A friend and client sent me an email today, asking a question that I hear frequently.
"Can you give me the specs on what type of desk tops we should get to replace what we currently have in the office?"
This question has been fielded many times by lots of writers. Most of them, however, get into varying degrees of technical language... And almost all of them get into more computer jargon than you use. In this post, I'm going to try to give you the maxims I use... and the cases when the maxims should be discarded. I hope to do this with the absolute minimum of technical jargon.
First, a bit about us. RNOC.Net prides itself on making complex technical concepts as understandable as possible for its clients. It's not that we think our clients are incapable of understanding the jargon - it's just that they have other priorities. Our clients include surgeons, attourneys, accounting professionals... Some very technical people. They have enough on their mind, they really don't need to know the difference between CPU clock speed and BUS speed. Fair point?
So, with that, I'll dive in...
Maxim #1: Know the purpose.
When asked, most of our clients only need to run Word, Excel, maybe Powerpoint and some other application (BusinessWorks, Quickbooks, or some program specific to their industry). Add to that Outlook for email and Internet Explorer (or some other browser). Additionally, the computer is typically replacing another computer already performing the functions that are required of the new machine. The configuration for this type of system tends to be very simple, with just a few "gotchas". Read on for more.
If there are more gourmet requirements, special considerations need to be made. Are you planning on using it for graphics? You will want a very fast machine, lots of memory, and a fast graphics card. More on that later. Will critical data be stored on this machine? Consider RAID hardware (which copies data onto multiple drives simultaneously), additional drives, and a backup solution.
Maxim #2: Buy a brand name you recognize.
This is just a bit controversial. Most people know someone that builds great computers, been doing it for years, is really smart with technology... You name the phrase, we've heard it.
Ultimately, few computer builders can match the research and development budgets of companies like Dell, HP and IBM. I call these my "Tier 1" computer providers, and I will generally go to them first for computers. I'm familiar with the companies, their support policies, and (for the most part) the quality of their machines.
Tier 2 are machines like Gateway, Acer, Asus branded personal computers, and even eMachines. They are mostly on tier 2 because I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the machines with which I have come in contact. Justin (the other contributor on this blog) has a Gateway laptop. I have been impressed with its durability. It is an older machine, and showing the signs of its wear now... but I have to give credit where it is due. It has managed to handle everything he has thrown at it for four years now, and he does a lot of graphics work. Similarly, I have an eMachine that has handled backups of a critical database server for almost five years.
While these cases are anecdotal, I am impressed enough with them to put them at Tier 2.
Tier 3 machines are ones that I would not put in to use at a business. These are machines without a nationally recognized name on the label. I will draw a lot of flak for this, but I do not believe that "house brand" (a nice term for "garage built") computers are suitable for business use. They simply do not have the research and development capabilities of the larger companies. I believe firmly in buying local whenever possible, but I do not see the need to extend that to the (possible) detriment of your business. Use caution when treading these waters.
Maxim #3: Buy enough computer for 3 years of productivity
The people that design computers and software would like to have you changing them out every 18 months. The reality for most small businesses, however, is 3-5 years. That means that whatever you buy today needs to be a good decision 3-5 years from now. Therefore, we can rule out the "$500.00" specials offered by pretty much all of the vendors. In my experience, the computers that fit in the "good buy" category start around $1200.00 per unit. I'll explain this later.
Maxim #4: The processor is important... to an extent.
The processor is the central device in your computer - around which all other devices are in orbit. Pretty critical part, right? Sure. But the processor you choose depends largely on Maxims #1 and #3. I usually choose one in the middle of the road. But what is that? There are so many processor choices to make.
The processor is where we start to get into deep technical waters. Let's break down the choices.
There are two basic methods to getting performance out of a processor: Clock speed and Bit width.
For the purposes of this illustration, let's imagine a highway. We determine that we need to get more cars (representing data) through this highway. How can we get more cars through in a given slice of time? We have two choices. Increase the speed limit (clock speed) or increase the number of lanes on the highway (bit width). In processors, the clock speed is measured in GHz (gigaherz).
Generally speaking, faster is better. Keep in mind that you will be paying a premium for having the absolute fastest processor on the market. For most small businesses, I like to lag a generation or two behind the fastest processor. The processors at this speed are in much wider distribution, much more competition, and much better value for the purchaser. And since most businesses only require the basic tools in Maxim #1, middle of the road is generally enough. The lower end of the curve will probably only keep you happy for a short period of time.
** Please take a look at the update and link at the bottom of this article for a breakdown of Intel's processor product lineup.
32 or 64 bit?
