Choosing the Right Computer

How to Purchase the Right Computer for Your Professional Service Business

There are a number of things to look for when you go out to buy a computer. Like purchasing a car, you'll be faced with a dizzying array of features and functions. You may find it difficult to compare one computer with another because they each have unique features that make it hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison.

So to zero in on the computer that will suit your needs, one of the first tasks is to define how you intend to use it. Will the computer stay in your office or home, for example, or will you want to transport it? Do you think you will want to add many software programs, or only one or two? Will you want the ability to have e-mail and access the Internet? Once you take the time to carefully consider how you will use the computer, you can then determine which features and functions are most important.

Laptops Versus Desktops

If you need mobility, a laptop computer will be a better choice than a desktop model. Laptop computers take up less physical space in your office, have most of the performance and functionality of desktops, and allow you to take the computer home if you need to. The laptop can run on battery power anywhere from one to five hours or more, depending on the type of battery it uses and what demand you're making on it. Of course, laptops can also be plugged into any outlet when the battery runs down. The only downside of laptops is that they tend to be somewhat more expensive than desktops for the same relative features, because you end up paying a bit more for the luxury of mobility. Most service professionals who use ELECTRA 3.2 have purchased laptop computers in the low to mid price range-particularly if it's their first computer.

When price comparisons are made between desktop and laptop computers with virtually the same features and capabilities, the laptop will almost always be more expensive. However, most of the service businesses we've talked to have opted for a laptop priced in the low- to mid-price range (between $1,000 and $2,000). Some budget desktops are now available for as low as $700. Also, service businesses should not lose sight of the fact that when a computer is bought for business use, the entire purchase cost is usually deductible as a business expense in the year of purchase. (See the article on Buying vs. Leasing).

Central Processing Unit - Most of the PCs available today are based on Intel's Pentium 4 chip. This chip is the "brains" of the computer, and there are many flavors of Pentiums, distinguished primarily on what is called the clock speed of the chip. Older computers were measured in megahertz (MHz) or million instructions per second. New computers are now measured in gigahertz (GHz) or billion instructions per second (1000 times 1 MHz). The faster the chip, the faster the computer will operate. So, a Pentium processor with a clock speed of 1.6 GHz will perform faster than a Pentium processor with a speed of 500 MHz.

Random Access Memory - The next thing to consider is the amount of Random Access Memory, or RAM, that the computer has. The more RAM, the better, because the computer responds faster, and Windows based software applications seem to be demanding more and more RAM resources. However, for service businesses using one or perhaps two software programs at a time, 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM is probably adequate, and this is what most computers currently come equipped with as standard.

Hard Drives - The size of the hard drive on the computer is the next thing to look at. Most new computers currently come standard with at least a 20 or 40 gigabyte (GB) hard drive, but if you plan to load large Windows programs such as Microsoft Office (which includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), you should try to get as large a hard drive as you can, primarily because these Windows-based applications take up quite a bit of space on the hard drive.

CD-ROM and DVD - While only a short time ago a CD-ROM drive seemed like an extravagant accessory, you would be hard pressed to find a computer on the shelf without a CD-ROM, because most software packages are now only available in this format. The numbers followed by an "X" indicate the speed of the CD-ROM drive, so a 50X CD-ROM drive will operate faster than a 25X drive. A faster CD-ROM drive is able to access information more quickly than a slower model. Some of the newer computers also offer a DVD drive, which will also read standard CDs. The DVD format holds even more data than the CD, but most software, at least for now, is distributed in a CD format. Also, you can buy a CD-ROM writer to record information onto CDs for about $200, while DVD writer technology is far more expensive.

Modems - If you plan to access the Internet or exchange e-mail messages, then you'll also need a modem. A 56 kilobyte (KB) modem is currently the standard speed modem available on most computers; a slower modem will work fine, but it will take longer to retrieve data.

Network Card - If Broadband is available in your area or if you plan on networking then an ethernet network card is a necessity. Both DSL and Cable modems connect to your PC via Ethernet, as do most LAN connections.

Software- Finally, you should ask what software comes with the computer you're interested in. Today, most new computers come with the Windows XP operating system, and many computer companies also throw in a variety of software applications to make their product more appealing. We recommend the PC based Windows (98/XP/2000) operating systems over Apple Macintosh for the simple reason that you will have far more software applications to select from that run in the Windows environment.

Other Sources of Information - Be sure to check out other sources of information as well, including computer web sites such as www.pcmag.com or www.cnet.com which feature top budget laptops and desktops every month. Family and friends that have a computer can also provide good suggestions. Also, keep in mind that if you use the computer in your practice, the entire amount will most likely be deductible as a business expense in the year of purchase.