Buying a Computer

Index Page

To view the whole site please click on >> SITE MAP

Next Page :Vista

Tips on buying a computer - update June 07

You could do a lot worse than visiting Fred Langa's excellent five page dissertation on this subject
http://www.informationweek.com/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=175801892&pgno=1

However, Fred is looking to the future and, although he doesn't suggest things that are unnecessary frills, for most people getting a basic computer is sufficient. These days a 'basic' computer means one with a Dual Core Intel 1.6 gigahertz chip, 1 Gigabyte of memory, a 130 Gigabyte hard disk, DVD writer, a 19" flat screen), Windows XP  (or more likely Vista Home Basic) and a Works suite. The graphics will be 'integrated', meaning it is built into the motherboard and uses part of the main memory. Such a computer can be delivered to your door for around £400. In fact Dell** will ADD XP Pro for an extra £50. Take that off and the screen and you get the same thing for £240 delivered. You would find that buying those items separately would come to quite a considerably more. In fact, the retail price of Windows XP is nearly £180 alone and Vista is even more. So, as always, I recommend that people do NOT try to upgrade an old computer and only build one themselves if they want to do it so they can say "I have done it"!  I went to the Misco site and priced up the pieces individually.  It would be at least £100 more and that was without the Windows Vista Premium being offered by Dell.

**The main disadvantage with Dell is not the price (which is difficult to beat) but their on line help, which has been farmed out to Bombay. But the English is marginally better for deaf people than the previous Dublin centre.

Looking at a recent write up on a laptop (Dec 07), the Acer, Aspire 7520 (Tesco) it has a 17" inch screen (!) and all kinds of extras including Vista Premium. Even with a DVD writer it is still only £399.  But with only 1 Gb of RAM  and shared graphics it is struggling a bit and a £50 upgrade to 2Gb memory is recommended.

2007 Someone asked me what advice I would give for replacing her elderly PC - price range up to £500.  This is what I wrote:

"Almost all PCs will have a DVD/CD writer/reader and most these days will have a 17or 19 inch flat screen, which is nice. Windows Pro Edition or Media Edition can still be found but many are now offering Vista Home or Premium edition (see Here) Although there are worries about Vista's compatibility with older equipment it is a lot cheaper getting it with a new machine than upgrading later. In fact even the current XP Pro version will not be supported for many years after Vista becomes the norm. Vista (Basic) needs an absolute minimum of  512Mb RAM to run even the Basic version, so don't settle for less than that. Hard disk sizes should be no problem. You will not be offered less than 80Gb on a desktop system (sometimes less on a laptop). . Surprisingly, some computers these days (including Dell) come without a floppy disk drive and without a dial-up type modem. You can get them fitted by Dell at an extra cost but, apart from the smaller dedicated computer stores, you are probably stuck with Pcworld, Curry's Digital (which is the same really), Comet and Staples.co uk. If your old machine has USB sockets I really recommend that you get a 'pen/flash drive'. That is a small memory stick which goes in a USB slot. Ebuyer do a 1 Gb one for under £7. This would enable you to transfer things from the old machine to the new without the need for a floppy drive. But you would have to download a little bit of software from the net to make it work on a Win 98 machine - or you may find one that comes with a disk with the necessary driver on.

But, if you still intend to use a dialup method for the net you MUST get an internal or external modem in the new machine (or get one fitted later). The reason Dell is not fitting them (apart from the tiny cost) is that most people are going straight onto broadband, which doesn't need an old style modem. You get a BB modem supplied by the ISP. I really would recommend that you go to Broadband. It is probably not the speed of your machine that makes the net seem slow. it is the dialup method. And these days you need the speed to get all those security updates that are essential for survival !

Some machines have a cheaper Celeron processor, which is not the fastest . The latest chips are the AMD Core Duo and Intel Pentium D Dual core and you can even have a Gateway machine with them for £449. So, with Dual core, you would be way ahead of the field and no mistake - and still under your price target.  It includes a modem and Works 8.5, plus a lot of useless temporary software, which will be a pain to get rid of.  I wish companies wouldn't do that. If you haven't got a Staples nearby you can order on line or go to the other High Street 'box shifters'. You can get an E-machines PC for well under your price - or even a laptop  for as little as £350".  In either case I recommend a wired laser mouse with a scroll wheel, rather than a cordless mouse.  I have had a couple and they were both unsatisfactory.

