Purchasing a home or business computer is a big and sometimes costly decision. Below are helpful suggestions on what to look for when purchasing a new computer.

New vs. refurbished or used

Buying a used or refurbished computer can save you money. A refurbished computer is a returned computer that the company has checked over but cannot be sold again as new. All major computer manufacturers have a refurbished section showing all their available refurbished products. Buying one of these computers instead of a new computer can save you hundreds of dollars.


In addition to refurbished computers, buying a used computer is another option. When buying a used computer, consider the following.

  1. Verify it has no physical damage by inspecting the ports and the inside and outside of the case.
  2. Make sure you pay for what you are getting. See the scam section below for additional details.
  3. Ensure the computer comes with any CDs (Compact Discs) or flash drives for the operating systems or programs installed.
  4. Realize that many computer manufacturers do not transfer the computer warranty from the old user to you.

Mac vs. PC

The decision between buying an Apple Macintosh and a PC running Microsoft Windows is always a heated debate. See our Mac vs. PC page for a list of advantages and disadvantages of both systems if you're still undecided.

What to look for

Below are computer components and their recommendations. Each sections also has direct links to the buying tips page for the components if you'd like more information.

Case

The case or chassis is often overlooked when buying a new computer. Below are some things to think about regarding the case.

Do you want a desktop or tower case?

Will the case fit on top of or below your desk?

Will the drives (e.g., CD-ROM) and ports (e.g., USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports) be accessible?

Does the case support the latest motherboard standard, such as the ATX (Advanced Technology extended) motherboard standard? 

Knowing the motherboard standard helps with future upgrades.

Optical media

Does the computer come with an optical disc drive or disc burner? To install software or watch a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) movie, ensure the computer has the necessary disc drive.

Hard drive

The hard drive is the destination of all your files and information. Ensure you get a hard drive with enough space and runs at speeds that don't slow down the overall computer performance.

Memory

Memory is an important purchasing decision for a computer. The more memory a computer has, the more efficiently it runs software.

Network card

Almost all computers today have an onboard network card on the motherboard. The network card lets you share files between computers in your home and connect to the Internet.

Processor

The computer processor is the most important consideration when purchasing a computer. Today, with multiple CPU (Central Processing Unit) manufacturers, it may be more confusing, but it's also more cost efficient to look at all manufacturers.

Sound card

Today, the standard sound cards included with a computer are sufficient for almost all computer users. However, if you plan to do sound editing or mixing, look at the sound card's capabilities.

Video card

For computer gaming, the video card is one of the most important factors after memory and processor. If you plan on gaming with your computer, ensure the video card GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and video memory meet game requirements.