How to Learn a New Language

Being multi-lingual is a huge asset these days because of cultural communication barriers. Here are some language-learning tips.
Instructions
Step 1
Buy a textbook that teaches the language. This is a rather old-fashioned way of learning a new language, but its still effective if you are disciplined enough to learn it.
Step 2
Try a computer program that teaches the language, like Rosetta Stone. This is a great interactive program that will speed up your learning process. Though it can be pricey, its money well spent if you are committed to learning the language.
Step 3
Try to surround yourself with people that are fluent in the language. This will help you pick up on the language and learn some of the common slang used by people who speak the language naturally.
Step 4
Quiz yourself daily. Try to remember certain terms in the other language and test your memory of them. If you are constantly thinking in another language, you will learn it quickly.

How to Clean Up Your Computer

All computers get bogged down with scattered files and cookies at some point. This lowers overall performance and can make a PC sluggish and laggy. Here are some ways to speed up your computer.
Instructions
Step 1
Run a disk defragmentation. This system tool will rearrange the files on your hard drive and ask if you would like to delete unnecessary files and folders. Performing these actions will free up more hard drive space and help your computer run faster and more efficiently.
Step 2
Perform a disk cleanup. This is similar to a disk defragmentation and will also help in speeding up performance and response rate of your PC.
Step 3
Buy additional RAM. RAM is important when using multiple applications at once. Having more RAM means that your computer can multitask much better and quicker.

How to Buy a Car

Vehicles are a big financial investment. You don't want to go into a car dealership and be suckered into an expensive deal with minimal features. Here's how you can work with a car salesman to get a good deal on a car.
Instructions
Step 1
Always test drive the vehicle if this is an option. You want to get a feel for the car so you know what you are buying.
Step 2
Don't just take what the salesman is offering. You can negotiate terms like additional vehicle features or more cash back. Its a give and take process, so don't be too rigid.
Step 3
Review your monetary situation and select a reasonable term and rate for financing the vehicle. You don't want too high of a note or too low, because interest will add up at a ridiculous rate.
Step 4
Compare prices at different dealerships. Don't just take the first deal you see, cause something better could be around the corner.
Step 5
Compare similar makes and models of vehicles. Some brands have better reputations than others, such as reliability and cheap vehicles.

How to Check Pulse Rate

Your pulse rate says something about your circulation and blood volume. A bounding pulse is usually good, while a weak pulse normally isn't. Here's how you can find yours easily in your own home.
Instructions
Step 1
Make sure you are in a somewhat rested state. Taking your pulse right after vigorous exercise will shoot your pulse through the roof and won't be an accurate reading.
Step 2
Palpate, or feel around, for your radial pulse. This is the easiest location to take a pulse and should be easy to feel for. Hold your index and middle fingers together on the pulse site and hold.
Step 3
Get some type of watch or clock nearby. You will need this to count to either 30 seconds or a minute. Count to 30 seconds if your pulse has a regular rhythm, 60 seconds if it has an irregular rhythm.
Step 4
If you counted for 30 seconds, multiply your number by 2. If not, your 60 second measurement is your pulse rate, or heart rate. 60-100 is normal for a healthy adult. If you find that your pulse rate is out of this range, you might want to seek medical attention asap.

How to Build Up Your Credit Score

Unless you are made of money, you will need to have a good credit rating at some point or another to finance a car, house, etc. Here are a few tips on how to raise your credit rating to a good level so you'll have longer finance times and lower interest rates!
Instructions
Step 1
Starting out, you will have credit score of 0. This means to get a credit card, you will more than likely need a co-signer. A parent or close friend with good credit would be an ideal choice for a co-signer. Don't forget to make payments though, as this will hurt both your credit ratings and defeat your purpose.
Step 2
Try to buy something at least once a month with your credit card and pay it off. This will raise your credit score and avoid the high interest rates most credit cards carry with them.
Step 3
You can always check your current credit rating using a site such as FreeCreditReport.com . However, this service will begin to charge you each month, so cancel it promptly if you wish to avoid the fees.
Step 4
Take advantage of sales and promotions, such as Best Buy's no interest for X amount of months, depending on the price of the item you're buying. This means you can draw out your payments on the product over the 0% interest term and raise your credit score while paying a small monthly balance.
Step 5
All credit card companies have incentives, such as points or cash back for buying certain items, such as gas or groceries. Utilize these credit card benefits as much as you can.

