Among the thousands of computer's sold on ebay which one is right for you?

The last thing you want is a computer that doesnt perform up to your expectations. In this guide i will show you what it is people on ebay are trying to sell you. I will let you know what things like hard drives, processors, and ram mean and what you are going to need to satisfy your own expectations. i will give examples of prices you will spend on computer systems based on what you need. after reading this guide you will have a better idea of what you want, and what you will need to spend.

   From here i am going to split this guide up into 3 catagories. to find out which catagory you are in you must simply choose what most describes you from the following examples 1, 2, and 3. after you have found what most describes you in terms of needs. scroll down to that number and i will enlighten you as to what you need to spend to get the job done. and of course what you dont need to spend.

Example 1                                                             High end

im looking for a computer that i will not need to upgrade for a long time. i do such demanding things on my computer such as play games, intense 3d graphic aplications. i run programs such as Cad or othere computer aided drawing utilities. I like to edit my own video's and songs. when i sit down at my computer to browse the internet i frequently have multiple windows open at all times. i am considered a multitasker. i want the most out of my computer and the freedom to utilize the most latest software without the worry of my computer not being able to handle it. (if this most describes you, scroll down to section A)

Example 2                                                                Mid Range

I am looking for a computer that is open to upgrading but will get what i need done now. i play games every once in a while but not too often. my primary function on my computer rarely exceeds browsing the internet, typeing word documents, and the occasional movie and mp3's. but i still want my computer to handle demanding tasks when i need it to. this computer is an every day tool. (browse down to section B if this is you)

Example 3                                                                     low end

My computer never wanders far from word documents and browsing the internet. I dont ask a lot out of my computer. i may watch a movie or two and listen to some music on occasion. i just need something to get the job done with as little amount of money as possible. (if this is you scroll down to section C)

A) so you want the best or close to it. with todays market its a tall order to have the best as these computers get better by the day. but lets get you as close as we can.

Operating system:

xp all the way, splurge and get proffessional. you will be happier in the long run. if all you do is game and edit. mediacenter is pretty fun. xp home is good but if you have the money go pro.

Processor speed:

pentium or amd rated at 2 gigaherts or above(comanly refurred to as gigs) pentium processor are great, but the only draw back is price. a pentium processor can be as much as $300 dollars over an amd of the same speed. although many claim that if your a big gamer amd processors offer the most performance while pentiums can run Cad like no body's business. personaly to me its a ford and chevy thing. go for what you want and like. 1 gig = 1000 megahertz. if you got the money the sky is the limit.

i personaly have a 3.6 gig pentium and im very happy with it.

Ram:

1 gig or above no less. ram is the short term memory your computer uses to run multiple applications at once. if you are running games or cad all the time. any less then a gig of ram may cause your computer to crash or your system to hang. my recomendation is any less than a gig is a no go. ram gets spendy as well, 1 gig can cost as much as 150 dollars or more. its best to find it included in the package price. most new computers now can hold up to 4 gig. get as much as your pocket book allows.

Hard drive:

if you run alot of programs and demand superfast response time. go with a hard drive that runs at 7200 rpm's 5400 will cut it but with 7200 you wont be dissapointed. as for the capacity, if you download music all the time and keep large amounts of info on your pc, along with games and/or other programs. i wouldnt go with anything less than 80 gigs, i myself have a hard time filling up 40 gigs. but trust me it can be done. pluss that little extra confort in knowing you have that extra room is nice. so start at 80 gigs and go up from there take as far up as you pocket book will let you.

Cd roms and floppy drives:

if your spendin the money these guys are usually included. if you can afford it and like to make your own movies and maybe even back up the ones that you currently have. id suggest a cd/dvd re-writer. their usually around a hundered bucks but they are worth it.

Video cards:

if your into games than this is extremely crucial, you want something that has at least 128megs of onboard memory. if the listing says integrated or shared than dont even bother. you want a card that is agp 8x or a card that runs on a pci-express. look for these things. ati x-series cards are great, along with nvidia's 6800 or 7800go or ultra. do a search on video cards and find out whats hot and whats not. google is your best friend. if it says intel based video then run away.

sound cards:

not the most crucial to performance but if your into movies and music. a good 24bit card is the way to go. find a good soundblaster card and good 5.1 speaker system for your computer and you can rival that of a home entertainment center. like always its all about the money.

other components:

you will need a network card 10/100 or better, most now are gigabit. a modem if you use dial up connections. and ofcourse room to expand, get a computer that has spare pci slots and usb 2.0 ports. the more the marrier.

Price: $700 and up, the skys the limit.

B) mid grade system then? these are the most redily available systems out there and you can get the best deals on them here on ebay. refer to section A for detailed advice but ill just lay it out plain and simple for ya.

Operating system:

xp home. windows 2000 and down is a no go.

processor: go with the highest gig processor you can afford but if you want any flexiblilty dont go with anything less then a gig. 1 gig = 1000 megahertz.

Ram:

no less than 512mb if you have the money upgrade to a gig. just dont go below 512.

Hard drive:

a 5400rpm hard drive with about 40 gigs of memory should be find. but dont be afraid to upgrade.

Cd rom and floppy:

most are included with system. just make sure  the cd rom is 12x and higher.

videocard:

make sure your system has an agp slot. so you can upgade in the futer if you have to. other than that integrated graphics are fine.

Soundcard:

16bit sound card and above should do the trick.

other components:

make sure the system has a network card and a modem. without these you cant access the internet. also make sure your computer has an ample amount of usb ports, as most external devices now days run on usb. a few extra pci slots are a must. make sure the computer comes with no less than 3.

price: $350-700

C) you just want to squeak by huh. well ill show you how.

Processor: 500 megahertz and up. any under and your already sunk.

Operating system: if you can get xp then good, other than that windows 2000 or ME will work.( for how long i couldnt tell ya)

Ram: 256megs of ram NO LESS. windows takes most of that to run. if you can swing it opt for 512. cause ur going to be slow as a snail on 256.

Hard drive: just make sure you have at least a 20gig, any less and you will be kickin yourself.

sound: most computers should have at least a 16 bit card on em.

other components: a network card and a modem for your internet. at least 2 usb ports and a spare pci slot would be nice.

cd rom and floppy: these should come with the system, at this point just take what you can get.

video card: integrated graphics are perfect for what your looking for.

price: 0-350$

Remember this is only a guide to help you find the right path to take. in the long run its all about money. if you want the fastest and the best computer your going to spend that extra dough. just dont get something that you will never utilize. its kinda like why buy a porsche when your going to drive it like a station wagon. also remember many of the sellers here on ebay are more than willing to help you customize your system just remember when it comes down to writing the check or clicking the paypal button, make sure u know what your getting. this review should help you with just that.

thanks for reading and have a good one.

brandon