Buying a Computer for Christmas.

The first bit of advice that I always give is Don’t buy a computer at this time of year! I know that’s not what you want to hear and it’s probably not practical for most of us, but if you can hold off until the end of January then you will get Twice the value for money. It’s not that the computer will necessarily cost half the price, but from the end of January until the end of March most of the manufacturers have promotions where they will offer things like Double Memory, Double Hard Disk Size and Better Graphics Cards at no extra cost.

Regardless of when you buy a computer there are two main things to consider;

• What type of computer should you buy.
• Where should you buy a computer.

The first thing to decide is between a Laptop or a desktop. A laptop can give you much more flexibility but laptops are more expensive. If you are upgrading from an existing desktop then if you buy a new desktop you may not need a new display which would save you money. This brings us to the fundamental question you have to ask when deciding what type of computer to buy and that is; What do you want to do with the computer? If you just want to do some Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Email, Surf the Internet and play the odd game, then it doesn’t really matter what type of computer you buy. If on the other hand you are a student going to college then you would be mad not to buy a Laptop as you will be moving around a lot and will need your computer with you. Finally if you are a gadget person and like to try and attach everything to your computer then a desktop would be more flexible as it will connect to more gadgets and support more options. If I had to make a recommendation,  I would say buy a Laptop. The price difference between a Laptop and a Desktop is not that great any more and the greater flexibility is well worth it.

Once you have decided between a Laptop and a Desktop you are going to be confronted with a whole new set of terminology such as Processor, RAM/Memory, Hard Disk/Storage, USB Ports, Firewire, etc.. While I can’t go into too much detail, I will try and give a brief explanation and what you should look for.

Processor: I am not going to go into all the different types of processors. The thing to note is that the Core Duo, Core 2 Duo and Xenon are among the bigger/faster processors. Processors speeds range from 1.6Ghz to 2.8Ghz  (Ghz=Billions of instructions per second). The type and speed of the Processor is only relevant  if you are running graphics intensive applications like CAD, Professional Video Editing or High-end Graphical Games.

RAM/Memory: This is the single most important component that influences the speed of your computer. If you double the speed of your processor you will NOT double the speed of the computer, however if you double the amount of RAM/Memory in your computer you WILL double the speed of your computer. Your computer should have at least 2GB and have expansion room to at least double the memory, but the motto should be the more memory the better.

Hard Disk/Storage: The hard disk is where you store all your files, so as the quality of Digital Photos, Music, Video etc.. gets better you need more disk space. For a Laptop you should look for at least a 150GB Hard Disk. 250GB is very good, but again the more the better.

USB Ports: These are the ports that you use to connect printers, cameras, phones etc.. to your computer, so you should look for at least three on a Laptop.

Firewire : The only reason I mention Firewire is because quite a number of quality Video Cameras support this type of connection, so if video is your thing then a firewire port is very useful.

Before you get on to me and say there are many more options  available. I know there are, but these are the most important to consider and the ones the sales people will quote to you.

Now that you have waded through the technology and decided what type of computer to buy, you now have to decide where to buy.

Online : Most manufacturers allow you to buy online either directly like DELL of indirectly through online shops like Elara, DABS or Komplett. The big issue with these online shops is that you really need to know what you are looking for to get good value for money. So if you decide to use an online shop I would seek help from somebody with a bit of technical knowledge, (NOT your teenage children). The second issue with online shops is that they can sometimes be difficult to deal with if you have problems like shipping, returns or technical issues. You could end up dealing with customer service people based in a different continent. The final issue is to make sure the price quoted online includes VAT and Shipping. Sometimes when you add in these type of charges, you find you would have been better to buy locally.

Large Multiples : As you wander around your local Tecso, Aldi, Lidl, Dunnes etc.. you will see that they also have computers for sale. Again the quality of the computers is good but like buying online, if something goes wrong  you will end up dealing with customer service in Head Office, wherever that is.

Your Local Computer Retailer : In my opinion this is by far the best place for a home user to buy a computer. I’m not just saying that to “Support Your Local Sheriff”, I say that for several reasons;

1. Your local retailer has a vested interested in giving you value for money and good service. They need you to come back and a reputation for bad service spreads very quickly in a small town.
2. Having compared prices from all sources I found that there was very little difference when you take all charges into account.
3. Generally your local retailer will know you or of you, so you tend to get good practical, advice.
4. If something goes wrong you are dealing with local people. This is by far the best reason to buy locally.

Having checked out all prices, Click and in particular Redmond Electric, both of which are based in Gorey Shopping Center have some very good deals at the moment. Redmond Electric have some very well specified Laptops for around €400 to €450. Astor on the Gorey Main St also have some good deals.

Now, before anybody accuses  me I have no personal or business relationship with any of the organisations mentioned.

Finally I know this will probably have prompted other questions, so if you post a comment I will try to respond as time allows.