Choosing your new computer shouldn’t feel like choosing your funeral casket
Your computer is old and tired. The guy behind the EasyTech desk at Staples has told you that your hard drive is toast. Your baby is going off to college and is taking the dear old computer off to whatever fate awaits in the freshman dorm. For whatever reason, it’s time to buy a new one. But which one? You walk up the aisle of shiny new laptops, then down the next aisle of shiny new desktops. They all have tags that say things like:
- Intel® Pentium® Processor G620 (2.6GHz)
- 4GB installed memory
- 750GB hard drive
- SuperMulti DVD Burner
- Integrated audio, 6 speaker configurable with up to 5.1 surround sound capabilities
- Front panel 6-in-1 memory card reader
- Includes USB keyboard and optical mouse
- Dimensions 15.43″(L) x 3.94″(W) x 12.28″(H/D) approx.
- Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
- 1 year warranty
You wonder, what is all this stuff? Which set of options is better? Why does this one cost $399 and the next one costs $799? With so many options, how do you choose which one is right for you? Let’s assume, for the moment that you’re not hung up with the Apple vs. PC dilemma. That’s another consideration unto itself. Let’s assume that you’re like most people for whom picking one out of the line-up at Best Buy or WalMart is a given.
If you’re a geek, or you know you’re going to need exceptional performance from your machine for playing on-line video games, or doing intensive photo processing, or something like that, you already know what the numbers mean and you know which one you need.
But if you feel overwhelmed by all those numbers, all those choices, and at the mercy of the salesperson, stop and take a deep breath.
The answer is amazingly easy, and it’s something the salesperson probably won’t tell you. (And if you tell them you read this, remember it’s their job to tell you I’m full of shit.) The truth about buying a computer is that if you’re reading this blog, any of the machines in those aisles will do what you need it to do, and all of the machines in those aisles will be on closeout within three months. The truth is that if you’re reading this, none of the numbers about GB, CPUs, USBs, and bits matters even in the slightest. The one you should buy is the one that sits at the intersection of these two questions:
- What’s the most you afford without buying it on credit? A computer is one of those things that, like a car, once you drive it off the lot, it’s value drops almost instantly to half what you paid for it. A computer is worse than a car when it comes to holding value. There are some people who will buy a used computer, but once the 10- or 30-day return policy is up, it’s probably only worth what you can get for used parts, if you’re lucky. It’s designed to be obsolete in 6 months. If you’re buying it on credit, you’re paying too much. If you have to buy it on credit, you shouldn’t be buying it. If you absolutely have to use a computer, go to the library. Save your pennies. Come back later. They won’t sell out while you wait. Cancel your DSL or RoadRunner subscription and in 6 months, you’ll have saved enough to pay cash. When you’re considering what you can afford, you’ll need to consider the following costs:
- The cost of the computer itself,
- The cost of a new monitor (if you want or need one),
- The cost of a new printer (if you want or need one), along with the cost of ink,
- The cost of additional software you want. This will depend on exactly what you plan to do with your computer. If you’re just going to use it for surfing the web and email (this includes stuff like Facebook and on-line shopping) you probably don’t need any additional software. But, if you do a lot of writing, you’ll probably want Microsoft Word. If you’re running a home business, chances are you’ll want Quickbooks.
- The cost of anti-virus protection. This includes the initial purchase price and an ongoing annual subscription fee. Check the box carefully for all the details. It’s probably in the fine print on the side or bottom.
- Of the ones you can afford, which one makes you feel the happiest when you’re sitting in front of it? Think about how many hours you’re going to spend sitting there looking at this piece of plastic and silicon. You don’t want to be spending those hours with a machine that has no appeal to you. Once you know which machines you can afford, just turn over those tags (or do your best to turn a blind eye to them) and ask yourself:
- Which one do you like looking at?
- Type a little bit on the keyboard. Are the keys too small or scrunched together in awkward ways?
- If there’s a built-in track pad, is it comfortably positioned?
- If it comes with a mouse, does it feel natural to your hand?
- If it’s a desktop, are all the slots and buttons and DVD trays arranged where they’ll be easy for you to get at when you get it home and put it on your desk?
Keep in mind as you consider these things that you don’t really need to know why one design makes you feel better than another. The heart has reasons reason knows not of. You don’t owe any explanation of your choice to the salesperson who’s hovering there in the background. Buy the one that makes you happy, not the one that makes the salesperson happy.
Remember these two questions. Breathe deeply, and leave the store happy. As you unpack your new friend, breathe in that new-computer smell and enjoy!