PC Comparison Assignment

Excel Hardware Comparison

It is important to be able to understand the important parts of computer advertisements and the differences between computers. Knowing that computers are made up of similar components packaged by the computer manufacturers such Dell, Gateway, HP, or Apple is helpful when comparing advertised computers.

For example, Gateway and Apple package systems with particular Intel processors. You may find the same Intel processor model in computers from Gateway and Apple. When buying a computer, you will want to look at the processor model to see its speed, number of CPUs and type before comparing the entire computer. A processor is still difficult to upgrade and costs about 1/3 of the cost of the system so it is the primary component you want to consider when buying a computer.

In the prior exercises you learned the purposes of RAM, Hard Drive, Processor and Operating Systems. Now, you will use that knowledge to find those parts in advertisements and to analyze the computers as you shop.

In this exercise, you will see one computer that we are pretending your parents chose for you. You will also find another advertisement on the internet for a computer you want to buy instead of the one your parents chose. You will analze and compare both these computers in the spreadsheet given below.

  • The first purpose of this exercise is to practice picking out the important information from computer advertisements.
  • The second purpose is to ensure you can discuss computer components specifically without considering the entire computer.

STEP 1:

Download this excel spreadsheet to your computer: Excel version of PC comparison spreadsheet ( right click and save instead of just double clicking to open)

STEP 2:

Click on the computer adverstisement in Column C. Find the technical specifications by searching throughout the advertisement and answer questions 1 - 7 about that advertisement.

Hints:

It will be helpful to look at this example sheet: PC Hardware Comparison Example which includes a video explaining how you would think through that example

Question 1: Remember that both Intel and AMD make processors found in today's systems, and both make fine processors. You have to research the exact processor models inside the computers to analyze the differences.

Questions 2-6: To read about what the components are: Click here for help understanding what PC components you are choosing.

STEP 3:

Look at PC advertisements to choose the next computer you want to purchase. (perhaps Dell, Gateway, Buy.com, Microcenter, etc.) . Choose one computer as the computer you want to buy to fill into column D. Paste in the name of the advertisement, the link and then answer questions 1-7. (You are limited to one single computer advertisement that is found online, so you cannot build your system from scratch.)

STEP 4:

Answer questions A- E about the PC you chose at the bottom of the spreadsheet..

Hints:

Question A & B: To compare two processor models, just identify the manufacturer (Intel or AMD usually) and model number and then search the internet for a comparison. Do not simply compare Intel or AMD because they each have an entire line of processors, so you need to compare specific models, such as A8 or I5. Remember AMD and Intel are companies you could work for, and their processors are many different product types that they make and sell.

Questions C & D: For C, any answer is correct, but you do want to consider the qualifities of an ink jet printer vs a laser printer in order to answer D. Here is some summary information about printers:

  • An ink jet spits ink from an ink cartridge and a laser printer uses a toner cartridge, like a photocopier.
  • With today's pricing, the ink for an ink jet costs more per page but less for the cost of the printer, and a laser printer's toner costs far less per page, but often a little more for the cost of the printer.
  • Laser printers are much better for handling many pages printed per month (duty cycle), with far less maintenance, so laser printers are often found in offices.
  • Laser printers also often print faster (pages per minute) than ink jet printers.
  • Laser printers often cost a little more than ink jet printers for black and white only, and far more for color.
  • Ink jet printers vary widely in how many pages they can print per cost of ink cartridge and in their duty cycle and maintenance, with the high end ink jet printers requiring less maintenance and costing less per page than the low end ink jet printers.
  • If you need color for a personal computer, you will often choose an ink jet, but if you can do your color printing elsewhere and handle the intial cost, then a laser printer may be much better.

Question E: I want to be sure you understand what RAM is used for in your system. When you choose a professional system, you will often size your RAM based upon the needs of some major application. If you want to see what your RAM is currently being used for:

  • On a windows system: press <ctrl> <alt> <del> and then choose task manager and then click on processes tab and then the memory column to sort by memory.
  • On a mac: open finder , choose applications, then utilities and then activity monitor. Click on system memory and then click the real mem column to sort by memory.

STEP 5:

Submit the completed spreadsheet through moodle's "hardware comparison" moodle item when you are done.