Factors to consider when buying a computer

Should I Buy a Laptop or Desktop PC?
These days, nearly every office in Kenya has at least one computer for
use for business, school, or casual browsing. When a new computer is purchased,
 the buyer has a choice of a laptop or desktop,, each with pros and cons.
 In order to determine the correct type of computer for one’s needs,
 the future computer owner needs to examine usage and environmental
 factors which will allow for a clearer decision to be made.
 This guide examines factors to consider such as the amount of money one
 is able to spend and the activity that the computer will be used for in addition to how to buy a new or previously owned computer with confidence.


 Buying a new laptop or desktop PC can be quite confusing. Many people find it difficult to compare prices, features, processor types,etc to find the right choice in accordance with their requirements. In this post we will tell you the top 10 things to consider before buying a PC.


1.  Usability

It is important that you first consider the tasks that you will be performing on your PC. If you wish to buy a computer for simply browsing the internet and using some online services than it might be better to buy a single core computer which satisfies your minimum requirements. On the contrary if you require using it for heavy video editing and professional work, then it might be better to buy a system that has enhanced multimedia options.

Computer
2. Price

This brings us to our next consideration of price. There might be some very fancy features that you want in your new PC. However, if you don’t have the cash to pay for lets say a graphic card with 1GB memory, than you might be better off choosing suitable alternatives.

money
3. Operating System Type.

Users with minimum requirements may be better off buying a Windows Starter or Home Premium version e.g. of Windows 7. For users who wish to take advantage of more enhanced features and require more effective tools such as connecting their PC to a domain are naturally better off buying a Professional or Ultimate Edition. Having said that the cost of a Windows 7 Ultimate Edition can be as much as 219$.

OS Editions
4. Size

Some people prefer buying larger laptops for a better display screen, whereas other prefer smaller and more portable sizes. If you are setting up a server which will be placed in a server room then size considerations will not mater much as large servers with multiple SCSI drives are normally quite big. Whereas, for people with weak eye sights a laptop with a larger display screen might be worth the price.

Size
5. Peripherals

Peripheral devices such as printers,scanners,etc can significantly increase or reduce your price for buying a new PC. It might be better off buying a system with a DVD combo drive if you do not require writing data to DVDs.
Peripherals
6. Brand

Some brands offer better warrantees, whereas others offer software packages that come with the system. For example, a Dell laptop with the same specifications may be cheaper than a Sony Vio. The reason is that Sony provides many of its own softwares with their laptops which saves the users cost for buying software, e.g. a DVD burning. However, if you already have many such licensed or freeware software available, then it might be better to go for a cheaper brands. Acer for instance is known for its low cost laptops that provide more enhanced spcs like hard disk space and RAM as compared to its competitors.

7. Hard Disk

Hard Disk considerations might not mean much to a lay user, nonetheless, having the right amount of disk space and disk type might be the necessary for the efficient management of regular tasks for a professional. A common user may merely have to decide between buying a 120GB or 320 GB hard disk system. An IT professional on the contrary might have to decide between a SCSI or a Sata drive. As a scuzzy or SCSI(Small Computer System Interface) drive might be required for Raid configurations.


8. RAM

It is obvious that for more professional tasks and to run a Xeon Server there will be more RAM required than for merely using a PC for browsing the internet. Moreover, the RAM type may matter more than many people might consider. For example, there are not many applications currently available that can take advantage of DDR3 RAM types, one may be better of saving some dimes by buying a system with a DDR2 RAM.
e.g. kingston_2GB_900MHz_DDR2_RAM_memory-765868
9. Processor

The Processor is one of the most important parts of a system and can mean the difference between a system that frequently hangs and the one that runs smoothly. Some people might think that going for the low cost single core or Dual Core processors is a good idea but I would not recommend either of them for anyone who requires using a system for more than basic usage. Moreover, one might be better off buying a Corei3 system instead of a Core2Duo as the later might be more expensive and less efficient than the former. A Corei3 can cost up to 113$ whereas, a Core2Duo can cost 130$. For more demanding professionals, it might be better idea to buy a corei5 (if not a Core i7), as the core i5 uses Turbo Boost technology other than Hyper Threading.

e.g 2010-Intel-Core-Processor-Family 
10. Warranty

Warranty makes up the most important consideration for people when buying a system. Having one covered with the right kind of hardware warrantee is essential and should be unconditional. I still remember when Sony had to recall several Laptops due to a battery fault because of which their Laptops caught fire. I’m sure none of us would like to have a Laptop that we can fry omelets on without the guarantee of replacement.



Buying a Laptop or Desktop Computer with Confidence
There are many places where a computer shopper is able to find both desktop and laptop PCs for
sale including electronics warehouse stores, pawn shops, classified ads, and online at auctions sites such as eBay..

All of these retailers will have the type of computer the
shopper is looking for and will likely have many brands and styles
from which to choose. When purchasing items at a brick and mortar location,
there are limitations, however. The purchaser is limited to buying what
that particular retailer has in stock at that particular time and there
may not be the proper brand or hard drive size one is interested in purchasing in stock.
 In the interest of having a wider variety of items from which to choose, many computer
 shoppers turn to online shopping through retailers such as eBay.


Buying a Laptop or Desktop PC on eBay
eBay is a global marketplace and many sellers list both new and used desktops and laptops in auctions every day. At any given time, there are hundreds of computers from popular brands including Dell,, Asus,, ACER,, and Toshiba,, for example, offered up to the highest bidder. Because there are so many sellers and buyers competing for the winning bid, eBay is a great place to find a good deal.

To find a laptop or desktop PC, you can search for a particular model or brand using the search box at the top of any
eBay page. For example, if you are looking for a desktop PC from Dell, simply type in "Dell desktop&" and you
 will be presented with all the available listings for Dell desktop computers. From there you can browse the results
 to find the exact machine you are looking for. If you don’t know exactly what you are looking for, you can browse the
 Computers, Tablets and Networking section to see what is available.


Conclusion
A computer is an investment and purchasing the correct type of computer to suit one’s lifestyle and budget is of the utmost
 importance. By considering factors such as the amount of money one is able to spend, how the computer will be used, and how
 the computer will be connected to the Internet, a laptop and desktop PC shopper will be able to choose the best computer for his or her needs.