How To Determine Where To Acquire Your Next Computer

 by: George Hutton


Buying a new computer is a wonderful feeling. Regardless if you are buying one for the first time, or if you are on your tenth machine in as many years, there's nothing like getting your new computer home and plugging it in. It loads much faster, web pages seem to spring to life, and everything else seems so responsive.

If you are thinking about getting a new computer, and aren't sure if you should get it online, or in your local retail store, then this article is for you. I'll over some of the basic pros and cons of buying from either place, so you'll have a much better idea of what to expect. There is a third option, and that is to have one custom built, but that is beyond the scope of this particular article.

The main advantage from buying online is twofold. You can usually get a better price, simply because you can look at so many different options. Since checking out prices from ten or twenty websites is much easier than driving to ten different retail stores, you're much more likely to find a good deal online than you are downtown.

One of the drawbacks to buying a machine online is that if you are relatively new to home computing, it can be kind of hard to find out exactly what you are looking for. Another drawback to online shopping is that it can be tough to get your questions answered in a timely manner. Yet another is that you'll likely have to wait a week or more before you receive your machine. This can seem like a long time if you're hot to start surfing the Internet on your new computer.

Buying one at your local retail store is a better option if you aren't sure of what you want, and have some questions regarding things like disk size, processor speed, and the amount of memory you'll need for whatever your options. Also, when you buy one from a retail store, you can take it home and play with it right away instead of having to wait.

One of the big drawbacks from buying from a retail store is that you are fairly limited as far as the number of models to choose from. If you don't find one that you like you may have to drive to another store, or see if you can get them to order you one. In that case you might as well buy one from the Internet.

Depending upon your computing experience, and clear an idea you have of what you want, you can use this information to decide where to get your next machine. If you know exactly what you want, and don't mind waiting a few days, then the Internet is the place for you. If, on the other hand, you aren't quite sure what you want, then heading on down to your local retail store may be the best course of action.