Tips On Buying A New Computer
A computer these days is almost a necessity for everyone, and an expensive necessity at that. Whether for fun or for work, it is not uncommon to see multiple computers in a household. More and more people are even purchasing laptops for their size and convenience. Purchasing a computer can be tricky and intimidating with all the jargon salesmen might throw out at you when in the store. With such an expensive purchase, you want to be precise and happy with your buying experience.
I had a Gateway laptop going into college and used it all the time for school, work, music, and games. After 5 years though, the computer had it, and was so outdated that it became almost unusable. As a result, I decided it was time to buy a new one.
Four Computer Buying Tips
Here are 4 tips when buying a new computer and the process I used when buying mine.
1. Decide What Kind
This may be the biggest decision and can also affect the costs, depending on if you want a desktop or laptop. If it is going to sit in a permanent location at home and be used by multiple people, a desktop may be your best bet for price and performance. If you want something smaller or something you can travel with, a laptop may be for you. I decided I was done with PC’s and still wanted a laptop so I went for the MacBook Pro. Even though more expensive then a PC, it is more efficient and less virus prone.
2. Save Money
Buying a computer is very expensive and an item you probably will need to save up for in order to purchase. Creating an online savings goal may be the best way for you to keep organized and on track with your savings progress. You can contribute money over time until you reach you goal. BudgetPulse has a new savings goal function that is perfect for this (Disclosure: I am the Marketing Director of the BudgetPulse). You also have the ability to make the goal public and then can contact family and friends who could directly contribute money helping you out through Paypal or Amazon.
I bought my computer before online saving goal tools were around, so I just created a new money market account and contributed monthly, even though it was a pain. It took me about 9 months to save.
3. Research
While you are saving, you should be doing your research. Go into stores and ask as many questions as possible. Find out the difference between computers and which parts and hardware are most important for how you are going to use the computer. Research online as well. You may be able to find electronic and computer sites that sell the computer for less. Over time, the prices may drop as you are continuing to save making the purchase a little bit less expensive.
4. Discounts and Rebates
Look for discounts and rebates whenever possible. This really can help you save some money or get additional items for nothing. Student, teachers, and those in the military usually have the best chance at getting discounts on computers. Take advantage of it if you meet the requirements.
When I bought my MacBook Pro, I was able to use my mom’s teacher’s discount and saved $250, which I put towards the 3-year extended warranty. So basically I got the warranty for free (something I would have purchased regardless). They also have rebates for a free printer and iTouch. Not only did I save money but got free items as well.
What are your recent computer buying experiences?
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Laptop, savings goal, best bet, rebate, purchasing a computer, Computer, gateway laptop, discountRecommended articles
All posts by Craig Kessler (Staff Writer)
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That is a good article, so thank you! One of the most often overlooked things you mentioned, that is look for discounts and rebates before you get to the store!
John DeFlumeri Jr
@John Thank you, hope it helps readers out. It’s a big decision to buy a new computer and a costly one. Always utilize any discounts or savings you can to help out.
people should be realistic on the type of machine that they are going to buy that suites their needs. It makes no sense for a person who uses computers for light browsing and a little typing to buy a computer with 10gb ram and a terabyte of harddrive space and so many features that you will need a year to go through(like most computers these days). I did this(somewhat) and the machine i got serves me perfectly. It is not the fastest or prettiest but i have never even once complained. realism will save you lots of money
@kenyantykoon I agree, buy the computer that fits your needs. I have spoken with people who would rather buy a new $400 computer every year and a half than an expensive new one for over $2000 because of all the improvements that constantly come out and they only need the basics. All depends on what you are looking for.
@Craig Kessler(Staff Writer) i think that i will keep mine for as long as i can since there are a myriad of features that i have not maximised like i have a free one gig ram slot that i can use and a lot of free hard drive space. But this is not to say that if someone, out of the goodness of their heart, was to buy me a 2009 macbook pro i would refuse it. Far from it.
@Kenyantykoon Those are pretty cool features to have. And yes, if someone offers it up, take it for all its worth.
All the comments pretty much sums up all that needs to be done so you can save the most when buying a new computer. Being a technical support rep before, I would strongly advise anyone to first search for any user reviews of the brand and model that you are planning to purchase. Most, if not all, have known issues that manufacturers understandably are not informing the general public so if you kinda get the feeling that most people are complaining about the same thing on a particular brand/model, then it’s time to look at another.
@Andrew Great tip, user reviews always help and most will give you what you want to hear and are usually users who have the computer for similar reasons. There are even more in depth review sites as well, all helpful. Bottom line a computer like any big purchase should have been well researched.
Timely topic. I use my 5 year old MBA student ID for the 10% apple student discount always!
The new Macbook looks good, and is $200 cheaper than the MacBook Pro, so don’t get it. Wait for 1 month, and I’m sure there will be a new Macbook Pro out with better features.
@Financial Samurai Discounts are huge, make the MBA discount last for as long as you can. The computers are very similar, I don’t have any real reason why I went for the more expensive MacBook Pro, but the MacBook itself is a great computer and those who have it really enjoy it.