How to buy a PC

In today's consumer society, shopping is simple. If you want something, all you need to do is head to an appropriate outlet, ask for the goods and hand over payment. Transaction complete. That is, of course, unless you want to buy a PC.

To get kitted out with a computer, you must first decide on a 'specification', the electronic bits and bobs that bolt together to make a computer system.

Both magazines and your mates will tell you that you need a fast processor, a big hard disk and a powerful graphics card but, if you haven't the foggiest idea what any of these terms mean, then such information is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Technical specifications are confusing enough but you'll also have to decide where to buy your PC. The choice is simply overwhelming.

There are high-street retailers, independent local specialists, out-of-town superstores, mail-order operators and big-name direct suppliers that deny the middleman his mark-up by selling straight to the customer.

Many of us worry about peripherals, warranties and pushy sales staff too. And, as if all that wasn't enough, the final obstacle is choosing how to pay. If you've got the wealth to pay up-front, a cheque or debit card payment would seem the obvious choice.

But is it wise to take advantage of one of the many interest-free credit deals on offer these days? After all, keeping the funds in your bank account earns interest for you rather than someone else.

Perhaps there's a catch: businesses aren't prone to giving away money, so what's with all this 'free' finance? How about using a credit card? Is a personal loan the cheapest way to borrow money for a new PC? Perhaps you could try bartering with organic produce.

Yes, procuring a computer can be an awkward endeavour. Our advice is to keep reading. Understanding what a fraught process buying can be, the Computeractive team has put together a comprehensive guide to buying a PC.

Listless feeling
We have said it many times before but it's always worth repeating: before shopping for a computer, list all the things you would like to use it for. Fetch a piece of paper and jot down your needs. We're serious, do it. Now!

Do you want a computer for writing letters? Note that down. How about playing games? Add a cross or tick. Is image editing your thing? Add that to the list. Do you want to sort out your business accounts or personal finances? Are you planning to surf the web?

Keep at it until you have exhausted all possibilities. Later, when you look back through this roll-call of requirements, the insight that it provides will help you to crystallise the buying decision.

Power play
Now that you have listed your requirements, it's time to think about some particulars. The core of every computer is the processor. This is a microchip that performs all manner of high-tech wonders.

We could bore you with a lot of tedious talk about the inner workings of these magical pieces of silicon, or we could save you a lot of headaches by saying that the only thing you truly need to appreciate about processors is speed.

Traditionally, processor performance, or clock speed, has been measured in megahertz (MHz) but more commonly these days, gigahertz (GHz) is the gauge.

In essence, the bigger the number that prefixes these mystifying labels, the faster a computer will run; it matters little whether the chip is manufactured by Intel, the market leader, or arch-rival AMD.

Of marginally more importance is the specific model. Both chip makers market 'budget' and 'performance' processors and this is the aspect to focus on.

Intel's cheap chip range bears the Celeron badge, while AMD's equivalent processors are dubbed Duron. At the expensive end of the PC processor market are Intel's Pentium 4 and the Athlon XP from AMD.

None of these names means anything per se - they're just brands, like the Ford Fiesta and the Porsche 911.

If your requirements list contains phrases such as 'play arcade games' and 'edit digital video recordings' then shop for a fancy performance processor: a Pentium 4 or an Athlon XP.

Of course, processor power isn't the sole consideration for these (or any other) applications - more on that soon - but a powerful chip is the cornerstone of any versatile computer.

Intel and AMD are engaged in a seemingly endless game of processor-speed leapfrog and, while this month's fastest chip might be the brand-new 3GHz Pentium 4, it's a safe bet that AMD won't be far behind.

So what's our advice? Well, it's straightforward: if you want to enjoy performance-demanding programs such as games and image editing applications, then buy the fastest processor you can afford.

Certainly, you should not go for anything less than, say, a 2GHz chip. Complicating matters a tad here is the fact that AMD shies away from revealing the speed of its processors, relying instead on a 'true performance indication' label.

AMD reckons that clever chip design enables Athlon chips with lower clock speed figures to match the performance of supposedly faster Pentium 4 processors.

Consequently, the firm feels confident labelling its 1.67GHz Athlon XP, for example, as a '2000+' processor, suggesting that the chip is on a par with a 2GHz Pentium 4.

