per GB than a traditional spinning drive and they're more common in laptops than in desktops, but some high-end PCs will use a fast SSD unit for the operating system and applications that it will then pair with a traditional hard drive for storage. Unless you are a digital media professional or a gamer, you can skip an SSD.
Most performance systems we've seen come with two or more Serial ATA hard drives. With multiple drives, many power users will use a RAID 0 configuration. RAID 0 (redundant array of independent disks), also called data striping, doesn't actually offer any redundancy, but it improves performance by distributing data across both drives. The PC sees the drives as one drive and can break apart portions of a file and distribute the parts to the different drives, which speeds the reading and writing process. A RAID 1 configuration, or disk mirroring, is less popular in desktops, although Dell offers it in its desktops the form of its DataSafe feature. RAID 1 doesn't offer a performance boost, but it gives you peace of mind by copying your data to both drives simultaneously so that if one of the drives fails, your work won't be lost.
An external hard drive is an easy way to expand your PC's storage or create backups. You'll find external drives with a USB 2.0, FireWire, or eSATA connection, or some combination therein. Looking ahead, USB 3.0 offers 10 times the speed in theory as USB 2.0. Buffalo just announced the first USB 3.0 hard drive, along with a two-port PCI card to let you take advantage of the new spec.
Optical drives
Optical drive
Prices of Blu-ray drives are coming down, so you'll find these drives trickling down to mainstream PCs. A Blu-ray disc can hold roughly five times as much data as a DVD disc (25GB vs. 4.7GB for a single-sided disc). That's a big difference should you want to back up your files--documents, photos, videos, and music--to a disc. The added storage space also means that an HD movie can fit on a single disc. Be careful: some Blu-ray drives only play Blu-ray discs (BD-ROM), and others read and write to Blu-ray discs (BD-R).
Networked storage
A more convenient backup option than burning disc after disc or locating and then connecting an external hard drive is network attached storage (NAS). A NAS drive is basically an external hard drive with an Ethernet port that allows it to connect to your home network. Not only does a NAS do away with having to physically connect a hard drive to your PC to back up your files, but it also is accessible by any PC on your network. Some even allow for remote access via an Internet connection. See our favorite NAS drives here.Networking
You'll definitely want to establish a connection--wired or wireless--to the Internet, and if you have more than one PC in your home, you may want to set up a home network to share files and printers.
Home networking
For connecting to the Internet, it's simple. If you are stuck with dial-up service (or you just love to fax), you'll need a modem port. Sometimes referred to as an RJ-11 port, this is integrated to some motherboards and, at other times, provided by an expansion card. For broadband, you'll need an Ethernet port (RJ-45). More often than not, you'll find this integrated to the motherboard; if it's not, look for it as an option listed as a network interface card or NIC. Recently, we've seen some systems that contain an integrated wireless receiver. Although your desktop will still need at least one wire (the power cord), integrated wireless functionality means that you will be able to easily add your new PC to your wireless home network.Windows 7 has eased home networking with its HomeGroup feature. Simply click through a few windows to share files (and printers) with other PCs on your network. Similarly, Apple's Mac OS X features Bonjour, which eases the process of sharing files across your network.
Remote access
Many NAS drives let you access the data stored on them from an Internet-connected device, and software apps like LogMeIn and GoToMyPC let you tunnel in directly to your PC. These apps not only let you access the files you have stored on your PC, but they also let you take full control of the PC. It's like you're sitting in front of your PC, with the same settings and desktop background, etc. Remote access is hugely convenient for those times when you're away from your home PC and suddenly realize you need a file or a contact. Both Windows 7 and Mac OS X also have remote access capabilities built-in, although you may need to download a separate client to the remote computer to perform certain actions.Picking the right desktop peripherals
You'll need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse at minimum, and a set of speakers if you select a monitor without integrated speakers. A printer, too, can be a low-cost add-on to complete your desktop setup.
Peripherals: Monitors | Speakers | Input devices | Printers
Monitors
LCD prices are getting to a point where you can walk into a store with the intention of buying a 20- or 22-inch screen and find yourself walking out of the store carrying a 24-inch model. The price difference isn't that great that the added acreage starts to look mighty attractive. For details on what to look for in a monitor, check out the Computer Guru monitor buying guide.
Speakers
Input devices
The wireless revolution has spread to keyboards and mice. Now you can find wireless varieties of each, often powered by rechargeable batteries. Obviously, these devices will cut down on the dreaded mess of wires that can entangle your desktop, and they also give you more freedom of movement than their wired counterparts. We don't love the idea of wireless mice and keyboards in the living room, since with the right software and remote-control combination your entertainment commands should be simple. But even on your desktop, the fewer cables the better. For a few ideas, check out Computer Guru's list of our favorite mice and keyboards.Printers
Many vendors offer a discount on a printer when you choose to bundle it with your PC, and in some cases, companies will throw one in for free. For help finding the right printer, visit Computer Guru's printer buying guide.Protecting your desktop
Warranty
The industry-average desktop warranty lasts one year for both parts and labor. Not all one-year warranties are created equal, however. Some companies will dispatch a repair person to your home if a problem can't be fixed over the phone or online; others offer only depot service, which means you must drop it off at a local service center or ship it directly to the company itself. If the warranty offers the latter, be sure to find out who pays for shipping each way. Also, check whether you need to save the original boxes for shipping; some warranties require this.
Many companies will offer extensions up to three additional years for an added cost. Whether it's worth it to tack on another year or two depends on your comfort level with making repairs yourself (or letting a friend or relative inside the case) and how much you spent on the system. For an experienced user buying a budget system, an additional $149 for a second year of coverage probably isn't money well spent. Many problems can be fixed simply by looking at the included manual or by skimming a company's online-support pages. In our reviews, we try to give you an idea of how extensive the help information is with both printed and online resources.
Virus protection
Windows 7 features Windows Defender, Microsoft's app for eradicating malware to keep your PC running smoothly and stably. We recommend using a third-party app from Norton or McAfee that includes antivirus, antispyware, and antispam protection, plus a firewall, to ensure you keep bad code at bay. Most new PCs ship with a 60-day free trial of an antivirus application such as Norton Internet Security. McAfee Total Protection 2009 is another popular antivirus app, and free apps such as AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition are available that will help protect your PC from viruses and malware.Spyware and adware
Internet viruses typically make headlines before they reach your PC, giving you advanced warning so you know not to open up a particular attachment from an e-mail with a specific subject line. Less visible are spyware and adware, tiny programs--often downloaded without your direct knowledge--that can collect information about sites you visit or, worse, record the keystrokes used for log-ins and passwords. Often, you don't suspect anything's wrong until you sense your computer is getting slower, and slower, and slower. Though spyware protection is included in Norton and McAfee's security suites, there are programs design specifically to sniff out any spyware on your PC such as Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware, and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and Spyware Doctor.
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