PC buyer's guide for photography fans

If you're planning to buy a new PC, think about your digital photography needs. Your computer might be the single most important accessory for your digital camera since it's where you'll store, organize, archive, share, edit, print, and view your digital photos.

Before you go shopping for that new computer, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

Your operating system: software management and support

Microsoft Windows XP, with the Service Pack 2 upgrade, is a great operating system for the digital photography enthusiast. With Windows XP, many of the common functions related to digital photography, such as downloading your photos from your camera to your computer and printing your photos, are easily handled through wizards that walk you through these tasks. More important, Windows XP supports more third-party software than all other operating systems in the world combined, so you have many more choices when it comes to choosing digital photography software.

Windows XP Media Center Edition provides all the benefits of Windows XP Professional with the added functionality of television recording and viewing. This version of Windows also lets you view and edit your photos with your remote control. You can watch photo slideshows on your TV with background music playing and then send your favorite photos to others-all from the comfort of your couch.

Your hard drive: digital storage

The more megapixels your camera has, the larger your photo files are likely to be. With megapixels on the rise and costs on the decline, it makes sense to have as much hard-drive space as possible to store your photos and the photo movies that you might make. Ideally, you'll want at least an 80-gigabyte (GB) hard drive, which should provide ample storage for your pictures. A 120-GB drive or larger is even better. After all, just as you buy children's clothes one size larger to accommodate growth, purchasing a PC with extra capacity will give you room to grow.

Your CPU and RAM: speed and performance

The good news is that viewing, editing, and storing thousands of digital photos doesn't require too much horsepower. But it is true that the faster the central processing unit (CPU), the smoother the performance will be-especially when it comes to opening photo files, multitasking, and loading multiple pictures into a digital-editing program. A Pentium III processor or AMD Athlon is recommended, preferably running at 2.0 gigahertz (GHz) or more. Similarly, RAM (random access memory) also helps with speed and performance. Be sure to have at least 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM; 512 MB or 1 GB is even better.

Your disk drive: backup and play back

CD-ROM drives have become standard over the past few years on new computers. However, if you're purchasing a new PC, it's time to move up to a DVD burner. DVD burners can still burn CDs, but with a DVD, you can store nearly seven times more information than on a recordable CD. A DVD burner also provides the benefit of adding a photo slideshow or movie to a disc for playback on your TV through your regular DVD player. When shopping for a DVD burner, look for at least a 16x DVD+R/DVD-R write speed and 8x DVD+RW/4x DVD-RW rewrite speeds for reusable discs.

Your Internet connectivity: sharing and staying in touch

Broadband Internet access is quickly becoming the way to surf the Web and interact with others online. High-speed access makes it easier to share pictures through e-mail, post photos to your online Web album, or send pictures to your favorite online photo store for prints. If you have high-speed Internet access (cable or DSL) or think you might sometime soon, make sure that your new PC has an integrated Ethernet card. A built-in Wi-Fi (wireless) card is ideal if you have a wireless network in your home or are thinking about installing one in the future.

Your devices and peripherals: printing, scanning, and connecting

A decent photo-quality inkjet printer is a must for making prints at home, while a six-color ink system or better, such as the Epson Stylus Photo 1280, will produce even better results. If you have photo albums or shoeboxes full of older photos that need to be digitized, you need a flatbed scanner to scan the photos onto your PC. Finally, be sure to find a PC with multiple USB 2.0 connections so you can connect multiple devices simultaneously. You'll want USB ports for your digital camera, digital music player, Webcam, personal digital assistant (PDA), mouse, printer, scanner, and so forth. Having some of the USB slots at the front of the computer is a convenience you'll be happy to have.

Your monitor: quality viewing

Because viewing and editing your digital photos is very much a visual experience, be sure to invest in a high-quality monitor. Prices for flat-panel LCD (liquid crystal display) screens continue to fall (roughly 30 percent each year), and these monitors make for an attractive, space-saving alternative to the bulky CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors of yesterday. A 17-inch monitor is the norm these days, but for a little extra money, a 19-inch or bigger monitor is easier on the eyes. Make sure your monitor has a minimum resolution of 1280 x 1024 or higher, and look for a high-contrast ratio of 500:1 or higher. Widescreen monitors are becoming popular and will not only increase your viewing space when you work with your photos, but they will also enhance your experience while you watch a DVD movie or TV show, or when you play games that support a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio.

New Computer Checklist

For more information, read the white paper on pixel performance and creating an optimized Windows XP digital imaging system.

Marc Saltzman is a prolific freelance journalist, author, and radio and TV host. He specializes in video gaming, consumer electronics, computer software and hardware, portable devices, and Internet trends. Along with his weekly syndicated columns with Gannett News Service, USAToday.com, CNN.com, and CanWest Media, Marc currently contributes to more than 40 prominent publications, including USA Today, AARP The Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, National Post, Microsoft Home Magazine, PC Gamer, and Electronic Gaming Monthly. Marc has authored 12 books and is a regular on-air technology expert on Next @ CNN, an award-winning tech show seen on CNN and its affiliates.

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