Computer Buying Guide

Buying a computer can certainly be quite a difficult process if you're not a very technical person. There are so many options, and due to the nature of the computing industry, there are always new developments just around the corner.

The trouble with buying a computer is, you can always improve them, hence the price can easily run away with itself. Try to think of computers not as in low or high specification, but rather being designed for more specific purposes;

• For work processing, email and browsing the web, the lowest specification machine with be absolutely fine. It'll also be perfectly capable of doing simple photo editing - cropping and rotating your family snaps.

• If you'll regularly be using the machine for complex photo editing, video editing or playing games, you'll probably want something with more power, able to carry out complex tasks quicker. At this level you'll need to really think hard about your budget - never over reach yourself.

We recommend you visit any computer shops local to you. Service is typically much better in these smaller shops.

Laptop or Desktop

This is increasingly a more difficult choice, as the price premium for a mobile computer has dropped considerably. Laptops are still more expensive, but if it'll be your only computer you might want to consider it. It's very convienient to be able to move so much information around with you in such a small package

If you decide on a laptop, you'll need to check any relevent insurance you might have. Some household policies allow additional mobile items to be added, providing insurance protection if you're taking the laptop to school, college, university or work. We also advice laptop users to purchase inconspicuous bags to carry their laptops, rather than using the standard, obvious laptop bags.