How to Buy a Budget Computer

You will learn in this article how to buy a computer on a budget; perfect for the current recession. To buy a computer on a budget, you must be patient and willing to do research.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience
• Money
• Budget

1. The most important step here is to decide if you really need a new computer in the first place. First, think about how you use your current computer; if you're using it to send e-mail, surf the web, and listen to music, then you don't need much computing power. On the other hand, if you're a gamer or you run other computationally heavy programs, a new computer may be right for you.
   
   Keep an important economic principle in mind here: If you currently have a functional computer, then don't picture the good you're buying as a new computer, picture it as an IMPROVEMENT towards your existing computer. For example, say you find a decent computer for $600 or so; certainly that's a good price for a computer, but if your current computer works just fine, it's not worth the $600 in improvements.
   
   If you decide that a new computer is really worth it, even during the current economic recession, here are a few ideas to get you started.

2. Make a list of how you currently use your computer; what kinds of programs you run, if you listen to music, and so on. From that list, it is easy to identify computational needs. Because you're shopping on a budget, you should buy the computer with only the necessary components. For example, if the only game you play is Solitaire, then you don't need the newest nVidia or ATI graphics chip.

3. There are three basic options here: desktops, laptops, and netbooks.
   
   If you want a lot of computing power at home and you don't really care about portability, buy a desktop; they offer more computing power for the money than laptops do.
   
   If you want a lot of computing power but you're always on the move, either in class or in meetings, then a laptop is for you. Consider many specifications: a large screen size may sound good, but it also uses up a lot more power than a smaller screen.
   
   If you primarily use your computer for things like e-mail and web surfing, then a netbook is probably going to be the best value for you. Furthermore, it's easily portable, and doesn't use as much power as a desktop.

4. If you're going to buy a desktop, then consider building it; you will save a lot of money and earn valuable technological knowledge by examining the intricate components of the computer. It can take you a full day, however, so keep that in mind.

5. Many websites offer free or discounted computers in exchange for participation in surveys or other marketing offers. This can be a good way to obtain a budget computer.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're a college student, the college you're attending will often have special deals with computer manufacturers.
• If you're a high-school senior, don't get a computer until right before college. Moore's Law states that computing power will double approximately every 18 months, and the longer you wait, the more powerful your computer will be.
• Watch out for included software bundles. As a general rule, if a company includes software with the computer, there is probably a more effective free version out there somewhere.
• Consider warranties; if you have a desktop that is always going to be in one place, you likely don't need these; on the other hand, if you're a college student and many people are moving into and out of your room, it may be a good idea.

[norblits]

on 10/25/2009 Very good primer! Thanks for sharing