Published on : 18 June 20203 min reading time

Choosing the desktop or laptop best suited to your needs is not always easy, especially for the uninitiated. Moreover, the salesperson is not always very helpful. For the mere mortal, a computer with a four-core microprocessor based on the Ivy bridge architecture capable of handling the turbo boost doesn’t mean much. This article sheds light on your lantern to help you choose your PC without the wrong configuration and thus avoid under-using your computer.

The microprocessor, what is it?

The microprocessor or CPU “Central Processing Unit” is the center and brain of a computer. The execution of the multitudes of instructions or programs is its main task. The power of your computer depends on its ability to execute certain programs and instructions. In the world of computing, you have to remember the two names of processor manufacturers: AMD and Intel.

If you want to choose a computer with Intel, you should know that there are a series of ranges from i3 to i9. There are a few exceptions regarding CPU generation, but to simplify, a 3rd generation i3 microprocessor is weaker than a 3rd generation i5 CPU, but on the other hand an 8th generation i3 CPU is much better than a 4th generation i5 microprocessor. For AMD CPUs, it’s a bit difficult for someone new to the world of computing. Don’t worry, if you are faced with a computer with an AMD CPU, ask the vendor for the Intel equivalence of the processor or compare it on a comparison site on the internet. As you can see, the more you need, the more you need a computer with a powerful microprocessor.

The famous RAM or random access memory

Random access memory is an assembly of integrated circuits where all the information is temporarily placed awaiting processing. Don’t worry about names, just worry about memory capacity, because the bigger it is, the better the performance of your computer will be.

Currently, a basic configuration is 4 gigabytes of RAM. For office use, 4 GB RAM is more than enough, but if you want to play a recent game, choose a computer with one 8 GB RAM strip or two 4 GB strips or even more than 8 GB RAM. For video editing or photo processing, it is advisable to opt for more than 8 GB RAM.

The graphic card, what use is it?

Like microprocessors, the graphics card or GPU ” Graphics Processing Unit ” is an assembly of integrated circuits ensuring all the graphic calculations. The graphics processors can be integrated into the motherboard or attached to a dedicated port such as the PCI slot. Both manufacturers of CPUs (the microprocessor) have their own graphics processors. To help you find your way around, be aware that GPUs perform better if you have more dedicated memory. As an example, a XXXX-1234 with 1024 MB of dedicated memory is more powerful than a XXXX-1234 with 512 MB of dedicated memory. For office use, a graphics card with 512MB dedicated memory is sufficient. However, this is not at all sufficient for video or image processing, let alone for playing video games.