Trials by numerous industry boffins have given credence to AMD's claim so, broadly speaking, it's a dependable measure.

Quick, quick, slow
On the other hand, if you're not interested in fancy graphics and games, you needn't give a fig about processor speed. Well, perhaps just a small one.

Humdrum computing tasks such as word processing and internet activities barely call on a processor's number-crunching muscle so, if your time at the keyboard is likely to be spent writing reports or tapping out emails, it could translate to big savings on the overall cost of your PC package.

You see, the processor is often the costliest component in a computer so, if the jobs you have in mind aren't likely to exploit a high-performance chip, why spend the money?

A computer powered by a top-notch Pentium 4 or Athlon could cost £2,000 or more but prices for Celeron and Duron-based machines start in the low hundreds. These easy-on-the-pocket PCs will cope with most everyday tasks just as well as an expensive one.

Thanks for the memory
For many purposes the computer's complement of memory, often referred to as Ram, or Random Access Memory, is likely to prove a better performance provider.

Memory is the computer's temporary store and every operation, from launching software applications to browsing web pages, will call upon it.

In simple terms, the more memory a computer has, the greater the number of applications and operations it will be capable of running without slowing down or throwing up error messages.

When browsing the adverts, you will encounter a bewildering barrage of abbreviations: RDRam, SDRam, DDRRam and more. Ignore them all.

Nerds delight in deliberating the nanosecond-saving minutiae of memory but in the rational world it is worth considering only the amount of memory in megabytes (MB).

How much is necessary depends on your specific needs but right now, the levels offered by manufacturers stretch from about 128MB to 2,048MB (or 2GB). That starting figure is adequate for the basic tasks discussed earlier.

A sensible figure these days is 256MB, while performance seekers should consider 512MB or more. If you're on a budget and can't afford 256MB now, don't fret because it's easy to increase a PC's memory. We'll discuss expansion options later.

Glorious graphics
In a PC, the component that creates the visual wizardry is known as a graphics card and choosing the perfect one can be a nightmare.

If you're sure you are never going to play games or edit digital images, you are in a fortunate position. Even today's most basic graphics set-ups are capable of keeping up with the screen updates demanded by typical office-related applications so, worry not, and skip the next couple of paragraphs.

However, even if you are unconcerned about graphics performance, be wary of phrases such as 'shared memory graphics'. This means that the graphics hardware will borrow memory from the computer's own complement, which will knock overall performance.

Only with truly budget PCs (under £500) is such a specification acceptable. If graphics prowess is a priority, then prepare to add £100 to £300 to the overall purchase price of your PC package.

At the time of writing, for example, direct supplier Dell is charging £299 for an upgrade to a top-of-the-range 128MB ATi Radeon 9700 Pro graphics card.

Opting instead for an nVidia GeForce4 Ti 4600 128MB model costs £264. In the middle ground, you can't go far wrong with a GeForce4 Ti 4200 card and Dell's current price for one of these is £94.

For the full low-down on the current state of the graphics card market, look out for a round-up of graphics cards in Computeractive after Christmas.

What's in store?
The last major element of a PC is the hard disk. In everyday terms, the hard disk is where every word-processed document, digital image, email message, game and application resides.

Should the hard disk run out of space, you will not be able to create any new documents or files or add any new programs to your PC until you make room by deleting stuff. These days, though, it's rare for a hard disk to run out of storage space.

Capacities are measured in gigabytes (GB) and even the smallest offerings have sufficient space to hold dozens of applications and thousands of documents.

Even so, don't skimp unless you have to. Extended computer use has a habit of giving birth to file-hoarding tendencies and, once applications such as word processing, spreadsheets and the all-important operating system (Windows) are factored in, the space remaining on a 20GB hard disk could easily shrink to 10GB or less.

That doesn't leave a lot of room for future manoeuvres. Opting for a 40GB instead of a 20GB model, for example, will add just a few pounds to the overall cost of a PC package.

Drive time
In addition to the hard disk, modern computers include two or more ancillary disk drives. The first is the so-called floppy disk drive.

Their low storage capacity - a floppy disk holds just 1.44MB of data - means they are of little use these days but the drives are cheap as chips and as a result are all but standard issue.

