Technology has advanced so much in recent years that buying a computer isn’t as simple as just walking into a shop and asking for any old system. To make sure you get the best laptop or PC to suit your needs, you have to look at the system specifications. This handy little guide should remove the hassle of buying a new computer. To make things easier, this article will look at the specs of one of the Toshiba laptops available from Argos, as well as the features of one of the great range of Sony laptops.
The two laptops that will be compared are the Toshiba C660 and the Sony E Series.
Processor
The CPU (central processing unit) is one of the most important parts of a computer. It plays an important part in how big a laptop or PC might be, as well as the cost. Generally speaking, the better the processor speed, the better the computer. The processor speed is the speed at which your PC will open and run applications and software. It’s measured in hertz (Mz), but because technology has advanced so much in recent years, you will typically see measurements noted in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). The higher the measurement of hertz, the faster the processor will be.
The Toshiba C660 has 2.4GHz processor speed, and the Sony E series 2.3GHz processor speed. Both of these are pretty high for laptops, but the Toshiba just edges ahead.
Graphics card
The graphics card is responsible for all of the images that appear on your screen. A graphics card will usually be built into the system in the form of a chip, but removable expansion boards can be purchased. For best results when gaming, buying a graphics board is recommended, though most laptops and PCs provide good enough graphics cards that support most, if not all modern games.
The Toshiba has an Intel GMA graphics card, and the Sony an Intel HD. Both graphics cards are more than suitable for general laptop usage, but if you are looking to use the laptop for gaming you may want to upgrade to a better graphics card. In this case, the Sony E Series tops the Toshiba.
RAM (random access memory)
RAM is a type of computer storage data. It represents the memory available for programs, such as your word processor and internet browser. The more RAM available, the more programs you can successfully run at the same time. Trying to run too many programs when there is insufficient RAM will cause your computer to lag, and it might even freeze. A decent computer will have around 1GB of RAM, which is usually more than enough for general day-to-day needs.
Both the Toshiba and the Sony laptops have 4GB RAM. This is plenty, particularly for a laptop. With this level of RAM you should be able to comfortably open and run several programs at once.
Hard Drive
The hard drive is where you will store your files, word documents, music, videos, etc. You can now pick up very reasonably priced laptops and PCs with at least 200GB worth of space on the hard drive. The bigger the hard drive the better, though if you don’t plan on needing to store a large amount of files, then 200GB worth should be more than enough for you. If you find you need more space for files, you could always purchase an external hard drive.
The Toshiba C660 comes with 640GB space on the hard drive, as does the Sony E Series 500GB
A few general terms to help you along:
GB (gigabytes). A measurement of digital storage, equal to 1000 ‘bytes’.
Hz. The measurement for processor speed.
Wi-Fi. Allows you to connect to the internet or exchange data wirelessly.
USB (universal serial bus) port. The place where you plug in external devices to your laptop or PC. The port is typically found on all laptops and PCs, regardless of make
Any more questions? Ask them below :-).
