There’s really only one important question when buying a new computer: Which one will do what I want for a price that I like? Unfortunately, this isn’t as simple a question as it should be. From the jargon of technical specs to the multitude of brands and operating systems, choosing the right computer can be hard – and making sure you’re getting a great deal, even harder.
So let’s make it easy.
Click on the link for the device that you feel best describes your needs. From here, we’ll help you pick out a specific model.
Tablet ($150-$700) :: I need something extremely portable, with a very long battery life so I can use it all day, without plugging it in or waiting for it to boot up. I might like to play some casual games, but I’ll mostly be checking emails and sending back short responses, browsing the web a bit, or reading news articles. I might also like to watch videos online, listen to some radio or audiocasts, or read an e-book sometimes. I don’t really need to be able to play any CDs or DVDs.
Netbook ($200-$1,600) :: I need something extremely portable and with a relatively long battery life (at least 5 hours). It doesn’t need to be extremely powerful, as I’ll mostly just be checking my email, browsing the web, or writing up documents. Having a full, real keyboard is important to me though, since I’ll be typing a lot. I might also have some special programs I’d like to install (like Microsoft Office or iTunes), but as far as games go, I’ll probably just want to play Solitaire or Hearts, if anything.
Laptop ($350-$2000) :: I need something portable and I’d like the battery to last a few hours, but I really don’t need more than that, because I’ll almost always be next to an outlet. I need this computer to be relatively fast, because I usually have at least a few programs open at a time. I won’t just be browsing the web, checking my email, and writing up documents – I might also want to install some games, put together some simple home videos, and play some CDs or even DVDs in my computer.
Desktop ($250-$20,000) :: I’m only going to use this computer at home and I want it to do everything. I want the most performance for my dollar, and I might want to play the latest computer games too.