Desktop PC Buying Guide

When buying a new computer you may consider what you want to use your new desktop for and your budget. Are you an avid photographer looking for a speedy but cost-effective platform for editing high-resolution photos? Are you just a basic computer user, surfing the net and checking e-mails everyday and making some reports and presentation?  There are three major categories of desktop, each with its own range of price and performance: compact PCs, all-in-one PCs, and classic tower PCs (budget, mainstream, and performance). Each style of machine has different strengths and weaknesses, and choosing the one that’s best for you depends largely on how you plan to use it.

1. Compact PCs

As the smallest members of the desktop computer family, compact PCs often omit features to deliver computing power in a space-saving package. The combination of energy-efficient components, quiet operation, and small size makes compact PCs ideal for people who want a nonintrusive machine

2. All-in-One Desktops

All-in-One PCs are self-contained: components are mounted behind a display, with screen sizes ranging between 18- and 27-inches. With no cords to manage or peripherals to juggle, setting up your new all-in-one PC can be as simple as pulling the machine out of the box and plugging it in.

3. Budget PCs

A budget tower desktop carries standard desktop components, older hardware or inexpensive, low-end processors. Typically, these PCs are minitower systems, with fewer drive bays than a full tower has.

4. Mainstream PCs

Higher up in the desktop chain, you’ll find machines aimed at mainstream users and carry at least 500GB hard drives and about 4GB of RAM. Powered by dual-core and lower-end quad-core processors, they deliver better performance than budget desktops, without breaking the bank.

5. Performance PCs

Occupying the high end of the spectrum are performance desktops.  Most performance PCs are full tower systems, equipped with a slew of drive bays and expansion slots. Designed to tackle challenging tasks, they come equipped with the latest and greatest Intel and AMD dual- and quad-core processors, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, and at least one discrete graphics card.

Kingston Launches HyperX External USB 3.0 SSDs

The HyperX MAX 3.0 has a read speed of up to 195MB/sec., and a write speed of up to 160MB/sec., when paired with a USB 3.0 compatible device. It is also fully compatible with USB 2.0 devices, but the speed defaults back to USB 2.0 capability.

How to Turn Recent Items On or Off in Windows 7

Recent Items is a list of your recently used files on the right side of the Start Menu, Taskbar Windows Explorer icon link, in the Navigaton Pane Recent Places, and in Jump Lists. This will show you how to turn Recent Items on or off in Windows 7.

C:\Users\(User Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent Items

If you go to the Recent Items folder location above and you have a yellow folder named Recent instead of one named Recent Items with a icon, then right click on the Recent folder and click Delete. Type shell:recent in the white line (Start Search) area of the Start Menu and press Enter. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer, to rebuild the folder back to the default Recent Items. Recent Items will not function correctly if is not set as the default Recent Items folder.

 Turn Recent Items On or Off

1. Right click on the Start button and click on Properties.

2. To Turn Recent Items On.

A) Check the Store and display recently opened items in the Start menu and the taskbar box.
(See screenshot below step 4)

 NOTE: If you just turned on Recent Items, then it may take a bit after opening the recents items a few times before they actually show up.

B) Go to step 4.

 3. To Turn Recent Items Off

A) Uncheck the Store and display recently opened items in the Start menu and the taskbar box. (See screenshot below step 4)


4. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

Add or Remove Recent Items from the Start Menu

NOTE: This will allow you to add or remove the Recent Items button from the right dark side of the Start Menu. If you add it, then you will need to turn on Recent Items on OPTION ONE above to have them listed.

1. Open the Start Menu Customize window.

2. Scroll down a bit, and check the Recent Items box, and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

3. Click on OK.

Asus' Sabertooth P67 Mobo Has a Tactical Vest

  

Asus revealed some of its upcoming motherboards and one of them in particular caught our eye.
It's an upcoming P67 that'll support Sandy Bridge CPUs, and it has what Asus calls the "Tactical Vest."

USB 3.0 Is Even Better Now

USB 3.0 devices can deliver data to and from PCs in a hurry. But you already knew that. What makes these new USB 3.0 devices even better?

1. Cirago CDD2000 USB 3.0 Hard Drive Docking Station.

- Works with SATA drives

- Stays cool

- Nice design

- Excellent transfer speeds

- Quick set up

- No activity LED

2. Iomega eGo

- Lots of storage space

- Rubber bumper

- Good transfer speeds

- Included software and encryption

- Three-year warranty

- Clunky and heavy

- Requires extra slot for power for USB 2.0

3. Cirago CST6000

- Sleek aluminum case

- LED transfer light 

- Light

- Small capacity

- One-year warranty

- Slow

- Separate power cable for USB 2.0

4. Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 Flash Drive

- Rugged design

- Doesn’t require separate power for USB 2.0 transfers

- Five-year warranty 

- Fast

- Heats up

- Chunky case

5.LaCie 2big USB 3.0

- Beautiful design

- Three RAID modes  

- Fast

- Three-year warranty

- Comes with USB 3.0 card and software

- Gets warm