Buying a new home computer is a big purchase that you can get really worked up about. If you do your research you should be well-prepared to look at all of the options available to you. There are a multitude of factors to consider, such as how much you are willing to spend, the technical specifications you require, and whether to buy a factory built or custom model. Although there is a plethora of options available, finding the right PC is not as hard as you think.
When shopping for a new desktop, instead of worrying about technical details, ask yourself what tasks you need your computer to accomplish. If you only need it for everyday tasks, such as checking your email, word processing, and browsing the internet, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of cheaper options on the market. Budget PCs, such as Dell’s Inspiron series, fall into the $300-$500 price range.
If you’re looking for a PC that plays movies, streams music, allows you to watch TV, and runs some games, you’ll probably need something a bit more powerful than a budget computer. The next step up is the entertainment PC. They usually have a bigger hard drive that allows you to store video files. In order to optimize your experience you’ll probably want at least a 20-inch monitor. Make sure to invest in accessories such as speakers, but you still won’t need a powerful graphics card.
For those who need to run high end applications like the Adobe Suite, you may need to invest in a performance PC. These computers offer faster processors, large amounts of RAM, and a fast but not necessarily large hard drive. Dell desktop computers are designed to fit these needs, most notably their XPS series. A performance PC will likely run you at least $700, more if you purchase upgrades.
The final computer type is for people who play high-end games and is known as a gaming PC. They are the most expensive computers since they require a powerful graphics and sound card, lots of memory, a good processor, and a big screen. They offer the best specifications on the market but will easily run $1200 or more. Alienware offers excellent, top of the line gaming computers.
Shopping for a PC becomes less daunting when you are able to categorize your needs into one of the four main types of personal computer. With this knowledge in hand, shopping for your next computer should be a breeze.