Buying a new computer

Last updated: November 21, 2009.

Buying yourself a new computer can be a daunting prospect. There are literally hundreds of different models to choose from and, what's worse, they all look exactly the same! Compare the specifications and you'll find that looks aren't the only thing they have in common: unless you know your Wi-Fi from your Bluetooth and your Linux from your Windows, you'll be hard-pressed to tell one machine from another. It's hardly surprising that most computer buyers make a few feeble attempts to compare a handful of likely contenders and then just pick something more or less at random based on whichever brand sounds most familiar. But isn't there a more scientific approach to parting with your hard-earned cash? The best thing you can do is make a list of all the features that really matter to you, make a shortlist of half a dozen different machines, and then see which machine ticks the most boxes. But whether you go for the scientific approach or just trust your gut, here are some things to think about before you fill your shopping cart and click "checkout".

Photo: A typical modern Toshiba laptop with a widescreen display.

What will you use it for?

This is absolutely the most important question when it comes to buying a new computer. Most home users do little more than browse the Web, send e-mails, word-process the occasional letter, download MP3 music tracks, and store and process photographs from a digital camera. For basic Internet (email and Web) work and word processing, all you need is a basic computer—you don't need anything flash or fancy and you certainly don't need to worry about getting the very latest model. Processor speeds and hard drive sizes are virtually irrelevant if you'll do nothing but Web browsing and sending emails; even a 10-year-old secondhand laptop may be good enough (though it will struggle to run the latest Web browsers and it may not have things like USB ports and wireless Net access).

If you'll be using your computer to manage music tracks on an iPod (or other MP3 player), the most important thing you need is a plenty of hard disk space—but virtually any brand new computer will have more than you could possibly need. (As a general rule of thumb, I suggest multiply your iPod's storage capacity by 2-3 and aim for a hard drive that size to ensure you have plenty of room for other things.) When it comes to storing videos and digital photographs, storage is rather more of an issue. But even if you buy a computer with a hard disk that turns out to be too small, you can easily add an external drive at relatively low cost to overcome the problem.

In short, as far as most home users are concerned, virtually any new off-the-shelf computer will be able to handle what you want to do. The only exception is people who like to play games (either alone or online). If you plan to do a lot of that, you'll need a computer with a fast processor—and the processor speed will probably override all other considerations. If you're a games player, always buy the fastest machine (the one with the highest processor speed) you can afford.

Photo: Using a laptop on the move? A decent case is an essential buy. If your case doesn't have enough padding (and who can say what's enough?), wrap your machine in some really thick bubblewrap before you put it away. Alternatively, put some large padded (Jiffy-style) pags in the document pockets for extra cushioning. Make sure the case has your address written on it somewhere.

Laptop or desktop?

Laptop computers have become incredibly popular in the last decade. They're brilliant for moving around the house from room to room (sending e-mails in bed, working in the garden, or whatever it happens to be), especially now wireless Internet access means you can be online at all times without worrying about cables. But there are two key things to remember before you dismiss a desktop out of hand. Laptops are guaranteed to make themselves obsolete every three or four years. Unlike desktop computers, you can't easily upgrade components when you outgrow them or replace them when they fail. You can add more memory easily enough, but you can't add a bigger screen or a new hard drive without quite a lot of hassle. Laptops are much more flimsy (less robust) than desktop machines and expensive to get repaired. In particular, the keyboards on laptop computers are not designed for industrial-strength daily use. You'll soon wear out a laptop's keyboard if you pound it heavily for 8 hours a day and you'll find the cost of replacing it can be about 20-25 percent the cost of a new machine! If, like me, you spend your entire life typing, and you prefer to use a laptop, the best thing to do is to invest in an external USB keyboard (maybe a wireless one for convenience). Plug it into your laptop and use it every time you do a lot of typing. If you spill coffee on an external keyboard or wear it out, it's a mere $10 for a new one; ruin your laptop's built-in keyboard and you could face a bill of $200 or more. If you find an external keyboard means you have to sit too far from the screen to read it properly, buy yourself a stand for the laptop and put the keyboard just underneath it (or use a couple of telephone directories).

Even if you always use your laptop in the same room in your home (mine is permanently sitting on a desk plugged into a printer, external keyboard, and so on), that doesn't necessarily mean a desktop is a better bet. I often work away from home so it's brilliant to be able to unplug the laptop in a couple of minutes and take it with me; I couldn't do that with a desktop.

CD or DVD?

Most laptops now come with a multi-function audio CD-player, CD-ROM drive, CD rewriter, DVD, and DVD rewriter—so you don't have to worry too much about this. (You can always add an external USB CD or DVD drive if you need to do.) The appearance of Blu-ray drives adds a new complication, but don't worry about them too much unless you're a games player. Most of us can cope with a standard CD/DVD reader and rewriter that comes with most new desktops and laptops. Compact discs and DVDs are going to be around for a good long time yet.

Widescreen?

One area where laptops, in particular, have changed considerably over the last decade is in the size and "aspect ratio" of their LCD screens. Older laptops had much squarer screens; the latest laptops have widescreens so you can watch movies from DVDs. Don't worry too much about screen dimensions unless you plan to watch lots of movies on your computer. But if you're planning to do lots of Web work and you're buying a small computer with a tiny screen, bear in mind that many, wider websites will display with scroll bars (only showing part of the screen at a time)—and that can get a bit irritating after a while.

