Tips for Buying a new computer

There are so many computer options nowadays; it's almost like buying a car. You really need to figure out what you use it for.
(Fuel economy? Do I go Off-road? Do I tow things? Leather interior? How many passengers can I carry? Etc……)

It's all personal preference, and different for each person. That’s why some companies custom build them, where you “build” them online by selecting what you want in it.  Plus, remember, you always “get what you pay for”.

Here are some things to have, and consider:

* #1 Laptop, or Desktop. Which kind should I get? You get more bang for your buck with a desktop. You pay extra for it being compact. But the portability of a laptop is way worth it sometimes, but you sacrifice a few things, like speed and upgradeability. I went to a laptop because there are a lot of modes out there that are VERY good “desktop replacements”, meaning they are packed with features that a desktop would normally have. If you go with a laptop, get a goooood battery (maybe two!). A lot of times, you can put a second battery in the DVD drive bay, doubling your up time. Take into consideration the weight of the laptop too. A 17” screen laptop is a monster if you plan on carrying it around a lot. If it's going to sit in one place "most" of the time, consider a "port replicator" or also known as a “Docking Station” for the desk, so you don't have to unplug a million things when you want to go use it on the couch. (Usually around $75- $250 depending on the features). They usually have one big plug somewhere that everything connects to. There are aftermarket ones that plug into a USB port, and ones that are made for your model laptop from the same company. The later type is recommended if it’s available for your model. (Make sure that it’s compatible!)
Note: When looking for a computer, make sure you realize “new” from “refurbished”. Refurbished computers are usually cheaper and sometimes with the same warranty as a new, but have already been in customers hands, and possibly returned for a problem of some type that the company claims they have “fixed”.

* #2 Monitor / screen size. Go LCD, they're cheap nowadays, and it’s even hard to find a CRT (tube type) anymore. Note: if you’re getting a new desktop, and are happy with your current monitor, you CAN use your old one to save you money. What size to get? That's just how much you want to put into it, and how good your sight is. For people with 'bad' eyesight I'd recommend a bigger one. (19” or higher) Especially if you plan on using it to watch movies on. (You can get a TV tuner card for the computer and use it as a type of "TiVo" to record shows.) If you've got the funds, dual monitors are becoming very popular. Once you have two screens, you'll never go back to one. (Just ask me!!)
Another thing to consider is “Standard” or “Widescreen”. Again, it’s personal preference, but if movies are in your computing future, Widescreen’s the way to go. They also make a computer monitor that is also a TV. (2 for 1. You plug your TV cable into it.) So if it’s going in a room where you want a TV to go also, this might be a good solution for you. Some models even have a DVD player built right in the side of the monitor!

* #3 Memory. Get at LEAST 1 gig of ram. Anything less, and you're wasting your time. 2 gigs is a great number. Any more then 2 gigs, it's a little overkill unless you're doing some heavy video / photo editing...

* #4 Video Card. Don’t worry too much about this option unless you’re a gamer, or doing some heavy graphics editing. For the simple “surfing / email / word processing” this isn’t going to make too much of a difference for you. If you’re a gamer, you’ll most likely know what video card you’ll want to get. If you want to run dual monitors, you’ll need to make sure your video card will support them. (They should know that if you say you want dual monitors…)

* #5 CPU speed. Get what you can afford. You don't want to be itching to upgrade after just a year. The new Intel Core 2 Duo is actually 4 CPU's in one, and is great when you've got multiple programs running. (burning, scanning, watching, etc…) Go to Intel to see what’s available.
http://www.intel.com/products/processor/  

* #6 Hard drive. Unless you have a huge movie/picture/music collection, the normal size should be fine. If you have a TV tuner in your computer, you might want a big drive because recording TV shows take a lot of room! (2 GB per hour on average.) If multiple family members are going to use this computer, then you might want more space for each person’s profile, so think about that, but just for Internet / email / word processing, a 60-80 GB should do fine. Nowadays, they don’t come smaller then that.
(60-80 GB “smaller” vs. 160-500 GB “Bigger”.)

* #7 CD/DVD Burner. Most come with the DVD Dual layer burner. If it's not this, then it's usually a CD burner/DVD reader  version. Get the DVD Dual Layer burner at least. Another thing to consider is the future of DVD’s. As you may know, there are now High Definition DVD’s out now in two flavors. HD-DVD and BlueRay. These are currently battling for seniority, sort of like VHS and Beta tapes back in the day. In my opinion, and from what I’ve seen and read, BlueRay is pulling ahead, and supported by more movie companies then HD-DVD. Although these types of drives are more expensive, and just now becoming available in laptops, if you watch movies on your computer, this is the wave of the future. (and the picture is great, especially on a widescreen!!)

