5 tips to buying a new computer

Buying a new computer can be a tricky task. There are so many options out there. How do you know if you're getting the most for your money? Luckily there are some easy to follow steps to getting the most for your buck. You can easily get a good computer for under $500 if you know what to look for. Below are some useful tips to getting the most for your money.

Memory requirements
The rule of thumb is to not get anything less than 3gigs of memory. The more memory the better until you hit the 8gig mark. After that it can still be important, but only if you use your computer for playing the latest games or using it for graphic design or studio work. Memory allows you to run more programs at once and as computer technology progresses more processes run in the background, so more memory is always good to have. Remember memory is not the same as hard drive space, which is where your files and programs or stored. Memory is a temporary space for programs to execute and all programs must go to memory before the CPU can process it.

Hard Drive Space
Hard drive space is where your data is stored and this is typically called the C drive for Windows based machines. This is where your documents, music, photos and programs get stored. Having at least 500GB is good. More is better, but it all depends on how much stuff you have. Getting a larger hard drives later is easy to do and you can get most 1TB (1000 Gigabytes) hard drives for under $100. The maximum hard drive space you can get in a single drive is 3TB (3000 Gigabytes) but those are a little more expensive.

Processor Requirements
Depending on if you are getting a laptop or desktop this will change a little. If you are getting a laptop I would not go with anything less than a 1.8Ghz CPU and try to get Quad core if possible. Quad core means there are 4 processors in one, so you can do more things at the same time. If you have a desktop computer I wouldn't go with anything less than a 2.8Ghz CPU and try to get a Quad core processor. Intel and AMD are both good brands, so only preference comes into play when choosing those, unless you are a serious gamer.

32-Bit or 64-Bit?
The answer to this question for most people is 64-bit. The reason for choosing 64-bit is that it can handle more memory. The maximum that a 32-bit OS (operating system) can handle is 3.5GB. A 64-Bit OS can handle much more depending on your version. More information about how much memory a system can handle can be found http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx The reason you want to have 64-Bit is if you decide to upgrade memory later and get a little more life out of your computer the 64-Bit version of Windows 7 can let you do that.

Antivirus
Most retail outlets will try to sell you some form of antivirus software to go with your new computer. Don't buy anything until you find out if your Internet Service Provider gives you FREE antivirus software as part of their subscription. There is no sense in purchasing antivirus software if you can get it for FREE from your ISP (internet service provider).

Misc. Tips
Make your own recovery discs. Retail outlet stores will usually try to sell you on getting recovery discs made for around $50. While it's important to have recovery discs you can easily purchase a few DVD's and make the discs yourself. Just do a quick Google search on how to make a recovery disc for your particular brand of computer. Most new computers don't come with discs anymore so it's important to make them.
Protection plans don't mean you get a new PC if yours fails and most of the time getting your PC serviced later is about the same cost as a service plan or could even be cheaper depending on the options of the plan. For example, if you hard drive failed you could get a replacement for $60-$80 and labor for installing it is around $65-$99-$199 depending on where you go.

Contact a local repair shop to see if they can build you a new PC. Depending on the shop you can usually get more bang for your buck by getting a custom built computer. You can also visit my website and contact me to give you a free estimate.
My Website: www.pclinksolutions.com