How to Pick an Appropriate Computer Monitor Resolution

Find yourself squinting at your computer screen or signing at the massive size of your buttons and menu? Here's a simple way to set your computer monitor resolution to a good size you'll enjoy and one that is fit for your PC.
Instructions
Step 1
To change your resolution, right click the desktop background and select Properties. A tabbed window will appear, and you should select Settings on the far right side. Here is where you can modify your resolution settings. Under Screen Resolution, there should be a drop-down menu where the available screen resolution sizes are posted. 800x600 is normally the default setting for a desktop computer.
Step 2
If you have vision problems, it would be in your best interest to select a resolution that isn't too high. 1280x1024 is my current resolution, but i have 20/20 vision. A lower resolution might be better for the person with corrective lenses.
Step 3
You must pick a resolution that your computer can handle. The higher the numbers go, the more strain your computer is put under. Your computer's graphics card quality will determine how high the max resolution is.

How to Choose the Right IRA for You

If you are looking into retirement planning, you might have come across Roth IRAs and Traditional IRAs. Here are a few tidbits of information on both and how to choose which one is best suited for you!
Instructions
Step 1
One of the main differences between the 2 types of IRAs is the way they are taxed. Traditional IRAs are tax-deferred, while Roth IRAs are tax-sheltered; Meaning you pay no tax upon withdrawing at retirement age with a Roth and tax is deferred until withdrawing with a Traditional.
Step 2
There are some income requirements for a Roth IRA. A single tax-filer can't make any more than $95,000 a year, and no more than $150,000 a year for married couples. However, there are no income requirements for a Traditional IRA.
Step 3
When using a Traditional IRA, withdrawals begin at 59 1/2 and become mandatory by age 70 1/2. There is no mandatory distribution age with a Roth IRA. If you withdraw your funds from a Roth IRA early, there will be no tax on the principal contributions. Pulling out money early from a Traditional IRA means a 10% penalty on your total.

P.S. I prefer pre-taxed, that way I don't have to worry what taxes will be in the future.

How to Protect Your PC

Hackers and computer geeks out there are constantly writing and programming viruses that can harm your computer. Here are a few ways you can safeguard your PC from these malicious software threats.
Instructions
Step 1
Have a firewall on at all times. This is a necessary safety tool that will help filter incoming content to your PC and help block outside invaders from gaining access to your system. All recent Windows operating systems come with a built-in firewall that you can adjust via the Control Panel.
Step 2
Simply having a firewall usually isn't enough. Try downloading a virus scanner and an adware/spyware remover. These programs are programmed to search for malicious software and remove if from your system. AVG is a great virus protection program that can be downloaded for free from download.com . Ad-aware is also a good program for removing ad/spyware from your system. It is also available for download from download.com .
Step 3
Configure your programs to regularly scan your system at a certain time daily or weekly. This will ensure on-going and current protection. Most programs have a readout of programs found and give you the option to quarantine or delete them.
Step 4
If you are connected to a wireless network, get a knowledgeable friend or find a website that explains how to lock/encrypt your network. A hacker within range of your network can connect with no trouble at all and send you a virus that could destroy your system and its files.
Step 5
More and more people are subscribed to broadband internet. This type of internet connection is usually on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you want to help protect your computer even further from threats, you can unplug your Ethernet (internet) cable from the back of your computer when it isn't in use. Without being connected to the internet, your computer is safe from outside attackers.

P.S. Ad-aware is a great program. I have it on all my computers.

