You can buy a new desktop PC from a shop, via an advert in a magazine, or on the internet. Prices can vary considerably so it’s worth doing some research. Larger shops such as PC World are good as everything is under one roof and they are accessible nationally. Smaller shops are also worth checking out if you have specific builds in mind and can be more flexible as to components, but you need to have a very good idea of market prices to ensure you get a good deal. More people shop online nowadays and there are firms who trade solely online on websites such as E-bay who offer good prices due to having low costs and overheads. Whichever your preference buying a desktop PC couldn’t be easier.

Types

The two main types on the market are Windows platform PCs and Apple Macs. Traditionally Macs are geared up towards multimedia more than PCs. Generally if you choose one or the other you will be confined to that platform although of late both are getting increasingly closer together. It is fair to say you will get more choice and value for money with PCs due to component flexibility and diy builds. This article deals with PCs only.

Budget

If you only want a PC for day-today tasks like browsing the internet, word processing, viewing photos and organising files, then a budget of £400 will do for a complete package. If your demands are greater and you wish to be able to edit video, design websites, watch and burn DVDs, and store lots of photos then you might want to revise this greatly, and upwards of £800 should be your approximate starting place.

Components

Computers are made up of many parts and according to how you want to use it this will determine what you purchase. The higher the spec the more powerful the computer will be, and the more it will cost you. However the beauty of most PCs are that you can upgrade any component later down the line.

• Hard drive - This is where you store all your information and is measured in gigabytes (GB).
• Memory - Memory, or RAM, enables your computer to run applications and processes. You should look to get at least 512MB of RAM, more if you want to play games or edit video.
• Processor - This is often considered the brains of the computer and the faster the better.
• Graphics card - You will need one of these to display graphics, play games and view DVDs.
• Monitor - This is the screen that you view everything on and come in both 4:3 and widescreen format of varying sizes.
• CD/DVD player - This enables you to play CDs and DVDs and burn new ones if need be
• Keyboard and Mouse

The above is the basic list of what you would require to make up a PC. Obviously the greater your requirements the more components you will need such as Flash/smart card slots, CD/DVD writer, graphics tablet, printer, scanner and the such like.

Most PC bundles will come with everything you need to get started. You will only need to break it down if you have individual requirements, or if you are buying separate components and building it yourself, which is quite popular nowadays.

Purchasing

Keep an eye out for special offers before making your purchase. Suppliers such as DELL often have offers and PC World occasionally bundle free extras like printers and digital cameras as part of a promotion. Remember it is a competitive market. Don’t be afraid to ask to have something extra thrown in, the worst that can happen is that they say no, but you may be pleasantly surprised.

Also look for software bundles like internet security – an essential add-on if you want to protect yourself online.

Warranty

Always check that a warranty comes with your PC. As an absolute minimum you should be offered a 12-month warranty for free. Don’t rush to purchase extended cover plans without reading the small print and asking yourself if you really need all the extras.

You’ll be up and running in no time.

Published on 12th February 2007