Where to Buy

Just about every type of retailer carries computers these days, from Wal-Mart to CompUSA and everywhere in-between. You should buy at a retailer with which you're comfortable. Look for a decent selection of models from a variety of manufacturers, good pricing (of course), knowledgeable salespeople (harder to find), and after-the-sale service and support.

You shouldn't limit your shopping to the big-box stores, or to bricks and mortar merchants. There are lots of good deals to be had online, either direct from the manufacturer (think Dell and Gateway) or from mail-order or Web-specific retailers. You can even find good buys on brand-new (but often close-out) PCs on eBay (www.ebay.com).

If you want to stick to name brands (and why not they're often just as low-priced as the no-names!), here are the big manufacturers to check out:

  • Compaq (www.compaq.com) owned by HP, but still a separate brand in the marketplace

  • Dell (www.dell.com) now the largest PC manufacturer in the world

  • eMachines (www.emachines.com) a good source for low-priced models

  • Gateway (>www.gateway.com) like Dell, a big online/mail-order merchant

  • Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com) offers both home and business PCs

  • IBM (www.ibm.com) specializes in PCs for large and small businesses

  • Sony (www.sonystyle.com) offers some truly innovative audio/video features

  • Toshiba (www.toshiba.com) portable PCs only

"Mike Sez"

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When it's time to go PC shopping, do yourself a favor and do a little homework. Hit the Web for information direct from the manufacturers, and to price shop the online retailers. I recommend checking the professional equipment reviews at CNET (www.cnet.com) and the user reviews at Epinions.com (www.epinions.com). It's also worth your while to read some of the monthly computer magazines; if nothing else, browsing through the ads will give you an idea of what's available, and for how much.




Absolute Beginner's Guide to Upgrading and Fixing Your PC
Absolute Beginners Guide to Upgrading and Fixing Your PC
ISBN: 0789730456
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 206

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