Where to Buy?

There are many different kinds of computers to choose from and finding the one that is right for you and fits your budget can be difficult. This article is designed to assist you in buying a home computer and will not cover portable computers or laptops. It will also mainly talk about the PC rather than the Mac or Macintosh, since all our own experience is based on the PC.  

Before you start looking for a PC you should decide what you are going to do with the computer? For the purpose of this page we will assume that your computer will be for home use with some word processing and internet usage. 

Now let us examine which type of shop fits your needs.

Computers are progressing at an unbelievable rate - each year new models are launched that go faster than ever before!!

If you are not familiar with computers then our best advice would be to "phone a friend" - or, if at all possible, take a friend with you when you set out to buy - ask someone who is reasonably familiar with computers to help you through the jungle and to understand the jargon. 

There are more places than ever to buy a PC, and they all have advantages and disadvantages, depending on what you need. You can find places where you'll get a very good low price - while others will be more expensive but they will offer better service.

You can pick up the phone and order a computer by credit card from a magazine, or buy one over the internet, made to your exact specification. 

Follow the guidelines here and you'll see which place is best for you.

The high street High street stores like Dixons and Currys in the UK are an easy place to buy a PC, and you'll find well-known brands like Compaq and Packard-Bell. However, often the prices are not competitive, and the models may not be the latest ones. In smaller stores, the shop assistants not be able to answer all the questions about your computer.

Supermarket
Many supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, Lidl, Aldi etc sell computers from time to time but the choice will be limited and you will not be able to see them in action. Some of them have special offers and provide very good value for money. Very often, an outstanding offer comes along - if you know what you are looking for you may just get a bargain. 

PC superstores
If you want to try a PC out before your buy it, a PC superstore, like the UK's PC World, is the best place to shop. You'll find a wide range of PCs, and plenty of staff to answer questions. The big retailers offer a variety of different computer choices and can be easy to shop. You pick the computer you want, pay for it, and walk out the door with your choice.

Mail order
All PC magazines advertise computers and peripherals. If you compare prices, there's no doubt that ordering a PC from a magazine can be one of the best ways to do it. You'll find the latest technologies, and at the keenest price: You won't be able to try before you buy, and you'll have to wait. In most cases, the PC will be put together to order. When you order a computer you can usually specify the exact configuration of computer that you are looking for. You can customise your order so that you get all the things you need. One down side to ordering a computer through the mail is if you have a problem, you may have to send it back, and wait for a replacement.
It's unlikely that there will be any sort of credit facilities available.

Online shopping
Similar to Mail Order-  Large companies like Tiny, Dell, as well as smaller PC makers and resellers, offer online shopping. You can't try before you buy, but there will often be lots of information about different systems. The disadvantages are much the same as for mail order, and you'll almost certainly need a credit card. 

Second hand
Unless you are familiar with computers or on a very tight budget - don't buy second hand. The main reason for selling a PC is that the person who owned it is moving up to a faster machine and it probably isn't powerful enough to run the latest programs and/or is out of date.  Or it could have a niggling intermittent problem -

Caveat Emptor - Let the buyer beware!!