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Cornish College of the Arts

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Helpful Terms

Below is a list of terms to aide in the purchasing process.

Processor

The processor is the engine of your computer. The faster the processor, the better performance. The higher the ghz number the faster your system starts up, launches applications, and saves and modifies files.

Core 2 Duo

The Core 2 Duo processor replaced the Core Duo processor in October 2006. When looking at pricing on computers, make sure you are comparing the same kind of processors.

Display

Although graphics appear richer with deeper blacks on glossy displays, the matte display is recommended for truer color representation and for its antiglare coating.

RAM

RAM is a bit like a person's short term memory, the more you have, the more activities your computer can handle simultaneously. Graphic software is the most demanding. More RAM enables smoother and faster performance.

Firewire Ports

Firewire and eSata provide the fastest data transfer between your computer and hard drives, or cameras (digital or video). Firewire 800 has become a standard for HD video production. MacBook Pros have one FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 port each.

USB Ports

USB connections are used to connect external devices to your computer. Commonly used to connect mice, printers, scanners, and flash memory drives. The 17" MacBook Pro has 3 USB ports. The MacBook Pro 15" has 2 USB ports.

Hard Drive Size

The hard drive size is the amount of space you have to store software and files.

External Hard drive port/connectivity options:

Hard Drive Spin Speed

The hard drive is actually a spinning metal disk. The faster the disk spins, the faster files are saved, opened or managed. Faster, bigger hard drives also run hotter. That's why you'll see bigger hard drives with slower spin speeds.

Optical Drive

MacBook Pros have a Superdrive; an optical drive that can write to both CDs and DVDs.

AppleCare

A three year technical support/hardware warranty for Apple Computers. If your computer breaks anytime within the 3-year period Apple will fix the computer, free of charge. This does not include accidental damage. AppleCare also gives you three years of phone technical support. Buying AppleCare is highly recommended.