2013 Christmas Computer Buying Guide

• Folks who are looking to expand their computer experience, and have tried the Mac’s out at the store or with a friend. If you are adventurous and like working on your own to discover things… this is a distinct option. The upside is that you can also check out VMware Fusion / Parallels… which we believe is a very good workable solution for most users not in an ultra-intensive role.
• Previous Mac owners (of course!).
• Graphic arts, photoshopping, video, the Design industry, etc.
• Folks that know that the software they are looking for is available on a Mac, and not a PC.
• New users to the computer world that have support for the Mac. Make sure that you don’t have something that you can’t find support for easily, and locally.
• Youth at colleges that allow for Mac’s, and Mac’s are prevalent… but this is a user preference issue.

These are not hard set items, just guidelines… let us know your thoughts on any of this.

Question 2 – Desktop, Laptop, or Tablet

While it used to be an easy suggestion for us to make, we’ve now decided that this is really now up to you.  In the consumer world, more laptops are sold than desktops, and the portable  route is the definite trend.  There are considerations, however:

First, the downsides of laptops… I’ve owned just shy of a dozen laptops, and like them very much. At the same time, I use my desktop PC’s 75% of the time or more… A laptop is vulnerable to all sorts of abuse that your desktop will never see. Additionally, it’ll run at least 20% more than a comparable PC, and the expected life expectancy of the thing is 2/3rds of the time of a desktop. The screen options for some users may not be suitable, so plan ahead and review screen size for comfort before you purchase.

The upsides, however, include portability, and being able to take your computer at a moment’s notice to someone who can help you. A desktop is a little more cumbersome, and you can’t exactly take it everywhere you go. Picking up a laptop and taking it with you to a neighbors house to show off pictures of your recent vacation is awesome (but don’t overstay your welcome!). College students will like the flexibility to take to class or the coffee shop, and business users will usually need something to travel with.

Tablets are new and exciting, and are a distinct option for many folks. Many customers are choosing tablets as an interim replacement for their full systems, getting an extra year out of their existing hardware, and moving towards this ultra-portable tool. Ups and downs exist everywhere with the tablets, so I highly suggest the iPad (and mini) and the Samsung tablets, with a nod towards Kindle if you are already in the Kindle infrastructure. If you are looking to save a few dollars, don’t be tempted by the no-name brands… because there’s no such thing as “almost as good as” in this world. One thing to note, if you are using a tablet for serious computing, you’ll need to plan on a keyboard replacement.

Question 3 – Brand

Choosing a brand is something that is sometimes more of a preference than a “must-do”. From past history, I’ve had good luck with some brands, and not so good luck with others. So-called “white box” vendors, the companies that make them for you “cheaper and better than Dell”, are not cheaper, and not better. Go for a company with an established reputation for quality. In either laptop or desktop (in my order of preference from experience and reviews), Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, and Sony all make very nice computers that will last you a while. There are nuances between each brand, however.  Lenovo has rocked the world with outstanding pricing and sales volume, and should stick around for a long time, while Sony is more expensive but well built and stylish… so explore as you feel comfortable.Dell has distinct strength and reliability for a good price, and HP has made good decisions in the nuances in the speed of the components.  Lenovo has rocked the world with outstanding pricing and sales volume, and should stick around for a long time, while Sony is more expensive but well built and stylish… so explore as you feel comfortable.

Note: If you want a Mac, there is no other brand than the Apple. There is something called Hackintosh, and there are still sellers out there, but it’s not worth the headache.

Question 4 – CPU (the main chip)

The power of your CPU is distinctly subject to the whim of your budget. Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 (3rd and 4th Generations) are the lead standards by which others are comparing themselves, and is a wise choice. Make sure that you are comparing the proper generation of CPUs, and not older generations.  How can you tell?

• 1st Generation I7-3xx or I7-4xx (with the x’s being numbers… and sometimes a letter will follow… so a numerical 3 digit identifier)
• 2nd Generation – I7-2xxx (with the x’s being numbers… note the 2 with three more numbers (and perhaps a letter) following) )
• 3rd Generation – I7-3xxx (with the x’s being numbers… note the 3 with three more numbers (and perhaps a letter) following).
• 4th Generation – I7-4xxx (with the x’s being numbers… note the 4 with three more numbers (and perhaps a letter) following).

If you go with the AMD chips, you’re going to do fine, especially on a budget. Avoid older CPUs, unless your budget just can’t handle it. Don’t buy the latest and greatest super-chip either. If the cost of the CPU is bogging down the price your computer, it’s not worth it.

Tablets live in their own world with CPU, so go for the latest and you’re fine.

Notes:

• Unless you’re running something highly demanding, you don’t need the chip that was announced last week, or even last month.  The 4th Generation Intels came out in July and September, so they are still kind of fresh.  The 3rd Generation is perfectly fine for most people, but only for a decent discount.
• Due to differences in the operating systems, the Mac OS can handle a chip that is a little bit less powerful, so long as you are not running Windows using Parallels (etc). If you run Windows on the machine, however, it will run at the slower chip speed).

Question 5 – RAM (Memory)

All computers run faster with more memory to work with. The quickest and easiest answer… The minimum choice is 4GB of RAM, and 4GB is fine on Windows 7 or 8, unless you’re running some higher end stuff.  Now, if you want 64-bit Windows 7 or 8, then jump to 8GB, and if you want or even more RAM than that.  For simple upgraders, I’ll always point to this as the first stopping point for improvement.  If you’re running less memory, this is one of the first places to improve any computer.

