Before I start this week’s article, I want to have a little tech-geek fun and do a little research at the same time. Many readers who I talk with, tell me they read my article during work hours or after they get home. I’d like to take my research a bit further and ask you to text message me after reading this. My cell number is (978)413-2840. Please include your first name when sending the message and I will reply.
My last customer of the weekend brought in a computer he was using to update his iPad. Everything was working great and the process started without a glitch until the Apple utility gave him a fatal warning. The software utility warned him that he didn’t have enough resources to complete the process. This left the guy with both a nonfunctional iPad and major frustration.
As we went through the computer together, I started outlining changes that would have to be made to the computer to bring it more current. In order to make the computer function with the Apple software he would need a larger hard drive and more memory. At today’s prices that upgrade would have been somewhere in the $300.00 price range.
After discussing his options, I suggested he look at a new computer and purchase one of the no-frills PC’s from a major retailer. New computers are preloaded with Windows 7, have brand new hardware, and come with a factory warranty. There’s no reason to purchase a used computer at today’s pricing.
Several months ago I talked about used laptops and PC’s. One point I didn’t make in that article was the overall cost of ownership of a used machine can be more than purchasing new. Used computers have used parts and there’s no way of predicting when and what will fail. It could be a few months before a hard drive fails; there’s no way of knowing.
I’m going to outline a few details everyone purchasing a computer should realize. First, computer towers are all pretty equal on the inside. All major manufacturers purchase most of their components from a handful of vendors. Hard drives, memory, processors, and motherboards are sourced based on function and price.
All of the components are then assembled into a branded PC chassis. Most of the standard PC’s sold in Wal-Mart and other major retailers are assembled by third party contract firm that may assemble for other manufacturers. My cousin is a sales manager for one such company and much of the work for standard PC’s is done offshore; while some of the more customized machines are assembled in North America.
Differentiating by brand name is very difficult which makes it very difficult to distinguish a good deal from a bad deal. Because there are only two major brands of processor, picking the best deal comes down to three choices. Processor type and speed is perhaps the biggest choice. Memory size, which affects speed and function, is second. Finally, no matter the hard drive capacity, most people are never going to it in its entirety.
Before you spend a ton of money to fix your computer talk to someone and see if it’s worth investing. Even if you decide to fix the old you should consider looking at new, low-end machines. Most computers are pretty much identical which makes choosing a replacement easier. Compare the processors, memory and hard drives between brands and you’re on your way to a great deal.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can text him at (978) 413-2840 or call him directly at (978) 919-8059.)