* #8 Operating system. Most everything now is Windows Vista. You can still get Windows XP, but hey, go with the flow. Why get an operating system that is already 6 years old? (Wow, has it been that long??) There are different flavors of Vista, so make sure you get what you need.  You'll be glad you did. (The “Ultimate” edition includes all the goodies, but at a price…) Go to the Microsoft Vista website, and see what each version comes with. Home Premium is what I’d recommend overall.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/default.mspx

* #9 Printer/ Scanner. Sometimes, they throw in a cheapie printer. If you're in the market for one, get an All-in-One that prints good pictures. You'll never go to Wal-Mart photo shop again. A lot come with the card readers built right in, and can even view your pictures right on a little color screen. (Note: using this type of printer will automatically give your computer a “card reader” slot. Remember that!)

* #10 Mouse / Keyboard. I find it's always good to upgrade these from the basic, because when you think about it, it's WHAT YOU USE all the time. Cordless works great, batteries last a long time, and are rechargeable. (Note: Laser mice work better then Optical. A mouse with a ball? Forget it. Who wants to clean the hair out of that every month???).
“Combos” (KB and Mouse) are either Wireless (FM) or BlueTooth. If you get a Bluetooth set, make SURE your computer has a Bluetooth receiver built in. If not, you may have to use the little USB Bluetooth receiver in order to make it work. (Usually comes with a Bluetooth device.) for more information on what Bluetooth is, go here: http://www.howstuffworks.com/bluetooth.htm  

* #11 Use a digital camera / mp3 player? You might want to see what it's got for memory stick slots. Some desktops come with multiple card readers built in. Most notebooks come with at least one or two types of slots. (Remember, with a PC Card slot, (almost all notebooks have this....) you can always add a card reader in that slot. I did. Now I can read 4 different types of cards.)

* #12 (This may be the most important). BACKUP!!!! A very affordable way to backup your data is with an external hard drive. They're very cheap nowadays and well worth it when your computer goes down. (Many times without warning!!) I know a few people who have lost A LOT just because they never thought about having a copy of important things. (You can't replace those precious baby pictures!!!)
Note: there are a few "online" services that do this too, so if money is an issue, defiantly look into that option.
(Google “free online storage”)

* #13 Speakers. A lot of computers come with either speakers in the monitor, or little ones that you put on each side of the monitor. Consider this when buying….. What are you going to be listening to? A lot of music? TV? You might want to get a simple “speaker upgrade” that includes a sub-woofer. It’s not that much more, and sounds sooooo much better. If you’re into gaming, or good quality TV, consider at least a 5.1 surround package. (5 speakers and Sub) This setup puts speakers behind you for excellent effects. You can get a good set for under $100. (Unless you want to go with a set of Bose! $$)

* #14 Internet Connection. If you don’t already have one, or have a dial-up connection, it’s time to get on the band wagon. Even just doing windows updates over a dialup connection is near impossible. If price is an issue, go with something like Verizon DSL if it’s available in your area. Comcast Cable internet is the fastest home connection I’ve seen at around $33-$45 a month extra. If you have a big family, trust me, get it. A lot of people think their computer is sloooooow, and in all reality, it’s not, if the “web” is slow.  It’s the speed of your internet connection, not the computer. Want to test your connection? Go here:
http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/  
Pick the “new York” server, that’s the closest one to us.
If you’re getting 4,000k-6,000k down, and 250k-400k up, you’re golden. If not, find out from you’re provider what you’re supposed to be getting. You may have a problem.

* #15 Warranties. Most computers come with a 1 year warranty, and offer extended warranties at a sometimes hefty price. Some credit cards can also extend your warranty if you purchase the computer on them. Something to consider. If you don’t want to do any repairs yourself, look into the “onsite” warranty, but you’ll pay some extra $ for it. A sense of protection is a good feeling, but costs you. For a Laptop, it might be good to get it because it’s more prone to damage (like dropping it.) If it’s for your kids, they do have ADP (Accidental Damage Protection) in where they’d replace it even if you ran it over with the car. But that does add to the cost.

Hope this helps!!! Happing hunting!