A network interface card (NIC), only important if you are planning to
network your computer to others;
If your PC requires a separate purchase of a monitor, you will most likely
also have to purchase a video card to connect the monitor to the PC. If you
play video games on your PC, get a 3D card with at least 32 MB of
memory. If your PC is mainly for business use no high speed gaming
graphics then a less expensive, 2D card with 16 MB of memory should be
fine;
A CD-ROM drive is now pretty standard, but unless you are an avid game
player, you won't need the fastest CD-ROM drive (another potential money
saver);
Most PC's come with sound cards and speakers but don't feel you must get
the largest boom-box speakers available unless your business requires it,
put the extra money towards a good stereo.
UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) a rechargeable battery with special
circuitry to supply power to your PC in the event of a power outage;
A surge protector a device to reduce sudden spikes in electrical power
which can harm your PC (hint: these don't last forever, they do
wear out.)
A tape backup unit or Zip drive are prudent additions to consider, too.
Its always wise to make backup copies of your disk drive and important
projects.
There is a simple decision tree to choose the type of printer that's right
for your organization. If we assume you need fairly low print volume, and are a
single user or have a very small number of users, there are two general choices:
ink jet or laser printer. Beyond that, you need only worry about whether your
requirements dictate color or can be satisfied with black and white.
For very low volume work, ink jet printers can be the least expensive route
and high quality units can be had for a few hundred dollars. For higher volume
work, or when you must share the printer resource amongst several co-workers the
better alternative is the laser printer. On balance, laser printers are faster
and have a higher monthly cycle of pages than ink jets.
Ink jet printers work by spraying a microscopic droplet of liquefied ink onto
paper. It is not uncommon to have to purchase specially coated ink jet paper to
forestall the bleeding of ink into the paper fibers giving a smudged or fuzzy
look to your product. Laser printers deposit equally microscopic particles of
toner onto paper which is then heated and fused to the paper surface. Each
printer type can deliver equally fine resolutions of up to 1200 dots per inch.
Counter-intuitively, if your print volume is very low, the laser printer is
typically the better unit. The reasoning is this: for seldom used ink jets, it
is not uncommon to have to subject some ink cartridges to a printhead cleaning
cycle before you can use the printer this is typically not the case if you use
your ink jet on a regular basis. The laser printer, however, only has to be
turned on and warmed up and its available without requiring a cleaning cycle.
Larger volumes of printed sheets almost always dictate a laser printer
because of their greater speed.
A network interface card (NIC), only important if you are planning to
network your computer to others;