How to Diversify Your Investments

Never put all your eggs in one basket. This is a saying that definitely applies to personal finance. I can help show you a few different avenues to invest your money in, which will keep you safe in the long run!
Instructions
Step 1
Open up a checking and/or savings account. You've probably already done or plan to do this. Checking accounts are better to use in conjunction with debit cards. Savings should be where you stash some of your paychecks each month to build up a base "emergency fund", which should be at least 6 months worth of rent/bills.
Step 2
Try putting a significant chunk into a CD (certificate of deposit). This means that your money will be held and loaned out by the bank. You can't touch that amount for however long you designate, but it will gain a higher rate of interest than a normal savings account. 6 months and up are the terms, with longer terms gaining higher interest rates.
Step 3
Invest some in mutual funds or bonds. Mutual funds are fantastic for good returns over a long period of time. They work their magic by investing your monies into several different stocks and/or money markets, thereby decreasing risk and usually increasing profits. An average mutual fund should have a return of 8-12%. If you are a novice at finance, i would suggest opening up a fund and having it managed by a professional broker organization, such as Fidelity, Prudential, or Edward Jones.
Step 4
Another option is putting a decent amount of money into precious metals, such as gold or silver. This ensures that if by some tragic mishap, the economy crashes, you would have something left, as gold and silver can be traded and have universal value.
Step 5
Lastly, you could keep cash on hand under your mattress like the old folks used to do. This is somewhat old fashioned, but might suit you if you are one that doesn't trust banks. With the economy the way it is, i can't say i'd blame you!

How to Start Living Off Internet Income

Although hard, it is possible to live off of your internet income if you play your cards right. There are many sites online that pay you to advertise for them, write articles like eHow, etc etc. Here's a few ideas on how to get started living your dream!
Instructions
Step 1
Find a baseline income that is supplemental at first. For example, if you make 400-500 dollars a month writting articles, then use that to supplement your job income each month.
Step 2
Begin searching for other ways, like blogs, that will reward you for time put in to helping their cause. Affiliate marketing is becoming big nowadays. This is where you agree to promote a product a company is selling, and in return, when a customer buys the product, you get a hefty percentage of the profit.
Step 3
Once you have a couple of online cash cows churning, you can begin looking for bigger fish to fry, such as investing in the stock market, buying timeshares, renting out condos, etc. You must first have money to make money. Being an entrepreneur means taking risks but the rewards can be well worth it!

How to Set Up Direct Deposit

Our society uses computers more and more everyday for simple things. One of these such things is switching from hard checks to direct depositing. Here are a few simple tips on how to set up direct deposit if your job or company offers it.
Instructions
Step 1
Have a checking or savings account set up first, of course. This is where the money you earn from your job/company will be sent on payday.
Step 2
Check with your boss to see if you are available for direct deposit. Some companies do not offer it, so don't waste your time if this is not even an option.
Step 3
If your company does indeed support direct deposit, call your bank and obtain your account number and routing number. This is the information your company will need to route your paycheck straight into your account.
Step 4
Direct deposit can also be used for drafting money straight into savings accounts, retirement accounts, monthly mutual fund payments, etc. Having money direct deposited out of your check for savings purposes helps you get into the habit since you don't even have the money available to spend. Out of sight, out of mind.

How to Turn a Profit on Foreclosures

The housing market, as well as the U.S. economy, is doing quite badly at this time. Foreclosures are higher than ever before and now is the time to capitalize on them. I can show you a few simple tips to help you turn a profit on a foreclosed house.
Instructions
Step 1
Find a website or library that shows you a list of foreclosures and upcoming foreclosures in your area. This will let you know where to go to look for the properties.
Step 2
Once you find a couple of properties that interest you, go scope them out. Try to avoid houses that are in really bad shape. If they only need a handful of odd repairs, then they are still a safe bet.
Step 3
Sometimes you can buy the homes through the bank or at auctions. Discover whichever is available to you and try to purchase the home as cheaply as possible.
Step 4
If you succeed in purchasing a property, then begin to work on fixing up the house to sell-able condition. Ask yourself if you would buy the property based on its location, look, and landscape.
Step 5
Once you've fixed the house up, look for a potential buyer. Offer to show the buyer the house and what you've done to fix it up. Normally you can turn a nice profit on a home that you've purchased. Youtube has great instructional videos on playing the foreclosure market.

