When shopping for a computer, know base score

If you’re comparing off the shelf computers displayed at a local big box retail outlet, how can you “really” be sure a particular computer will do what you need it to do?

Here’s how.

If your Control Panel’s “View by” setting is:
1. “Small Icons” - Click on System, Widows Experience Index.
2. “Catagory” - Click on System and Security, System, Widows Experience Index.

The Windows Experience Index measures the capability of a computer’s hardware and software configuration and expresses this measurement as a number called a base score. A higher base score generally means when performing more advanced and resource-intensive tasks your computer will perform better and faster than a computer with a lower base score.

The base score represents the overall performance of your system as a whole based on the capabilities of different parts of your computer e.g., random access memory (RAM), central processing unit (CPU), hard disk, general graphics performance on the desktop, and 3-D graphics capability.

A computer with a base score of:
* 2.0 usually has sufficient performance to do general computing tasks such as running office programs and searching the Internet, but probably not powerful enough to run Aero or the advanced multimedia Windows 7 features.
* 3.0 can run Aero and many features of Windows 7 at a basic level, but not all of Windows 7's advanced features e.g., high-definition television (HDTV) or Windows 7 themes at a resolution of 1280 × 1024 on multiple monitors.
* 4.0 or 5.0 can run all the new features of Windows 7 and can support running multiple programs at the same time.
* 6.0 or 7.0 indicates a fast hard disk that can support high-end, graphics-intensive features such as multi player, 3-D gaming and recording and playback of HDTV content.

If you’re accessing the Widows Experience Index on a big box retailer’s computer to determine if that computer will do all you need it to do, click “Re-run the assessment” just to be sure the information is up to date.

Obviously you’ll not be able to print out the details about a display computer’s hardware, but by clicking on “View and print detailed performance and system information” you can view and jot down pertinent information.

By the way, you might do well to run the Windows Experience Index on your personal computer and if you discover it requires hardware or RAM upgrades to do all you want it to do, perhaps a letter to Santa would be appropriate.

Here’s wishing you a Good Boot.