I know nothing about computers. Can someone help me out?

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schuerm26

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I am looking to get a computer (desktop and laptop) in the coming weeks. I know literally nothing about computers. I don't know what is fast and what isn't. I don't want to spend a fortune and was looking on the dell outlet site. The numbers are foreign to me. I am not looking to play games or anything on the laptop. Possibly on the desktop but if that is a huge increase in price then it isn't a big deal and I would just forget that. Can anyone give me a general idea of what to look for when I look at the processor and such?

I am basically using the laptop to use the internet and create spreadsheets. Not much more. It is for a business but nothing flashy at all. Thank you for the help.
 
For a standard everyday use computer look for:

Processor:at least a Dual Core 2.0Ghz (the more cores or higher the number of Ghz, the better)
RAM: get between 2-4GB
Hard Drive: around 200GB should be plenty
Graphics: Integrated (since you're not gonna play any games, get an integrated graphics card, meaning that it is built into the motherboard ... these are usually pretty crappy and will not let you play most PC games, but your computer will cost a lot less)

A computer with this setup should cost around $300.

Look at sites like slickdeals.net since they post (or repost) great deals on desktops and laptops all the time.

Here is an example of a laptop that should meet your needs for $300.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0355168
 
Brand also matters a bit. If you're going for a laptop, the Toshibas have a higher than average reliability rating.
 
It may cost you a bit more, but if you are looking to easily upgrade in the next few years you may want to wait for the Sandy-Bridge 1155 motherboards to be more readily available. They would be using the newest version of Intel processor.

The older dual-core processors (while still very capable) require a different motherboard socket. This potentially leads you to pretty much buying a new computer fairly soon down the road.

While I hate the term "future-proof," I will be purchasing a new motherboard, processor, and RAM on my next upgrade.

All that aside, I would now rather build, but my first PC was a Dell and I was pretty happy with the experience. If you can hold out, it isn't uncommon to see $100 off coupons or free shipping options.
 
[quote name='Bloodbooger']It may cost you a bit more, but if you are looking to easily upgrade in the next few years you may want to wait for the Sandy-Bridge 1155 motherboards to be more readily available. They would be using the newest version of Intel processor.

The older dual-core processors (while still very capable) require a different motherboard socket. This potentially leads you to pretty much buying a new computer fairly soon down the road.

While I hate the term "future-proof," I will be purchasing a new motherboard, processor, and RAM on my next upgrade.

All that aside, I would now rather build, but my first PC was a Dell and I was pretty happy with the experience. If you can hold out, it isn't uncommon to see $100 off coupons or free shipping options.[/QUOTE]

Is building the best option? I have someone that should be able to do that for me. Does that save quite a bit of money? Desktop, Im assuming laptop needs to be purchased from a store.
 
[quote name='schuerm26']Is building the best option? I have someone that should be able to do that for me. Does that save quite a bit of money? Desktop, Im assuming laptop needs to be purchased from a store.[/QUOTE]

Ideally your friend could show you how to piece it together; most hardware is fairly simple to install but you have to get over the hump of unfamiliarity. Some older components do not work with new so you may want to have a couple people look over your options and make sure it is compatilble.

Between sales and rebates you can get a lot for your money.
 
Double post but the store-bought option will come with an operating system but most likely no disc.

If you're a student, you can buy the full version of Windows 7 Pro for $30 right now. Considerably less than retail.

I'll get back to you but I'm on the way out the door.
 
There are some good deals in the dell outlet... although I wouldn't let that be the only place I look.

I would not recommend having someone build it for you. In reality, you usually get a better computer when you build it yourself, but you may have problems getting everything to work together properly which may involve tweaking BIOS settings amongst other things.

Unless it's someone like a brother that lives with you and is available pretty much 24/7 to fix issues you may have, then I think you should just buy a factory built computer.

The bad thing about factory built computers is that they usually have tons of useless programs trials installed that take a few hours to get rid of ... although you already have the operating system installed so it probably balances out.

With factory built computers, they are usually tuned to work stably and last a long time. They also come with warranties so you are covered if any problem arises.
 
[quote name='schuerm26']Is building the best option? I have someone that should be able to do that for me. Does that save quite a bit of money? Desktop, Im assuming laptop needs to be purchased from a store.[/QUOTE]

I built my current rig for under $200. If I had bought it from a store as is it would have been near $900 to $1,000 dollars.

Always go with building.

Keep your receipts.

Register with companies that you buy parts from and read their warranties. Many companies offer limited lifetime warranties that will help you save you a LOT of money over the years.
 
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