Top 10 Tips for Buying a New Home Computer

I just bought a new home computer six months ago, and although it's not yet obsolete there are plenty of higher-powered options available now in the same price range. Keeping up with the changes in the computer market can be difficult, particularly if you aren't familiar with all the techno-jargon used to evaluate options.

I understand RAM and hard drive space, and I'm even beginning to pick up the differences between types of graphics cards. Beyond that, I'm usually just looking for a computer that will allow me to maintain my freelance writing business as efficiently as possible. When buying a new home computer, I've discovered, it's essential to know how it will be used in day-to-day life.

1- Determine Your Preferred OS

The operating system you prefer is the first decision in buying a new home computer. Are you partial to Apple products? In this case, a Mac with OS X might be the best choice. If, however, you're more comfortable with Windows, you'll want to look at PCs.

2- Narrow By Brand

Some people harbor fierce loyalty (or, conversely, animosity) for certain brands of computers. If you know you only buy electronics made by a specific manufacturer, for example, that will help you narrow your options considerably.

But don't tie your hands by assuming you won't like an untried manufacturer. Avoid those brands with which you've had bad experiences in the past, but allow yourself to explore new options. Talk to friends, family members, and colleagues to seek out recommendations.

3- Make a List of Computer-Related Activities

What jobs do you need your new home computer to perform? Surfing the Internet? Checking e-mail? Playing games? Storing and editing photographs? Knowing what activities you will pursue on the machine will help you select the appropriate one.

If you like to play computer games, for example, and you're buying a PC, it's helpful to know the Windows Experience Index required for your games. The index rates computers on a scale from 1.0 to 7.9, with 7.9 being the highest rated performance. If your favorite computer game requires a machine with a base score of 4.5, and your computer is a 3.5, the game might run too slow or display graphics improperly.

4- Consider Storage Requirements

Those who download lots of programs or store a high volume of documents, photographs, videos, or other media on their computers will need significant hard drive space. You can now find computers with hard drives in excess of one terabyte, which is more than the average user needs.

Remember as well that you can use external hard drives, thumb drives, and other data storage solutions in lieu of hard drive space. This is actually considered safer because if your hard drive crashes, you won't lose all your data.

5- Load Up on Memory

This is the one area where I'm not willing to compromise. A large amount of random-access memory (RAM) allows your computer to run multiple programs at once without trouble, and will speed up day-to-day operations. In buying a new home computer six months ago, I doubled the amount of memory from the last computer I purchased (to 8 GB), and the difference is astounding.

6- Evaluate Accessibility

A particularly helpful salesman at my local computer store introduced me to this concept, and it's one I never considered before. He suggested I base at least a portion of my buying decision on the accessibility of the machine. Is the case easy to open (go with tool-less)? Are the USB ports easy to reach? Are the ports and cables color-coded for accuracy and ease-of-use?

7- Look at Graphics

Nobody in my family plays computer games, so we don't worry much about the graphics card. However, if you enjoy playing games, manipulating images, or editing video, a high-level graphics card is essential. You might also want to consider buying a new home computer with an extra graphics-card slot so you can upgrade down the road.

8- Checking the Warranty

When buying a new home computer, you will almost always receive a one-year manufacturer's warranty, which means that if something goes wrong in the first year of ownership, you can send it back and have it repaired or replaced. I've never purchased an extended warranty (which can cost in excess of $200) because if something goes wrong after that year is up, I'll either replace or repair it based on which is least expensive.

Find out whether other people you know have had good experience with tech support in different brands of computers. Knowing this in advance will save a lot of headaches should something go wrong after you take your new computer home.

9- Other Equipment

You might purchase a monitor, keyboard, mouse, set of speakers, and other equipment at the same time you buy a new home computer. If this is the case, look for package or bundle deals that come with everything, which might save you money over purchasing everything separately.

Keep in mind, however, that buying a bundle gives you less control over your new home computer. You won't be able to select the size of the monitor, for example, or the quality of the speakers. If you prefer to have more say over the equipment you use, buying separately might be best.

10- Desktops vs. Laptops

My brother-in-law has done away with desktop computers altogether and works exclusively on his laptop. I, on the other hand, prefer to work at my desk with my keyboard on the pull-out tray, so I only use my laptop for working on-the-go.

If you're thinking about making the switch from desktop to laptop, ask to borrow a friend or relative's laptop for a couple days. See if you like working on that type of machine before you spend several hundred dollars and buy one. It's a completely different experience.