Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
external hard drive is also worth considering if you need extra removable storage either
for portability or for data backups. Rewritable optical discs cannot match the storage ca-
pacity of external hard drives, which can hold several terabytes of data. You can now find
external enclosures that include USB or FireWire ports (sometimes both) for $30 or less.
Onasmallerscale,USBflashmemorydrivesprovideamuchmorecompactstoragesolu-
tion that can be carried with you wherever you go. The first generation of flash drives
often stored as little as 16MB of data, but today's larger devices can hold 128GB or more.
Input Devices
Obviously, your system needs a keyboard and some type of pointing device, such as a
mouse.Differentpeoplepreferdifferenttypesofkeyboards,andthe“feel”ofonetypecan
vary considerably from other types. If possible, I suggest you try a variety of keyboards
until you find the type that suits you best. I prefer a stiff action with tactile feedback my-
self, but others prefer a lighter, quieter touch.
While older wired and wireless keyboards and mice typically included connectors that
could accommodate either 6-pin mini-DIN (PS/2) or USB ports, almost all current
products are designed for USB ports only.
See
“
Keyboards
,”
p.
729
(
Chapter 15
, “
Input Devices
”
).
See
“
Keyboard Technology
,”
p.
732
(
Chapter 15
).
Tip
You might be tempted to skimp on your keyboard and mouse to save a few dollars. Don't!
You do all your interacting with your new PC through these devices, and cheap ones make
their presence known every time you use your system.
See
“
USB Keyboards
,”
p.
743
(
Chapter 15
)
.
Video Card and Display
You need a video adapter and a monitor or display to complete your system. Numerous
choices are available in this area, but the most important piece of advice I have to give is
to choose a good monitor. The display is your main interface to the system and can be the
cause of many hours of either pain or pleasure, depending on which monitor you choose.
At this point the market for CRTs has died off, and I only recommend LCDs for new sys-
tems.
