With the advent of "no-haggle" car dealerships and pre-approved mortgages, buying a personal computer may now be the most dreaded transaction many of us contemplate-but it doesn't have to be. Most conservation organizations have similar computing needs that can be addressed by fairly standard configurations of equipment. Use our recommendations as a starting point in order make the best decision for you and your organization.

Windows Machines:

Processor
Minimum: Pentium 4 1.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 1600+
Current Standard:Pentium 4 2.0 - 2.8 GHz / AthlonXP 2000 - 2800

If you're buying a used or refurbished machine, we recommend buying a machine based on the Pentium III-1 GHz or faster; these machines still have a reasonable lifetime ahead of them. For extremely low-end machines, Pentium II-based machines maysuffice -- you may want to consult with us before proceeding.

Memory
Minimum: 512 Megabytes (MB) of RAM
Current Standard: 512 MB

Most new machines now ship with 256 MB of RAM--plenty to run multiple applications under Windows. 256 MB is the minimum needed to run Windows 2000 and Office XP well on a Pentium III machine. If you run multiple applications at the same time, or use Windows XP, you'll notice a significant speed boost from 512 MB of RAM.

Hard Disk
Minimum: 40 Gigabytes (GB)
Current Standard: 80 GB

Popular software packages require a great deal of disk space, so buy at least a 20 GB hard drive. Hard disk space is now very inexpensive; most new machines now come with 40 GB or larger hard disks. We don't see much reason for ordinary users to go beyond 40 GB at this point in time, unless you're planning on working with digital audio or video files.

Optical drive
Minimum: CD-ROM 24 X
Desirable: CD-RW

You may have noticed some configurations that include either a DVD or CD-RW drive. While a DVD for your computer is fairly useless (unless you want to watch The Matrix on an airplane) you may want to consider a CD-RW. These devices actually allow you to record data (or music) onto CDs. The 650MB capacity of a CD allows for the storage of large and/or many files, making them particularly handy for archiving a photo library or distributing information. However, we do not recommend using CD-RW drives as your primary backup tool.

Sound Card/Speakers
Minimum: integrated on motherboard.

Sound cards and speakers are now standard on most computers. Don't splurge on a fancy soundcard -- they're mainly of value to gamers and home-theater types. Inexpensive speakers provide fine sound for business applications and listening to music at your desk.

Monitor
Minimum: 15" LCD
Recommended: 17" LCD

(For in-depth coverage of monitors, see our article at http://www.onenw.org/toolkit/monitors.html.)

Monitors are one of the most important components of your computer system. If you have any doubts ask yourself what other thing is this world do you stare at more. Unless you say the back of your eyelids, the answer is probably nothing.

A good monitor can help you work more productively by improving visual access to your work and perhaps more importantly, by improving visual and even physical comfort. It's also a very good investment. Unlike most other computer components, the monitor will likely last a number of years without becoming obsolete. Thus, it's usually worth spending a few extra dollars to get a quality monitor.

In the past year, flat-panel LCD displays have become fairly affordable. These new-generation monitors are very energy- and space-efficient -- an important consideration for environmentalists with small desks. A 15" LCD display is roughly equivalent to a 17" conventional (CRT) monitor, and a 17" LCD display has roughly the same usable size as a 19" CRT monitor. 15" LCDs are now $250-300, and 17" LCDs start at around $400.

Graphics Memory/Video Card
Minimum:32 MB motheboard-integrated video
Current Standard:64 MB

Your monitor performance and overall image quality is dependent on the video card. Don't pay extra for fancy 3D graphics cards; these high-end toys mainly benefit gamers, and offer little to business users. Basic 2D graphics cards, which are now built into many computers, are fine for business users.

Although every corner store seems to be selling PCs these days, the best way to purchase a high-quality machine from a reputable dealer at a good price is through mail order. Our favorite mail-order PC company is Dell (1-800-WWW-DELL). ONE/Northwest has bought many machines from Dell over the past six years, and we generally have been very happy with the price, quality and service we've received. If you have access to the World Wide Web (or have a friend who does), Dell's website will allow you to configure, price and order your machine online. While customer support can be wildly variable, Dell generally ranks at the top of consumer satisfaction surveys.A rotating selection of additional discount coupons on Dell products can be found at http://www.gotapex.com.

Dell typically offers excellent deals on refurbished machines through their "Factory Outlets." These machines are excellent for typical desktop use, are fully-warranteed, and are very competitively priced. Availability ebbs and flows; you should check in with the store when you're ready to buy. Dell's Factory Outlet can be reached at 1-888-798-7561 or on the Web at http://www.dell.com/outlet/.

Macintosh Machines:

The current crop of Macintosh computers are not highly configurable, but include the basics required by the typical small office. Below are the most pertinent options and considerations when buying a new Mac.

Processor
Minimum: PowerPC G4 - 800 MHz
Current Standard:PowerPC G4 1+ GHz

All current Macs are based on PowerPC G4 processors. They're fast, powerful and pretty much your only choice.

Memory
Minimum:512 MB
Current Standard:512 MB

For new Macs, particularly those running OS X, Microsoft Office or graphics applications, we recommend 512 MB of RAM. It is especially important to think about this when buying an iMac, which has a somewhat limited ability to upgrade.

Hard Disk
Minimum: 40 GB
Current Standard: 80 GB

Most small offices, particularly those using a file server, will never require more than the 7GB drive that comes on the lowest end iMac. However, if you are a heavy graphics or multimedia user, you may want to think hard about bumping it up a notch.

Monitor
Minimum: 15" LCD
Current Standard: 17" LCD

iMacs have built-in LCD monitors. (For in-depth coverage of monitors, see our article at http://www.onenw.org/toolkit/monitors.html.)

Input Devices and Peripherals
When buying a new Mac it is very important to consider the input devices and peripherals that you plan on using with the system. Apple's new machines are not "legacy friendly," meaning they do not play very well with older equipment. Their peripheral ports are USB and FireWire (most of your peripherals are something else) and they have a limited number of them. It is also important to note that the iMac requires the additional purchase of an external floppy drive.

Where to buy:

Because Apple controls the retail channel rather tightly, there are fewer "deals" on new Macs. If you're in a larger city, there's probably an authorized Apple retailer near you -- check the phone book or Apple's Web site (http://www.apple.com). You can also buy direct from Apple (http://store.apple.com). We've been buying machines from Smalldog of late; this Web retailer has offered good prices, good service and free overnight shipping. MacWarehouse is another standby for mail-order Mac users.