A guide to desktop PCs.

By Matthew Kerridge

The most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for a desktop PC is your budget. There are many types of desktop PCs to choose from for different price points, so if you haven't had a price point in mind, it might be very hard to choose the computer that's right for you. Whether you are building your own PC from scratch or purchasing a pre-built system out of the box, it is important to have a budget in place.

Starting at about $300, you can easily find a pre-built budget PC from vendors such as eMachines. These computers will be modest in their specs, but if you are on a tight budget, this could be the best solution for you. Keep in mind that these computers are not easily upgradeable, outside of some modest changes such as larger hard drives and a small boost in memory. You also may have to purchase a monitor separately in some cases.

If you have $500 or more, and want to have a computer that can take on light multimedia tasks such as CD/DVD burning and light photo editing, you might find yourself in front of a mainstream desktop PC. Mainstream desktop PCs contain more features than the average budget desktop PC, such as more system memory installed, larger hard drives and faster processors. You probably won't be able to play the latest games or run the most demanding multimedia programs, but you will have a solid system that can handle most ordinary tasks.

The $1000 mark opens up even more options for consumers, especially for those who are a far cry away from being a professional user yet still wants a decent punch in their desktop PC. These more advanced desktop PCs normally include dedicated video graphics cards that are upgradeable, as well as better and faster processors. Other options include Blu-Ray video drives and larger hard drives and more memory.

Avid gaming fans looking for a system that can pack a wallop can turn to gaming desktop PCs for their powerful PC fix. These machines are tailored to gamers who love to run their latest games at the highest settings possible. Customized tower cases provide better airflow, while powerful video graphics cards such as the nVidia GTX295 and the fastest processors available deliver a solid experience that is sure to please even the most hardcore gamers. Some budget-minded gaming machines can be found for under $1500, but those looking to purchase gaming desktop PCs should expect to pay $2500 and beyond for good gaming PC.

Those who want a desktop PC that can handle heavy multimedia and graphics editing programs such as Adobe's Creative Suite and AutoCAD are likely to demand more from their desktop PCs. For $1500, these power users can find desktop PCs that can handle nearly all of their needs. These PCs share some of the components that are often found on gaming desktop PCs, but these machines are geared more towards business than they are for pleasure.

Microsoft's Windows operating system is the standard OS that nearly all desktop PCs come with. Newer machines may come with the newest operating system, Windows 7. A small minority of machines come preloaded with any number of Linux operating system variants. Nearly all of these desktop PCs will come with recovery CDs and other tools for quick operating system repairs. - 30432

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