Hardware
Tips and key facts
LCD screens come with a "Native Resolution" and for best results, the display should be set to that. Most new displays are widescreen and 1280px or more wide. If you are using your computer for photography, the display is important - cheap displays may show incorrect colours - you'll see this when your printed version is not like the one you saw on the screen. More on Colour calibration.
| Display (pixels) | Usage | Comments |
| 640 x 480 | <1% | Antiques (Noah would have been proud to have one) |
| 800 x 600 | 4.2% | Usually 17” |
| 1024 x 768 | 35% | Usually 19” but also 17” and some laptops |
| 1280 x 800 | 20% | LCDs, 19” or 21" |
| 1280 x 1024 | 12.5% | LCDs, 19" to 24" |
| 1440 x 900 | 8.6% | LCDs, 20" or more - Widescreens |
| 1680 x 1050 | 5.7% | 20" - 24" or more Widescreens |
| Other | 13.3% | Mostly around 1200 - 1600 wide |
Many LCD displays have a native resolution of 1280 x 1024 and if set to this for maximum sharpness, everything on the screen will be smaller than you are used to. However, if you use Display in Windows Control Panel you can adjust many of the fonts, icons and other items to be larger yet keep the sharpness. The result comes close to being the best of both worlds. Other people are happy to set the resolution to a non-native setting (e.g. 1024 x 768) and find the sharpness to be acceptable.
Router
If you want to connect two computers together (by cable) and/or you simply want
to have two computers share one high speed modem, then you'll need a Router.
Costing about $70, once installed they are usually very trouble free. If
you have Vista or Windows XP on both computers, set up is
handled by Microsoft's Network Wizard. You can then designate files on each
computer that are accessible to the other. One very valuable benefit is that
each computer can be backed up to the other. The other major benefit is sharing
a high speed modem and high speed internet service. Operation is transparent
and each user seems to have a separate high speed Internet service. If you
have an office, you may also want to share a printer. Routers also provide a hardware firewall - more.
If running a cable between your two (or more) computers is difficult, then you
could use Wireless Networking for a few hundred dollars more.
Wireless Routers are not only more expensive, they are also slower, less
reliable and must be configured properly to avoid
security issues. Since they use ever changing standards,
future additions may prove difficult as well. Cable (Cat
5 with an Ethernet connector) works well and is well worth
the "trouble".
However, if you choose a laptop and plan to use it in different places in your home, you'll need a wireless router. See security page for a recommended
Router. More on Routers from
Answer.com.
Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)
For best surge protection and to carry your computer for a few minutes through a power outage while you safely shut down, you'll need a UPS. Be sure that its capacity is enough for all the equipment you plan to plug into it. Battery life is not critical - does it matter if you have 10 minutes instead of 5 minutes to shut down? For more info, see APC - the leader in the UPS field. Look for a high capacity (more than 500VA), voltage regulation and a reputable brand.
Surge Protectors
Surges in power are one of three kinds:
- Low level - slight
power variations and/or small spikes. Although common,
these will not damage electronic equipment - a computer
power supply will absorb the variations with no damage.
- Mid-level - lightning
induced or extreme spikes due to major nearby power problems.
These are very rare and extremely rare in home situations
where a long power line effectively smooths the spikes.
In some factory situations or occasionally in rural areas
when lightning hits very close (e.g. next door), there
could be a problem with damage to electronic equipment.
In this case a surge protector would help - but only
the one time - if this happens, you should replace the
surge protector. Some surge protectors have an indicator
to show the protection has been "used".
- Direct hit - Direct lightning hit on the power line or telephone line to your house. In this case, power surge protection won't help. The surge will destroy the protector and many of your electrical appliances. Fortunately, this situation is rare unless you live on top of a lightning prone mountain.