Buying a new computer?
If you're considering buying a new computer we suggest that you look for an Intel machine using a 2 Core Duo or a 4 Core Duo Processor, 1gb (gigabyte) of Ram Memory and a hard disk of at least 160gb. We have now reached a stage where most new computers can happily multi-task and it's only those involved with CAD, video editing or serious games players, that need to look at a higher performance and specific hardware.
However, at the time of writing we do not recommend Microsoft Vista as the operating system but instead suggest you try to obtain a machine with Windows XP instead. These are not easy to find but one source is EuroPC.
Unfortunately, when your machine is collected from the store or delivered to your door it will already be out of date so it's important that you have anti-virus, anti-spyware and a soft firewall installed before going off to the Microsoft Windows Update Site to download all the patches and updates that are needed to ensure your new PC is up-to-date and fully protected.
You can read more about this topic and others on our blog.