Many (and I mean many) PCMech readers buy stuff online. In fact, a fair amount of them shopped online during the “bad old days” in the pre-2005 era. Continued

We all know that when you buy some software, a gadget, a piece of hardware or anything else, it is nice to know you can return it should there be a problem and (hopefully) get your money back. However, being a smart consumer means understanding the issue from the retailer’s perspective, too.

Here are some tips to help you avoid the potential headaches of product returns.

Continued

Shopping for a computer case is at times a daunting task because there are so many to choose from. The video in this article will show you how to use NewEgg to review cases on your own without spending a dime. When finished you’ll know how to get to reviews and details on which case is right for you.

I picked up a new USB 2.0 hub at Best Buy. And, as usual, it was packaged in that really tough plastic packaging that, I swear, was designed by Nazis.

I understand that they do this to alleviate shoplifting, but come on!

There was a time when all computer keyboards were basically all the same. The people who made the standard was IBM and you can still see (and purchase if you like) some of those old keyboards – the model M – at www.clickykeyboards.com.

Before continuing, I know someone is going to ask “What’s the pic of the keyboard in this article?” It’s a Luxeed. And no I don’t own one.

What changed the landscape of keyboard shapes, sizes and keys were three things (two of which due to Microsoft):

1. The addition of a “flag”, a.k.a. “win” key.
2. The “natural” shape.
3. The ability to add in multimedia functions (volume control, assignable keys, etc.)

Since the advent of these things we’ve seen tons of different styles of keyboards, and each year continue to see attempts by manufacturers to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.

The fact of the matter is that when you take away all the fluff and get to what really matters in a keyboard, it makes your purchasing decision much easier.

With that said, here’s what to look for when shopping for a keyboard:

Key placement

The first thing keyboard manufacturers mess with is:

1. The placement of the arrow keys
2. The placement of the Home / End / Insert / Delete / PgUp / PgDown cluster
3. The size of the backslash key (the slash above the Enter key)
4. The size of the Enter key itself

For some reason keyboard manufacturers take great liberties with the size and placement of the keys mentioned above. It is usually the last thing most people look to when purchasing a new keyboard. I say it should be the first thing to examine.

Could you deal with a keyboard that has all the arrow keys in a horizontal row? How about all vertical? Are you saying “They’re both wrong!” You’re right. Up and down should be vertical and left and right should be horizontal.

Extraneous keys

Many keyboards have a lot of useless crap on them that unfortunately do nothing but get in the way because you’re guaranteed to hit these keys by mistake from time to time.

An example is the RAZER Pro. There are added-in keys on the left and the right. Keys like this will drive you bonkers in short order.

Normal profile or short profile?

Short profile keys make a standard keyboard feel like a laptop keyboard.

I actually really like half-height keys, a.k.a. “short profile” keys.

If you are the touch-typist kind, you will like short profile keys. Otherwise stick to regular profile (which is everything else).

You will know instantly whether a keyboard is “short” or not just by using it for a few seconds.

Is there a delay when using wireless?

Always. Personally speaking I can’t stand wireless keyboards because a) I don’t like anything running on batteries that doesn’t have to be and b) the response is not as good as when it’s wired, be it via PS/2 connector or USB.

Does price matter?

This is something that confuses a lot of people. You would assume that because one keyboard costs more than the other that it’s better, right?

Wrong.

Ordinarily when you pay big bucks for a keyboard you’re not paying for a better unit but rather just for whiz-bang features. Extra keys, goodies and so on.

Here are two examples of good keyboards:

Expensive: Enermax KB007U-B. This is 75 bucks. Expensive? You betcha. Plain looking? You betcha. Solid as a rock? Absolutely – and has its key orientation exactly as it should be. No extraneous keys. This is a near-perfect keyboard. This is what you want one to look like.

Cheap: The LiteON SK-1788. Only 7 bucks. Has great customer ratings. If you buy it and like it, buy 2 more. Again this keyboard his a nice familiar standard layout with no fluff.

