So you’ve finally decided it’s time for a change. No matter what advice you follow that old work horse of a desktop computer you have has outlived its usefulness with slow loading applications and a continuous rise in operation noise. Searching for that Perfect Computer can be about as much fun as purchasing a new car and about as frustrating also when sorting through
various brands while trying to decide which “bells and whistles” best fit your needs. Besides all that trying to return something that is so large can be both inconvenient and very difficult to do. So making right decision FIRST time is wise path of choice.
For starters you’ll need to decide what you want to do with your computer. Are you into video game scene or are you someone who likes to just surf internet and occasionally do some book keeping with simple word processing software?
If you’re into video games you’re going to want a machine that can handle high level of graphics and superior sound quality. On other hand if you’re not into all that high adrenalin stuff can probably get by with a less expensive system. Although, if you want to stay on safe side I would recommend going with something more “high-end” so you don’t have to spend another large chunk of change to upgrade system you just bought.
There are two basic routes you can take when purchasing a new computer. 1) Purchase a “Brand Name” Computer 2) Purchase a “Clone” Computer
A “BRAND-NAME” computer is one that is manufactured by a company that is recognizable by name.
Some Advantages/Disadvantages of “Brand-Name” computers include:
Advantages-
Customer Support- If you are experiencing problems with your computer you will have option to contact a representative of company that you purchased PC from to get help in solving your problem.
Customer support is probably best reason to buy a brand-name computer.
Warranty- Having a warranty is always nice since it acts as a type of security blanket for you.
In case a part on your computer should fail you should be able to get item fixed at no charge just as long as warranty has not expired.
Read and understand a company’s warranty policy BEFORE you purchase a computer from them.
This way you’ll have a good understanding of procedures to follow in case a problem should arise.
Pre-installed Software- Many companies will include software packages that are all set up and ready to go for you on your computer.
Although, a disadvantage of buying a brand-name computer with software pre-installed is that you usually end up with more than fits your needs and usually just results with wasting of space on your storage device.
Additional Support- Most brand-name computer companies are also able to provide you with web sites that may provide you with current software updates, user manuals, or basic troubleshooting help.
Disadvantages-
The use of Proprietary parts- term Proprietary refers to products that are unique to an individual company and that company only.
So if a part was to malfunction on your computer after warranty and you needed to replace it you could not just go to your local computer store and purchase any old part even if it was intended for same function as item that failed.
You would be forced to buy exact same item that came out of computer or else computer would more than likely cease to function correctly.
Having to buy proprietary parts usually involves need to place an order which means you’ll have to wait for part to arrive or you’ll have to send your computer into company or an authorized dealer of that company for repairs.
People with a home based business would probably not be too happy with that situation at all.
Integrated/On-board parts- In computer world when you hear word integrated or on-board it means that a particular part such as modem or sound port where you plug in your speakers, is built-in or part of computer main board (Also known as Motherboard).
This means that if any of these items should fail, you can’t just remove them from computer and replace them with a new part. They are usually soldered directly to main board and are stuck there.
