Personal Computers: Selecting Hardware

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  Selecting basic computer hardware — monitor, keyboard and mouse — is usually an afterthought when buying a computer. But it is a very important part of how a computer works for someone. So, how does someone decide what is best?

  There are so many options and it can be very daunting, according to Jesse La Grew, technical team lead for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Information Technology.

  What people need to determine is what they’re using their computer for.

  “How you’re going to be using the computer, on a day to day basis, really does have an impact,” he said.

  Cost can be a factor, but there are a lot of other things to consider when selecting computer hardware:

  Monitor

  When selecting a monitor the important thing is to make sure it’s compatible with a computer.

  “You might be able to plug it in and it may function but are you actually getting the full features of that display,” La Grew said. “If your computer is not able to output that resolution, you’re not getting any benefit.”

  He said other things to consider when looking at monitors are refresh rate, types of connections that are needed, screen resolution and size.

  When it comes to size, usually bigger is better, he added. The standard size of a monitor is now 24 inches. But before getting that larger size, he said people consider where it will be placed, how much room there is and how heavy the monitor is.

  Keyboard

  For keyboards, La Grew said prices can range from $10 for a basic keyboard to several hundred dollars for a highly customizable mechanical keyboard. (Mechanical keyboards are keyboards that use a mechanical switch under each key — very popular with gamers.)

  But generally, the first thing to decide is if the keyboard will be wired or wireless. La Grew recommends a wired keyboard as he said wireless models may not work as well at a distance, the batteries have to be changed fairly often and they are also more expensive to buy.

  And there are security issues. Some wireless keyboards that use Bluetooth technology can be highly insecure, he said.

  Mouse

  As is the case with keyboards, people can purchase a wired or wireless mouse. La Grew said he prefers wired but there a lot of good reasons to choose wireless.

  “Having a cable can be a detriment because you’re constantly fighting with the cable length of the mouse,” La Grew said.

  There’s a third option, he said.

  “Some people like rollerball mice. With these types, you don’t actually move your whole hand — just your thumb,” he said.

  It can give a person better responsiveness and rollerball mice are more ergonomic.

  La Grew said that ergonomics should play a big role in choosing not only a mouse, but also a keyboard and monitor. Information on how to make a workstation ergonomic can be found on the website of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website.