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Where Should I Buy It From?

Local Dealer

This is your best bet if you are a newcomer and you can find a dealer who actually will take the time to talk with you about your needs. Ask also if he offers a money-back-if-not-satisfied guarantee and has classes in the areas of computing you are interested in. Try to stay away from the big discount stores with household appliances and electronics all under one roof. You'll seldom find knowledgeable salespeople and they have an interest in selling you "what's in stock."

Mail-Order

There are two vendors that have consistently rated at, or near the top, both with Consumer's Reports and the computer magazines -- Dell Computer and Micron Electronics . They will custom-configure a system for you and offer optional on-site service and extended warranties along with a money-back policy and leasing options.

• Dell Computer, 800-283-1480, http://www.dell.com/buydell/
• Micron Electronics, 800-486-2062, http://www.micronpc.com

Computer Show

This is a choice if you have a knowledgeable friend, or know enough about computers yourself, to allow you to make intelligent choices about the items offered. You'll need to make a list of exactly what you want before hand. You usually wont get a return policy if you make a mistake and purchase the wrong item. You can usually exchange defective items as long as you can either get to the dealer's store or the next computer show he attends.

Classified Ad

This is generally the worst way to buy a computer as most items for sale this way are not going to have any return policy and you won't know if there's a defect until you've had it a while. Most sellers have an inflated idea of the worth of their computers and price them way too high. You shouldn't pay over $350 for a used Pentium III (add $100 for a working SVGA monitor and nothing for a plain VGA one) and about $500 for a used Pentium 4 (less monitor.)

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Last modified: Thursday, May 12, 2005