Computer Hardware & Electronics: Acquisitions

Every day I see advertisements that tote they have great computers and electronics for sale by advertising the latest buzz words. Although these words hint at information about the products actual value, quite often they have nothing to do with any real benefit of the product itself. The key to make smart purchases is often sought after by corporate and home consumers alike, and within this article I will teach you how to make an informed decision, even if you know very little about what you are buying.

Below are steps you should follow to buy systems whether you are buying 1 or 1000 computers, though the detail of your answer may vary.

      1. Why do you need the computers; what will they be used for?       2. How much can you spend for a system (or per user)?       3. When do you need the computer by?       4. Where do the computers need to be; Is there room for them now?

Only after these questions are asked can we begin to get systems that fit your needs to fit the "What do I need from this product?" and the "Who should I get the product from?".

So I saw a new mobile phone with a radio, a camera, a color screen, and Java applications on it last night. I thought to myself who cares about all these useless features; Does it get good reception?

Realilistically most systems run on Java applications, so it is almost one of the IT's favorite jokes to say it has Java, when really the most important thing to find out is if it works for it's intended purpose. I can care less if it is a printer, fax, copier, phone, and toaster in one if it can't do any of the jobs i bought it for it is a worthless piece of junk that should be thrown away. The most important features are usually listed in the back or side in very small print on the side of the box (if at all). So the first lesson is find out what are important requirements and good performance measures about the Computer you are buying.

ie. recently a Pentium Chip used more power making it faster than the Athlon AMD, though the board which it was made for only let the chip run at half it's speed. A common sense approach would say which processor offered better synergy with the computer, and made the whole system run better, not which part ran better on it's own. I can care less if my cars engine can push 500 mph outside of a car, if it can only go 60 mph without destroying the car. Next lesson is it doesn't matter what individual parts can do, but instead what they can do together.

I once had a second hand coffee maker that i picked up from a swap meet for $50. Since I loved freshly ground coffee I was happy I got a commercial one for so cheap. When I got home I was happy that it make pots of coffee so fast, unfortunately it made about 2 gallons of coffee at once, and took up the space of 4 normal sized coffee makers. The quality of the coffee seemed a little lower as well because it flushed the coffee over the beans a different amount. From that time on I kept in mind that it didn't matter how much work it could do, so much as it could do the right amount of work right the first time.

So take the time to jot down the important requirements of the system, and the work the system is going to do now and in the next couple years. With that in mind take a look at your budget. Finally take a look at the ads and force the sales people to answer the tough questions about system performance based on your requirements, and don't let them give you some lame counter point saying it isn't important. Chances are if you did your homework, the sales staff will whine because they know they will have to answer really important questions, instead of just being able to pull the wool over your eyes like most customers.

If you have any reservations, tell them you will think about it and that you will come back later. I have found any gut instinct that makes you delay making large purchases is well founded, especially if it is the companies money your spending. It is always better to take one extra day, than to make a huge mistake, so disregard the sales staff pressure techniques. Be sure that you compare systems of the same class components when looking at prices or you will be comparing apples to oranges.

Lastly any special deals sales people say they can through in should be measured with a critical eye, and equated monetarily. If they give you free shipping, subtract what the shipping price would be from the total cost to see it's value.

So with the four questions answered from above, and a solid methodology of selection established through the lessons noted in the stories above, you can feel assured that you are making solid choices that fit your needs. Choose from over 15000 promotional gifts & products