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The Gotcha!
Corner
Many computers look like a good deal until you look at them closely. There
are so many technical nuances that even a seasoned veteran can
get burned buying a new system. We can't cover every possible
problem you may encounter when buying a new computer, however,
here are some common ones.
Find out what is under the hood
The motherboard is the place where many clone builders cut corners.
Use of a higher quality motherboard typically adds only $50 to the
overall cost of a clone and it may be far more reliable yet most
people never ask for it.
Some systems use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) components,
which may not work with the standard drivers available on the Internet.
This can be a major problem when you try to upgrade your system.
Examples would be an "ATI compatible video board" or an
audio card using a "Sound Blaster compatible" chip. These
should not be confused with "bulk pack" parts, which are
current versions of name brand components that use standard drivers
but come without demo CDs and "special offers".
Make certain your system is maintainable
Visit the company's Website. If you can't find anything on their
site now, don't even think about looking in a year! Your vendor
should give you all of the setup CDs and manuals for the system
and most reputable dealers provide them without your asking.
Many ultra-cheap brand name systems are poorly documented and their
design changes almost daily. Some manufacturers simply replace the
entire system if anything fails and after the one year warranty
is up you may be on your own.
The low priced "Home" grade versions of brand name systems
are often very proprietary and may incorporate on-board components
to reduce cost and physical size. Many people use these systems
and like them but we do not recommend them.
Be certain you will have the software you need (and that it
is legal)
Many systems come with no software and without an operating system,
i.e., Windows. Systems are sometimes offered pre-configured
with Windows and possibly other software "for testing purposes"
but without CDs or a license. This is not legal. It will also
be embarrassing if you call for technical support.
Some systems come with stripped down or "demo" versions
of software. You may wind up paying a lot of money for a full blown
Office suite, possibly more than you saved buying a "bargain"
system.
Check out the system's expansion capabilities
Many systems incorporate the sound, video, and modem on an "all-in-one"
motherboard to keep the cost low. Upgrading such a system can be
a challenge, especially since many of them have only 1-2 expansion
slots. Some of these feature a built-in AGP video adapter.
They may not have an external AGP slot and you may not be able to
disable the onboard video
Check out the system's memory configuration
Windows will run on surprisingly little memory but it won't run
very well. You should have at least 64 meg of memory available for
Windows and many systems are sold with 64 meg. Components such as
video boards that use "shared memory" actually borrow
from the system memory. If you have a 64 meg system with 32 meg
worth of "shared memory" then Windows has only 32 meg
for itself and your system will be incredibly slow. If you have
128 meg or more this may not be a problem.
Check out the rebates
Many systems are sold with rebates. These can offer some savings,
if you remember to mail them in on time, but you need to weigh the
cost of a rebated system vs one that is not.
Some systems come with a substantial discount if you sign up with
an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The terms range from a few months
to several years. If your needs will not change turing the
time you are committed to the ISP this could be an inexpensive way
to finance a computer. Is the rebate really a good deal? You
will have to decide:
- If you will pay $22 a month for the ISP to receive a $400 rebate
you will pay $792 over 36 months.
- Many local ISPs charge $15-18 per month and you don't have to
buy a computer from them. That's a savings of $4-7 per month or
around $150-200 for 36 months..
- If the ISP does not provide local phone numbers you will have
to pay long distance charges to connect or pay a premium to use
a toll-free line. Check very carefully before signing up, especially
if you are not near a city.
- If you cancel the service you will have to repay part or all
of the rebate, often with a stiff penalty. This precludes
switching to DSL or cable.
- If the cheap / free computer fails after a year you will still
be bound by the terms of the ISP's contract.
The rebate offer may be a good deal if you understand that you
are essentially financing a computer for three years with your ISP
payments and that you will only have 56k dial-up service. Is the
rebate a good deal? Only you can decide.
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