So you’ve finally decided it’s time for a change.
No matter what advice you follow that old work
horse of a desktop computer you have has outlived
its usefulness with slow loading applications and

a continuous rise in operation noise. Searching for
that Perfect Computer can be about as much fun as
purchasing a new car and about as frustrating also
when sorting through the various brands while trying
to decide which “bells and whistles” best fit your
needs. Besides all that trying to return something
that is so large can be both inconvenient and very
difficult to do. So making the right decision the
FIRST time is the wise path of choice.

For starters you’ll need to decide what you want to
do with your computer. Are you into the video game
scene or are you someone who likes to just surf the
internet and occasionally do some book keeping with
simple word processing software?

If you’re into video games you’re going to want a
machine that can handle the high level of graphics
and superior sound quality. On the other hand if
you’re not into all that high adrenalin stuff
can probably get by with a less expensive system.
Although, if you want to stay on the safe side I
would recommend going with something more “high-end”
so you don’t have to spend another large chunk of
change to upgrade the system you just bought.

There are two basic routes you can take when purchasing
a new computer.

1) Purchase a “Brand Name” Computer
2) Purchase a “Clone” Computer

A “BRAND-NAME” computer is one that is manufactured by
a company that is recognizable by name.

Some Advantages/Disadvantages of “Brand-Name”
computers include:

Advantages-

Customer Support- If you are experiencing problems with
your computer you will have the option to contact a
representative of the company that you purchased the
PC from to get help in solving your problem.

Customer support is probably the best reason to buy a
brand-name computer.

Warranty- Having a warranty is always nice since it
acts as a type of security blanket for you.

In case a part on your computer should fail you should
be able to get the item fixed at no charge just as long
as the warranty has not expired.

Read and understand a company’s warranty policy BEFORE
you purchase a computer from them.

This way you’ll have a good understanding of the procedures
to follow in case a problem should arise.

Pre-installed Software- Many companies will include
software packages that are all set up and ready to go
for you on your computer.

Although, a disadvantage of buying a brand-name computer
with software pre-installed is that you usually end up
with more than fits your needs and usually just results
with the wasting of space on your storage device.

Additional Support- Most brand-name computer companies
are also able to provide you with web sites that may
provide you with current software updates, user manuals,
or basic troubleshooting help.

Disadvantages-

The use of Proprietary parts- the term Proprietary refers
to products that are unique to an individual company and
that company only.

So if a part was to malfunction on your computer after
warranty and you needed to replace it you could not just
go to your local computer store and purchase any old part
even if it was intended for the same function as the item
that failed.

You would be forced to buy the exact same item that came
out of the computer or else the computer would more than
likely cease to function correctly.

Having to buy proprietary parts usually involves the need
to place an order which means you’ll have to wait for the
part to arrive or you’ll have to send your computer into
the company or an authorized dealer of that company for
repairs.

People with a home based business would probably not be
too happy with that situation at all.

Integrated/On-board parts- In the computer world when you
hear the word integrated or on-board it means that a
particular part such as the modem or sound port where you
plug in your speakers, is built-in or part of the computer
main board (Also known as the Motherboard).

This means that if any of these items should fail, you
can’t just remove them from the computer and replace them
with a new part. They are usually soldered directly to
the main board and are stuck there.

Although, some computers do provide a way to disable a
malfunctioning device which will allow you to install your
own store bought device to take the place of the broken part.

>From a computer technicians point of view this is not
always easy to do.

It just depends on what brand of computer you currently have.
Meaning some are easier to work on than others.

A “CLONE” computer is a clone or a copy of its brand-name
counterpart with the exception that instead of company
specific or proprietary parts, the items used to make a
clone computer are from several different companies
instead of only one.

Let’s say that if you were to go to a local company that
builds “clone” computers, and you tell them what you need,
chances are they don’t use parts that are specific to only
that type of computer like the brand-name computer companies do.

This is a good thing because it means that they will
probably use components that are interchangeable with
many different brands and are easy to come by if needed.

Some Advantages/Disadvantages of “Clone” computers include:

Advantages-

Cost- compared to brand-name computers the clone will
generally be easier on your pocket book when purchasing
one with similar features as its brand-name counterpart.

This is most likely due to the money that is saved by not
offering the high-end customer service. Although, that may
not be the only reason for the lower prices.

Easily Accessible Replacement Parts- Since the clone computer
was built with parts that are not any one company specific,
you can buy parts for the clone computer that can be used
even if the brand is different from the one that was in the
computer when you originally bought it.

Note: Before you buy any parts, it is necessary to make sure
that the replacement parts are compatible with your particular
computers system requirements.

Either consult the manual that should have came with your
computer or get help from a knowledgeable friend or repair
person.

Disadvantages-

Warranties- Unless you purchase a service plan you will
typically not have as an attractive warranty as you would
with a brand-name computer company.

Whatever you do just make sure you understand how long the
warranty is for and as to what kind of repairs the warranty
covers before you make the purchase.

Customer Support- With brand-name computer companies you are
usually provided with a 24-hour toll free number that you
can call if you have questions or concerns with your computer.

Clone computers are more than likely not going to have a
24-hour help service, but rather you will be forced to only
be able to call during regular business hours.

Also, it is more than likely that there will not be any one
website that you can go to in order to find out information
concerning troubleshooting questions you may have.

For service it may be necessary to take the computer back to
the store that you bought it at or you may have to do some
research on the individual parts that went into the computer
and visit the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting tips.

Finally, if all else fails you can certainly take what you
have learned from this article and being that you know what
you need now, but don’t know where to go and get that
“Perfect Computer”, the best resource at your disposal are
the very men and woman that work at your local electronics
shop.

It is their duty to help you get hold of that “Perfect Computer”
that best fits your needs. All you need to do is tell them
what you plan on using that computer for and they should be
more than happy to help you from there.

resourcebox: -Feel free to reprint this article on paper or
on your website just as long as the author is given credit
for his work and the resource box and all information held
within is not altered.-
---------------------------------------
Dan Preston is the author of a digital book called “How and
Why to Care for Your Computer”. He is the webmaster of a site
called InfoHeaven Digital Books where you can find useful
Free information and many how-to digital books that cover a
large variety of interesting topics.
http://infoheaven-digital-books.com
(c) Dan Preston - All rights reserved

Dan Preston owns his own online digital bookshop called InfoHeaven Digital Books. He believes that the more a person kbows the better off they are in life. This is why he has decided to help people get those how-to questions of theirs answered by offering such books. He also enjoys troubleshooting and repairing computer problems. As the owner of three computers it is no doubt as to why he has such an interest.