How to Buy Peripherals for a Computer

You need a monitor, keyboard and mouse to use a computer. What other peripherals are essential or worth considering?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• CD-RW Burners
• Zip Drives
• Computer Joysticks
• Computer Microphones
• Computer Speakers
• External Hard Disk
• Printers
• Scanners
• Web Cameras
• Digital Cameras

1. Buy a printer unless you have access to one at work or will use your computer only to surf the Internet. Ink-jet printers cost less and can print colors. Laser printers are more expensive (only very expensive ones can print in color) but have better text quality and are more likely to print PostScript fonts and files. Laser printers also cost less per use, as ink-jet cartridges run out quickly and are expensive.

2. Read "How to Buy an Ink-Jet Printer" and "How to Buy a Laser Printer," under Related eHows, to learn the buying considerations for printers.

3. Buy a scanner if you wish to "photocopy" text, documents or pictures into your computer. A scanner can also help you fax documents not created on your computer, if you have a modem and fax software.

4. Read the eHows "How to Buy a Consumer-Model Scanner" and "How to Select a Product for Faxing" to learn the buying considerations for scanners.

5. Buy a backup storage device, such as an external hard disk, Zip drive or CD-RW drive, if you need to back up large amounts of data and your computer doesn't have a built-in Zip drive or CD-RW drive.

6. Read the eHows "How to Buy a Secondary Storage Medium," "How to Choose a Zip Drive" and "How to Choose Between CD-R and CD-RW Burners" to learn the buying considerations for backup storage devices.

7. Buy powered speakers for better sound quality than what you get from the speakers that came with your computer. Read the eHows "How to Buy Computer Speakers" and "How to Get the Best Possible Audio Quality on Your Computer" to learn how.

8. Buy a microphone to use a speakerphone, voice activation, and various educational programs or to record your own simple sounds.

9. Buy a digital camera for the easiest way of transferring photographs into your computer.

10. Buy other peripherals to meet specific wants and needs. For example, buy a joystick to increase your speed and flexibility when playing action games, or a videoconferencing camera for teleconferencing.

Tips & Warnings

• Manufacturers continually introduce new types of peripherals. Something not yet invented may increase the functionality or enjoyment of your computer.
• Your computer must meet the system requirements of any peripherals you buy.

[Bundu]

on 7/23/2007 Step 1 states: "Buy a printer unless you have access to one at work"
Please get permission before using company property for personal use, as not doing so is theft

on 11/22/2005 Instead of an external microphone that sits on the monitor, I use a headset with an earpiece and a wrap-around microphone. It plugs into the microphone port and allows most of my computer telephony conversations to remain private.