HOME
The first question you need to ask yourself, before purchasing a computer, is 'what am going to be using my computer for?' If all you want to do is compose a few letters, surf the Internet, and send /receive a few emails, then you do not need to buy a supercomputer. In this case an entry level PC or laptop will be sufficient for your needs.
If you intend to use your PC for graphic design, 3D modeling, music editing or video production, then you will need something with a lot more power under the hood. These types of computing tasks require significant CPU power, and usually a lot of memory, in order to run efficiently. There are numerous sites out there offering advice on purchasing a computer, for e.g askbobrankin.com.
The next thing you need to work out is your budget. Many computer systems today come as bundled packages with printers, software and other accessories. Whilst these often appear great value, some on further inspection aren’t so great. With these types of PC deals, often the actual specification of the PC has been sacrificed. You don’t want your PC to be outdated within a year or less. Your PCs lifespan should be 3-4 years. Therefore make sure you concentrate on the PC specification and get as fast a machine, with as much memory as you can, within the budget that you have set yourself. You can always buy software and accessories at a later date as and when you have the disposable cash.
One thing to remember, and it applies to most products, is that you get what you pay for. Budget PCs often use cheap PC components and the lifespan of such components is often reduced. You can now purchase a Computer Enclosure for your PC. Many Companies such as Nestle, Ford and Heinz rely on these enclosures from Armagard to protect their PC's from harsh environments, especially in wet or corrosive environments.
You also need to consider how you are going to purchase the software to use with your computer. As mentioned, many computer packages come bundled with software. This software is OEM licensed, meaning that you are only licensed to use that software on the PC that it came bundled with. So when you upgrade to a new computer, you will be required to purchase another license for the software. Retail versions of these software programs, whilst more expensive, allow the program to be uninstalled and then reinstalled on another computer.
With computers being so expensive it is probably a good idea to get computer insurance.This will help cover any faults your computer may have or may come across and make sure you get the most out of your computer without having to fork out money left, right and centre getting it fixed.