CPUs

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the most important factor in determining the "speed" of your computer. It is the "brain" of the computer which handles the calculations the computer must perform. The speed of a CPU is generally measured in megaherts (Mhz). Be aware, however, that the Mhz of a specific brand of CPU do not necessarily reflect its actual speed as compared to other brands of CPUs mainly because of the amount of information actually handled.

Intel Pentium and Pentium II processors are the industry standard in CPU technology. The greatest advantage in choosing an Intel CPU is ensured compatibility with other hardware and software. Intel CPUs are generally more expensive than other brands. For someone looking for dependability, Intel is the ideal choice.

AMD is the main competitor of Intel. This company boasts better performance at a lower price. AMD's equivalent CPU to Intel's Pentium II, the K6, is considerably faster and cheaper. Because AMD does not have the reputation and advertising power of Intel, its CPUs are less popular. For someone looking for performance and value, AMD is the ideal choice.

CPUs vary in price from day to day, but decline in value overall. The following is a general range of price:

Intel Pentium 133Mhz	$120
Intel Pentium 166Mhz MMX	$170-190
Intel Pentium 200Mhz MMX	$190-220
Intel Pentium II 233Mhz	$340-400
Intel Pentium II 266Mhz	$700+ call or email
Intel Pentium II 300Mhz	$510+ call or email
Intel Pentium II 333Mhz	$1050+ call or email

AMD K5 150Mhz	$120-140
AMD K5 166Mhz	$140-170	(Equivalent to Pentium 166)
AMD K6 166Mhz	$170-230
AMD K6 200Mhz	$190-260
AMD K6 233Mhz	$250-320	(Equivalent to Pentium II 233)

RAM stands for "random access memory." This is the high-speed volatile memory used by your computer for temporarily storing data during calculations. Generally, the more memory a computer has, the better its performance, until it reaches a certain point where more memory would only be redundant. In general, one should have enough memory to keep the system hard drive from trying to simulate memory to accomplish tasks, called "swapping." Swapping slows down the computer because the hard drive is disgustingly slower than RAM. On a Windows 95 system, 32 Megabytes (MB) of RAM is usually sufficient for most common tasks. However, for specialized operations such as graphics editing, more memory is needed. There are currently two types of RAM used in computers. The older kind is called 72-pin RAM and is available in two flavours: Standard, and EDO. The latter is slightly faster than the former. 72-pin RAM is quickly becoming obsolete because of the newer, more performant 168-pin SD-RAM. SD-RAM is much faster and often less expensive than 72-pin RAM.

8MB 72-pin	$25
16MB 72-pin	$44
32MB 72-pin	$80
16MB SDRAM	$45
32MB SDRAM	$74
64MB SDRAM	$175