Ahh, back to school time is soon approaching and I'm sure you or someone you know is looking for a new computer for the season. When buying a computer for back to school there a a few pointers that we can give you to make your shopping experience, and the end result a little more pleasing.
- A low price is not always a good deal. Tough competition in the computer market has made the prices of computers from different manufacturers very similar, so basically these days you get exactly what you pay for. These economy computers seem very attractive at first, but even if you are just a basic user it is worth spending a few extra dollars and getting something that will last you a little longer. We service tons of computers, and from our experience we see people spending much more money over the life of a cheap computer than they would if they had spent a little more on a quality computer. Some food for thought is that manufacturers usually sell two different lines of computers. For example: Dell sells Inspiron laptops, and they also sell Latitude laptops. If you were to go to their site and price both types you would find that with the exact same specs the Latitude laptop is much more money. Why might that be? The only explanation is that the Inspiron is built with lower quality components which means that it will definitely not last as long. Shop around and don't be afraid to spend a few more dollars on quality.
- Software is cheap when you're a student. Microsoft Office Professional costs almost $400 to purchase on a new computer. University book stores and some retailers sell academic versions of the software for a fraction of the price. If you are a non-professional user ask about academic/home software. It will save you a ton of green.
- Service counts. Imagine your computer dies right before finals week, or maybe your hard drive decides that it wants to go bad in the middle of a 40 page report. Under standard 1 year warranties you have to send the computer back to the manufacturer for repair. Two weeks and $40 in shipping charges later you might have your computer back, although more than likely it will have been restored to factory settings and all your information is gone for good. Even with some on-site and next day warranties the system will be repaired quicker, but the big computer companies don't really care about the information that was on your computer and when the technician comes to work on your laptop neither do they. Shop locally and buy your computer from someone who will service it for you without having to send it away. This way your information has a much better chance at being protected, and turn around time for repair is much faster.
Keep these ideas in mind when shopping season comes around, and as always stop by and visit us. All of our computers are built and serviced with your best interest in mind. We understand how much you rely on your computer, and we want to give you the best service and product for your hard earned dollars.