More useful - in fact essential - is an optical drive. All new computers come with a CD-Rom drive capable of reading, yes, CD-Roms but most new PCs now come with a CD-RW drive instead. This can read and create computer and audio CDs.

A DVD-Rom drive can read, but not create, CDs and also play DVD movies, if you really want to watch them on your PC, that is.

Various types of DVD-recorder drives are also available that offer all of the aforementioned features plus the ability to create DVDs but, until standards settle and prices come down, these are best avoided. For the time being, your best bet is a CD-RW drive and, if you fancy it, a separate DVD-Rom drive.

You might see 'combo' drives advertised: these combine two or more optical disc functions. A CD-RW/DVD-Rom combo drive, for example, can read both CD-Rom and DVD-Rom discs or write data to recordable CD media - that is, CD-R and CD-RW discs.

Don't dawdle over the oft-touted speeds of optical drives. Terms such as '40x12x48' might sound impressive but, for most people, the numbers are of little consequence.

At the end of the day, all modern optical drives can read CDs and play back DVDs at fine speed. When it comes to writing data to CDs, at most all you'll have to do is wait a few minutes for the job to finish.

Monitor matters
When shopping for a computer, it's easy to overlook one of the most important elements of all - the monitor.

Every moment working at the computer workstation will be spent staring at this particular component so it's vital to choose a good one.

There's no substitute for first-hand experience, so if at all possible try to see a display working before making a decision.

This is fine if you're shopping in the high street but not feasible when buying via mail order. Either way, keep these few pointers in mind.

As with domestic television sets, traditional CRT computer displays are heavy and bulky, and the bigger the screen, the larger the case housing it will be.

A 17in display can weigh anything up to 15kg and its rear end can extend back 16in (40cm). Moreover, the screen area of a CRT monitor is never as broad as the tube itself.

A 17in display, for example, will offer less than 16in of viewable screen because the plastic housing obscures the cathode-ray tube's extremities.

If you want to free up desk space and lose those excess pounds, consider a TFT display. The slimline dimensions mean more room on the desktop but price might prove the decisive factor: a basic 17in CRT monitor will cost a touch over £100 but when it comes to TFTs, buying a 15in model is likely to see little change from £300.

Moving on up
Perhaps the most attractive aspect of PCs is the ease with which they can be upgraded. If you can't afford a top-of-the-line machine now, you can always buy a cheaper one and install the fancy bits later. However, some parts are easier to update than others.

As a general rule, it's best to forget the idea of upgrading the processor. While modern chips can be removed and replaced with relative ease, the computer industry progresses so fast that by the time you're ready to upgrade your processor, things will have moved on sufficiently to make buying a new PC the most economic option.

Augmenting the memory is cheap and easy. However, you should ensure that there are sufficient spare memory slots inside the PC you have in mind.

Ask the supplier to confirm the number of slots, as well as the memory and socket standards before you buy. As discussed earlier, don't worry unduly about the type of memory but do be sure you know what to buy when you decide to upgrade.

Installation is usually no more difficult than simply opening the case and snapping the memory modules into place.

Usually there's plenty of room in a PC's innards to accommodate an additional hard disk so beefing up storage space is not a problem. While the job does involve some exploratory surgery to locate the correct connection cables, it is pretty straightforward.

Much the same could be said of upgrading the graphics hardware. Most of the time it will be a simple case of removing an existing graphics card and replacing it with an updated model.

If you're likely to want to add a graphics card later, make a point of asking whether the machine you have in mind has a dedicated AGP expansion slot, because you'll need one.

Some PCs feature 'integrated' graphics cards, where the graphics chips are part and parcel of the computer's motherboard.

The audio facilities on PCs are generally pretty good these days but if you're a hi-fi buff there's no shortage of quality sound cards designed to improve the output.

Time to checkout
The closing stage of any purchase involves paying for the goods. With a high-value item such as a computer, it's wise to weigh up the settlement options even if you have the means to pay outright.

If you're buying from a mail-order supplier or direct supplier, it makes good sense to pay with a credit card, because the law affords credit card users certain protections. Under the 1974 Consumer Credit Act, credit card companies are held jointly liable for transactions over £100.

In other words, if the mail-order company suddenly goes bust before supplying your computer and you paid by credit card, then you can ask the finance company for assistance in recovering the debt.

