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Ready to buy a new computer? Congratulations, you won't be disappointed. The basic computer recommendation is:
You should be able to find this configuration on sale for under $800. Don't forget you may need new/updated software and printer in addition to the new computer. Nicely configured with Office Home edition it will cost about $1000. Add a little more for a notebook. Don't go overboard, but don't skimp - a nicely configured computer should last a good 5 years. You may also consider the following upgrades:
This configuration is fine for most users, but not everyone. If you use your computer for web or other graphics design, digital photography, graphics-intensive games, or other large applications you will need to upgrade memory, disk space, sound, and/or video, and consider a 64bit operating system. I suggest a single optical drive that reads and writes CDs and DVDs; if you copy disks you should add a second optical drive. If you find you never have enough space on your screen, consider two monitors! If you are going to access your home network or computer remotely, or connect to a domain, we recommend Windows Vista Business. You may also consider a notebook instead of a tower computer. They save a lot of space, no wires, and are plenty powerful - and portable! The hard disk will likely be smaller, but anything over 160GB is plenty big. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars more than a comparably-equipped tower, and repairing/upgrading is more limited and expensive. There are 3 categories of laptops: General purpose that are medium sized, ultra-portable that are very small and light, and desktop replacements that are larger and more powerful. The tradeoffs are price, power, weight, and screen/keyboard size. Sony also makes a nice-looking "all-in-one" computer where the system is built into the monitor. With a wireless keyboard and mouse, it is very neat - no wires! If you have specific needs, contact us. There are lots of differences between computers with the same "specs." Motherboard chipset, cache, dual-core, bus speed, and memory speed can make a difference depending on what you are doing. Where to buy your new computer? The computer market is competitive. We recommend Dell, Gateway, or a name-brand computer (HP, Sony, etc) from Best Buy or other retailer because they are customer-oriented and stand behind their products. Costco also has good deals, but limited selection. We view the computers as a commodity and are not brand-loyal - it is just a box that runs Windows. Don't forget the work begins AFTER you get the new computer setup. You will need to connect to your network and printer, install all your software and copy your files and settings from the old computer. You can certainly configure and buy a computer yourself, but don't blame us if you don't get what you need or expected. If you want a more personalized service, we offer a simple fixed-fee service to configure a computer that meets your needs, as well as set it up in your home. See "Services" for more information. |
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