NORTHERN COLLEGE, PURES -

TORONTO

Assignment-1.
Introduction to Information Systems

Submitted to: Abiodun Ojo Submitted By: Satinder Singh

Student ID : 201904413

Page 1
Topic that i have choosen:

1. Information Systems roles and jobs

Prepare a report on purchasing a computer for yourself.

Identify your requirements (what you will need to use it for, how much you would spend,
etc.).

Identify at least 3 viable options (actual computers), 2 of them of the same type (e.g. PC)
and 1 of them different type (e.g. Apple).

List the specifications for each in a side-by-side table, including:

 Hardware specifications (processor, memory, storage, etc.), 1 row for
each category item
 Software specifications (OS, application software, etc.) 1 row for each
category item
 Networking specifications
 Total cost
Identify which would be the most powerful, which would be the fastest.

Select your best alternative.

Confirm that it will meet all your requirements, and indicate why you would choose it.

Provide response on table format. Provide final selection and explanation in paragraph
format.

1-3 pages max.

General Customers Dilemma:

Today computer systems are consumer commodities without which a person can’t live, much like
appliances and automobiles. And as with these consumer products, the potential purchaser is
faced with a dilemma of lots of companies, models, features, etc. Today the computers are really
faster, smaller, and more powerful than ever before, and they cost you very high. The price, size,
and various other specifications are important considerations and many of these choices have a
significant impact on the mind of a buyer. Computer purchase decisions should be based on
carefulness of how both hardware and software will be used to meet your needs.

Dilemma I had:
Faced with so many choices,
I also had these dilemmas while i want to buy a laptop. These are some of the questions I had in
my mind:
What should i do?

Page 2
Should you get a Mac or a PC? Laptop or desktop?
Specifications-wise, what’s the difference between an AMD and Intel processor?
I went with the simple strategy when I was planning for the purchase of a computer system. That
is I jotted down the specifications and then based on my requirements i made the decision.

My Requirements:
Processor: -
The processor should be the fastest available or something within 10% of the fastest processor.
For instance, if the fastest processor available is 3.0GHz, I should buy between 2.7GHz and
3.0GHz.

Memory: -
The absolute minimum amount of RAM that I want is equal to ½ of the total RAM an average
computer will hold. If a computer will hold a maximum of 16GB of RAM, the minimum I should
consider is 8GB of RAM.

Hard Disk: -
Hard disk clock speed is very important to manipulate your request faster. It is available in 5,400
RPM, 7,200 RPM, and 10,000 RPM. I will buy a computer with Solid State drives.

Usability: -
It is important that I first consider the tasks that I will be performing on my computer. I wish to
buy computer for simply browsing the internet and using some online services and attending
classes then it might be better to buy a single-core computer that satisfies my these minimum
requirements.

Price: -
This brings us to my next consideration; price. There are many fancy features that you can get by
paying hefty amounts but price for me is in the range of $2000-2100. So, I have to take into
consideration this price range while evaluating my buying decision.

Size: -
Some people prefer buying larger laptops for a better display screen, whereas other prefers
smaller and more portable sizes. Laptops are divided into four general size categories:
ultraportable, thin-and-light, mainstream, and desktop replacement, each with its own pros and
cons. I want to buy the laptop with smaller size that is portable for me because I have to travel a
lot.

Brand: -

Page 3
There are many common computer brands. Some of them offer better warranties, whereas others
offer software packages that come with the system. For example, a Dell laptop with the same
specifications may be cheaper than a Sony VAIO. Sony provides many of its own software with
their laptops saving the users software cost for DVD burning. Acer for instance is known for its
low cost laptops that provide more enhanced specifications like hard disk space and RAM as
compared to its competitors. I will make critical evaluation of all these brands and their
specifications respectively.

Three viable options according to me:

Dell Inspiron 15-7567 (7700HQ) Laptop (7th Gen Ci7/ 16GB/ 1TB 256GB
SSD/ Win 10/ 4GB Graph) Features and Specifications

Microsoft Surface Book (6th Gen Ci5/ 8GB/ 256GB/ Win 10 Pro/ Touch)
Features and Specifications

Page 4
 Apple MacBook Pro MPXU2HN/A Laptop (7th Gen Ci5/ 8GB/ 256GB SSD/
MacOS Sierra)

Specifications of 3 best alternatives available:

Specifications Dell Inspiron 15- Microsoft Surface Apple MacBook
7567 (7700HQ) Book Pro MPXU2HN
Laptop
Processor Core i7 (7th Gen) Core i5 (6th Gen) Core i5 7th Gen

Memory 16 GB 8 GB 8 GB DDR3 RAM

Storage 256 GB 256 GB 256 GB SSD

Software Operating System Operating System Mac OS
specifications Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro

Screen Size 15.6 inch 13.5 inch 13.3

Total cost $2178 $2006 $2288

Warranty 1 Year Onsite 1 Year Manufacturer 1 Year warranty

Warranty Warranty

Selection on the basis of my requirements:

Specifications Dell Inspiron 15- Microsoft Surface Apple MacBook
Page 5
 7567 (7700HQ) Book Pro MPXU2HN
Laptop
Processor 

Memory 
Storage   
Software  
specifications
Screen Size 

Total cost 

Warranty 

Final Decision:
By evaluating all the features of the 3 best alternatives i have chosen based on my own
requirements i should choose Dell Inspiron 15-7567 (7700HQ) Laptop because it has satisfied
all my requirements. It gives me the best processor among all, with larger memory, storage
capacity of all three is same so it does not make any difference, out of the three first and the third
option provide best and fastest software, screen size is also the largest in the chosen one, and it is
also in my budget, and lastly it carries one month warranty. So, based on the critical evaluation
on the basis of the specifications and my requirements Dell Inspiron 15-7567 (7700HQ) Laptop
is the best according to me and I will go for it.

References:
https://www.theverge.com/21250695/best-laptops
https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews
https://www.techradar.com/in/news/mobile-computing/laptops/best-laptops-1304361
https://www.reliancedigital.in/laptops/c/S101210
https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-laptops
https://www.amazon.in/desktops/b?ie=UTF8&node=1375392031
https://www.flipkart.com/desktop-pc-store
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/best-desktop-computers/

Page 6