How to buy a new PC without being ripped off

Walking into a PC store when you don’t know what you want can be a bit like walking into the shanty towns of Rio de Janeiro wearing a big sign saying ‘tourist’. You run the risk of walking out without any cash. Things don’t have to be this way. Just ask yourself a few easy questions before you open your wallet:

Which edition do I need?

Windows Vista has a number of incarnations to maximise its appeal to users across the spectrum; from Home Basic to Ultimate edition, the features – and costs – vary immensely.

Obviously, the Ultimate edition comes with all the bells and whistles but it’s costly, too. The majority of users will benefi t most from the Home Premium version, which has a good balance between functionality, cost and demands on the system.

There are a range of features, such as Windows Aero graphics, Flip 3D, scheduled back-ups, games, Windows SideShow and Windows Media Center.

Windows Vista Home Basic can often be found on budget laptops and PCs and, although this is a cheaper option, you run the risk of regretting your cost-cutting decision when using your new PC. Go to the Windows website and click Compare the editions of Windows Vista for a detailed breakdown.

Minimum requirements?

To run Windows Vista satisfactorily there are several necessary benchmarks of performance. You will require a dual-core processor, in order to handle Windows Vista and all the other tasks you throw at it. Windows Vista officially requires 1GB of RAM to run smoothly but 2GB would be a wise buy. The Windows Aero functions require your computer to have a DirectX 9.0 graphics card, with at least 128MB of onboard graphics memory.

What do I want it to do?

When buying a PC you have to be honest about the things you want to use it for. If you just want a PC for email and the internet, there’s no need to spend £1,000. However, if you want to play the latest games, a mid-range PC won’t satisfy.

If you’re going to be storing lots of family photos and music, look for a big hard drive – say 500GB, or if you’re really flush go for a whole terabyte! And, if you do want to turn your computer into a media centre, make sure a digital TV card is included in the package.

How much to spend?

When you’ve thought about your needs, think about how much you have to spend and shop around. Check out sites like eBuyer, PC Specialist and Mesh before walking into high street stores to get an idea of what’s on offer online, as this can often be where the best deals are to be found.

Can I make my PC last?

Some people say it’s impossible to future-proof a PC and, to some extent, that’s true, but there are some technologies emerging that are guaranteed to extend the life of your PC.

If you’re a high-end user you should really look to quad-core technology; gamers will need DirectX 10 graphics cards, such as the GeForce 8800 and the ATI Radeon 2900, to make sure games look good for a while yet. And make sure your new computer is easy to upgrade for when you feel like splashing out a bit more cash.

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