| Desktop computers, a type of micro computer, fit | | | | serial bus, Ethernet, Modem, Headphone, Serial, |
| on a desktop and are used widely in offices and | | | | Parallel, PS/2, VGA, Power connection, Fire wire, and |
| home. Personal computers or home computers, | | | | Card reader. |
| workstations, internet servers and special | | | | You should surf the internet to check for detail |
| communications computers are four types of | | | | guides available before purchasing a desktop |
| desktop computers used. Desktop computers are | | | | computer. A few important points are listed here |
| widely used in household, schools, business as these | | | | which may help you to have an informed purchasing |
| computers are very cheap. | | | | decision: |
| The desktop computers are normally modular and its | | | | Processors (CPUs): It is a very difficult choice to |
| components can be easily upgraded or replaced. | | | | make between an Intel processor and an AMD. The |
| These are available in elegant case styles. They are | | | | main difference comes in the relative speed and |
| used for carrying various tasks like organizing digital | | | | number of cores in the processor. You should refer |
| photos, office tasks, editing of video and accessing | | | | for the detail information on this in the internet sites. |
| Internet. | | | | Memory (RAM): It is best to have at least 1 GB |
| Micro Instrumentation Telemetry System (MITS) | | | | memory system and older DDR memory standard |
| 8800 offered the first desktop type system in 1975. | | | | should be avoided. For better performance, faster |
| The launch of this variety of computer encouraged | | | | memories are must and ensure that future upgrades |
| scores of other companies to produce personal | | | | of memory are possible. |
| computers. In 1977, Tandy Corporation (Radio Shack) | | | | Hard Drives: 250 GB or more storage space is best |
| launched its model of personal computers having a | | | | to have in present days. Serial ATA interface is used |
| keyboard and CRT. In the same year the | | | | in most drives now for ease of installation. |
| Commodore PET and Apple II were also released | | | | Optical Drives (CD/DVD): Multiformat DVD burner |
| market and these are forerunners of today`s | | | | which can support both +R/RW and -R/RW with a |
| Desktop computers. | | | | 16x recordable speed are best to have in desktop |
| Introduction of IBM PC, in 1981 by IBM, was a | | | | computers. |
| milestone in the field of Personal Computer. Based on | | | | Video Cards: Integrated graphics is sufficient if you |
| Intel`s 8088 microprocessor, it became a success | | | | are not doing 3D graphics. The important things which |
| overnight. The introduction of a 16 bit microprocessor | | | | you should consider are the memory capacity of the |
| paved way for more powerful and faster micros. | | | | card, version of Direct X supported, output |
| Also standardization in computer industry could be | | | | connectors and the performance. For the purpose of |
| made as IBM PC used an operating system which | | | | games a Direct x 10 card with 256 MB memory |
| was available to all the computer manufacturers. | | | | should be considered. |
| Apple Mac PC using Motorola 68000 is another series | | | | External Connectors: Instead of internal cards, |
| of 32 bit popular personal computers launched by | | | | external interfaces are preferred now for various |
| Apple in 1984. | | | | upgrades and peripherals to computers. IEEE 1394 or |
| A modern desktop computer consists of Display | | | | FireWire points and USB 2.0, both should be present |
| Motherboard, CPU, Primary storage (RAM), Expansion | | | | in a desktop computer. |
| cards, Power supply, Optical disc drive, Secondary | | | | Monitors: These days LCDs are more popular than |
| Storage(HDD), Keyboard, Mouse. | | | | CRTs. This is because they have less power |
| All the desktop computers come with ports which | | | | consumption and have reduced size. Also traditional |
| allow plugging different external devices into the | | | | aspect ratio of 4:3 is being replaced by wider display |
| computer viz, keyboards, monitors, scanners, | | | | screen and prices of 20-22 inch models are |
| printers.The different type of ports are Universal | | | | decreasing. |