What to look for when buying a PC
- Cost--30 percent: Obviously, when buying PCs in volume, cost is a big part of the picture.
- Performance--20 percent: Processor speed as well as the amount of RAM and the graphics subsystem plays an important role in the overall performance of your PC.
- Support and Service--20 percent: Unless your organisation has a large tech department, you'll want to be very sure of the basic support coverage, as well as the various service contracts on offer.
- Monitor--12 percent: Look at the overall display quality including evenness of illumination, clarity, and colours, and resolutions supported.
- Workmanship and design--10 percent: Look at ergonomics, robustness, and durability as well as expandability.
- Multimedia--6 percent: Look at the audio chip that's been used as well as the sound quality and volume levels of any speakers. Look at how many options and the types of I/Os there are.
- Mouse and Keyboard 2--percent: Look for good feedback, support, and colour differentiation in your keyboard. With the mouse look at the general ergonomics as well as the button size, travel, and feedback.
More information on this issue, including the Editor's Choice Award and benchmark results, can be found in the October issue of Australian Technology & Business Magazine. Subscribe now!
The Emagen Shuttle may not be the best, but it has the greatest potential. The barebones case and motherboard are manufactured by the Shuttle company (www.shuttle.com). It has great potential because there are already better models out that include an AGP 8x slot and support the new Pentium 3.0. In fact, you can buy a better model than the Emagen one (and one with an AGP slot) in Australia, from here: (www.auscorp.com.au).