Question 6 – Hard Drive (Storage Space)

Hard drives are crucial to storage, but even low end computers are coming with sufficient hard drives for your average person. Unless you are doing video editing, you won’t likely need more drive space before your computer needs replacing. The average budget system comes with 500GB (or half a Terabyte), so no worries here.  Even if you’re dealing with a lot of MP3’s… you can fit 10,000 songs into about 40GB. If you’ve got more than this much music, you already know you’re obsessing, and can think about a larger hard drive.

Question 7 – CD, DVD, high-definition (HD-DVD or Blu-Ray)

A dual-layer DVD writer is standard on most machines now, and will be about all you need. Blu-Ray is still (5 years later) an expensive option that most people don’t go with, as they don’t have Blu-Ray discs, and I still suggest that it’s not worth it quite yet.

Question 8 – Video graphics card

On your budget machines, you can go with integrated or “shared” graphics, but they chew into your RAM. Gaming and video will be slower, and you’ll really need a separate card. If you’re spending over $750 on a desktop, and it takes an upgradable card, then go for it.  On laptops, you can sometimes upgrade the card as well, but I suggest that you reserve this only for if you really know you can do it and need it.  You want NVidia or ATI, nothing else. Don’t spend more than $100 on a video card without knowing specifically that you need it for sure (from the specs on a specific video game package).

 Question 9 – Screen size

• Desktop – What you can afford. Consider dual monitors for more “screen real estate” at a cheaper price. Two 19″ widescreen monitors will cost you a little less than a 24″ widescreen monitors, but give you a combined display area of 32″ wide, instead of 20″. The sweet spot is dual 24″ monitors, and anything more is overkill.
• Laptop – The smaller the laptop, the smaller the screen. If you want a light laptop, without the drives, that’s small, you’ll have to have a small screen. The standard size is 15.4″. If you want all of the extras, like a DVD drive, floppy drive, and so forth, you’ll get a larger screen. Don’t bother with the larger 17″ screens unless you’re looking for the power and aren’t traveling much. If the laptop is merely to save space on a college student desk, perhaps the 19″, but that’s overkill anywhere else.
• Tablet – This is all about the trade-offs of comfort in size versus comfort in reading.  I personally like the full-size iPad screen, but the smaller iPad mini screens rock as well.  Older folks, or people with vision problems may wish for the larger screens.  Youth from the age of about 5 to 25 are going to be just fine with the smaller screens.

• Note: The resolution is an additional factor to take into consideration. If you have a smaller screen, you will wish to compare the available optimal resolution against other screens of the same size. A higher resolution means items may appear smaller, however you will be able to fit more items onto the same screen.

Question 10 – Cache, Front Side Bus, Memory Speed

Don’t worry about these specs. As your computer price goes up, these specs will follow. They are good for comparing oranges-to-oranges, but these are usually not options, so much as features.

Question 11 – Extras

You can spend a fortune on a computer, but just like a car, there are certain items that everyone should be reviewing in the purchase process.  I’ve got a number of favorite suggestions for anyone that’s looking to purchase anything that I’ve mentioned in this weeks show.

All Standard Computers (tablets are separate)

• External Hard Drives – 3 Terabyte drives are cheap now, and it’s really not worth saving $10 to get a 1TB drive…
• Printers – Laser printers are expensive, but the inkjet only exists today for the photo printer options.  If you’re talking about someone who’s a shutterbug, go for the inkjet, otherwise, a laser printer is the only direction.  If you already have purchase a printer in the last 8-10 years and it’s working, don’t buy now.
• Scanners – There are an assortment of good scanners out there, but I like the stuff from Hovercam.  It’s portable enough to slip in next to a laptop, and it rocks.

Desktops

• Battery Backups – APC or Cyberpower
• Cable management – Keeping the place looking nice is important.
• Extra cords for accessories – The desktop computer still serves as a good hub for your technology, so make sure that you can hook up everything to it.

Laptops

• Carrying case – The basic black case is still around, but there are a number of nice options with character these days.  Protection is a must, so don’t get the cheap flimsy stuff, but something that’s solid.
• Extra Battery – If you are traveling more than twice a year, you will want this crucial accessory.  Try to get the salesperson to wheel and deal and throw something like this in to close the deal.  I’m finding this is a frequent closing tool for them.
• Docking station – If you have a desktop location, an office at home, someplace where you’ll be using this more as a desktop, then get the docking station and monitors, as well as a keyboard and mouse, and make it feel far more like a business destination than your kitchen table.

Tablets

• Carrying case – These range from simple to luxury, durable to waterproof, and so forth.
• Portable battery – 4000mAH to give you a full charge anywhere.
• Extra charger – Just like a laptop, you never know if you’ll need a charger away from home.
• Apps – Figure another $50 in apps, especially if this is a gift…  an Apple Store or Google Play gift cards are a must for starting the recipient off right.

Special Considerations

Gaming and Youth
Gaming considerations usually lean towards heavier graphics usage, as well as higher power CPU’s and RAM. Benny suggests that you choose something that is capable of running the three most powerful games that the recipient will play. This may involve a specific video card, and it may suggest additional memory.

Youth who are not heavily into gaming can work with most of the normal options, but Benny does suggest that you keep the computer in a public area, and monitor usage. A malware software package is a must for everyone, but youth are more daring, and really need the protection.

Senior Citizens
Steve Keske notes that Seniors are finding themselves more involved in computers and technology these days as well. Screen size is a must for those who are moving into reading glasses, and will distinctly make the experience more pleasurable for Seniors. Special keyboards are also available with much larger letters, and a variety of mouse options exist for those with arthritis. Ergonomics are a factor as well, as seniors may not be able to adjust their body as easily for certain specialized keyboards, desk placements, etc. Plan the purchase carefully, and if it’s a gift, offer lots of help.

If you have any questions regarding this guide, contact us!