| Start by asking yourself what you will mainly use the computer for. For basic business tasks such as internet usage and word processing, you dont need the latest and greatest discount computers. Higher level tasks such as audio and video processing and digital camera photo management will need a more recent chip. Do I need a desktop or a laptop (notebook) discount computer? These days they are technically equal in power but laptops tend to be much more expensive. Many people choose them for aesthetic reasons or because of the obvious portability of the smaller laptop computers and are willing to pay the difference in price to get it. Start With a Budget. You can always find a discount computer that will fit your wallet as well as your needs. Typically, one third of the cost of a discount computer is hardware (which should include the CPU, monitor, network cards and cables), one third of the cost is software, and one third is training and maintenance. Dont forget to budget for extra software and gaming equipment if thats what youre interested in.
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Understand Your Warranty. Statistics show that up to one in four new computers arrive at their destination with something wrong with them. Make sure you have a warranty in writing, so that you wont be responsible for shipping costs back to the manufacturer should something arrive broken or so you can return it to the store with no questions asked. A one year unlimited warranty is the bare minimum and of course longer warranties are always a good sign.
Stop paying for stuff you dont need. Youve all seen the advertisements screaming "Free Printer", "Free Scanner" and "Free Software." Heres a tip - nothing really comes for free. Buying a computer in a package deal like a popular site like Dell or Gateway can seem like a good deal, but if you dont need a complete PC or want to upgrade, you may not be getting quite the deal you think you are. Custom configuration of PCs, laptops, portables, notebooks and hardware isnt as difficult as it once was. Try it out!
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