Basic Computer Buying Tips
by Tom McNamara, Demand MediaIf you are in the market for a new computer, you have many possibilities. Maybe you have not bought one in a while, or maybe you have never bought one at all. Either way, the breadth and depth of the possibilities can be intimidating. Perhaps you want a desktop, or something mobile. Perhaps you want to play games, or you want to just be able to do word processing, email and Internet-surfing. In addition, quality customer support is something to consider also.
The Laptop Option
You might first be considering the laptop option. You can buy a "netbook," a smaller, low-cost laptop. Battery life tends to be higher, so they last longer when away from an AC outlet. However, they are not powerful. If you want to create music, movies or play computer games, you are better served with a full-fledged laptop. In this tier, either AMD or Intel will be supplying the CPU (Central Processing Unit), the "brain" of the computer. Either choice is fine. AMD tends to be a little cheaper, while Intel CPUs tend not to use as much battery power. Popular laptop manufacturers include Toshiba, Dell, HP, Gateway and Sager. Whichever you choose, it is recommended to go into a retail store rather than ordering over the Internet because it is important that you get a feel for the laptop. Check the keyboard for mushiness or noisiness. Make sure the hinge feels sturdy. The display screen may be too shiny for your tastes. It may have a noisy laptop fan. The touchpad may not work smoothly. You may want to get a mouse instead of using the touchpad, since there is a smaller learning curve.
The Desktop Option
If you do not have a printer or computer speakers, the desktop option is a good opportunity to get them bundled with the whole system, as it will cut down on costs. You can also get productivity software bundled (like word processing and spreadsheets). A system with at least 2GB of RAM (Random Access Memory) is recommended to make Windows run smoothly with all its bells and whistles. If you want to play computer games or do media production (making movies and music), you will want a video display card not built into the motherboard. That means you will need an "integrated" video card, and you want a "discrete" video card. Popular desktop makers include Dell, HP, Sony and Acer.
The Apple Option
Apple Computers offers another solid choice. They tend to be more expensive than their Windows counterparts are, but they are generally more intuitive to use, and they have an active and knowledgeable user community, if you have problems. Apple's iMacs are differentiated mostly by the power of the video display card. For general use, you will not need the top-end card. The iMac desktop computers are built into the display monitor, so they are easier to move around, and there is less clutter. They also come with a built-in video camera and speakers. However, Apple computers are not compatible with Windows software.