It is the key orientation and comfort that you want and not whiz-bang features. Always remember that. Comfort includes layout familiarity and both ‘boards above have that.

Trying the keyboard first is still your best bet

Better computer retailers have keyboards all set up ready for you to try out. These keyboards aren’t plugged into anything but that doesn’t matter because it’s the feel that matters. Try it out. Type a few words/phrases, make sure to use the number pad, mind the location of the arrow keys and so on.

It’s very annoying to buy a brand new keyboard, take it home and then realize some keys are not in familiar spots. Find this out before you take it home.

The interest in Mac is an at all time high these days. The public follies of Windows Vista, coupled with the superb marketing and positioning of the Mac by Apple, has led to an increased presence of the Mac in the eye of the computer user today. A tech bloggers like myself really enjoy covering Apple because they really are on the cutting edge of things and cause a lot of hype.

I pretty publicly switched to the Mac last year. A long time Windows user, I am now using 100% Apple hardware. But, the reaction to many might be: “must be nice to be you. YOU can afford it!”. So, the question is: How can you switch to a Mac without breaking the bank?

Continued

So far, if you have been following the course, you should have an idea of some of the hardware that goes into creating a network, namely:

• Network interface cards
• Switches
• Routers
• Wireless Access Points
• Print servers

Going to the store to pick out your equipment can be a little confusing. Usually, you’re looking at a bunch of boxes each promoted to be the best thing and it is hard to tell the difference. Well, I’m going to help you out as much as I can.

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At first glance, some words/phrases used to describe features of a digital camera may be confusing. Here’s a list that will get you up to speed.

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Generally speaking there are three types of digital cameras, that being consumer, “prosumer” and professional.

In layman’s terms you can think of each like this:

• Consumer: Basic
• Prosumer: Advanced (or “mid-grade”)
• Professional: Expert

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Generally speaking, digital cameras can be bought in any one of the following places:

• Internet (BHphoto.com, eBay, etc.)
• Electronics Store (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.)
• Department Store (Your local mall, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc.)
• Camera Store (various)

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No matter where you purchase any computer product, from an entire system to a USB flash drive, inevitably you will be asked if you want to purchase an extended warranty on the item. While you might have an involuntary reflex of answering “no”, experience has proven to me this is not always the best answer.

Where I’m Coming From

As the primary technical resource for a small business I have my hand in repairing / upgrading / replacing / etc. virtually all hardware and software for desktops, laptops and servers, in addition I do some repair work for friends and family when needed. While virtually all of the machines at work are Dell’s, we still have several hand-built machines in service, additionally the machines I deal with “on the side” range from all major manufacturers, so I have dealt with a reasonable amount issues.

Before going saying anything else, I’m going to knock on wood. Continued

For those of you want more out of your computer than e-mail and Internet, but don’t have the money to dish out for a $3,000 rig that will get outdated in a week, look no further. I have compiled a list of the various components to let you get the most for your money for 2008. You want to play Crysis on high set on 1280 X 768 resolution with flawless performance? Done. You don’t want to wait longer than 8 seconds when starting up your computer? Done. You want to have all the Internet tabs open as you want? Done. Incredible graphics on a 22” screen? Ability to download and watch HD movies at the same time? Option to immerse yourself in a MMORPG game with your own surround sound system? Done, done, and done. For a computer with this type of performance, you would probably pay $3000+ for a retail version. I’ll show you how to do it for a little over $2,000. 

Motherboard: ASRock NVIDIA 650i SLI ATX

This high-end motherboard supports two graphics cards running in SLI mode. Also features 4 ram slots at DDR2 800 with dual channel support, support for LAN and wireless, with onboard audio. Great for graphics.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad QX6600 2.66GHz

With four processing cores you will be able to do all the multitasking you want. Reasonably well priced, good compatibility, and cheaper than some of the dual core processors.

Memory: Patriot Extreme Performance 4GB (4 X 1GB) DDR2 800

You can’t go wrong with this RAM. You will experience faster speeds and loading times for applications and programs. Even games will run faster with the improved CAS latency.

