UPDATED: December 2019
New computer shopping can be as stressful as buying a car for some people. I know this to be true because I went though the exact same thing my clients go through when my car recently had to be replaced. You look at the obvious places and see brands/models you have hear of and others you have not, only to realize you really don't know if one is better then another. Then you start to research only to be overwhelmed with the information on this and that. I was lucky enough to have a uncle and cousin in the car business that gave me a lot of great information and ultimately set me up with a new-to-me car in 2014. I want to help make the process of buying a new computer less painful.
Read on to see the plain English version of what I recommend when buying a new computer to avoid the stress it can cause.
New computer shopping can be as stressful as buying a car for some people. I know this to be true because I went though the exact same thing my clients go through when my car recently had to be replaced. You look at the obvious places and see brands/models you have hear of and others you have not, only to realize you really don't know if one is better then another. Then you start to research only to be overwhelmed with the information on this and that. I was lucky enough to have a uncle and cousin in the car business that gave me a lot of great information and ultimately set me up with a new-to-me car in 2014. I want to help make the process of buying a new computer less painful.
Read on to see the plain English version of what I recommend when buying a new computer to avoid the stress it can cause.
All of the following information is my opinion. No computer is perfect or will last forever but here is what I have found to be the best for buying a computer today (September 2018).
Processor: Intel i5 or i7
Ram/Memory: 8GB + Remember this is mainly what helps the computer multi-task. The more the better! 16GB is ideal
Operating System: Windows 10 is great!
Hard Drive/SSD: This varies based on what you will be using it for but I would go with at least 250GB SSD for normal every day use but if you plan on doing lots of pictures and media I would go bigger.
Brands to try to get: Dell, Lenovo, Asus, HP, Acer
Brands to stay away from for various reasons: Compaq, Toshiba
You can either shop online (Amazon.com) if you like or go to a store like Best Buy, Staples, Office Max, or Office Depot and look and see what ones you like that meet those minimum requirements.
TIP: If you want Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc...) you have to buy that separately or with the computer as an add-on. 90% of the time a computer does NOT come with it pre-installed. I would recommend the Office 2019 Home and Student. It comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and One Note and DOES NOT include Outlook. It is around $160 for a "life time license". If you need outlook then you have to buy the business office package. That is more expensive.
TIP: Ideally you want to buy a business computer as they tend to come with less junk software on them. If you get a normal consumer computer we can always remove that software.
I hope that helps at least a few people navigate the crazy computer buying world. Leave a comment below!
If are are still having issues buying a new computer or need help with anything after you get it we would love to help. We can transfer your personal data from the old computer to the new one. Give us a call at 936-660-4899 or contact us!
Processor: Intel i5 or i7
Ram/Memory: 8GB + Remember this is mainly what helps the computer multi-task. The more the better! 16GB is ideal
Operating System: Windows 10 is great!
Hard Drive/SSD: This varies based on what you will be using it for but I would go with at least 250GB SSD for normal every day use but if you plan on doing lots of pictures and media I would go bigger.
Brands to try to get: Dell, Lenovo, Asus, HP, Acer
Brands to stay away from for various reasons: Compaq, Toshiba
You can either shop online (Amazon.com) if you like or go to a store like Best Buy, Staples, Office Max, or Office Depot and look and see what ones you like that meet those minimum requirements.
TIP: If you want Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc...) you have to buy that separately or with the computer as an add-on. 90% of the time a computer does NOT come with it pre-installed. I would recommend the Office 2019 Home and Student. It comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and One Note and DOES NOT include Outlook. It is around $160 for a "life time license". If you need outlook then you have to buy the business office package. That is more expensive.
TIP: Ideally you want to buy a business computer as they tend to come with less junk software on them. If you get a normal consumer computer we can always remove that software.
I hope that helps at least a few people navigate the crazy computer buying world. Leave a comment below!
If are are still having issues buying a new computer or need help with anything after you get it we would love to help. We can transfer your personal data from the old computer to the new one. Give us a call at 936-660-4899 or contact us!
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