If you can put money down on the counter, this is a useful bargaining tool. Bear in mind that for every credit card sale, a retailer has to pay the card company a handling charge - usually about two per cent of the total receipt - so you will find that even the big-brand computer superstores are up for a little cash sale haggling.

A thrown-in spool of CD-R discs or some software is the best you can hope for, but it's still worth a try.

Be wary of so-called 'nought per cent finance' agreements. Almost without exception, these deals have nasty stings in the tail. The usual ploy is to offer an interest-free payment period of six months from the date of purchase.

The monthly repayment figure is set at a very low level, effectively making it impossible for the customer to clear the full debt before the expiration of the interest-free term.

At the end of the agreed period, the customer then has a choice: pay the outstanding debt amount in full (a figure that on a computer purchase could equal hundreds of pounds) or incur interest at the stated APR over the full term of the loan.

In other words, the interest-free period camouflages a high-interest loan trap. Earlier this year, the Office of Fair Trading came down hard on companies claiming to offer interest-free credit and big-name retailers have now cleaned up their acts.

However, many smaller companies and mail-order firms persist with these underhand methods, so be on your guard.

Finally, we would advise against taking out any finance deal lined up by a computer supplier as they are simply terrible value for money.

During the compilation of this report we found that finance interest rates offered by computer companies stretch from an expensive 18.9 per cent to a should-be-a-crime 29.9 per cent.

Most banks would blush at such inflated accruements and besides, modern financial institutions such as Egg and Tesco Personal Finance offer personal loans with APRs of less than 10 per cent. Over the course of a typical two- or three-year loan, the difference could be many hundreds of pounds.

Peripheral vision
When buying a first computer, most people consider adding extras, such as printers and scanners. Aware of this, PC suppliers offer temptingly discounted 'bundles' of peripherals. But are these deals as good as they seem?

We performed an unscientific trawl of the market to get an idea of the current worth of bundled peripherals. On the whole, the deals are reasonable but they don't always result in savings. For example, Mesh Computers currently charges £93 for Lexmark's popular Z55 printer when bought with a PC.

This is the same price as online retailer Dabs.com levies for the printer alone, plus £3.50 delivery. If there is any saving to be had by buying the printer from Mesh, it's that doing so adds nothing to the overall cost of delivering the PC itself (which, anyway, costs a not-inconsiderable £46).

Similarly, the price Dell asks for a bundled Lexmark Z35 printer is the same £55 sought by Dabs.com. However, Dell's offer includes the requisite connecting cable so is a marginally better deal.

Warranty worries
As consumers, we're used to being issued guarantees with most products we buy and computers are no different. You can expect a 12-month 'return-to-base' warranty as standard, which means that the customer is responsible for returning faulty goods from whence they came.

If you bought from a high-street retailer this could be an inconvenience but that's nothing compared with the hassle attached to mail-order companies. Considering the bulk of the average computer, returning the goods to some far-flung repair centre is likely to be difficult and expensive.

Some firms offer better 'on-site' service options, while still more promote the benefits of 'extended warranties'. On-site cover seems attractive as it carries the promise of an engineer visiting your home or place of business to carry out repairs.

But wise up: from the manufacturers' viewpoint, on-site repairs are a costly enterprise so strenuous efforts are made to reduce the number of call-outs.

Before you ever catch wind of an engineer, you'll be required first to spend time explaining the problems to helpline operators.

What's more, it's likely that the helpline number will be charged at a premium rate. Getting computer companies to honour the promise of on-site service can be a costly business.

When it comes to extended warranties - we'll not put too fine a point on it - they're often a waste of money. In essence, firms hawking extended warranties are acting as brokers for insurance companies.

Sign up for one and you'll be issued with an insurance schedule that promises to bear the cost of any repairs to the computer during the period of the policy.

Big deal. Extended warranties cost a small fortune and the value of a computer depreciates at breakneck speed.

In the event that your PC does fail outside of the standard one- or two-year guarantee, the repair cost will almost certainly be lower than the charge made for the extended warranty. Don't fall for the sales patter.

If you do some research, know what you want and can cut through the confusing jargon, getting the right PC for you can be a pleasure. Happy shopping!