Issue 48.12
In the tech world, nothing is as constant as change. Often new products replace or create lower prices on old products. We are here to give you some suggestions and a general idea of what certain types of products should cost. The prices will be in a range and remember that the cheapest item is not always the best quality and you should do your homework I suggest www.consumerreports.org and other related websites.
Desktop Computers – Range $300-$2000. Generally good to avoid budget brands such as Emachines and Compaq. Be careful of bundled packages in big box stores as they are often the cheapest product of a given brand with limited warranties and limited capability. Good basic computers are available from Dell, HP, and Gateway (though I am not thrilled with Gateway customer service). You should look for at least dual core processors with 4 Gigabytes of Ram and 750 Gigabyte Hard Drives and a DVD/RW or BluRay disk. I recommend Windows 7, but ask if you can have the Windows 8 upgrade for free in case you decide to change later. If you can afford it, the Intel i3, i5 and i7 processors are best or the AMD quad cores or better. Computers with these specs will usually cost from $500-$1000 depending on speed and features. High end gaming systems add from $300-$1000 to the cost.
Monitors – These range from 19 inch to 32 inch and prices go from under $100 to over $1000. For most people a nice quality monitor in the 22-24 inch size will sell for between $150-$300 depending on brand and capability. I recommend going to an electronics store and looking at the picture for comparison of brightness and clarity. Then choose known brands over the unknown types. Warranties are only as good as the company backing them.
All-In-One Computers – These are a fairly new concept and are sleek and reasonably priced. They are harder to work on in case of needed repairs and have a little shorter life expectancy than desktops because of heat handling and miniaturization (similar to laptops). If you are moving toward Windows 8 you will want to look at touch screen capability since that is a major point of the upgrade. Non-touch versions with slow processors can be purchased for around $400, but if you want speed, power and touch, you will probably pay from $700-$1200.
Laptops – These are rapidly becoming the computer of choice for many because of portability. Mini-laptops (7-12 inch screens) are limited and usually don’t have much memory, hard drive space or optical drives built in, but can be purchased for $200-$400. They can usually run on battery power for up to 6 hours or more and they usually work well with the internet. Full size laptops (14-17 inch) run from $300-$2000 depending on brand (watch out for unknown brands), speed, power and features. You can get a good quality 15 inch laptop with i-core Intel processor, 4 Gigabytes of Ram, 500 Gigabyte Hard Drive and DVD/RW or BluRay player in the $500-$800 range and touch screen laptops with Windows 8 are being introduced at price points about $150 above comparable non-touch versions.
Tablets – The Ipad 10 inch is still the gold standard of tablets at $500-$850 depending on speed, features and memory, but the Samsung Galaxy is making a niche for itself in the high end but slightly lower price area. The new Ipad mni 8 inch is about $170 less than the full size version but has all the functions. There are many Android based tablets in the 7-10 inch screen varieties and prices range from well under $100 to around $550 (the Galaxy noted above). You can get a good basic tablet if you are on a budget for between $150 and $250 and can’t afford the high end units. I personally bought the Vizio 8 inch version for $150 and like it a lot but realize it is limited compared to the “big boys”. Have a merry shopping Christmas – and always make sure you have a back up of anything important.
Shaun McCausland has worked in the computer industry for over 30 years, 20 years of it locally with Bits ‘N’ Bytes and Musicomp and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions you can reach him at 435-668-7118 or through his website at www.bitsnbytescomputers.com.