Another frequently overlooked component with a big impact on performance is the video card, or graphics accelerator. Nearly all CD-ROM drives installed in new desktop computers run at 6X or faster, more than adequate for most users. Speed isn't much of an issue with hard-disk drives, either, because everything shipping today is blazingly fast. That may sound like an unfillable amount of storage, but if you like to edit pictures or download music or videos from the Net, you can accumulate a gigabyte worth of data pronto. So consider a 2-GB or bigger drive.
Sound quality is one area where the difference between cheap and high-priced computers is greatest.
Cheaper PCs generally use a 16-bit SoundBlaster compatible system, coupled with inexpensive speakers. Wavetable sound cards produce much more realistic output. And better speaker systems include a subwoofer, which supplies the lows that small desktop or monitor-mounted speakers lack. The trend has been to unbundle monitors from systems, allowing manufacturers to quote much lower system prices. But monitors are more closely integrated into systems than ever.