The most common reason for someone to purchase a computer is when their old one just crashed or they have an immediate need to buy a new one. Searching for instant satisfaction, most consumers will hit the nearest IT store and start shopping. Average customers will not know exactly what all the technical jargon or internal specification means, or even do. The truth is, when a salesperson says that a computer has “a quad-core 3.6GHz”, it does not mean anything to them. Is it fast? What does it mean to? Will it get on the Internet and check emails? These questions are common for most customers when they look for a new computer. Think about it: a computer is a 4 to 6 years investment. Keep these tips below in mind before you make a new computer purchase.
1. Know what you are looking for.
Before going to the store, you must have a strong decision in your mind about what kind of computer that you really need. What kind of programs or applications do you run? What do you spend most of your time on the computer doing? Are there any specific tasks or programs that need to be compatible with the newest model of computer? You should write down the answer of these question. It will make the search of your dream-computer a lot easier.
2. Be adventurous.
Shop around. Most customers have immediate tendency to buy something without conducting any further research. This is understandable if they can afford the price of the computer. It is just easier for you to hit right into the deal, but it is really a wise purchase if you make a price comparison from one shop to another. Online shops often offer a cheaper price. However, make sure that the owner has a good reputation in online shopping. Consider the shipping cost when you calculate the overall price.
3. Ask questions when shopping for a new PC.
It sounds obvious, but many of customers fail to meet this criteria. Ask the salesperson, “What does this do? What is this for? What does this mean?”. You are making such a hefty expense to buy the computer, and you should feel satisfied with that. Since you are considering the purchase of a new computer, why not get a ‘free’ computer basic questionnaire answered too?
4. Make more RAM (Random Access Memory) as your main priority with any PC.
CPU speed and hard drive space are usually OK. Memory is what’s often skimpy on a new machine. All too often what is perceived by users as their computer being too slow is actually not the CPU speed, but the amount of memory. When a computer has too little memory, it just starts using part of its hard drive space as a poor form of additional memory (known as swap space or virtual memory). It is clunky – slow way for a computer to run, but it at least keeps things going. Much better is to give a computer a RAM it needs. 2GB is a minimum requirement if you want to run any of the latest operating systems with all their features.
5. Do not get hung up on parts.
Computers are largely made from the same components. Rather, shop for a brand that will have a good customer support. Computers are often considered as commodity products, since they use the same parts with different case and brand name as their cover. Businesses have known this for years and buy whatever brand gives them the best price when they deploy thousands of machines around. So buy like a pro and don’t get hung up on some concept that a certain brand of PC is necessarily faster or better built than another. Instead, you might want to ask friends and other online users what kind of product support experience they have had with a given brand of computer. That’s where PC brands can differ rather substantially. Check the warranty, support section of the website, and even call their toll free support number with a test question to see what the people are like on the other end.