Cool Computer Equipment - All the Trimmings

Let's take a look at additional computer equipment, now that you've built a decent computer for a bare bones price.  The first piece of computer equipment you should get is the humble thumb drive (aka flash drive).  This piece of machinery has replaced the floppy disk for moving files around, and is absolutely essential.  2GB drives are now under $20.

All an MP3 player is, is essentially a thumb drive with an MP3 decoder in it.  While most people's cell phones will work as MP3 players in this day and age, there is a definite point to having a flash MP3 player that can also serve as a file transport mechanism.  It doesn't have to be an iPod, there are quite a few MP3 players available on Newegg.com. , and it's growing to be a common computer equipment accessory.



Next of these computer accessories we'll consider: the printer. If you're using the computer for business, or for school, don't neglect a printer.  Now, most ink jet printers are dirt cheap to buy, but expensive to operate; they run on the Gillette school of marketing:  Give away the razor and sell the blades dearly.  If you can swing the initial investment, buying a black and white laser like the HP LaserJet P2015 Laser Personal Monochrome Printer will save you a lot of money in the long run, especially if you're a college student or produce a lot of reports and invoices. 

If you want a color printer for photos, get a dedicated photo printer, like the HP Photosmart D5360 HP Thermal Inkjet Photo Color Printer ; the output will be better, and you won't be spending thirty cents a page to print black and white text.



If you're looking at printing pictures, getting something to take them with is a good thing; while camera-phones are growing more and more capable, the fact of the matter is that a real camera with real optics gives you more options.  When pricing cameras, be realistic; anything over 5 megapixels can deliver an 8x10" print, and for most casual photographers, smaller is more important than feature rich.  A camera for taking snapshots that's too big to shove in a purse or coat pocket doesn't do you any good. Take a look at the Kodak Easyshare V1003 Silver 10.16 MP Digital Camera




Other pieces of equipment are worth considering – WACOM Intuos3 PTZ431W USB Tablet (allowing you to draw with a more natural motion) have come down in price; their latest consumer models are under $200 now.  Likewise, a good set of speakers can be had for under $30, and a video tuner card can be had for under $40.  All of these are excellent pieces of computer equipment that will help you get more from your investment in a machine.
 






Return to the top of Computer Equipment.