It’s time for a new computer, and this time, you’re not going to make the same mistake you did with your last purchase, which was maybe buying one that didn’t have enough memory, lacked battery longevity or wasn’t up to the tasks you needed it for in some other way. The danger with this approach is that you may end up overemphasizing the importance of the one thing that frustrated you the most and neglecting other important areas. It’s the tech equivalent of overcompensating in a new relationship for the shortcomings of your previous one! Below are several things you should consider when buying a new computer.
Cost
If you’re like most people, cost is a significant factor limiting the options available to you. There are a couple of things to keep in mind regarding cost. On the one hand, splashing out on the latest model might not be the smartest financial decision since the price of computers tends to depreciate steeply after that first flush of newness on the market. On the other hand, to some extent, you get what you pay for. If you buy the cheapest machine you can find, you’ll probably be back in a year looking for a new one. If you don’t have the money for the models you’re looking at, you might be considering some kind of store financing, but a better option may be a personal loan from a private lender. You might get a better interest rate, and you can usually find out quickly what your eligibility is.
Consider Your Needs
This is the next most important consideration after how much you can afford to spend. A common error that people make is failing to consider exactly what they will be using the computer for, and they often end up buying something that is far more expensive than they need for simple tasks like emailing, going online and watching movies. Alternately, they underestimate how much capacity they may need for gaming, building a live streaming app, editing video, and other demanding endeavors. You should also consider how much you’ll be using it. Size and weight may also be an issue.
The Binary Questions
Two of the big questions you’ll also need to answer are whether you need a laptop or a desktop and a Mac or a PC. If you’ve always used one or the other, you may unthinkingly continue doing that, but it’s worth reviewing your reasons for what you’ve always relied on and considering whether a different choice might suit you better now. For example, maybe you always used laptops as a student because you liked the mobility, but when you think about, you rarely take your computer outside of your home any longer. A desktop may be the better choice for you at this point since they can be sturdier and more ergonomically friendly. On the other hand, if you’ve always used a desktop but would like to be able to do more work on the move, maybe it’s time for a switch.
As for the PC or Mac question, people tend to be fierce loyalists about their choices even though the difference in the two is less stark than it used to be. It’s no longer the case, for example, that no one writes viruses for Macs although it is still rarer. It’s also no longer true that a Mac is the automatic default for graphic designers although many still prefer it. Macs generally cost more, but Apple customers swear by the company’s reliability and durability compared to a PC. Whatever you choose, just make sure that it can run the programs and perform in the way that you need since there may still be some things that work better on one system compared to the other.