What computer should I buy

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What computer should I buy?

The simple answer is to just get the fastest computer you can afford, but I really don't think the question should be what computer, but where to buy it. Anybody will sell you a computer and chances are that just about any computer would be just fine for you. You get the computer home, you even manage to hook all the wires up and the darn thing actually turns on! Great now what do you do? Most people look at the cost of the computer and forget the little things that they actually spend their money on. Lets say you spend $1500 on the computer/monitor, now add in a printer (don't forget the cable, ink/toner and paper supplies), surge/phone protector, the software "you gotta have", computer desk and now you start looking at scanners and cameras and of course that $20/month internet service. Great, your all set up and you go to bed all happy and warm. You wake up the next morning turn the computer on and an unknown error halts you in the middle of your tracks YOU NEED SUPPORT!

I would not buy a system from any of the major electronic stores and expect support period! These are great places to shop for price and price alone. Sure they'll sell you an extended warranty for a couple hundred dollars that gives you a warm feeling, but what do you have to do if something goes wrong, do they fix it themselves or send it out? Will they come to your house or do you have to bring it to them? What if you bought that great computer/monitor/printer/scanner deal and a few months go by and the printer stops working, who's going to repair it, them or the printer manufacturer? If your system is out for repairs, can you afford the downtime?

The larger mail-order companies actually provide what I call true support. They have techs that can resolve problems over the phone and most can dispatch a tech/replacement part the next day! A local store that builds the system can even be a better source for support but if problems arise you might find yourself alone and most do not provide 24 hour support 7 days a week.

Dell	www.dell.com	1-800-WWW-DELL	Always rated Best or very high
Gateway	www.gateway.com	1-800-846-4208	Rated towards the top every time
Micron	www.micronpc.com	1-888-224-4247	Solid computers, great warranty

The same thing goes for any "toys" you decide to add on. Not so much what they are, but how will they connect. Scanners that hook up through a printer port might sound easy but can actually conflict with your printer or just run slow. With today's systems (Windows '98 or newer), a USB connection is by far the easiest and most hassle-free way to go.

How often should I buy a new computer?

You should buy a new computer when your old computer meets two conditions. First, it’s unable to support the applications you need or want to run. Second, you would have to perform three or more component upgrades in order for the computer to support those applications.

This is just used as an example because if your still running a 486 system then it is more likely that you still have a typewriter and a steam powered car!

Let’s say you have a 486-based PC with 8MB of RAM and 120MB of free space on the hard drive. You want to run Microsoft Office 2000 Small Business edition, which requires a 75 megahertz (MHz) Pentium processor, a minimum of 16MB of RAM, and 360MB of hard drive space. In this situation, you need to buy a new PC. The cost and inconvenience of buying and installing a new processor, motherboard, hard drive, and RAM exceeds the cost of buying a new PC at your local electronics superstore.

Fortunately, unless you’re a high-end gamer or live on the technological cutting edge, a computer should last you at least four or five years. Indeed, the average computer sold within the last three years is able to run most of the software currently sold at your local software store. It also has more than enough power and speed to support anything on the Internet. Consequently, the act of buying a new computer today is more often due to choice than necessity.

So, why would someone who has a perfectly good computer choose to buy a new one? There are many reasons, but one of the most common is that the user recognizes the need for a second (or third) computer. Many families are finding that one computer in the den isn’t enough; they also want a computer in the family room, in the bedroom, and throughout the rest of the home. Then, you’ll need to upgrade every two to three years if you want to build your collection of PCs without breaking the bank.