BN2012

December is fast approaching and the shopping spree season is soon to start. You might not want to be left out with those people who’s not planning to reward themselves for a year’s worth of hard work and you’re probably eyeing on that new laptop that is being displayed on your favorite computer store.  Here are  four sure tips for you to get the most of what you’re paying for when buying a new computer.

1. Buy a little more than what you need.

One of the most important things you can do when buying a new computer is make a list of the things that you will be using it for. There are so many different models – with different capabilities – that you can easily buy more, or less, than you really need if you don’t.

If this is your first computer, this can be a little tougher. Until you’ve used a computer, it’s hard to know exactly what you might want to do with it beyond the obvious, like connecting to the internet.

Regardless, you should think about some of the things you might want to do. Some possibilities include:

- Connecting to the internet
- Playing computer games
- Digital photography editing
- Digital video editing
- Produce and edit documents
- Accounting
- Designing websites
- Programming
- Digital scrapbooking
- Geneology preserving

Some of these things need more power than others. For example, connecting to the Internet really doesn’t need a lot of power. Even the most basic computer available will probably work just fine. On the other hand, digital video editing and playing 3D games requires a lot more CPU and memory power. If you don’t get a fast computer with enough RAM and graphics card memory, you’ll probably be disappointed.

Remember to always look at the upgrade potential of the unit your desiring to buy. Know what is the maximum upgrade that you can do with its processor, RAM memory, hard disk, and graphics card as these four are usually the most affected parts when deciding to upgrade. Also remember that for every 2 to 3 years, there’s usually a new version of the Operating System that you will use which will definitely more resource hungry with your hardware than what you are presently buying. Add to that the yearly upgrades that software companies do with their products and you’ll see the wisdom in preparing for a future upgrade.

2. Consider the warranty options of what you’re getting.

Computer warranties are one of the most confusing and obscure parts of your purchase. Most manufacturers have cut back on their customer service to the point where poor service has become a given.

The three most common options are onsite, carry-in, and manufacturer’s depot service.

Onsite service can be helpful, but think about whether you want to have to be available for a technician to come and diagnose your computer, and possibly have to come back with parts at another time.

Carry in service is a good option, but find out whether the service center is factory authorized for warranty repairs, as well as whether the technicians are all certified.

Shipping your computer to a factory service center can take a long time – sometimes a number of weeks or months. It also creates risk that your computer will be damaged or even lost in shipping. In some cases, the manufacturer will even 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 reinstall all your software.

Another aspect of the warranty to find out about is technical support. Find out if the computer manufacturer offers a toll-free phone number and what the quality of service is like.

Always find out how the warranty is handled before making your decision. Even if it doesn’t influence your choice, knowing what to expect if something does go wrong will save some nasty surprises down the road.

3. Don’t be ashamed to ask for a discount or for freebies.

A computer is a relatively large investment – anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Many computer buyers expect that there is a significant amount of “wiggle room” on the price.

Computer stores usually do give out discounts and freebies for marketing purposes. December (Christmas Sale), along with June (Back to School Sale),  is a good time to watch out for sales and discounts. Freebies to ask for when buying would be one or more of such items like printers, USB storage and devices, computer tables and chairs, and extra RAM memory. Just be a little persuasive in asking for a freebie and you’ll find the vendor happily obliging to your request.

What you can do to get the best price is to do some comparison shopping. Most computer stores offer price-matching guarantees, so if you find your computer for less at another store, most dealers will match or beat that price. even if it means lowering their profit margin.

4. What software are included?

The last angle to consider when buying a new computer has to do with the software that is included. Most new computer systems include quite a few programs and sometimes the value of the software can be quite high.

Be sure to have a copy of all the drivers that your computer will need. They usually come in a motherboard CD provided to you by the manufacturer. If you’re getting a unit with an OEM version of a commercial Operation System such as Windows 7, you should be getting a Recovery CD which is a back up copy of your OS.

Something to watch for when looking at the included software is “trial versions” or “limited editions”. Many programs that are preloaded are either crippled versions that don’t have all the features of the full program, or trial versions that will only run for a certain amount of time before they expire.

Computers are often sold with trial versions of the following types of software:

- antivirus
- firewall
- MS Office or other office suites
- Accounting – both business and personal

The computer manufacturers generally don’t make it easy to tell whether the software 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 buying a new computer with trial versions of the software, keep in mind that you will need to pay to continue using it after the trial period is over. This is an added cost that you need to consider as part of your overall budget. You could just opt to uninstall trial version software if you don’t want to pay for the full version.

These four tips when buying a new computer are fairly common sense, but they are not always made clear up front. Knowing what to ask will help you in two ways. First, you can be sure you are getting the right computer for your needs. Second, if the salesperson or store  you’re dealing with explains these things to you without being asked, you’ll know you’re dealing with someone who is honest and upfront.

And that is more valuable than anything else when buying a new computer.