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Mr. Smith’s Highly Opinionated Computer Buying Guide (Fall 2024 Edition)

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As promised, here are my suggestions about what to get (or not get), if you're interested in buying a computer in the near future. I will have a separate buying guide for cameras before Winter Break, because I assume I'll have a moment to write that up before then.

Notes and Disclaimers

  • THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT STUDENTS HAVE TO HAVE COMPUTERS AT HOME TO DO THE WORK IN THIS CLASS.
    • Sorry for all capital letters there, but I am strongly against imposing financial requirements for success.
    • I made this guide because parents (and coworkers) (and students) frequently ask me what kind of computer they should get. Now I have a link I can share.
  • It should go without saying, but I have no financial stake in any of these recommendations.
  • It's in the title, but everything listed below is based on my opinions. My opinions are based on facts, but someone else with different priorities may come to different, yet valid, conclusions based on the same information.
  • The suggestions below are made with longevity in mind, but "future proof" is a myth. You can get computers that last longer, but no device will last forever. Those that have been running for decades are now, sadly, less relevant.
  • Never buy the most expensive thing. The top-of-the-line of any category is usually there to make buyers feel the next step down is a more reasonable price. The thing is, two steps down is usually just as reasonable, and often a better bargain.
  • Never buy new if you can help it. You don't have to scour thrift stores like I do, but open-box and refurbished computers are usually still under warranty and a few hundred dollars cheaper.
    • I'm loathe to recommend an Amazon product, but Woot.com is a decent place to go to find a lot of refurbished and/or open box deals. It's where I got the laptop I'm using at home to type this right now. A brick-and-mortar store you can walk into may get you better deals, depending on circumstances.

Operating System

There are several to choose from, each with their own pros and cons. None of these is perfect, even the ones I use myself.

  • ChromeOS: It is possible to complete all of the work assigned in the Media Arts program with a Chromebook, but Chromebooks are the least likely to last a full 3 years.
    • The large number of 3rd party manufacturers means they're incredibly inexpensive, but that's also because they're filled with incredibly cheap hardware.
    • Still, if price is at the top of your list of concerns and you don't mind e-waste, a Chromebook can work.
  • iOS (iPad): I have started to see more students make use of tablets for editing their projects, and this can be a viable option as it makes use of the large market of phone apps that edit video combined with a larger screen so students can actually see what they're editing.
    • The portability is a plus and Apple devices are historically built to last.
    • Still, the form factor makes it impossible to upgrade an aging tablet (everything's soldered together), and they tend to age faster than similarly priced laptops or desktops.
  • MacOS (Laptops and desktops): MacOS used to be THE OS for editing digital media, though the programs I like the most these days will run on Mac, Windows, and even Linux.
    • As stated above, Apple has a reputation of putting good hardware in their machines (it's one of the reasons they cost so much). There's still a markup on the price, and if something breaks Apple would much rather you buy a new thing than pay to repair the old one.
  • Windows: Historically the most popular OS, you will not find a lack of programs or hardware that are compatible.
    • As with ChromeOS, there's a lot of 3rd party manufacturers that help to drive some of the costs down.
    • You can even find WIndows PCs that are as cheap as some of the more expensive Chromebooks, but I don't advise getting those as they'll tend to last about as long as a Chromebook, if you're lucky.
    • If you're interested in playing video games in addition to editing video, this is one of the better choices.
  • Linux: I took this out of alphabetical order to be on the end because it has the sharpest learning curve.This is the OS I use for just about everything, but I don't expect everyone to understand or enjoy it.
    • All of the lab computers in my room run Linux, as it uses far fewer resources than Windows or MacOS so an older machine can perform adequately even a decade after it was purchased.
    • When it works, it works really well. When it doesn't work ... well, that's the problem. I'm willing to devote time and energy into learning how to fix things, and it's fun for me. If you just want it to work ... OK, if you just want things to work, stick with paper and pencil, but Linux has a reputation for not always having easy fixes when a problem springs up.
    • If you want to try Linux, I'd start with Linux Mint. You can run it without replacing Windows, and this video shows you how. All of the software I show off to my students will run on this, but most of it will also run on Windows or Mac as well.

Hardware

Manufacturers

  • Unless you're building the computer yourself, a company's going to be making a lot of choices for you. Some will build a machine to order if you go to their website, but if you're looking for a used machine that's not going to be an option.
  • Different manufacturers can have different reputations. My personal experiences follow:
    • Acer: Decent hardware, usually at a good price point. I've bought a few of these.
    • Alienware: This is a "gaming" PC brand owned by Dell. The hardware isn't bad, but you'll pay a premium for RGB lighting on everything. I'd suggest saving money by buying a similarly specced machine with a different brand name.
    • Apple: Good hardware, but at a cost, and you're locked into a smaller app ecosystem. The bad points aren't enough for me to say "don't buy this," but go into your purchase with eyes open.
    • Asus: Similar enough to Acer that I end up confusing the brands frequently. I've bought a few of these.
    • Dell: If you can get a good deal, go with it. Dell desktops have been notorious for using custom motherboards that are harder to upgrade, but if you aren't planning to swap that out (most people don't) you can do well with them. Dell is a vendor for PGCPS and I've bought a few myself over the years.
    • HP: Good computer hardware, terrible printers. I don't actively seek out HP computers, but most laptops I've bought in the past 10 years have coincidentally been HP and I haven't regretted any of them.
    • Lenovo: Inexpensive hardware, but this company was caught twice shipping computers with pre-installed malware. I only buy Lenovo because I wipe the hard drive as a first step. I don't expect anyone else to do this.
    • MSI: I've not used many MSI machines, but they tend to have a good reputation. My home desktop uses an MSI motherboard and I have no complaints about it.