Video Card: 2X ZOTAC 8800GT 512MB AMP Edition in SLI

One of the fastest 8800GT cards out there. Beats the 8800GTS 320MB and 640MB versions, and keeps within 1-3 fps of the 8800GTX priced almost twice as much. Pre-over clocked to 700MHz stock, 2GHz memory, and 1760Mhz shader, this thing is definitely AMP’ed up. 2 of these in SLI mode will allow you to play even the most intense games at an incredible level with stunning graphics and phenomenal frame-rate for the price. Will probably be able to handle anything you throw at it for a solid couple years.

Case: NZXT HUSH ATX mid-tower

Has two extremely quiet fans to keep your rig nice and quiet even when you pull late night gaming sessions. Also has many expansion slots, HDD drives, and optical drive slots on the outside. Plenty of room to expand.

Hard Drive: 2X Western Digital Raptor 150GB 10,000RPM in RAID 0

If you thought 7200RPM was fast, think again. This hard drive comes with a speed of 10,000RPM; almost double the old 5400RPM version. 2 of these in RAID 0 will yield even more impressive speed with a total of 300GB for storage. Great combination of speed and storage.        

Optical Drive: 2 X Samsung DVD+/-R/W Combo burner with Lightscribe

The standard for running and burning DVD’s and CD’s. Includes Lightscribe technology for disc writing abilities. Incredible reading and writing speeds. With two you will be able to simultaneously burn a CD or DVD while watching a movie or playing a game on the other.

Monitor: Sceptre 22” Widescreen 2ms

Super fast response time, 1680 X 1050 for great gaming and video picture. Contrast Ratio is 2000:1, so your blacks and whites will be easily told apart.

Keyboard: Logitech G15

Only the best use this keyboard. Has over 100 programmable buttons to make RTS and MMORPG games a breeze. LCD screen provides critical information from the current game you are playing and also monitors your CPU and memory load. Different backlight brightness allows for overall one of the best customizable keyboard ever.

Mouse: Logitech G9

You will need a good mouse to keep up with this computer. This mouse will have no trouble at all. Can be optimized to up to 3200dpi for super fast response when caught up in intense battles, while able to be adjusted lower for the recon sniper roles. Comes with alternate cover and adjustable weights.

Speakers: Logitech 5.1 surround sound system

Immerse yourself into the game with this sound system from Logitech. With this setup you will be able to hear (and feel) a grenade explosion like it was meant to be. 

Power System: Hiper ATX 880watt quad 12V rails

To run two graphics cards and a quad core processor, it will take a lot of juice. This power system is up to the task with 880 total watts of raw power, coming from 4 12V rails, two of which set at 30 amps compared to the average 18-22. Great for over-clocking.

Cooling: Zalman 2 ball CPU cooler

If you want the best out of your money, you are going to want to over-clock your processor. Swap this out with the cheap one they send with the processor packaging and you will notice significant temperature drops, allowing for you to easily attain 3.0GHz or more on all four cores stable.

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium

If you want to play DX10 games, vista is the way to go. It may be a tad slower performance than XP and a bit buggy, but new updates are coming out almost every day fixing the problems and improving the overall vista performance.

Price Listings from Newegg

So for a little over $2000 you can get a high-quality gaming computer that provides the performance of a high-budget enthusiast but without the price of one. For example on Alienware the same specs would cost $3,479.87! And that doesn’t count that this setup has factory over-clocked graphics cards, a quality CPU cooler for over-clockability, and 5.1 surround sound speakers. Sure $2000 for a computer may seem steep, but each and every component will feel like they were worth it, from the dual graphics setup to the mouse. No buyer’s remorse and no need to sell your car. You can go to the store and no longer worry about the minimum requirements on the back of those brand new shiny games. You don’t have to leave the computer for 10-60 minutes anymore when it’s downloading something. The more you use this computer, the more you’ll realize what a great buy it is for the price, which is why it is one of the best bang for the buck gaming computers of 2008.