How to Save Money on Everyday Items

There are simple ways that you can save money on everyday items. Here's how.
Instructions
Step 1
Clip coupons for groceries. This is a great way to save a nice chunk of change when going to the grocery store. You can get coupons from almost anywhere and they are widely accepted.
Step 2
If you are a student or avid reader, try using Amazon.com to order your books. They usually have low prices and offer new and used books. Amazon also sells many other things besides books. Try looking around and consider purchasing other items through this reliable website.
Step 3
Try using your credit card(s) that have benefits for buying certain things, such as gasoline or groceries. You can make free money just by spending your own on gasoline or groceries that you would buy anyway.
Step 4
Target and Walmart are great places for cheap clothing. They have a decently large selection with great prices. They are also great at offering other items for competitive prices.
Step 5
Try getting friends and family to help whenever possible. This involves routine errands such as getting a haircut if your friends know how, washing your own car at home, cooking food and eating leftovers for a day or 2 later, etc etc. Try to cut corners whenever possible without hurting essential needs.

How to Keep Track of Your Money

It's easy to go on the occasional spending spree and then cringe when you check the balance. I can show you a few tips that will help you avoid that situation and keep track of where your money goes.
Instructions
Step 1
Do online banking with your checking/savings accounts. Transactions used with your card usually go through instantly and you can see a list of all transactions on the bank website once you have signed up for online banking.
Step 2
Keep a mental note of the cash in your wallet/purse. Each time you buy something in cash, mentally subtract the amount from what you have. This will keep your mental math sharp and let you know how much you have left. Also, always try and add up the change mentally that you should get back before the cashier hands it to you. This will help prevent you from being short-changed.
Step 3
If you use checks, always balance your deposits/withdrawals/spending immediately after one has taken place. This will help ensure that you don't forget to note a transaction. It's easier to not spend as much when you have a hard copy of transactions staring you in the face.
Step 4
Be conscious of your credit balance/debt. Remember the limit that you have on the card and don't EVER go over it. This will hurt your credit rating and drag you down into a sea of debt if you let it.

Let me add this. All your money should have a specific purchase or savings goal! Make sure you know what it is so you can spend as wisely as possible. Good.

How to Keep a Good Credit Score

During this day and time, many purchases that we make will need to be used with credit. If you must purchase something on credit, having a higher score is definitely desirable! Here are some tips to help keep your credit score at a level that will allow you great competitive interest rates!
Instructions
Step 1
First off, you need to establish credit if you haven't yet. This can be done by having someone close to you, a friend or family member, "co-sign" on a credit card and/or purchase to help you establish credit. You start off with no credit whatsoever and this is built up by buying things with your credit card and paying it off accordingly.
Step 2
Now that you have credit, do your best to keep your credit card balance(s) at or below 25% of your limit. Keeping your balance at this percentage or below lets the credit card companies that you are very likely to continue paying off your debt and are a reliable borrower. This will maintain or increase your credit score!
Step 3
If you are a college student and have taken out school loans, these is "good debt" and will help your credit score as it shows you are trying to better yourself and will probably end up making more money once you get out of school and pay them off.
Step 4
Don't just casually open up new credit cards at very many places or keep too many credit lines open. If you have a credit card that has been inactive for a very long time, occasionally make a small purchase and pay it off or cancel the card altogether. You want to make yourself appear as reliable as possible to the credit agencies and keeping too many credit lines open defeats this purpose!
Step 5
Always at least pay the minimum on your balance! This will prevent any credit reports being filed on you which can drastically lower your score. Paying at least the minimum payment each month shows that you are trying to work on the balance instead of not paying anything at all.

Tips & Warnings
* Learn from people around you with good credit scores
* Don't take on more debt than you can handle
* Only accept credit cards with low interest rates
* Keep low balances!