Laptop Vs. Desktop

  • Notebook computers (they're not actually called laptops any more after some people got burns) are portable at the cost of power and upgradeability.
    • Many of the computers in the lab are laptops NOT because they are better, but because they are more frequently replaced. Having more of them donated to Goodwill meant I was able to find more of them.
    • I have two laptops that I use frequently, and both are powerful enough to be considered "desktop replacements" in that they're powerful enough to do everything I want to do on my desktops. They just do things a bit slower than the desktops, and when they are eventually old enough to be under-powered my options will be to live with it or replace them.
  • Desktop computers will be more powerful than a notebook computer of the same price, and sometimes even if they have similar specifications.
    • Desktops tend to be more efficient at cooling internal components, and parts overheating will cause a computer to slow down (thermal throttle) to prevent long term damage.
    • I have two desktops that I use frequently. The one I have in my classroom has had almost all of the internal components replaced over time, so that it's more like a computer from a few years ago than the one I purchased in 2014. Replacing internal components may not be something you want to do yourself (it's terrifying the first time around), but the option of even putting more RAM in it can give a computer a new lease on life.
  • All-In-One computers tend to be laptop parts in a case with a built-in monitor.
    • You can save some space on your desk with one of these, but all-in-one PCs combine the lack of portability found in a desktop with the lack of upgrade-ability of a laptop.

RAM

  • This is the part of the computer used for short-term memory, usually focused on whatever programs are actively running.
    • This includes the OS, and different operating systems will require more or less.
  • For longevity, I suggest not buying a PC with less than 16 GB of RAM.
    • My laptops and school desktop all have 16 GB of RAM and have never needed more. My home desktop has 32 GB and I've never seen it need more than 16 for more than a little bit.
    • No computer used by one of my Media Arts students has less than 8 GB of RAM in it. This can work for now, but one of my goals is to get all of the computers up to 16. This may not happen this year as a number of them are laptops and will likely need to be replaced.

Storage

  • Historically, computers saved their long term memory on spinning disks known as Hard Disk Drives (HDD). Now, most use some type of solid state memory, not unlike what's seen in a camera or phone's SD (or microSD) card. There are varieties of this with pros and cons for each, but this guide is long enough as it is.
  • A student in my class could potentially get by with 500 GB (1/2 TB) of storage. I personally feel more comfortable with 1 TB of storage, especially if it's a computer I'm also using for video games.
  • Because I can, I made sure that my desktops both have 2 TB of storage. For the laptops, I frequently move things over to an external drive that holds 8 TB. I'm a pack-rat when it comes to media I create, and don't like deleting things to make room.

Processor

  • This is the problem solving portion of the brain that is a computer. Historically, computer processors have had two major players: Intel and AMD.
    • With ARM processors becoming more popular the market is starting to diversify, but software is not catching up with hardware fast enough for me to suggest getting a computer running one of the new, fancier chips. They look great, but if nothing works on them except for a few flagship programs, they're not yet ready for investment.
    • If you're going with Intel, the naming structure for the chips has historically (they're changing this, alas) been as follows:
      • i3: Exceptional battery life at the cost of performance.
      • i5: A good blend of decent power consumption and processing power.
      • i7: Forget battery life, export my video NOW!
      • i9: Did the lights just flicker when I turned my computer on?
    • AMD's naming scheme has been similar to Intel's (again, changes are happening).
      • Ryzen 3: Exceptional battery life at the cost of performance.
      • Ryzen 5: A good blend of decent power consumption and processing power.
      • Ryzen 7: Forget battery life, export my video NOW!
      • Ryzen 9: Did the lights just flicker when I turned my computer on?
      • Threadripper: I own stock in our power company, so technically running this is making me money if I ignore everything I was taught about economics.

GPUs (Graphic Processors)

  • Modern computer processors can outsource graphics to another component, although they don't all have to do so.
    • If any of the documentation for a computer says it has "integrated graphics," the processor is doing all of the work. Depending on the program this isn't a bad thing, but most gamers and video editors dislike this.
    • The two main contenders for GPUs are AMD (again) and Nvidia.
      • Naming schemes for GPUs are currently horrendous, with some names being reused to add even more confusion.
      • Regardless of the name or manufacturer, if the computer has a dedicated GPU instead of only having integrated graphics, it's useful for video editing (and playing games).
      • If you are getting a laptop, the GPU will be less powerful than one with the same name placed in a desktop. Space, power, and cooling issues are to blame for this.
      • I myself prefer AMD as it historically has worked better with Linux (my preferred OS), but the 3 computers I use with dedicated graphics all have Nvidia cards in them. (The work desktop has an AMD chip with integrated graphics.) This is one preference I'm willing to overlook if I find a good deal.