Tuesday, December 23, 2008

New PC Buying Guide

Daily people ask for help with buying a new PC. So let me give you some practical tips. I know times are tough for many people right now so I'll keep that in mind.

1) Determine your budget first and stick to it. The bare minimum new PC costs $500. That does not include any bells and whistles. And does not include a monitor or printer.

2) Look at what you already have that you don't need to replace. Many people are happy with (or can live with) their current monitor and printer. If you are, then stick to this before you go to the store. Don't make the emotional purchase if you don't have the cash.

3) What do you want to do with this PC that you don't do now? Make videos? Play games? Photo Shop? If so, then you'll be paying more money. But you'll be thrilled with the results.

I suggest you go to Best Buy or Frys to make your purchase. I've not been a fan of Circuit City for 16 years or so. Best Buy has helpful people on the floor to help you with your purchase. And of course if you want our help you can always call us at 817 605 1819.

If you only plan to browse the web, do email, edit spreadsheets, and letters, then spend between $500 and $800 on a new HP, Gateway or Dell. These are quality machines that will last you for many years and offer great support. DO NOT buy Acer or other "off" brands. You'll be so sorry. They use cheaper parts and they tend to break down more.

If you fall into category 3 then really what you buy is only limited by your budget. You can't load up on enough RAM and disk space. Yes you'll need a DVD R/W (read/write). Most systems come with this anyway. But spend your extra money on RAM, hard drive space and CPU. If you need more precise specs email me and I'll be glad to help.

Also, do spend the extra $150 or so on MS Office. That's the industry standard Word and Excel (word processor and spreadsheet.)

I sincerely hope you have a very blessed and merry Christmas. Be thankful for the blessings you do have.

In Christ,
Matt Porter
Christian Geeks
(817) 605-1819
http://www.christiangeeks.com


These are all things you need to consider.