The most important question to ask if you're buying a new PC (or new motherboard) today is: does it have the 440LX chip set (for Pentium Pros or Pentium IIs, 430TX for Pentiums). Most sales clerks will probably look at you with a dumb look on their face and say, "Huh?". You need this chip set to be able to use AGP, Ultra DMA 33, APCI, SDRAM, and USB. ("Double-Huh?"). I won't try to explain all of these on this page, but they are covered in the succeeding pages, both what they are and why you'll need them.

The Motherboard page explains many of these new technologies. The CPU page covers some of the differences between the various Intel CPUs. Case talks about some of the things to think about concerning the case your computer resides in. Memory covers the various different memory types and things you need to consider when upgrading. Hard Disk provides the same type of information for hard disks. Other Storage gets into things like backup devices, CD-ROMs, DVD, Zip Drives, etc. Video covers the different things to look for in video cards and monitors. Audio covers sound cards and speakers. Modem talks about the various modem types and speeds. Input Devices includes keyboards, mice, trackballs, etc. Peripherals covers things like printers and scanners.

Price check links: Net Buyer, Price Scan, and Price Watch.