One of the things everybody notices about today’s technological world is that everybody is joining it. In the days of yore the IT guys knew about IT and everybody else knew about everything else but today, we are no longer the omniscient mystics we once were. So many things about computers have become general knowledge and many IT related tasks are handled in-house. One of these tasks is the procurement of new computers. This is exactly the kind of thing that many people feel comfortable handling it themselves but there are perhaps a couple of pointers that may be useful before going on a shopping spree. That’s why we developed the Freshmethod computer buying guide.

Good vs Fast vs Cheap

An old friend of mine used to have a saying. If you want something good it is never fast or cheap, if you want something cheap it is never fast or good and if you want something fast it is never cheap or good. This isn’t exactly true with computers but when purchasing a new system these three things are pretty important factors. Everybody wants a fast, “good” computer for the right price. The thing is that fast, good and cheap are all relative terms. The first question everyone in the market for a new PC needs to consider is what it’s intended purpose will be. If the PC is used for basic word processing there is no point in purchasing the latest and greatest in graphics processing. And of course these things have an effect on price. When it comes to trying to get the right price however there is one things that you probably don’t want to cut back on and that is the amount of RAM (memory) you get. Each Microsoft operating system comes with certain minimum specifications. It is important to know that these specifications are not enough for a business computer. Even if the computer runs well when you first purchase it, as updates come and you install more software the requirements to keep your computer running smoothly get more intense. You can increase the amount of RAM you have later but you can save yourself the trouble and frustration of a slow computer by getting a little extra memory up front.

What is the best brand of computer?

When people are asking for a recommendation the first question they always ask is which brand of computer is the safest bet. Many people also have a story about a particular brand of computer that let them down once before making them swear off them forever. It’s important to know that any computer can have problems. There is no brand that has the patent on being brilliant. Sadly, computer faults are synonymous with computers. What is important is what happens after you have a problem. It’s all about the warranty. I recommend people look for an On Site warranty. The alternative is the Back To Base warranty which means you have to send your computer away to get it repaired. This can take quite a while and you have no computer while it’s away. Most brands have different types of warranty so make sure you ask. You will probably find what you’re looking for.

Purchasing the right software

A few weeks ago we talked about the differences between Windows 8 Pro and RT. If you didn’t catch it (then you should) then the main thing is to ensure you get the business version. Windows Home, is designed for homes. Windows Business or Pro is designed for business life. It enables you to do so many more things that are important in business networks such as connecting to network drives easily. Trying to make Windows Home work in the business world can be a nightmare and is always a disappointment. The same goes for the different versions of Microsoft Office.

I have to say I love the fact that everybody is becoming more comfortable with their IT. This is because one of the things that makes life easier for us IT guys is when people are comfortable with the systems we are trying to help out with. Often we are working with programs and processes that you, the user, is much more experienced with so (even though I know this is going to sound cliché) by working together the answers become so much easier to find.