4
Aug
2006
"What brand of desktop/laptop should I buy?"
I get this question quite a bit. You're going to begin seeing a pattern in my standard answer: "Whichever brand you are more comfortable with." One of my co-workers has an
HP notebook and likes it. My brother and sister-in-law recently bought a
Toshiba laptop and they love it. I bought two
Dell desktops about 18 months ago and I love mine and my wife and kids love theirs. I really like my Dell laptop. I have a friend who likes
Gateway computers. I know many people who prefer to build their own. I'd love to have an
Alienware laptop, but I'm having a hard time explaining to my wife why I "need" one.
"Whichever brand you are more comfortable with" is always my first answer. If you've had experience with a specific brand and you've been satisfied with the price, performance, and support then go ahead and do business with that company.
If you have some experience with computers, like upgrading memory, upgrading video cards, and updating drivers, then you might want to try building your own PC. It's not that difficult and it's fun to boot. The upside is that you will have full control of all specs and every piece and part that goes into your PC. You can build the PC that exactly suits your needs without having to compromise on features. The downside (for some people) will be that once you have your PC built, you will be the person responsible for all upgrades and troubleshooting in the future. By the time you finish building it, though, you will have learned so much that you shouldn't have too much trouble troubleshooting your own computer problems in the future. However, if you're just looking for an entry-level or a basic family PC don't take on building one with the hopes of saving a lot of money. The big PC builders buy their components and software in such large quantities that the price you would pay to buy one of theirs is close to the price you would pay to build your own.
I usually advise friends and family against buying computers from the big electronics chain stores (and even the big computer chain stores unless you know what you are doing). My reasoning behind this is that these companies buy computers in large bulk from the manufacturers. They place large orders, have large orders delivered to their warehouses, and move large orders out to their stores. This takes some time to do and by the time you see them on the store's shelves you're looking at older technology than you can buy directly for more money than you should be paying. There are exceptions to this, though. Perhaps you have a credit card from a large electronics chain, you like buying all your electronics from one place, or you prefer to have support close-by where you can talk to someone face-to-face.
Another alternative available is to purchase a computer created to your specs from a local or online computer boutique company. Doing business with local companies is always a good idea. Most of these types of places provide great customer service and can probably support you better than any other option. But be wary - small computer businesses like this spring up all over the place all the time... and can disappear just as quickly. Do your homework - check the Better Business Bureau and ask around to find out others' experience with them. If nothing else, make sure you search Google to some feedback. A couple of years ago, I and many others, tried to take advantage of a deal that seemed too good to be true from a company advertised on one the "Deal of the Day" sites. I placed my order and waited several weeks to hear back from them. What happened? You guessed it - if it seems too good to be true then it probably is. Luckily the company was honest enough to admit that they had gotten in over their heads and didn't charge my credit card.
If all my previous commentary does nothing but draw blank stares I always respond with "Buy a Dell." Why? Because I have had nothing but great experiences with Dell hardware. The purchasing process is easy enough, their website support is great, anytime I've needed help they have come through, I've always thought their prices were good, and I've never had any major problems with any desktop or laptop that I have ordered from them.
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