When it pays to use a pro - marketing communications consultants - Column

Home Office Computing, Oct, 1994 by Steve Morgenstern

Here's how to assess the major components of a multimedia system when shopping. Unless otherwise noted, comments apply to both Windows and Macintosh systems.

MICROPROCESSOR

For Windows systems, a 66-MHz 486DX2 microprocessor (or 486/66) offers a good balance of price and performance. Some systems use slightly less powerful 486SX chips, which are cheaper but slower--for good multimedia performance, however, these are not recommended. For not much more money than a 486/66 (and prices are dropping daily), you can get a Pentium, which is significantly faster. The Pentium is an especially good choice if you plan to use your computer for work-related tasks.

You may find some bargain-basement systems based on older 386 microprocessors. Don't be tempted to skimp here; run away from any salesperson who tries to convince you otherwise.

Macintosh. The standard microprocessor until recently has been the Motorola 68040 running at a speed of 25 MHz to 33 MHz. The 040 line of chips is being phased out in favor of the new PowerPC chips. The PowerMacs have speeds rivaling or exceeding the Pentium and are very affordable. For home use, the PowerMac 6100 or 7100 are good choices. You can also get an 040-based system at bargain-basement prices.

The one caveat to the PowerPC line is that it doesn't have a full line of software that takes advantage of the new chip. However, this is only a short-term problem until developers finish translating their existing products. Also, the PowerPCs can support all existing Macintosh software, although it won't run at the PowerPC's top speed.

MEMORY

The official minimum recommended memory to run Microsoft Windows is 4MB of RAM (MB stands for megabyte). For both Windows and Macintosh, a more realistic memory level for decent performance is 8MB of RAM; expect to pay about $200 for an additional block of 4MB.

HARD-DISK DRIVES

As software delivers more graphics and sound, it eats up more space on your hard-disk drive, where you store the programs. A reasonable minimum capacity for a hard-disk drive is about 200MB (although you should get at least 350MB if you can). If you begin to fill the drive to capacity, you can choose from a host of diskdoubling programs that compress data to half its normal size for storage.

GRAPHICS ADAPTER

Look for a Windows-accelerated local-bus graphics adapter. Some systems will offer this circuitry already installed; others will include a graphics card that plugs into a special slot. For home entertainment and education, look for a video adapter with 16-bit color (thousands of available colors) and 512K or 1MB of video memory.

Macintosh. All video circuity comes standard; the only reason to upgrade (to 24-bit color) with an add-on card is for professional desktop publishing and presentation applications. As with all Windows systems, however, the more video memory the better. Aim for 1MB.

MONITOR

Buy the largest and best you can justify. Today's standard size is 14 inches, but many manufacturers also offer 15- or 17-inch screens. The larger the screen, the more enjoyable the entertainment and the easier it is to work. The only drawback to large monitors is that they consume desk space. BE sure to purchase an SVGA monitor (not VGA) that will match the capabilities of your video card.