Better quality, more affordable

Desktops and notebooks form an essential part of every IT manager's shopping list. Here's what you need to look out for this year

Union budgets over the last couple of years have shrunk the gap between branded and assembled computers significantly. This is good news for SMBs as branded PCs come with a guarantee of quality and support from national or international vendors.

Budget 2005-06 brought about major changes—both good and bad—for sellers of PCs and laptops. On the positive side, imported brands now weigh lighter on the corporate wallet. The flip side is that assembled PCs are costlier by 4 percent due to the countervailing duty on components.

Desktop choices

32-bit Intel or AMD CPU-based PCs are market leaders. Many high-end computing jobs that were earlier the realm of RISC-based workstations can be today done with an x86 PC.

64-bit processors are not going to be ready for prime time until more 64-bit applications and operating systems are in the market. Although Windows XP Professional x64 has been released, compatibility issues are bound to be around for a while.

Usage of RISC processor-based computers at desktop or workshop level is largely restricted to specialised processor-intensive tasks like heavy-duty graphic design, video editing, research or mathematical modelling. This space is already facing heavy competition from the CISC side and adoption is minimal at the SMB level.

A bit of tech talk

When it comes to processor specifications, it is important to consider FSB (Front Side Bus) speeds and L2 (Level 2) cache. These are the two parameters, more than just GHz, which can improve performance. It is best to go in for a minimum of 400 MHz FSB and 128 KB L2 cache.

DDR 400 RAM is the best option now as DDR2 RAM is still quite expensive, and 256 MB is the least to choose. To run Windows XP, 512 MB is desirable although you can get by with 256 MB. However, using DDR 400 RAM will limit you to CPU FSBs of 400 MHz or slower. If you plan to fully utilise processors with 533 MHz FSB and above, DDR2 (533/667 MHz) RAM is required.

80 GB parallel ATA 7200 rpm hard disk drives are almost the entry-level standard now. It is better to opt for 80 GB unless the 40 GB, 7200 rpm option comes at a real bargain price. In fact, the newer serial ATA options are available at a marginal price difference. Opt for these drives if your budget permits.

A 17-inch monitor is recommended, but decent 15-inch options are also available if your budget doesn’t stretch. If you prefer LCD monitors, there is good news as prices have dropped. 15-inch LCD monitors are available at prices close to what you will shell out for a 17-inch CRT. 17-inch LCD monitor prices are double those of 15-inchers.

On the graphic and sound capabilities front, most motherboards come with integrated audio/video. It is best to go in for the most basic of these as commercial PCs are for work environments.

In other peripherals, the CD-ROM drive costs approximately Rs 750 and a CD-writer Rs 1,400. It is better to skip the obsolete floppy drive unless there is a specific requirement. An optical mouse is a good idea to minimise maintenance or replacement costs and hassles.

And the options are...

When it comes to 32-bit Intel desktop CPUs, options available for the SMB are the Pentium 4 and Celeron.

On the P4 side, the following processors support hyper-threading:

• 478-pin Pentium 4 (2.4 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 533 MHz FSB).
• 775-pin Pentium 4 520 (2.8 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)

Between these two, it is a better idea to opt for the 775-pin P4, with clock speeds ranging from 2.8 to 3.8 GHz as opposed to the 2.4 to 3.4 GHz offered by the 478-pin P4. For Intel P4s without hyperthreading, the minimum is the 478-pin Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (533 MHz FSB, 1 MB L2 cache). Upgrading is not an option here since 2.8 GHz is the maximum clock speed in this range.

For the 775-pin P4, Intel 915 chipset-based motherboards are a good option. Intel 865 chipset-based motherboards are the minimum for the 478-pin 800/533 FSB P4s.

On the Celeron side, it is better not to opt for anything less than the Celeron D 320 (2.4 GHz, 533 MHz FSB, 256 KB L2 cache) processor. Intel 865 chipset-based motherboards will be a good match for the Celeron D range if you plan to upgrade later. It will be a good idea to skip Celerons if you want to take advantage of FSBs faster than 400 MHz.

The AMD Sempron 2800+ (333 MHz FSB, 256 KB L2) is the best entry-level option from AMD. This socket 754 processor range is available from the AMD Sempron 2200+ to the AMD Sempron 3300+.

If you are looking for performance at the best price point, AMD Athlon XP 3000+ (400 MHz FSB, 512 KB L2 cache) is the minimum. This 462-pin processor also offers an upgrade path to 3200+, the fastest processor in that range.

Although AMD loses out to Intel in the GHz race, its performance is at par with Intel CPUs. The best part is that most of AMD’s products are cheaper than Intel processors of comparable specs.

For the mobile buyer

Laptops are not luxury computing devices anymore. Today, models are available for as low as Rs 30,000. It is possible to get a very good configuration in the Rs 50,000-Rs 60,000 range.

As far as possible, try not to go in for a ‘desktop processor’-based laptop. These are laptops which use desktop processors instead of proper mobile processors. Since desktop processors are not optimised for laptop usage, these laptops may suffer from overheating and may be unstable.

Popular 32-bit mobile processor options available in the Intel range are the Pentium M, Mobile Pentium 4 supporting hyper-threading, mobile Pentium 4, mobile Pentium 4 Processor-M, Celeron M, and mobile Celeron processors. From AMD, the options include mobile Sempron and mobile Athlon XP-M.

A 1 GHz processor with 256 MB RAM and a 30 GB hard disk are the least you can settle for. For viewing, the minimum is a 12-inch LCD screen backed by an integrated video card. The integrated audio available on laptops is sufficient for most business applications.

A swappable CD-RW drive is the minimum when it comes to optical drives. This is essential if the use of a floppy/DVD drive is required. Compromising on a fixed drive is not a good idea even though it works out cheaper.

On the power supply side it is best to go in for a Li-ion battery. Most of these last for an average of around three hours. Add in an extra battery (at the cost of more weight) if required.

Laptops are available as light as 1 Kg to heavyweights of 3 Kg and more. It is possible to get a sub-2 kg laptop in the price range of Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000, which is ideal for travelling executives.

Connectivity should involve at least two USB 2 ports, a serial VGA port, a 10/100 Ethernet connection, and a parallel port. An inbuilt 56K modem is also a good idea for dialup Internet connectivity while on the move.

For wireless connectivity, you can add a PCMCIA WiFi (802.11b/g) card or go in straight for an Intel Centrino (802.11b/g)-based laptop. The Intel Centrino-based laptops essentially use a combination of an Intel M processor, Mobile Intel 915 Express chipset or Intel 855 chipset, and the Intel PRO/Wireless network connection family for WiFi.