How to Buy a Computer

One of our most frequently asked questions is, “what should I look for in a new computer?” The answer depends largely on what you plan to do with your computer, how tech-savvy you are, and how much money you want to spend. Of these, the purchase price is the most obvious obstacle to computer bliss.

But price alone does not tell the whole story. We recognize that customers want value, which means quality, reliable products at a reasonable price. The reality is that computers are now a commodity product, and you can buy your computer from hundreds of retailers – over the Internet or from your local electronics store – but not every company cares enough about you as a person to help you choose an appropriate machine. At Cheap Computer .com we appreciate your business and want you to make an educated purchase decision, and then we stand behind our custom-built machines (and ancillary products).

We offer a number of machines configured to our most popular specifications, and we’ll be happy to help you choose the right machine – just call our toll-free phone number – or use our system configurator to build a system to your exacting specifications. We build every machine using quality parts and then submit the computer to a grueling test that ensures years of stress-free computing.

It’s easy to get carried away while shopping for your computer. There are plenty of upgrades, but depending on your needs, these may be unnecessary expenses. Is your computer intended for light home use, like word processing and web browsing? Or will it use graphics-intense programs like the latest video games? Or maybe you need an office machine with plenty of disk space to backup your important files?

Following is an explanation of major computer parts that can impact the performance and cost of your machine.

Processors: It’s About Speed

The processor is what makes your computer tick. Today’s most popular PC processor manufacturers are AMD and Intel (which markets the well-known Pentium line). The processor is usually rated in terms of MHz or GHz, with a higher number indicating faster operating performance. The faster the processor, the faster your computer can perform operations like opening and running software programs.

If your computer will be used primarily for word processing or general web surfing, you don’t need the world’s fastest processor. Intel’s Celeron and AMD’s Duron processors are inexpensive and appropriate options for this type of computing. Leading edge processors – Intel launched its Pentium IV 3.06 processor in November 2002 – come with a stiff price point that can price you out of the market, but manufacturers know that some people just have to have the all the bells and whistles and they charge accordingly.

However, if you need to run heavy graphics, 3D-intense games, or want to make your own DVD movies, you should consider a faster processor. As of this writing the sweet spot for processors is 2.4 GHz, meaning that price vs. performance maxes out at that level. Make sure you buy components that are compatible. Most software manufacturers publish minimum and recommended component levels so be sure to meet those standards for optimal performance.

Hard Drives: How Much Is Enough?

The hard drive is where you store your files but keep in mind that bigger is not always better. Most drives are measured in Gigabytes, although larger servers may extend this to terabytes. The hard drive is typically the slowest component in your system, and most users will never use more than 20 G of disk space, so why pay for a huge, clunky disk? Speed up your system by purchasing a 7200 RPM drive with ATA133 specification.

Of course, if you’re a space hog – serious gamers, engineers with CAD, graphic designers, MP3 downloaders – you should consider a larger drive.

Memory: Don’t Skimp

There are several different kinds of memory on the market today and which one you buy will depend on what kind of motherboard and processor you have, or whether you use a desktop or notebook computer. The techie term is RAM, which stands for Random Access Memory, and it is measured in M, which stands for Megabytes (except for large servers… they use gigabytes).

Without question, memory is the cheapest component you can add to your system, and more is always better, so spending a little bit on memory today can really pay dividends down the road. Exactly how much you need depends on what programs you will run, but 256M seems to be the norm (our minimum specification is 128 – the newest software, like Microsoft Windows XP, requires at least this much to function correctly).

If your primary computing is word processing and web surfing, 256M is sufficient. If you use your computer for digital imaging, multimedia, 3D graphics and the like, we recommend you upgrade to at least 512M, which doesn’t cost much more but provides plenty of scratch disk space for running these compute-intensive programs. Unless you’re running AutoCAD you probably will not need more than 512M memory in the foreseeable future.

What to Buy

AMD or Intel Celeron Systems: For basic, everyday tasks, a Celeron-equipped system will supply all the processing power you need. This is ideal for light gaming or light graphic arts such as saving images for the web.

Intel Pentium 4 and Xeon Systems: These are great for all tasks, including gaming, graphics, and any complex or memory intensive programs. Just keep in mind that the more complex programs you plan on using, the better components you will want to add. An example is a good video card with 64mb ram if you want clean gaming and graphics.

We hope all this information helps you make a decision on which computer is right for you.

About Cheap Computer .com

Cheap Computer .com works hard to build the best computer systems your money can buy. Each computer is hand assembled and configured. We install your operating system and software on your system individually. Doing it this way enables us to watch the configuration process. We also do a continuous 24-hour burn-in which puts your new system through the gauntlet, enabling us to solve any problems before we ship your unit to you. Each system goes through an extensive config checklist to ensure a quality setup.

We burn-in, run and test your system for a continuous 24 hours before shipping. We firmly believe that problems cost more than doing it right the first time.

Cheap Computer .com is always on the lookout for new technology. We monitor industry changes and implement them only after they have been reviewed and accepted by our experienced technicians. Many manufacturers don’t adequately test their “bleeding edge” technologies, which results in computer conflicts and errors that can make your computing life miserable. We recommend waiting a few months on the latest stuff rather than be the guinea pig for the newest operating system or processor. We always test on our own systems before we offer them to you!

We stand behind our equipment, and give you a one year warranty on all components. If you prefer continued peace of mind, ask about our optional extended warranty that covers your purchase up to three years.

All of this is what makes us different from all the rest. If all of these features are important to you, give us an opportunity to gain your business. We know you will be happy you did!

About Competitors

You might be surprised at what we uncover during routine reviews of our competitors’ pricing strategies:

*Some retailers feature systems with CPUs and motherboards that were not designed for each other

*Other sites do not provide the original installation software used on their systems, which means you do not have a way to get back up and running easily in the event of a hard drive failure or other catastrophe

*Competitors sometimes use refurbished or used components… legally the seller must notify you in writing if any parts have been repaired or refurbished

We may be cheap but we don’t cut corners. When the time comes we would like you to consider us for your next system so we only use mainstream equipment that is supported by other major manufacturers. Every component is tested for compatibility before it is installed in your computer, resulting in a reliable, error-free system that can provide you years of happy computing.

Thanks for choosing Cheap Computer .com!