There are a lot of online jobs out there and many people are considering working at home for various reasons. Most say that they want to have time freedom, reduce pressure/stress, feel safer because they don’t need to travel anymore, be with the people they love instead of spending 9-10 hours outside just to earn money and work in the comfort of their own homes. It is viable and a lot of people are earning even more than what ordinary jobs offer. Actually, a good number of people that I personally know earn more than enough for their daily expenses.
Now, let’s say you’ve decided to work at home. You definitely need a computer. Don’t worry though. You do not need a really powerful computer for online work. You just need one that’s going to last for long time and able to handle a lot of tasks at the same time. Just remember that you are buying a computer for your online work therefore, this is an investment. So make it a good one.
One basic rule that I follow when buying a computer, for whatever purpose it may be, is to set a budget. How much are you willing to spend for this computer? Once you have set the price, it’s time to look for the best computer hardware specification and as much as possible, buy the latest technology for your computer. You wouldn’t want a computer that will become obsolete in just a month or so.
Basically, you really don’t need too much processing power. A dual-core processor will suffice. But if you can get the fastest one, in terms of Gigahertz (GHz), I suggest you take it. The latest processors usually have their own graphics core. Therefore, you don’t need to buy a separate video card anymore. This will save you quite a lot.
Motherboards are cheap so buy the cheapest one but I would suggest that it’s from a reliable brand my personal experience.
If you can put it as much memory as you can, then do so. You’ll most likely have a lot of applications open at the same time while working on online tasks. Having more memory will make sure your computer won’t slow down when switching between windows and applications. 4 Gigabytes is alright but if you still have room in your budget, make it at least 8 GB.
As for your drives, a good 1 Terabyte hard drive will suffice. You don’t need SSD hard drives. They are really expensive and have significantly less hard drive space. As for your optical drive, a basic DVD writer will be more than enough. You don’t need a Blu-ray drive.
The next thing you might consider is the tower case. Well, it really doesn’t matter what it looks like as long as it is enough to house the computer parts. You don’t need those high-end computer cases with extreme cooling systems and lavish designs. You don’t have computer parts that would require those.
Next would be software. You need an operating system. I’d recommend Windows 7. But most likely, an operating system will be given to you for free when you buy a new computer. Other software that you need in order to do online work will depend on what you need or what your client requires. Usually, they’re free and don’t require a powerful computer.
Do not spend extra money for unnecessary stuff such as very powerful video cards. You only need those if your work has something to do with heavy graphics/video editing. You don’t need a 40-inch monitor. Opt for a much cheaper 19″-23″ LCD monitor. LCD TVs are cheap but LCD monitors are much cheaper based on prices on the local computer shops that I’ve seen. That is because the latter does not have the functionality of a television. As for speakers, you are free to choose whatever you want. Just be sure they are clear. Printers, scanners and headsets on the other hand, are optional. You might want to consider a video cam just in case you need to communicate via the internet.
And lastly, buy from a computer store that you trust and ask immediately about warranty information. Don’t go over your budget especially if you’re considering something that is not necessary. So there you have it. As you can see, you really don’t need an expensive and a powerful computer. You can buy one for as low as $200.
Even cheap netbooks can perform online jobs efficiently. Just take your time and look around for better deals. What you don’t want is to buy a computer as soon as you see one then realizing there’s a much cheaper computer being sold at a different store with better hardware.
Always remember, computer technology improves every now and then. Thus, I can’t give you a hardware specification because it will change in the future. So make sure you do your research first on new computer technologies and that will serve as your hardware specification guide when you buy your computer.
