![]() ![]() The corollary is that most older screens are not worth very much second hand, no matter how much they cost when new. You can now buy them for £100 or less, so that’s what I usually recommend. Monitors have improved a lot in the past decade. Most desktop PCs are easy to upgrade if you don’t get intimidated by the process. Often there are YouTube videos to show you how it’s done. Short of replacing the motherboard, most desktop PCs are easy to upgrade, once you overcome the fear factor. You can easily replace the original monitor with a bigger, brighter screen, which you can’t do with a laptop. Most desktops can now handle up to 32GB or more memory – check first – and you can replace a slow hard drive with a fast, chip-based SSD. But this is only worthwhile if the CPU is fast enough to last a few years, when you can replace the PC and keep the peripherals.įor example, you can start with 4GB of memory, a traditional hard drive, a cast-off screen and a cheap printer, and improve the system when you can afford new parts. I don’t want to repeat last week’s description of the desktop’s advantages over laptops in terms of expandability, reparability and upgradeability, but someone on a finite budget can start with a cheap refurbished desktop and improve it as they go along. Peripherals are peripheral, and replaceable. It makes everyday computing more comfortable, and provides some future-proofing. Editing 500-page illustrated books or Excel spreadsheets with millions of cells is a different proposition.Įither way, it’s better to have too much power than too little. The problem is not so much the type of task as the resources required by the software and the size of your files.Īny PC should be able to handle a one-page letter and post messages on Facebook. Most can also do simple photo and video editing, though rendering and other video processing tasks can take a very long time. Even cheap laptops can run Microsoft Office and its rival suites, which are relatively lightweight by today’s standards. DavidĪlmost every PC on the market will perform basic tasks such as writing emails and browsing the web. ![]() Often the advice will be to get the best PC possible, but they may not get the full benefit if other parts of the system are too compromised. What is the best advice to give them about specifications etc, bearing in mind their finite budgets?Ī user who wants a desktop PC to deal with email and social media, office files, surfing the web and streaming some video will also need to buy peripherals, including a monitor. ![]() See computer systems with pricing from the vendors the University of Delaware has agreements with on our Buy Personal page.I am working on a project that helps various groups in the community to become more PC proficient, and some clients now wish to purchase their own systems for the first time. Optional: Optical drive (recordable DVD or Blu-Ray drive). Mac users wishing to connect their notebook computers to classroom projectors for presentation purposes should purchase VGA or HDMI adapters appropriate for their specific Macintosh computer model (MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, etc.) OR USB-C hub for multiple connections. Recommended Accessories : Printer (wireless or USB connected w/USB cable), USB flash memory drive (“USB key” or “thumb drive”), surge suppressor, carrying case for notebooks. Headphones or earbuds, with built-in microphoneģ year on-site (better) or depot warranty, accidental damage service highly recommended.Įxternal USB or Thunderbolt drive with Time Machine (Mac) or Windows backup software and/or cloud backup service/subscription. Integrated or discrete graphics processor capable of 1440 X 900 resolution, or better (1920 X 1080 or 1200 ideal).įor desktop: 24″ – 27″ widescreen flat-panel displayīuilt-in or external trackpad, wireless and/or USB, 2-button, optical mouseīuilt-in audio or soundcard, and speakers See the UDel Office 365 for Education services page for details. Microsoft Office 365 is available for no-cost download for all enrolled students. Microsoft Office 365 for Windows or Macintosh. MacOS 11.X “Big Sur” or macOS 12.X “Monterey.” Microsoft Windows 10 or Windows 11 Home, Pro, Enterprise or Education version 11th, 12th or 13th Gen Intel Core i5, i7 or i9 Processor, Apple Silicon M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra or M2 Processor (CPU) ![]()
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