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Computer or PC Tips Information5 Sure-Fire Tips for Purchase
a New Computer
by:
John Lenaghan
So you're thinking of purchase
a new computer...
Where do you start? There are so many a brands and models of computers available, and it can all be a little overwhelming once
you start to look around.
How do you decide what type of computer you need? And maybe more importantly, how do you decide what the better value is?
I have sold-out
computers professionally for all but 20 years, and there are certain "tricks of the trade" that most computer stores and salespeople use. Knowing these private secrets can do your decision easier and wish help you buy the right computer for your needs.
1. Buy What You Need, Mayhap a Little Much
One of the most important things you can do once
purchase
a new computer is do a list of the things that you wish be mistreatment it for. There are so many a several models - with several capabilities - that you can easily buy more, or less, than you actually need if you don't.
If this is your 1st computer, this can be a little tougher. Until you've used a computer, it's hard to cognize exactly what you power want to do with it on the far side
the obvious, like connecting to the internet.
Regardless, you should think simply about several of the things you power want to do. Several possibilities include:
- Connect to the cyberspace
- Play games
- Digital photography
- Digital video
- Type documents
- Accounting
- Design websites
- Programming
- Digital scrapbooking
- Geneology
Some of these things need more power than others. For example, connecting to the cyberspace actually doesn't need a lot of power. Even as the most basic computer accessible wish probably activity simply fine.
Digital video and many a games need a lot more power. If you don't get a fast enough computer with enough memory, you'll be discomfited with the performance.
Knowing what you're going to be mistreatment your computer for wish help your salesperson, whether they're on the phone, the cyberspace or standing in front of you, recommend the better system for your needs.
As a general rule you're always better off purchase
more power than you need rather than less, but purchase
too more can be a waste of money.
2. Assurance Considerations
Computer warranties are one of the most confusing and obscure parts of your purchase. Most manufacturers have cut back on their consumer
service to the point wherever
poor service has become a given.
The three most common options are onsite, carry-in or manufacturer's depot service.
Onsite service can be helpful, but think simply about whether you want to have to be accessible for a technician to move and diagnose your computer, and possibly have to move back with parts at another time.
Carry in service is a nice option, but find out whether the service center is industrial plant authorized for assurance repairs, as well as whether the technicians are all certified.
Shipping your computer to a industrial plant service center can take a long time - sometimes a number of weeks. It as well creates risk that your computer wish be damaged or even as lost in shipping. In several cases, the manufacturer wish even as replace your computer with another unit and ship it back to you, rather than repairing it. This can result in your losing any information that was on your system and having to reload all your software.
Another aspect of the assurance to find out simply about is technical support. Find out if the computer manufacturer offers a toll-free phone number and what the quality of service is like.
The better computer salespeople wish be honest simply about this and tell you if a company's service leaves thing
to be desired. You can as well do several research on the cyberspace - most of the computer magazines like PC Magazine and PC Earth have annual consumer
service comparisons that rate the larger computer companies.
Always find out how the assurance is handled before fashioning your decision. Even as if it doesn't influence your choice, knowing what to expect if thing
makes go wrong wish save several nasty surprises down the road.
3. Can You Discuss the Cost Down?
A computer is a comparatively
large investment - anyplace
from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Many a computer buyers expect that there is a significant figure of "wiggle room" on the price.
The reality is that most computer hardware - the physical pieces like the computer, monitor and printer - is sold-out
at really low profit margins. Often, computer systems are even as sold-out
at or below the dealer cost. Once
you're purchase
a computer, it ne'er
hurts to ask for a better deal, but don't be astonied if you only get a few dollars off, if anything.
Over the close to 20 years I've sold-out
computers, I watched the profit margins go from over 40% to less than 5%. It's all but embarassing to offer a $20 discount on a $2500 computer system, but that could mean the difference between fashioning and losing money on the sale.
What you can do to get the better cost is to do several comparison shopping. Most computer stores offer price-matching guarantees, so if you find your computer for less at another store, most dealers wish match or beat that price, even as if it means they lose money.
4. How Do Computer Stores Do Any Money?
You power be curious how these computer stores do any money if they're commerce computer for so little profit.
Their money is ready-made on add-on items. The highest profit areas in most computer stores are cables and "consumable" products such as printer ink and paper.
Printer ink is a brobdingnagian money-maker for most computer stores (even more so for the printer manufacturers). Why is this? Once you've bought a printer, you're going to have to replace your ink at several point, and continue to replace it as it runs out.
Most chain computer stores and office supply stores that carry a large selection of ink cartridges do more from ink than they do from the computers themselves.
Cables as well have brobdingnagian markups. A cable that cost the store $2-3 wish often sell for $20-30. That's ten times their cost!
If you're purchase
a new computer, you wish likely need to buy several cables. Several items - printers, for example - don't often include the cables necessary to hook them up.
Many printers as well move with "starter" ink cartridges that are only half-full. You power as well want to pick up several extra ink cartridges.
This is wherever
you should be able to discuss a better price. Don't expect the employee
to throw them in for nothing, but they should be willing to offer you a better price. After all, if you're happy with their service, you'll probably continue to buy your ink, paper and different products from that store in the future.
5. What Code is Included?
The last private secret of purchase
a new computer has to do with the code that is included. Most new computer systems include quite a few programs and sometimes the value of the code can be quite high.
Something to watch out for once
looking at the enclosed
code is "trial versions" or "limited editions".
Many programs that are preloaded are either game versions that don't have all the features of the full program, or trial versions that wish only run for a certain figure of time before they expire.
Computer are often sold-out
with trial versions of the following types of software:
- antivirus
- firewall
- MS Office or different office suites
- Accounting - several business and personal
The computer manufacturers generally don't do it easy to tell whether the code on their systems are trial versions or limited versions. This is a question that you should specifically ask if you can't find the answer in their promotional information.
If you're purchase
a new computer with trial versions of the software, keep in mind that you wish need to pay to continue mistreatment it after the trial period is over. This is an additional cost that you need to consider as part of your overall budget.
These five "secrets" of purchase
a new computer are fairly common sense, but they are not always ready-made clean up front. Knowing what to ask wish help you in two ways. First, you can be sure you are deed the right computer for your needs.
Second, if the employee
or institution that you're dealing with explains these things to you without being asked, you'll cognize you're dealing with being who is honest and upfront.
Knowing you can trust the folk you're dealing with is an valuable
feature of your new computer system.
Just simply about the author:
John Lenaghan offers easy-to-understand proposal
at the Computer Help Squad website. Sign up for our account and obtain your free report "5 Critical Steps to Protective
Your Computer on the Internet" at http://www.computer-help-squad.com/5steps
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