How to Be Successful in Life

Working at a dead-end job with few friends and a ton of bills? Ever wanted to be that guy in the business suit or the care-free traveler? I can give you a few basic tips to help you be productive and successful in this day and age.
Instructions
Step 1
Get an education. This is basically mandatory nowadays. Its extremely difficult to find a high wage job with only a high-school degree or GED. A bachelor's degree is the standard and soon a masters degree will be almost necessary to succeed. These degrees and diplomas inform your potential employer that you have discipline and critical thinking ability and will work hard to achieve success and productivity.
Step 2
Be friendly. This will allow you to meet some unique and exciting people along your road of life. Chit-chatting when you get the chance also can possibly get you the hook-up with higher level business people or executives.
Step 3
Be helpful. What goes around, comes around. If you take time out of your days to help others and the community, it will benefit you as a person and enhance your self-esteem and well-being. Selflessness and generosity are great assets in today's world.
Step 4
Work hard. At every job you are employed, bust your butt to get the job done. Go above and beyond and people will notice. When it comes time to be interviewed by the big dogs, you will have references of past bosses who will recommend you and commend you on your worthiness to them. If you have a reputation for diligence and hard work, it will follow you. This also goes both ways. Don't slack off!
Step 5
Go out and mingle with the ladies. This is probably one of the best ways to find a good mate. If you have good social skills, humor, and integrity, women will notice. It isn't always about money. At the end of the day, family matters the most.

How to Survive in a Recession

More obviously now than ever, the U.S. economy is in a down-spiraling recession. Here are some ways you can stay in the green during these difficult financial times.

Step 1
Pay off debt. This is one of the easiest ways to stay out of the red. Debt, if left untended, can very easily have a snowball effect and be very difficult to escape from. Getting rid of your debt is a great step toward putting more money in your pocket and less in the CC company's.
Step 2
Buy with cash when possible. It's harder to spend hard cash than it is to swipe a card, because you physically see the money leaving your wallet/purse. This technique helps you keep a mental note of where you are at financially.
Step 3
Make yourself indispensable at your job. During times of financial turmoil, companies tend to cut back on workforce, eliminating those who aren't necessary for the well-being of the company. If you are constantly working hard and staying busy, your boss will notice and more than likely keep you around through thick and thin.
Step 4
Hold onto your investments. Selling stocks, bonds, or cashing in IRAs and mutual funds is a terrible idea at this point. You've ridden the financial roller-coaster up to this point, so there is no reason you shouldn't see it through until the economy picks up again. Your money will actually go farther because investment options are cheaper.

How to Conserve Gasoline

In this day and age, gasoline prices are higher than ever before. Here's a few tips on how to make the gasoline in your tank work better for you and give you longer stretches between fill-ups!

Instructions

Step 1
Drive around 55mph, or the speed limit. Excessive speeding will decrease your miles per gallon, increasing fill-ups and gas expense.
Step 2
Try to make all your errands in one trip. If this isn't feasible, try grouping errands by area of town. This will ensure that you don't keep leaving the house to do one thing at a time.
Step 3
Try coasting up to stoplights. If you can continue to coast until the light is green, this will save some gas from stopping and going at each light. It's easier to continue moving than starting from 0mph.
Step 4
Carpool with friends and take turns using cars. This will help to reduce the amount of gas you spend, as well as your friends' gas usage.

How to Save Money on Household Cleaning Supplies

Just because they are cleaning supplies doesn't mean they aren't luxuries! Here's how to stretch your dollar by stretching your cleaning supplies - and replace some with very low cost alternatives.
Instructions

