There aren’t many love-hate situations out there that evoke as much exhaustion and excitement as shopping for a new computer. On the one hand, yay, you’re getting a new computer and don’t have to deal with your nine-year-old laptop that has a battery life of five minutes! On the other hand, you’re suddenly bombarded by literally thousands of options. While a detailed list of things you should consider (beyond just your budget, although we’ll address that in just a bit too) is different based on each person’s needs, here’s where to start:
Desktop or laptop?
This is one of the most basic questions that a lot of people surprisingly don’t consider when they start searching for a new computer. While maybe you’ve started your research only looking at new laptops, it might be worth considering if you’d actually benefit more from getting a new desktop. Think about it — now that almost all companies are requiring workers to come back to the office where you’re going to be spending your nine-to-five staring at a screen, perhaps your money would be better spent on a larger, more powerful desktop. Conversely, a laptop is the portable option here, so if you travel a lot and need to have your computer with you when you cross international borders, then a desktop obviously isn’t for you.
How much GPU will you need?
The GPU (a.k.a Graphics Processing Unit) is like the artist of your computer. It’s responsible for creating all the pretty pictures you see on your screen, from videos and images to games and animations. When considering your next computer, it’s important to think about what kind of graphics-intensive tasks you’ll be doing and choose a GPU that can handle them. A good GPU can make your computer run smoother and faster when dealing with tasks that require a lot of graphics processing, like playing high-resolution games or editing photos and videos. So, if you’re someone who likes to do these kinds of things, you’ll want to make sure you have a decent GPU in your next computer. However, if you’re not planning on doing anything too demanding in terms of graphics, you may not need to prioritize a high-end GPU in your computer.
How much RAM will you need?
There are several hardware features to keep in mind, but RAM is one of the big ones. The size and speed of your RAM (which stands for Random Access Memory, if you were wondering) determines how much multi-tasking your computer can do. In most cases, you’ll be able to choose from 16GB to 32GB of RAM. If you’re not regularly using a lot of heavy applications (e.g. if your main everyday apps are Word and a web browser), you don’t really need to pay the extra for more RAM. However, if you constantly run Photoshop, Premiere, AutoCAD, or any other software that uses significantly more memory, you’ll want more than the minimum 16GB base spec.
Still feeling a little overwhelmed? Fret not! Our good friends at AFTERSHOCK PC have an array of desktops and laptops that you can build from scratch so it ticks all the boxes you need, and are happy to answer any and all questions you have along every step of the way.
Cost of external accessories
This is a factor that most consumers don’t take into consideration when they put together a budget, but those accessory charges can add up. If you’re on your computer 24/7, your physical posture is something you really need to pay attention to, and you’ll certainly want to consider an external keyboard and mouse for prime ergonomic efficiency. If you’ve shelled out quite a bit of money for a top-notch desktop, you’re going to need a similarly top-notch monitor in order to get the most out of your PC. Do you work in sound engineering or any audio-centric industry? Do some digging on how much a good pair of external speakers costs.
If you head on over to the AFTERSHOCK PC showroom, their expert staff will be able to guide you from the various PC customization options all the way to helping you pick out the right accessories for your specific needs. From standing desk brands like Omnidesk, to customized keyboards from MASH, to high-quality accessories from Razer and Logitech, the AFTERSHOCK PC showroom will have everything you need under one giant, convenient roof.
