by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: December 16, 2009

The cost of purchasing a new computer has gone down considerably from what they were a decade or even five years ago. These days, it's possible to purchase a pretty decent computer without having to spend a fortune to get what you want. The key however, is to know what to look  for and what things are essential in a new computer and what things are simply extras that will drive the price up.

Here is a look at some of the things to consider when purchasing a new computer. These things will help you save money on the overall cost of the computer.

*Brand names -

Many people get trapped into thinking that only brand name computers are worth anything. The fact of the matter is that the brand name is merely relative. When push comes to shove, most computers are made with the same basic parts, and the only thing a big brand name will do for you is drive the price up.

For example, if you were to look at a desktop and compare the specifications of an E-Machine versus those of a Dell, and compare the price, you'd see that the E-Machine had pretty much exactly what you could get in the Dell for a lot less money. 

*Don't go overboard -

When purchasing a computer, you need to realize that the moment you take that computer out of the box, it will already be out of date. You're going to pay a heck of a lot more for a computer if you look for one with a quad core processor and hard drive with a terabyte than you would if you were to buy one with a Core2 Duo and a 750 gig hard drive. By the time you're ready to update your computer or some of the components, the cost of the quad core processor and the terabyte hard drive will have come down considerably.

*Desktop versus laptop -

If you want to get a lot of computer for a little bit of money, the only way you're going to do that is by going the route of a desktop. That doesn't mean that you can't get an outstanding laptop for a good price. If you want a laptop, keep your eyes open for sales.

Check places on the Internet on a regular basis. Tiger Direct and New Egg can offer fabulous deals, but you have to make sure that you're not looking at a refurbished machine. It is not uncommon to find refurbished machines with newer parts, but the price is still not significantly cheaper than what you'd pay for a new machine. Fry's Electronics is another outstanding resource.

*Compare prices -

Many sites like Best Buy have a service on their websites whereby you can compare up to three different computers. If you want to compare

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