Getting a new computer

There are so many questions that need to be answered when you start to think about getting a new computer.  There are ones that seem very easy, and then there are the questions that will need to take a bit of time, so here are some of the questions that I had to answer when we got my new computer:

• What brand or brands are you looking at?
• What screen size do you want?
• What size hard drive or SSD would you like to have?
• How much memory (RAM) should the computer have?
• What operating system do you want?  Do you want personal or professional?
• What is your budget?
• Do you want a number pad on the keyboard?
• Which style of keyboard do you want?  Do you want the US keyboard or the Canadian Bilingual keyboard (yes, there are different keyboards)?
• Do you want a computer that becomes a tablet?
• Do you care about the weight of the machine?
• Are you willing to purchase a refurbished machine, or do you want a brand new one?
• How quickly do you want the machine?

Of course, everyone will have different questions that need to be answered, and these are just a few of the questions that I had to answer before we were able to pick the computer that I got. For us, we needed one that would meet the needs that I have for work, as this isn’t just a computer that is only used for personal use.  Like a lot of people, my computer is both for home and work, so it needs to meet several different demands.

By starting to answer some of the questions that are listed, you will start to see the makes and models that you can start to consider.  If there is a specific brand that you want, the best idea is to go to that website and see if you can customize a machine with everything that you want in a machine.  One thing that you will find is which options are available for the various models and also how much your ideal machine could cost you.

Getting a new computer does require a lot of thinking, and prices can vary depending on if you want a brand-new model or are willing to have a model that is a little order.  Prices don’t vary very much from store to store  (unless you can find a sale like Boxing Day or Back to School), but models and availability can, so that is something else you need to consider.  Doing your homework on which machines you are looking at and then going to some of the different stores to look at what is available can assist you in making the decision.  One of the things that are important to me is the feel of the keyboard considering all the writing that I do, so that means that I need to know that the keyboard is comfortable to use.  I need the US keyboard for my typing as I am a touch typist and the enter key and shift key on the right-hand side are used quite a bit.

When all the questions are answered, you will probably have a good idea of the computer or computers that you are comparing.  Another good thing to do is to look online and see if there are reviews done on the models that you are considering.  The reviews can also mean that you might see something that will make or break a decision before you make the purchase.

Answering the questions can take a bit of time, but at least then you will have a machine that you should be happy with.  Sure, you can go and buy the first machine that you see, but it might not be what you wanted or even like once it is home, so spending a bit of time thinking through all the options could help a lot.