Although Dell takes a lot of beating on price, another company, Meshcomputers, do a nice machine which is not expensive

If you want hands-on support you may still want to go to a 'proper (dedicated) computer shop' in your local town. You may have to pay a little more but it may be worth it. If you are worried about what you would do if your new PC goes wrong you may be tempted to purchase a three year on-site or collect and return policy.  But they are usually quite expensive. In the case of Dell they usually add this automatically and, if you don't want it, you have to 'untick' that option when ordering on line. The purchase will then probably only have a 3 month collect and return facility.  After that you would have to pack it up and send it to them.
Laptops: If you are short of deskspace or require more mobility then a laptop may suit you better. Prices these days are similar to a desktop system, though chip speeds are often lower and the keyboards are a little cramped.  Also the little pads which are used instead of a mouse may take a bit of getting used to.  I recommend a cheap wired laser mouse from Tesco.  A modern laptop is likely to have a wide (15.5") screen, a CD/DVD writer and an inbuilt wireless (Wi-Fi) ability.  If you buy a second hand laptop you are almost certain to have to replace the battery at around £60. 

Why do people pay twice as much for a computer?  The people who pay more are usually wanting superior speed, sound and graphics. These are the Media and Games fanatics who will pay more for a speaker system than I would for a computer.  Their graphics cards have their own on board computer, vast memory and a cooling fan to keep the whole thing from overheating and can also cost as much as a basic computer.  As usual, it all depends what you want to do with your computer.

If you wish to donate your old PC to a good cause take a look at www.computeraid.org  But they only really deal with Pentium 3 and 4 machines ( or AMD equivalent ) with CD and a reasonable amount of memory. Of course, transportation is the main drawback.  You need to contact 020 7281 0091 to get a quotation. It may be better to advertise it with your local Freecycle group.

YOUR RIGHTS  The small print.

I buy stuff on line all the time and benefit from the reduced prices and competition offered by comparative sites. But what are the pitfalls and what are your rights?.

I always use my Credit Card when buying as there is extra protection in doing so, especially if the goods are worth more than £100, when the Credit Card company is obliged to compensate you if things go wrong.  At the moment this does not apply to purchases from overseas.  Apart from this there is quite a lot of protection offered to the on line buyer. The relevant legislation is the Consumer Credit Act 1974.  

The Sale of Goods Act states that goods must be of a satisfactory quality.  Goods ordered on line, by phone or by post can be returned under the Distance Selling Regulations without explanation within 'a reasonable time', which is widely accepted as being seven days. In England and Wales, for the first six months the consumer need not produce any evidence that the goods were inherently faulty at the time of sale. The onus of detecting a fault during this period is on the seller. Your complaint, if you find a fault (not caused by yourselves) should be directed to the SELLER, NOT the manufacturer.  The seller is responsible if the goods do not conform to contract.  Therefore the manufacturer's warranty has no bearing on seeking a repair, replacement or refund. In the case of a fault the buyer must not suffer financially, even to the extent of the cost of collection or return. After the first six months you may have to prove that the goods are faulty by getting it inspected. If a dispute arises take advice from www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.  If all else fails the Small Claims Court may be your only redress for items up to £5000.  Initially6 take advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau. See also www.moneyclaim.gov.uk

Buying from an Auction Site such as Ebay. You have little protection if the seller is a private individual but things are different if the seller is a business.  Even very small Ebay traders may be considered to be Sole Traders and must abide by the rules (though many may not even realise this) Traders are governed by the Sale of Goods Act and the Distance Sellers Regulations. This is even more confusing because the DSRs only apply to Instant Sales (Buy it now) and NOT to auctions.  However, the SOG Act applies to both and to new and second hand goods.

If it is a matter of a service supplied e.g. the provision of an Internet Connection then the law is governed by the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 and the approach (re an ISP) would be to the Ombudsman Service www.otelo.org.uk and to www.arbitrators.org/cisas

If the goods cause damage or injury different laws apply.  In this case the Consumer Protection Act 1987 says that the manufacturer or importer is responsible.    If the seller cannot advise you who that is then the seller becomes responsible.  Compensation is generally only payable if the damage exceeds £275.

With regard to purchases from Ebay you should view their pages at http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/tp/inr-snad-process.html

If you purchase things as a direct result of an advertisement in a magazine (such as Computer Active) that magazine MAY have a Mail Order Protection Scheme which could compensate you if the company goes bust before you get the goods.

Site Navigation Links :- Please click on SITE MAP

Index Page

Top of Page

Next Page :Vista