Buying a Computer ?

Upgrade your current computer or buy new?

You can extend the life of an older PC by upgrading parts of it.
Before committing to a new purchase, decide whether upgrading your old computer will do. It may suffice if your additional needs are modest--say, a second hard drive because you’re out of room for photos or downloaded music. Adding memory or a DVD writer is also usually more cost-effective than buying a new machine.

But if your PC is now unreliable, or your wish list has grown, or there’s software you must run that your system isn’t up to (especially newer versions of Windows), a new computer is the answer.

Laptop or desktop?

WIRELESS FREEDOM A laptop allows you to use the Internet from Wi-Fi hotspots in some public locations like cafes.
Unlike past models, today’s workhorse laptops perform much like desktops. But there are still reasons to choose one over the other that go beyond portability.

If you’ll use a laptop mostly at home, built-in wireless networking lets you use it throughout the house and easily store it when it’s not in use. And while all the Windows desktops tested are tower models you can place below a desk, the keyboard, mouse, and display take up more space on a desk than a laptop does.

What you get in return are greater storage capacity, memory, multimedia features, and expansion flexibility. Also, desktops cost less overall (prices start at roughly $400, plus another $75 or so for a CRT monitor, compared with $700 for laptops), and their more standardized designs translate into lower repair costs.