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The > Business > Business Special > Purchasing: For Buyers Who Have No TimeSpead the word... Oct 01,2007 by shab 
HEN it comes to the PC needs of most small businesses, what is important is not speed but stability. "The No. 1 mistake small-business owners make is that they buy more PC than they need," said Leo Laporte, a consultant and host of "Call for Help," a PC support program on the TechTV network in Canada. AdvertisementMuch more relevant is the fact that many small businesses handle their own tech support. To avoid crashes and their disruption, it helps if all components in the office network, like storage and optical drives, come from the same manufacturer. In addition, each PC should run the same version of the operating system. When configuring a PC for business, consider the following features: CHIP For business applications, "you do not need a three gigahertz Pentium 4 chip," Mr. Laporte said. "One to two gigahertz is more than adequate." RAM Because memory is so cheap, industry executives advise against buying too little. When using Windows XP edition, 512 megabytes is the minimum needed to run multiple programs smoothly. Extra memory at no charge is often available from online dealers like Dell and Gateway. HARD DRIVE Giant, 160-gigabyte drives are overkill for most small businesses. "Get the smallest one they offer," Mr. Laporte said, "such as 20 to 30 gigabytes." MONITOR Flat-panel liquid crystal display screens cost several hundred dollars more, but may be worth it. Easier on the eyes because of their lack of flicker, flat panels will often outlast the computer itself. FIREWALL Even if a small business uses only one PC, using an inexpensive router - which normally connects several machines on a network - can be a good investment. All routers contain hardware firewalls to protect PC's from hackers. SERVER For a few hundred dollars' investment, a server will centrally store and back up users' files, while guarding against unauthorized file access. Here are some of the computer configurations that some big manufacturers say they typically offer to small-business buyers: FUJITSU T3000 tablet PC. Useful for business people on the road who need to fill in forms. The ,799 device converts to a standard notebook by swiveling its screen. DELL OptiPlex 170L desktop. Currently priced at 5, it includes a Pentium 4 2.8-gigahertz processor, a 40-gigabyte hard drive, CD burner, 256 megabytes of RAM and a 17-inch conventional monitor. HP Compaq Business Desktop d220 Microtower. The price is 9, not including a monitor. It uses a Pentium 4 2.6-gigahertz processor and includes 256 megabytes of RAM, a 40-gigabyte hard drive and CD burner. APPLE iMac. Just now available at retail, the new one-piece iMac starts at ,299. It includes a built-in 17-inch wide-screen liquid crystal display and is powered by a 1.6-gigahertz PowerPC G5 chip. It includes 256 megabytes of RAM, an 80-gigabyte hard drive and a combination DVD player and CD burner. GATEWAY Sb-310-B. Priced at 0, it includes a Pentium 4 2.8-gigahertz processor, 256 megabytes of RAM, a 40-gigabyte hard drive and a CD-ROM player. Monitor is extra. An alternative to buying new products, Mr. Laporte said, is to look at refurbished machines. "Save money on your desktop purchase, but then spend it on protecting your network," he said. "Get additional spam and virus protection, because the typical systems provided by Internet service providers may not be enough." ERIC TAUB
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