Things to consider when "spec-ing out" a computer

Windows XP Home or Professional? Win XP Pro has enhanced features and networking capability. Users on a budget probably MAY NOT need more than Win XP Home, which is offered in most systems costing $1,000 or less. An upgrade to Win XP Pro costs about $50 to $75 extra.

2.8-GHz Intel Processor or higher. Most users don't need a top-of-the-line processor, and a slower CPU will not have a noticeable effect on performance ¬and will save you at least $200.

512MB of DDR266 SD RAM or faster. Some value systems come with only 256MB, but we recommend a minimum of 512MB for Win XP PCs. Memory upgrades are cheap and worth the performance boost.

An integrated graphics card or a low-cost add-on card like the 128MB nVidia GeForce FX 5200. Cheaper integrated graphics solutions don't perform as well as discrete graphics cards. Low-cost add-on cards should be fine for day-to-day computing tasks and non-3D-intensive applications.

Integrated 10/100 Ethernet NIC for connectivity (University broadband).

A 17-inch CRT or 15-inch LCD is enough screen.

USB 2.0 ports. At least one of the USB ports should be in the front of the chassis.