Buying a new PC

As I can somehow deduce, you occasionally use a computer. This means you are part of a greater cycle of updates, obsolescence and sometimes just plain old vanity. But do you know how to select the most appropriate source of your next purchase? Well, let's take a look at the options.

The High Street

Be it Tesco or PC World, you will pay well over the odds here. Sometimes you may see what appears to be a good deal (an iQon PC for example) but you can be sure it is either substandard equipment or old stock. The exception is a sale, but even these are highly variable. Avoid like the plague.

Dell

Ah, good old Dell. You can't open a sunday paper without having at least five brochures fall on your lap. The only thing worth buying from Dell is their budget offering. Anything else will be marked up at least twice as much as you would pay for the equivalent elsewhere. €400 laptop? €300 desktop with Monitor? €20 printer? OK. Anything else? No way.

eTailers

Assuming you want something other than a basic PC, you should look to the online shops such as komplett or dabs. They sell pre-made desktop PCs with better quality parts than Dell for a reasonable cost. Customisation options are also better. They sell big brand and more obscure laptops. Want that new ultra-thin postcard-size netbook? You'll find it here.

eBay

Getting a deal on eBay is a skill in itself. Recognising a good seller, minimising risk, understanding shipping rates are all skills the crafty buyer needs to acquire before venturing onto what could be described as the worlds biggest car boot sale. Sellers can sell directly or you can try and grab a bargain through an auction.

DIY

If you are confident, you can try a mixture of the above. A monitor from Dell, some components from ebay, a case from a dabs... its more an option for the hobbyist but by far the cheapest option for the best equipment.