If I had a dime for every time someone has asked me “What should I look for when buying computer. . . I’d be retired and living on the 14th fairway somewhere. There are two basic rules to computer shopping:

1. Faster isn’t always better. Most of us don’t need the fastest available microprocessor for our day-to-day computing tasks. We’d be better off with something in the middle, and then investing in more memory (RAM), higher performance hard drives and a better video card.
2. Size matters. Stay away from those all-in-ones -- Apple’s excellent iMac is the only exception -- or small form factor designs... They limit expandability. Look for a minitower case. When it comes to monitors, don’t skimp on size or quality. Invest in the largest, highest quality monitor you can afford.

What Should You Look For?

First and foremost, you have to decide between a PC running Microsoft Windows or an Apple Macintosh. Personally, I'd recommend a Mac unless you're a hard core gamer or need to run a specific application that isn't available for the Mac.*

That said if you decide to go with a Windows PC I’d start with a system based on the Intel Core 2 Duo dual core processor. From there it’s really a question of what you use your computer for. If you’re a typical home user who spends most of his or her time on web surfing, e-mail and word processing, you can get along fine with a system based on an Intel Core 2 Duo E8XXX series processor. I’d suggest something with 2GB of RAM, an entry level ATI or Nvidia graphics card, a 250GB or 320GB hard drive, a dual format, double layer DVD burner and Windows Vista Home Premium. If you’re a power home user, who’s working with digital photos or editing home movies, I’d think about stepping up to the Core 2 Quad Q9XXX series processor. I’d also suggest investing in a better video card, and a pair of 500 or 750 gigabyte hard drives and 4GB of memory. For small office or home office users, I’d suggest the same basic configuration as for a typical home user, but would replace Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Vista Business. Last, but not least, make sure your new computer has at least 6 USB 2.0 (universal serial bus) ports and 2 IEEE 1394 (FireWire) ports.

Notebooks

Personally, I wouldn’t buy a notebook unless I had a specific need for one. In my experience, they fail more often than desktops. If a notebook is going to be your primary system, look for one based on the Intel Core 2 Duo T series processors with a discrete graphics controller and dedicated video memory… be sure it has built in WiFi and Bluetooth.

Warranties

A good computer system should include a three-year warranty. Ideally, that warranty will include next business day on-site service. That means if the manufacturer is unable to troubleshoot a problem with you over the phone, they will dispatch a technician to your home or office to make the necessary repairs. Most computer manufacturers also offer service contracts or warranty upgrades at a reasonable cost. These contracts normally “upgrade” the base warranty from next business day to same business day or 24/7 on-site service. If you can’t afford extended downtime, invest in one of these contracts.

Related Sites

• Apple Computer
• Hewlett-Packard
• Microsoft Corporation
  

* Today's Macintoshes use the same Intel microprocessors as Windows PCs and can run both Windows and the MacOS so you can have the best of both worlds on a single computer.