Photo: My last three (Toshiba Satellite Pro) laptops. The 1996 model on the left has a tiny screen and a really chunky (but amazingly robust) case with built-in power supply. This machine is literally built like a tank! In the middle, we have a low-cost Toshiba from 2004. It has a much bigger screen and a huge touchpad and wrist-wrest. The case is also much thinner, but flimsier too. The 2007 model on the right is clearly designed to double as a DVD player. It has a widescreen display and the keyboard wrist area is much smaller. Note that the photos are not taken to the same scale.

Connectivity?

Computers used to be solitary machines you used in the comfort of your own home without worrying about other people; now, thanks to the Internet, they're a much more social phenomena than anyone ever expected. For many—especially young people into online social networking—computers are an important gateway to the world: 21st-century home computers are more like super-enhanced versions of 20th-century telephones. That's why most computer users now expect their machines to be online the whole time. If you're buying a laptop, make sure it has a wireless networking (Wi-Fi) card built in so you can use it all around your home (you will need to buy a separate wireless broadband modem/router or a mobile broadband dongle as well). Virtually all laptops still have built-in dial-up modems, which is certainly useful but much less important than it used to be before broadband Internet came along. Expect dial-up modems to start disappearing from new laptops any day now.

Photo: If you buy a secondhand laptop and it doesn't have a built-in Wi-Fi card, you can always buy a PCMCIA adapter card like this one (a Netgear WG5117). It's a bit bigger than a credit card and it just slots into the side of the machine. If you're using Windows, the card should install itself automatically. You can buy these cards amazingly cheaply on auction sites.

Buying second-hand

Ten years ago, the smartest way to buy a laptop was to get a two or three year-old second-hand machine at a fraction the cost of a new model. Having spent a bit of time looking at prices on eBay, I get a sense that you currently buy a 2-5 year-old secondhand laptop for about a half to a third the price of a new one. Bear in mind the drawbacks of going the secondhand route: you can spend an inordinate amount of time on auction websites checking out the features of second-hand machines and worrying about whether they're still up-to-date enough for your needs, the reliability of the seller, whether the machine is stolen, and all kinds of other things as well. A few years ago, I would have advised students and people on low budgets definitely to buy second-hand; now, it's harder to see a justification for buying secondhand unless you're really pushed for cash. If you're environmentally minded and interested in recycling, it's relatively easy to find refurbished, ex-corporate machines on eBay; you might not save that much on buying a new model, but you'll have the satisfaction that you've saved one more machine from a landfill in India. Laptops are high on the list of items when it comes to auction fraud, so make sure you buy secondhand machines from reputable sources (ex-demo or reconditioned models are sometimes available from official dealers).

Windows, Mac, or Linux?

A few years ago, no one seriously considered buying anything other than a Windows PC. Apple Macintosh machines were the preserve of graphic designers and people in the creative world, but for everyone else there was only one way to go: Microsoft. Following the rise of the Internet, and with the appearance of the relatively affordable iMac, things have changed: Macintosh computers are now much more compatible with Windows PCs than they used to be. If all you plan to do is surf the Web and write the occasional letter or essay, it doesn't matter whether you use a Windows PC or a Mac. If you prefer the smart and stylish Steve Jobs to the geeky utilitarian Bill Gates, you can plump for a Mac with no qualms—or fear.

Photo: This penguin, nicknamed Tux, is the mascot of the Linux operating system.

Over the last few years, the appearance of Linux (a freely available "open-source" operating system that shares advantages of both Windows and Mac) has given computer buyers something extra to think about. The beauty of Linux is that it costs little or nothing so a computer that ships with a Linux operating system can be considerably cheaper than the same model shipping with Windows. That's one reason why netbooks (small-scale laptops like the Asus Eee PC) are sold at such low prices. Although Linux is much more affordable than Windows, you might find problems making peripherals (printers, scanners, webcams and so on) work correctly, though this is less of a problem than it used to be.

In summary

Still confused? It's simpler than it looks:

• If you're a basic home user and you'll be Web surfing, sending emails, writing letters, and storing photos, almost any off-the-shelf computer will be fine for your needs. Don't worry too much about processor speeds or hard drive space.
• If you'll be storing lots of photos or music tracks, make sure you have plenty of hard drive space.
• If you're a games player, you'll need a machine with a fast processor.
• If your machine will be used all round the home by different members of your family, in different rooms, a laptop with wireless Internet is a good choice.
• If you work from home and plan to use a computer all day long, a desktop is a better bet than a laptop—or use a laptop with a plug in keyboard (and possibly plug-in screen as well).
• If your computer hasn't got exactly the features you want, don't worry. Virtually all machines have USB ports (for plugging in extra equipment). Simply buy yourself an external mouse, keyboard, hard drive, webcam (or whatever), and plug it in.
• If you're on a tight budget, consider a secondhand or reconditioned machine. Be sure to buy it from a reputable source. Consider whether the money you're saving is really worth the extra worry and hassle.