(Don't forget the software recommendations, or read more about the differences between laptops, desktops and handheld computers.)

Minimum recommended hardware stats for laptops and desktops

Descriptions of each component

Take a trip to your local computer store, and you'll see PCs lined up against the wall. Each one of them has impressive stats and even more impressive price tags. When you're buying something as expensive as a new computer, you want to pick correctly. But the times they are a changin', and computers are a changin' much faster. What PC should you pick? What do all the stats mean? This article addresses the absolute basics you need to know when picking out a computer.

Here's a fictional-but-still-usable-example of a PC description you might see. Let's do a little translating, followed by specific recommendations.

(1) D123 Minitower, (2) AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 2.167GHz Processor, (3) 512MB RAM, (4) 160GB Hard Drive, (5) 8X DVD+/-RW and 48X CD-Rom Drives, (6) Windows XP Home Edition

1) PC brand, model or part number: I often get questions about what brand is best. Years ago, buying from IBM, Dell, Compaq and others did make a big difference, but not so much anymore (with a couple exceptions: I personally recommend staying away from Gateway or eMachines). Hardware standards and reliability have settled down over the years, so unless you're planning on being a real power user or have special requirements, brand won't make too much of a difference.
For those who really want the best and don't mind paying for it, I recommend IBM, despite the fact they've recently sold off their PC division.

2) CPU: This is the processor of the PC, the "brain" that manages the dataflow in your computer. The faster the CPU, the faster your PC. Brand makes little difference for the average user. In fact, all we care about above is the "2.167GHz" number. This is the speed measurement. Stay away from any CPUs measured in "MHz", as these are too slow.
Click here for advanced CPU information.

3) RAM is memory: More memory allows your PC to do more work without using the disk drive. Too often I see people that have purchased good machines, but the pathetic amount of RAM means that the disk drive is cranking all the time, slowing everything down. This is one of the worst bottlenecks you can have.
Click here for advanced memory information.

4) Storage: A hard drive stores all information on your PC, from email to pictures to the operating system.
Click here for a listing of sites with advanced information about hard disks.

5) Media: The listing you see above specifies two drives, a DVD/CD burner and a CD reader. This allows you to watch and make your own DVDs and CDs. If you don't care about watching movies or making your own CDs, you can just get a CD reader.
Click here for a listing of sites with advanced information about CD and DVD readers and writers.

6) Operating System: The "OS" for home users is most likely Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. While each OS has advantages over the others, for several reasons I recommend Windows.
Click here for more information about the OSes listed above, as well as 100+ more!

Finally, I wanted to make one point clear: All of these bits and pieces noted above all must work together. For example, getting a super fast CPU and too little memory will still result in a slow system. A good analogy to use is to imagine your computer working like a doorway with people running through it:

• The speed at which people go through the door is controlled by the CPU and HARD DRIVE.

• The size of the door (the number of people that can go through at once) is controlled by the amount of MEMORY.

If too many people try to go through the doorway at once, you have a bottleneck, and people become very grumpy. All components must be working well together to prevent this. Meeting the requirements recommended above will do the trick.