Tips For Buying a Computer

Buying a computer is not as easy as it used to be. How and when did I go from knowing a lot about computers to knowing nothing? I decided to get some advice. Here are some tips from people that are more knowledgeable than I.

"1. Set a budget and stick to it. Just like buying a car, you can keep adding options until you are walking out the door with a $10,000 custom painted computer.
2. Determine what you need your computer for. Don't be wowed by all of the buzz words and neat graphics.
3. Review what is covered under the warranty and what type of extended plans are offered.
4. If you find a computer that you like, get a copy of the stats and the model number. Do some research online prior to buying to make sure that you are getting a good deal.
5. Don't be wowed by how a computer looks....unless you plan on setting it on your dining room table, who cares what it looks like." - Josh Gauci

I need to keep #5 in mind. I have a tendency to gravitate to the eye candy. I also need to keep in mind #1, my budget. I don't need anything fancy. I do tend to get carried away with all the bells and whistles. This brings me to the next tip I was given.

"1. Know what you want the computer for. Give it some thought ahead of time otherwise you will over or under buy.

2. Give those requirements to a computer knowledgeable friend (or the child of a friend—they’re often up on computers) and say this is what I want the computer for. Make sure they are recommending what meets your needs, not what is popular or what they want (e.g., if you want a machine for email, a super duper gaming computer is a waste of money and electricity). The last thing I would do is talk first to a sales person in a big box store. They either will push you towards what they have or towards the most expensive thing. Sadly, most of them really don’t know much about computers." - Robert Rosen

If you don't have a friend you can call on, here are some technical aspects to look for and consider.

"1. RAM is the most important component in the computer. It provides the biggest performance increase when running multiple applications at the same time. 2GB of RAM is the recommended minimum for any new computer.

2. Processor speed is next on the list. This determines how fast applications will respond when you’re using them. The typical rule of thumb I use is to buy the third fastest processor available. The third fastest processor is usually very new, yet cost effective. Specific model would be an Intel Core 2 Duo.

3. Hard drive space and speed is next. Depending on how many photos and videos you want to store will determine what size hard drive you need. A 250GB drive should be the minimum size for most home computers. Hard drive speed is also important, this will affect the overall performance of your computer. Make sure you get a drive that runs at 7200RPM.

4. Operating system – Are you going to be using your computer at the office or at home? If at the office, get Vista Business or XP Pro so you can connect a server if necessary. If at home, Vista Home Premium or XP Home should be fine. Keep in mind that Microsoft is giving away FREE upgrades to their latest operating system, Windows 7, for anyone that buys a computer with Windows Vista on it now until January 31st, 2010. Windows 7 will be generally available on October 22nd, 2009.

5. Additional things to look out for:

a. Do you need a DVD burner to create CD and DVDs?

b. What size monitor do you need? A 17” LCD flat panel is the minimum size we would recommend, but there are killer deals on larger wide format monitors nowadays."
- Tom Andrulis