Step 1
Hand Soap for bathrooms and kitchens: buy hand soap in those dispensers with the soap dispensed in a foamy lather. Also purchase a large refill bottle of hand soap - which will save you money right off the bat. When the dispensers empty, fill them only 1/5-1/3 of the way with the refill soap - and fill the rest with water. Swish gently to mix, and pump a few times to get the foam flowing. Dispensing soap this way also saves water - you don't have it running while you make a lather!
Step 2
Buy cleaning concentrates. I bought both all-purpose cleaner and a germicide concentrates years ago from Shaklee, but janitorial supplies would have similar products. That's right, I said years. I mix just a 1/2 teaspoon with 16 ounces of water for basic cleaner, and use a little less concentrate for glass cleaner. The germicide is a cleaner, but is also anti-bacterial. Buy some good spray bottles and mix up your solutions - label clearly.
Step 3
Buy cloth diapers for cleaning cloths. They are lint free, and very inexpensive, and you'll save a lot on paper towels! Just toss in the laundry when you're done cleaning. I also use a diaper on one of those fancy mops - I tuck it around the mop head and spritz with a little cleaner or plain water to give the floor a quick wipe or dusting. No more reason to buy those boxes of mop cloth refills.
Step 4
A cup of white vinegar in a sink of hot water is great for mopping floors. Vinegar kills bacteria, mold and germs, is cheap and leaves no soap residue. I used to buy floor cleaners, and ended up with cloudy floors - the soap was not drying clear. Vinegar and water cuts grease and leaves my floors sparkling.

Step 5
Don't bother at all with fabric softener. I gave it up years ago when I noticed my towels were getting less absorbent. I find since most of our clothing is cotton, which doesn't usually get static, I don't miss it. Polyester fabrics might get static - but just spritz with a bit of water.
Step 6
Generic shampoo gets your hair as clean as the name brands. Really and truly they do. If you must have your name brand hair product, spend the money on the conditioner - some of which actually remains on your hair.
Step 7
Generic baby wipes in the car make for easy clean up of sticky hands, and I've also used them to wipe down my dusty dashboard. Check the unit price and buy the cheapest you can.
Step 8
Always keep a dish towel next to the kitchen sink, and hide the paper towels under the sink. We save a ton of paper towels this way - if they are on the counter, everyone uses them to dry their hands without thinking twice. Make them think twice!

Tips & Warnings

Make sure to label cleaning products clearly - and keep out of reach of pets and children

How to Stretch Your School Supply Dollar

Sending your kids back to school does not have to be expensive or stressful. With a little planning and shopping at the right time, families may find it can be easy to stretch your school supply dollar.
Step 1
Set a fixed dollar amount to spend on your supply budget and do not exceed the limit. Consider using a preloaded debit card or setting aside a fixed dollar amount for your supply budget in an envelope. Once the cash is depleted, no more can be spent on school expenses.
Step 2
Shop smart. Begin in late July and early August or when you see school supply advertisements on TV or in the newspaper. Stores have the best inventory of school supplies during these times. Browse the seasonal department at most discount stores for 10 cent to one dollar bins.
Step 3
Stock up on only school items required and replenished frequently during the year. For example, staples like notebooks, folders, and writing utensils. Investing more initially will save you time and hassle later on.
Step 4
Search the coupon section in weekly advertisements and make trips to several different stores to stretch your dollar further. Coupons offer substantial discounts over the retail price of these school supplies. Buy the maximum amount the coupon allows, to stretch your school supply dollar more. Do not forget the buy one, get one free offers to save money in creative ways.
Step 5
Shop for school supplies in obscure areas. For example, home improvement stores keep a nice variety of school supplies, and many are under one dollar!
Step 6
Start a school supply pool with other neighbors and mothers in your child's grade or classroom at the beginning of the school year. Each home will stock one full year of just one of the supplies needed on the school supply list (found at most local stores). These will not include specialty or big ticket items. The swap will happen once per year, or as designated by school group participants.
Step 7
Use department store coupons or credit cards for discounts on back to school clothing and backpacks. These eat up a good portion of your school supply dollar. You may find you get quality name brand items for a lot less. And these items last longer than bargain clothing, shoes and backpacks. Remember to pay credit card bills in full when they are due or you will have lost your savings on finance charges.
Step 8
Shop thrift stores and bargain stores for one dollar or less school supplies. These come in handy for the items the child will need. They offer bargains throughout the year, and the supplies are generally new and good quality.

