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Selecting a Computer for Your Home Office

One thing that you will definitely need in your home office, no matter what type of business you have, is a personal computer. If you already have a personal computer in your home, as most people do, you can use this computer, but keep in mind that will mean limited access for the other members of the household. A laptop will also work if you already have one, and can be a great way to save desk space, but again, it will be better if it is used only for business purposes. If you don�t have an extra computer that you can use just for your business, and if you have the capital to purchase one for this purpose, there are some guidelines that you should use, to make certain that you only pay for what you need.

The first thing you will need to do is decide how much money you can afford to spend on a personal computer for your home office. You will need to keep this figure in mind when you are shopping, so that you don�t exceed your budget. You can find many computers that are already assembled, or if you have the skill, may be able to save some money by buying the components and assembling it yourself.

You will also need to think about what your computer will be used for. If you will only need basic word processing software and an internet connection, then you won�t need to purchase a top of the line model. If you will be doing web design or graphics, you may need a more expensive computer. If you are unsure of what you will need, your local sales rep at the electronics store near you should be able to make suggestions, just make certain that you don�t get talked into purchasing something that you really can�t afford.

You will need to decide what type of processor you need, and in most instances, this isn�t really going to be an issue. You can get by with a pretty slow processor if all you are going to be doing is using standard office style programs and the internet. You may need to think about it though if you will be doing any kind of graphics or design work, as a faster processor can speed up your work here.

The most important component of your computer is the RAM that it has in it. If you have a top of the line processor, but only 256 MB of RAM, then your computer will crawl along, and take forever to load programs, if it can even run the programs you need at all. Your best bet here is to go with as much RAM as you can afford, as this will increase both your productivity, and what you are able to do with your PC.

The important thing about the hard drive, which people often overlook, is not necessarily the storage space it provides, but the speed it has. You can likely get by better with a smaller but faster hard drive, and then use other storage devices if needed. If you are only doing basic work with your computer, you don�t really need a massive hard drive in the first place, so you can save some money here.

You will need to have either a CD or DVD drive, and it is better if you have one with rewritable capabilities, so you can make your own data backups. You can backup and save your files on CD or DVD, DVD holds more, and then clear them off of your computer, clearing up disk space for other projects.

Make certain that you get a decent monitor, since you will likely be spending a lot of time looking at the screen. Flat panel LCD monitors are the best, if they fit into your budget.

Again, for basic use, you won�t really have to worry so much about graphics and sound cards, but if you are going to be doing editing, then you will want to make certain that these are top of the line as well. It can save you some money later if you do it now rather than upgrading in the future.

My idea of a good home office computer may be completely different than yours, and if so, then go with what you think you need. These are just the basics, and again, will change depending upon the nature of your business and the programs that you need to use.