1. We recommend you understand the difference in performance and cost between the AMD and Intel CPU lines.  The rated speed is only part of the story, for example, a 1.1Ghz Duron actually is more efficient and outperforms a 1.1Ghz Celeron, The new AMD XP rating system guarantees that for example a 1700XP+ will run at least as fast as a Pentium IV 1.7Ghz.  The AMD rating system is very conservative and a particular rating will usually outperform the same rated Intel Pentium IV.

2. We recommend looking closely at the price difference between the Duron and Athalon XP configurations, in some cases the price difference is zero or very small, thus making the Athalon XP processor more desirable because it is newer and has new features and greater performance over the Duron Models.

3. We recommend using a 7200rpm hard disk drive versus a 5400rpm drive. This will increase hard disk performance by 40% with little or no difference in cost. 

4. We recommend you consider what the loss of your data would mean to you versus the small cost of a tape drive for data backup. Data security should be a paramount concern, particularly for business systems, unfortunately it is often overlooked, until a disaster has already happened.

5. We recommend that you consider buying the minimum processor power to meet your current needs, but select peripherals with enhanced I/O. Generally processors and motherboards have a short useful life span of 1 to 2 years while I/O is generally only replaced upon failure (approximately after 5 years). Consider some of these upgrades when purchasing your computer: 512MB RAM,  and tape backup.

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Last modified: December 18, 2005