jargon buster - the stuff they don't tell you in the shops

Processor

Your processer determines not only how fast your computer runs, but also how many applications you can run simultaneously without locking up, crashing or slowing down considerably. You need at least 2.5 gigabytes of processor power to ensure that your computer has what it takes, and to also guarantee forward compatibility with next generation software and operating systems (OS). Athlon produce really excellent processors, which in our opinion outperform the better known Intel, but don't cost quite as much.

Hard drive

Think of your hard drive as a library - the more shelves and space the library has the more books it can accommodate. Simple! In order to handle the number of programmes, as well as late generation operating system (OS), pictures and music downloads you'll need at least 250 gigabytes of hard drive space - 500 is better, and recently manufacturers have upped the ante to 1 or 2 terabytes (1 terabyte = 1000 gig).

RAM - random access memory

If your hard drive is the library, the random access memory is your librarian. how fast your computer can access chunks of information, process various calculations and then serve them up is down not only to processor speed, but to how many librarians (bits of RAM) can be used or accessed at any one time. Again, the least you should be looking for nowadays is 256 megabytes of RAM, 512 is better, and twice that (or one gigabyte) is necessary if you want to play games over the internet. note - RAM is measured in multiples of 32, 64, 128, 512 etc

Graphic card - also called the 'video' card

The graphic card determines how good your computer is at processing fast changes to the on-screen display. 256 megabytes is usually considered the minimum nowadays, and really serious gamers need a good 500 meg card or even 1 gig

Monitors

Come in all shapes and sizes, but if you want the best viewing experience, we'd recommend that you get at least a 17" flat screen (TFT) monitor. Graphic designers will often opt for even larger than this, and although TFT screens are now popular, if you're a design creative, you may want to stick with a standard CRT screen