CPU - Buy Intel for speed, choose AMD, Cyrix, or IDT for value.
RAM - Get at least 64MB: buy SDRAM if possible, if you want speed, get the 133mhz, never buy a PC without level 2 cache.
HARD DISK - Go to the biggest you can afford, buy an Ultra DMA model unless you're using the PC as a file server or for massive multitasking, in which case you should go for SCSI , expect SCSI to be a bit expensive.
Removable Storage - Iomega Zip is the safe choice because of its wide market penetration.
DVD/CDROM - Get DVD-ROM (second generation ) if you can afford it, if not buy at least a 32x CD-rom for desktops PCs or 24X for notebooks.
Monitor - Buy at least a 17 inch model, with a minimum 0.28 dot pitch (lower numbers are usually better, depending on how dot pitch is measured).
Modem - Make sure the system's 56K modem is V.90 compliant.
Expansion- If you plan on upgrading, you"ll need extra free ISA or PCI slots and drive bays, and a standard ATX or AT form motherboard
Video Card - For better performance, get a PCI card at least 4 meg. If you are into games and graphics, get a good quality video card.