Of these, Pentium III is the fastest, but all types are acceptable for home use. CD-ROM drives are measured by the speed at which they read CDs. The kit contains a sound card that is installed inside your PC, a set of speakers, and sometimes a microphone for you to use to record your own sounds. The most powerful, expensive PC will just be an annoyance to use if your monitor makes you cross-eyed. Buy at least an SVGA to run most of today's programs.
Noninterlaced monitors produce the most flicker-free screens.
Laser printers are higher in price, and the quality is better, though inkjet printers have come a long way and produce nearly as high a quality product for less money. To access the Internet from home, you must have a modem and an Internet account. This page was last updated August 18, 1999.