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Buying a New PC?
3. Commence your research Just to recap, you have established what you want to do with your PC and how much you can afford to spend. Now you need to carry out your research to locate the Vendors. The main choice you will be faced with is should you buy direct from the manufacturer or go for the retail option. Although looking around in the shops has the obvious advantage of being able to try before you buy, the downside is that you will pay over the odds for poorly specified kit. Buying direct in most cases means your system will probably be built to order, or at least built within a few days or weeks before you receive delivery. This obviously means that you are likely to avoid discontinued or outdated components, but also that you will not bear the cost of the constant fall in component prices - which is invariably the case when you buy from a retailer. Needless to say you will be cutting out the middle man. Don't be fooled either by thinking that you will get expert advice if you buy from the shops. Even the so-called "computer warehouses" (I think we all know the kind of shops I'm talking about) where smartly uniformed staff roam the aisles rarely have more than a basic knowledge of hardware. Add to this (in the UK anyway) the virtual monopoly of one particular retail group (the subject of recent press controversy & complaints from other retailers) and I think it's safe to say that we'll leave buying retail to Joe Public who wants "interest free credit" and a thousand pounds worth of free software (see "Old Tricks" below). So traditionally at this stage you would be recommended to visit you local newsagent to purchase a handful of computer magazines and scan through reviews to make up a short-list. Be aware that computer magazines are published one month in advance, i.e. you will normally buy a magazine in April with a cover date of May, somewhat misleading as it gives the distinct impression of being current in the month of May, when clearly as far as PC's are concerned this is not the case. To make matters worse, all PC reviews featured in the April issue as per our example will have been requested by the magazine at the end of February, so in actual fact you are reading a review of a PC that was current at the end of February, in April, with a cover date of May! However, this is not done to mislead you but are merely the pressures of publishing and meeting of deadlines. All magazines we have come across do stress the readers check with the vendors for correct specifications and pricing at the time of purchase. In all instances do get magazines for your research, however look for PC's that are subject of a Labs review and have won awards, as a rule of thumb these are value for money, but you also run the risk of not receiving the same parts as the reviewed PC, due to the magazines publication anomaly as described earlier, due to shortages or end of component life. Should this occur PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION, even if you get claims of the replacement items being of "equivalent quality" - Get a second opinion or e-mail us on support@one2surf.co.uk for advice. Be aware that reviewed PC's are made up by vendors to win awards, any deviation from the parts list will affect performance and value. Your best bet is to read the magazines and select your preferred vendors, and carry on you research on the Web. Sites like One2surf review products as they are launched, thus ensuring you the consumers receive the latest news and views. Many sites provide a price comparison, visit these and then check the preferred vendor sites to see what they are offering, paying close attention to any PC range which has been a subject of a recent review. |
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