The question of whether to purchase a 32 or 64 bit processor is gradually being answered by the hardware or software vendors. More and more operating systems will be supporting 64 bit processors with "backwards compatibility" (meaning, okay, we'll support that because you customers seem to be stuck on it)... This should tell you where the industry is going. If you plan on moving to 64 bit processors, you will likely notice performance boosts in many programs - and compatibility issues with a few others. If you are considering switching to 64 bit processing power, it is prudent to test your software in that environment. To be fair, Windows 7 (the 64 bit variety) is handling most 32 bit software flawlessly, and they are including a 32 bit virtual environment for the more stubborn applications.
Where possible, I would advocate 64 bit. It's the future of Windows and other operating systems... While much of the computing world still comes in 32 or 64 bit versions, it is doubtful that trend will continue. It's time to start getting yourself ready for the 64 / 128 bit question. If you are planning to upgrade a large number of computers, begin with one or two test systems. See how they operate with your software, and make your decision based on that.
Maxim #5: Your machine probably will handle more memory than you will actually need. But max it out anyway.
I have noticed that around year two of computer ownership, people are asking me if there is anything they can do to improve the performance. The biggest bang for buck at that point is usually increasing the amount of RAM (random access memory) to the system's maximum. In the case of 32 bit systems, this is generally around 3-3.5 GB (gigabytes) of memory. On 64 bit systems, it's much higher (more than the manufacturers want to give you slots for, at this time).
Maxim #6: If you have a server, the default hard drive is probably enough.
The hard drive is your long term storage. Most of our clients have a server where their work is stored upon saving. These clients tend to use around 10-15 Gigabytes of space on their hard drive, and the rest is pretty much empty space.
If there is no centralized storage on your network, storage space becomes important - but again, unless you are working with very large files (graphics, CAD files, movies, audio) the default drive space is probably enough at 250-320 Gigabytes as of this writing.
What becomes more important is the protection of your data - make sure that your backups are in order and very frequent. If this is an absolutely critical machine, consider getting some professional help in configuring it. The benefits of the various RAID levels start to come into play in this configuration, and are a bit beyond the scope of this article.
Maxim #7: Unless you are using a *very* graphics intensive program, don't worry about the video card.
Again, thanks to Maxim #1, the graphics card is generally a non-issue for most people. Take the defaults. Those of you working with detailed graphics applications should already know that you need more than the basic graphics set. You're probably actually looking for a specific brand and model of graphics card. This maxim is not for you. Move along.
Maxim #8: Get a 3 year warranty. More, if you plan on keeping this system in service longer.
Warranties don't account for everything. But in a critical environment, it's great to have them. For most small businesses, I recommend a next business day warranty. If you absolutely cannot survive a night without this computer's parts functioning, consider getting a "same business day" warranty. This will be substantially more expensive, but will give you parts within 4 business hours when you need them.
Keep in mind that if your hard drive takes a dive, the warranty will only replace the hardware. You will still either need to install your operating system (and applications / data!) or pay someone else to do it. Still, it's convenient to have that hardware issue taken care of immediately... Then you have a firm foundation on which to install the operating system.
Maxim #9: If you have a server, get a "Pro" version of Windows.
In Microsoft operating systems, "Pro" usually means "for business". In the case of Window 7, it will also include the name "Business" or "Ultimate". Spend the extra few bucks for this, if you have a server - or if you plan on getting one. It can be an awkward moment when you tell a client that the great deal they got on a computer requires a couple of hundred dollars of upgrades to be integrated into their network.
Maxim #10: Buy a backup solution
There are many backup solutions available. This is another area where you might need a bit of professional help. Most external USB or Firewire drives include some sort of backup solution. Use this solution if the data stored locally on the computer is critical. If your company has a server and it is well configured, backups of your documents should be handled automatically, along with whatever other critical data required to keep your business running. Make sure this is part of your original price assessment.
Maxim #11: Don't forget antivirus
The majority of antivirus programs that come pre-installed on your system are performance killers. This is because they take a needless "kitchen sink" attitude toward security. Make sure your antivirus program does just that - antivirus. Windows already has a firwall, and a well designed network has another firewall. You typically do not need a 3rd party firwall from your antivirus vendor. Having said that - if you do not have a network based firewall, it is not recommended to rely totally on the Windows firewall. It's strong enough for a local network, but not strong enough for the big, bad Internet.
Conclusion:
If you have followed the maxims thus far... and also purchased a UPS (battery backup) and a monitor - and thrown in Microsoft Office - you are probably pretty close to the $1200.00 mark. If you are much higher, it is probably because you have overdone it in one area or another - either you need more graphics because you're a graphics designer or you have purchased a much longer warranty. If, on the other hand, you are significantly lower, you have either caught an amazing deal or you're cutting yourself short somewhere. Go back and review - make sure that what you have sacrificed is worth the potential for problems.
Good luck... and as always, you can contact us with any questions you may have!
Update on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 8:08AM by
Rnoc.Net
Confused by Intel's array of processors? Gizmodo takes on the differences. It's not too thick in technical jargon, and does a very good job of explaining how the various offerings stack up against each other.
