How To Buy A Computer

How to buy a computer requires that you know what you want before checking out the changing variety of machines on the market. Buying a computer from a retail outlet can be confusing for small business owners. Glib salespeople will always promote the latest and greatest as their commission-hungry eyes light up and your bottom line diminishes. Each store has an unspoken inventory that it must move during a particular week. And even stores that have hourly salespeople not on commission are quick to spend your money. So how do you make an informed decision?

How to Buy a Computer Budgeting

One of the first steps to how to buy a computer is to determine a dollar amount; in otherwise, what is your budget? It’s easy to overspend if you don’t know what you need. Good systems go for as little as $400, including an inkjet printer. Adding a laser on sale can set you back $79 or so. Make sure you pick up a external floppy drive to read and convert stored data from floppies to CDs, because new computers don‘t have floppy drives. Built-in floppy drives have gone the way the dodo.

Decide How You’ll Use It Before You Buy

With established retailers, XP comes bundled with new machines. E-Machines, HP, Compaq and most other manufacturers don’t bundle software like they used to. They offer “value added” packages which consist of XP, Microsoft Works, Money and a few other software programs. HP offers a lot of stuff you’ll never use. What you need to do is figure how you’ll use the computer and what software you’ll need. Home office and small business owners don’t always need all the whistles and bells, but the software has to twinkle in the dark and be reliable.

Sometimes the package deals come with a printer, but you have to know the value of the printer and how much it will really cost you long-term How To Buy A New Printer.

Base Your Computer Buy On Software

With computers, software always drives the hardware. As Microsoft advances on the software front, PC makers scramble to keep up with innovations Microsoft and other software manufacturers create. Currently the operating system for PCs is Windows XP. Any other operating system is already headed for or is on dinosaur alley. Buying a new PC means you’ll get Windows XP, which means you'll need Free Spyware Removal Tools and AVG Virus Protection.

What About The Hard Drive?

Today’s hard drives are huge160 GB monsters which is a far cry from the 8 MB offered on the original Apple Macintosh computers. Unless you plan to load your PC with huge files or about a zillion downloaded CDs, you don’t need 160 GB. Eighty GB will work just fine. Keep in mind that the hard drive is the Achilles heel of any computer. Rated life spans for hard drives is about two years. Anything else is a bonus. While replacing the hard drive may not be a problem, repairing the damage it does when it let’s lose is another matter.

Media Or No?

Systems come in all sizes and configurations. Again, you’ve got to know what you want when you buy a computer. Media computers can be used for more than just games, music and video. If you’re a writer with a digital camera, a front port where flash memory cards from digital cameras can be plugged into and downloaded would be helpful. In fact a media machine offers several pluses. Music for one. You can listen to music through system speakers or rip a copy of a CD for your own use.

Flash memory can also be transmitted or received from a client. Some software even allows virtual meetings where you can arrange a client meeting without even leaving your home, just by having them plug into a Website. Handy for saving time spent traveling or wasted trips if someone doesn’t show and they forget to call you.

Buy A Computer System, Not A Processor

Your purchase will depend on its speed, price, the mix of components, extras, service warranties, credit and manufacturer reputation. Don’t be too concerned over what processor it has. Speed is relative beyond a certain point. Shop around. Keep an eye on Sunday supplement weekly deals. Best Buy usually has good ones, as does Comp USA. But even office supply stores like Staples, Office Max, Office Depot and Costco offer systems at good pricing. Knowing system prices will help you to recognize a good deal when you see one.

Beware Swap Meet Retailers

During your how to buy a computer decision-making process, you may be considering a looking for a bargain at swap meets. At branded retailers, you can be assured at receiving official copies of Windows XP bundled with the computer that you can register at Microsoft’s Website. With swap meet retailers, you can’t be too sure of what your getting. These retailers will promise you anything and sell you a system for a good price. But when you get home and try to register your copy of XP, oops! You don’t have one. What you have is a copy. Microsoft requires an OEM version of its software in order to register it. Without it, you’re out of luck. You won’t be able to get your copy registered and Microsoft won’t support it. The only option you’d have is to purchase a sealed packed copy of XP from another retailer.

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