Tips for Buying a New PC

Tips for Buying a New PC

With so many models available from so many suppliers with a multitude of confusing-sounding features, it can get so overwhelming!  Read our Informed guide before shopping for your new PC and cut a path through the technology jungle....

1. Shop around

Sounds obvious but if you shop around you're much more likely to find a bargain!  Time spent comparing the features different manufacturers offer will not only give you a better idea of what your budget will buy, but you're also more likely to become au fait with all the relevant technical terms.

2. Check online prices

Many high street companies offer Internet-only deals which are cheaper than their "high street" prices. Websites will usually have more detailed information about the components of a computer and you can research them at your leisure. You can also check for any online reviews from other buyers regarding particular computers, laptop models or companies.

3 Swot up from a computer user magazine

Another useful information source is specialist magazines aimed at the computer buyer. These often include sections where they compare different models in the same price range. They'll frequently have "Best Buy" sections. If nothing else the magazines are an excellent source of potential PC manufacturers to check out!

Do you have any advice or tips for buying a computer or for more user tips, click here.

4. Beware the Hype

Manufacturers spend a lot on advertising.  Look at the computers and components on their own merits or independent reviews you read and base decisions on that rather than hype. New technologies constantly emerge and it's tempting to think you need the latest version of everything.  The truth is you may see little performance increase or may not even need the feature at all. Only pay for more if you really need it.

5. Resist the Urge

It's tempting to get a computer with just a little more RAM. Then a slightly faster processor. Then just a little bit bigger hard disk drive. Before you know it you're looking at a machine that costs several hundred pounds more than the ones you started looking at originally. Think carefully about what you need the computer for and get one with a specification that matches your needs. A 3.6GHz processor may seem much better than a 3GHz one, but it is only actually 17% faster in terms of clock speed and it may cost considerably more (not to mention that that 17% is fairly pointless when writing an essay or surfing the Internet).

6. Go for Balance

Some manufacturers might try to make a computer more appealing by including one or two top of the range parts. A very fast processor and a large hard disk are good examples. These catch the customer's eye and draw them in. However they may have had to make savings in other areas to be able to include these e.g. by using integrated graphics or a cheaper monitor. The result of this is a computer bottleneck. Having one ultra-fast component is no good if none of the other parts can keep up with it. A fast processor won't allow you to play computer games any faster if the bottle neck is a cheap graphics card. A fast graphics card is no good when you only have 256MB of RAM. The ideal option is to go for a machine made up of slightly better than average components which all compliment each other. That way, you get the most out of each part.

7. Look out for Hidden Costs

Another tactic used by PC manufacturers is to supply a good, reasonably priced computer and then make money by having expensive warranties and support charges. Charging £50 to simply look at a PC problem, or charging high phone rates are not uncommon approaches to problems that may take little effort to fix. Many problems such as virus infections can be cured quite simply or better yet avoided entirely with a little effort (see the following pages for links about protecting your home computer).  The extra support you're paying for may not be needed. Some people do prefer, however, to  pay for the added protection and peace of mind that extended warranties offer.

Do you have any advice or tips on buying a computer, pop them in the comment box below