Buying A New Computer

This article was co-authored by Gonzalo Martinez. Gonzalo Martinez is the President of CleverTech, a tech repair business in San Jose, California founded in 2014. CleverTech LLC specializes in repairing Apple products. CleverTech pursues environmental responsibility by recycling aluminum, display assemblies, and the micro components on motherboards to reuse for future repairs. On average, they save 2 lbs - 3 lbs more electronic waste daily than the average computer repair store.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 92% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 331,589 times.

buying a new computer

The choice in PC types and styles has exploded in the early 21st century, and buying a new computer is a different experience than it was even a decade ago. Computers used to be desktops or laptops, period, but the computer world has changed dramatically with the increasing popularity of tablets, touchscreen laptops, and hybrid devices and just about every computer manufacturer now gives you a choice between hybrid tablet computers, convertible laptops, or desktops and seemingly every possible combination in between -- and sometimes in multiple colors, even. As a result, you have many angles to consider when researching your new computer and then finding the one you want at a reasonable price.

En español Hunkering down at home during the coronavirus pandemic has taught us this: Personal computers are absolutely essential, helping us to communicate with family, keep up on events, do our shopping, pay our bills, be creative and manage so many other aspects of daily life.

This is the master chip that drives your computer. Current Windows-based computers typically run 10th- or 11th-generation Intel chips. Look for the model number (examples: i5 or i7), then find the two digits immediately after that, preferably 10 or 11.

America has gone mobile, and so have computers. Laptops are the most popular type of computer today, followed by tablets. Together, portable devices account for about four-fifths of the worldwide market.

Whether you're looking for your very first computer or are just upgrading to a newer machine, buying a computer can feel overwhelming. With so many options to choose from, it's tough to know if you're getting the right computer at the best price.

There are many different types of computers you may have heard of, such as desktops, laptops, and tablets. But before you start shopping, you'll need to think carefully about the kinds of things you want to do with your computer.

For example, if you only need something for email and light web browsing, you'll probably buy a very different computer from someone who does a lot of video editing or PC gaming. You should also think about where you want to use your computer because it will have a big impact on the type you buy.

These prices are based mostly on the internal components of the computer, such as the amount of hard-drive space, memory, processing power, and so on, which are called the specifications (or specs for short). These internal components are also a big part of the reason computers can become outdated or obsolete after only a few years. As manufacturers continue to create faster processors and larger hard drives, a computer that costs $1,000 today might only cost $500 in a few years.

So, very generally, we recommend spending between $300-$800 on a new computer, depending on your needs and budget. And if you really don't have much to spend, we'd still suggest buying a machine with even slightly higher specs than the absolute cheapest model. A computer with more hard drive space, more memory, and faster processors will be a much better deal in the long run.

We recommend only purchasing computers from a well-known manufacturer, such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Toshiba, or Samsung. While store brands will be less expensive, they're also much less reliable and will likely become obsolete much sooner than a name-brand computer.

So far, we've been mostly talking about computers that run the Windows operating system, which is the most common OS for PCs. But in addition to tablets and smartphones like the iPad and iPhone, Apple sells desktop and laptop computers, which use the OS X operating system.

They're well-made machines, but they're also very expensive, especially compared to some of the computers above. Because they don't use Windows, you probably won't be able to install any existing Windows software you already own. And because even the cheapest Apple laptop will cost at least $1,000, we'd only recommend purchasing an Apple computer if it's well within your budget.

If you're trying to save money, you might consider buying a used or refurbished computer instead of a new one. Refurbished computers are machines that originally had some kind of defect but that have been restored to working condition; they're often available with the same internal components as new machines, but for much less money. Just make sure the seller offers some kind of warranty so you can return the computer if it doesn't work.

You can also buy previously used computers, but you'll want to be cautious when doing so. Whether you're buying it from a friend or a site like eBay or Craigslist, it's much more difficult to guarantee everything will be in good working condition. And it's even less likely you'll get your money back if it stops working.

One other thing to note: If you're buying a computer that's already a few years old, just remember that it will probably go out of date much sooner than a new machine. If you decide to buy used, we'd only recommend buying a used machine that's less than two years old and still in good working condition.

The longevity of a computer is a key concern for consumers. For a desktop PC, the answer is more complex, because it offers greater ability to customize the components than a laptop does. For most desktop PCs, you can expect a minimum three-year lifespan.

However, most computers survive five to eight years, depending on the upgrading components. Maintenance is also critical, as dust is very problematic for PC components. Owners should routinely upgrade software and keep the machines free from excessive dust and debris.

Repair is usually a more cost-effective method than buying new hardware. However, the downtime from continual repairs also means lost money, so business owners need to think about continual support costs, as well as lost productivity, compared to the cost of simply replacing an old machine.

If your desktop or notebook takes an extraordinary amount of time to boot up or shut down, it could be an indication that your computer is on its last legs. It could also be that too many applications are set to load automatically and run in the background of the operating system whenever you start your computer.

Usually, this type of issue is a starting point to diagnose what is going wrong with the machine. The simple fix might be having fewer programs auto-load in the background when you start the computer.

Key takeaway: When you get new computers for your business, install the necessary software and security tools, transfer old files, and customize the settings before distributing them to your employees.

Key takeaway: While the batteries and LCD panels have a shelf life, you may be better off leaving your computers on all of the time, or putting them in sleep mode rather than shutting them down, since it can be taxing on the machines to be restarted constantly.

A desktop computer is a static, stationary computer that will sit on a desk. It usually consists of various parts: a tower, a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. Desktops are generally more customizable than laptops as well. You can put together top-of-the-line parts for every aspect of the PC when you choose a desktop computer, whereas your choices are more limited with a laptop.

The rest of this blog will focus on the different options available on Windows computers. Most PCs, including desktops and laptops, are coming out with Windows 11. You might also see some computers with Windows 10. The most noticeable difference between Windows 10 and 11 is that the Start button and the task bar have been moved to the center of your screen vs. on the left-hand side where it has lived since the creation of Windows 95.

When choosing a PC, memory is just as important as the processor. RAM, or random access memory, is what your computer uses to store data temporarily. The more RAM your computer has, the more things it can keep in memory at once, making it run faster.

The operating system is the software that runs your computer. The two most popular operating systems are Windows and macOS. Windows is more popular for PC gaming, while macOS is preferred for creative activities like video editing and graphic design.

Below, I've listed what kind of specs you should consider based on what kind of user you are, whether you're a professional, power user, casual user, or use a computer purely for email. Everything below applies to both laptops and desktops, as well as Windows and Mac machines.

Who it's for: Professionals. Anyone who wants the smoothest performance no matter the cost. Power users who have lots of open web browser tabs, run several apps at the same time, or use power-hungry apps like Photoshop. Anyone with low patience for waiting for their computer and apps to work. 041b061a72