Advice on Buying a New Computer
From Adviceopedia
Would you like some advice on buying a new computer? Deciding what computer to buy can be intimidating, but following these tips will make your purchasing easier.
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Before You Buy
Determine Your Budget
Before you buy a new PC, you should first determine your budget. Expect a budget PC to cost approximately $500 to $800. A computer with more features and or more speed will cost $800 to $1,500. For the ultimate computer that has no compromises, prepare to pay between $1,500 and $4,000.
Laptop or Desktop
After figuring your budget, next decide if you want a laptop or a desktop. Laptops cost more than similarly equipped desktop computers. However, the performance gap is narrowing between the two. If you have a need or desire to be mobile, get a laptop. A desktop is a better choice as a gaming machine, an entertainment center or for the fastest speed possible.
How Will you use your PC?
Knowing how you plan to use your PC will further clarify your purchasing decision. The most demanding applications are gaming and video editing. All computers can handle e-mail and Web browsing along with office tasks such as word processing. If you are unsure what you will use your computer for, purchase a machine that has more power than you think you need. This will ensure that you have an adequate computer if your needs change.
What about a Mac?
The best PC may not even be a PC at all. Macs are very popular and for good reason. They are as fast as PCs now that they use Intel processors. The computers are also elegant looking for those that value aesthetics. Macs do generally cost a little more than similar PCs, but Macs usually have higher quality components than budget PCs. You are also receiving for the bundled iLife suite, which includes the applications iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb and Garageband. A PC may come with none or a few similar applications, requiring you to purchase the rest separately.
Ready to Buy
Once you have a better sense of what type of computer you want to purchase, here is some additional advice on buying a new computer.
Buy Retail or Direct
Laptops and desktops can be purchased directly from the manufacturer, or you can select a PC in a retail store. Buying from a store will usually cost more, but you can play with the computer before making a decision. Also, if you change your mind and need to return it, you only need to drive the PC back to the store. To buy direct may save money and will often give you more choices—from greater pre-configured models available to the ability to configure a computer yourself.
Build a Computer Yourself
If you like the idea of choosing all the individual parts for your computer, you might consider building a PC yourself. The technical skill needed is not as high as you might think. The motherboard connects to the case with five or six screws. The individual components then snap into the motherboard. Finally, the cords from the power supply connect to the components and the motherboard. Note that this only applies to desktop PCs. Building a laptop is far more complicated and you will not able to build your own Mac.
Newegg.com is a good place to purchase parts if you want to build your own computer.
Technical Support
Like other appliances, computers are prone to break or develop problems such as viruses. Purchasing a computer from a company with strong technical support could be a life-saver when something goes wrong. Take a look at support ratings here.
Advice on Buying a New Computer: Other Tips
A Powerful Gaming Machine
A computer for the serious gamer requires all the latest technical advances. A dual-core processor is the minimum, and you might consider a quad-core processor as well. Just as important is having a fast video card. Video cards can cost several hundred dollars or more for a really good one. Make sure you choose a DirectX 10 compliant video card so that you’ll be able to run future PC games.
Video and Photo Editing Computer
Video editing can be as demanding as gaming—sometimes more so. Unlike gaming, however, you will need to have an abundance of hard drive space to store all of your videos. Get a computer that has at least a 250GB hard drive—more is even better. Two gigabytes of RAM is also beneficial. Photo editing, using programs such as Photoshop, will also take advantage of the extra hard drive and RAM.
Entertainment Computer
Computers are being used as entertainment devises quite often now, replacing stereos or digital video recorders. This type of computer should also have a dual-core processor to ensure smooth playback of videos. A large hard drive is also important if you plan on recording TV shows. You will not, however, need as fast a video card as a gaming computer. Consider a computer that is smaller and quieter if it will be placed in your living room.