Tips & Warnings:
* If you cannot afford the school supplies all at once, buy a little each week or month. Chances are your child will not need them all right at the beginning of school.
* Keep your supply list with you in case you run into bargains when you are out shopping for other household needs.
* It is not always necessary to buy the brands the teacher recommends. You can get much less expensive supplies with the off brands.
* Do not try to shop

How to Buy a Desktop PC

The big picture Before you go shopping for a new desktop computer, ask yourself this question: "What am I going to do with it?" We'll guide you through the options.
The specs explained From CPUs and motherboards to LCD monitors and optical storage, we'll clear up the jargon -- and tell you which specs are most important to your purchase.
Desktop PC shopping tips Want some advice before you head to the store or visit a Web site? Our recommendations will help you build a system that fits your needs and your pocketbook.
The big picture
Most people buy a PC to browse the Web, to check and send e-mail, and to juggle the occasional Word document or spreadsheet. Today, even the least-expensive, lowest-of-the-low-end system can perform any of those jobs admirably -- and do it for well under $1,000.
If you have particular needs, many PC vendors allow you to customize and upgrade their base-model PCs with a mind-boggling selection of features. Require extra storage? Pick a larger hard drive. Want extra memory? Load up with 4GB of RAM. Ready to burn Blu-ray Discs or to watch HD DVD movies? Choose an optical drive that supports your preferred format.
We recommend that you take your time and select only what you need today, based on the following guidelines. If your budget allows, buy what you anticipate needing within the next year.
If you're into editing digital video or managing a large database, you'll need to set your sights a little higher. Look beyond the basics for systems starting in the $1,500 to $2,000 range. Feel the need for speed?
The gaming-PC market continues to grow at an exponential rate. Devoted gamers won't balk at spending more than $3,000 on a computer to ensure that they enjoy maximum performance. Such PCs usually feature overclocked CPUs and dual-graphics-card setups. Don't be fooled though: Gaming isn't just a bleeding-edge hobby anymore. Originally the domain of niche companies producing high-end machines, the gaming-PC market is now the battleground for bigger companies craving a piece of the action. That means you'll find a larger number of capable gaming computers at cheaper prices.

The specs explained
The processor
If you plan to use your PC for standard office productivity and basic Internet tasks, almost any processor will do. But if you want more power, an Intel Core 2 Duo chip is probably your best bet over an AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor. Though both are dual-core processors, which will allow for faster multitasking and speedier performance on certain kinds of graphics and video applications, Intel has wrested the edge in performance back from AMD. To save a couple hundred dollars, buy one or two levels down from the top -- you're unlikely to lose more than 5 to 10 percent per tier in performance.
For maximum performance when multitasking or when using demanding, multithreaded applications, you may wish to investigate quad-core CPUs such as the 3-GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor QX6850, or the dual-core 2.93-GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800; both processors are popular in high-performance gaming machines and power PCs.
For anyone playing games or manipulating audio or video on a regular basis, having a four-core processor can potentially deliver benefits. We qualify that statement because, aside from a few games such as "Crysis" and "World in Conflict," the list of optimized applications is short, dominated by expensive offerings such as the latest versions of Adobe's Premiere Pro and Encore DVD, Autodesk's 3ds Max and Steinberg's Cubase 4.
Additional multithreaded software titles are on the way, however, and eventually every activity that can benefit from multiple-core processing will do so, as multiple CPUs work together to get jobs done faster. Intel's current quad-core desktop speed kings work well in any LGA775-socket-based motherboard, so you can upgrade at any time.
Unfortunately, AMD is a little behind in the high-end, high-performance quad-core CPU race. Int our tests, AMD's Phenom 9600 CPUs performed about as well as year-old chips. There's little incentive to buy into AMD's vision of its unified "Spider" platform. At least not yet.
For the time being, though quad-core sounds sexy, dual-core is the sweet spot for most users. Early adopters can elect to buy a quad-core processor now and see better performance with the few optimized applications.

Tip: Intel and AMD have detailed CPU-comparison tables on their respective Web sites.