Buying a PC
Cutting through the jargon
If you don't know your gigabytes from your megabytes, your RAMs from
your megahertz requirements or your mother board from your modem, then
buying a personal computer (PC) could be difficult. This leaflet will
help to guide you through the jargon and tangle of buying a PC, so that,
faced with a range of hardware specifications, monitor configurations,
software selections and price variations, you will be able to choose a
PC that will suit your needs.
Contents
Before you buy
Where to buy
When buying your PC
Support and repair services
What about a printer?
Glossary of terms
Useful contacts
Checklist
Before you buy
It is worth doing some research before you go shopping. The following
are good starting points:
Look in PC magazines and on the internet for articles
comparing the different models and prices.
Going on a course may improve your understanding of
computers and help you get a better deal when you buy a PC. There are
lots of different courses you could try from introduction/beginner level
to more advanced. UK online centres can help you get started on the internet.
A database of all UK online centres is at www.dfes.gov.uk/ukonlinecentres
and a helpline at 0800 77 1234.
Ask friends and family about their experiences with
PCs.
The checklist in this leaflet will help you gather information
before you go shopping for a PC.
Where to buy
You have a number of ways in which you can buy your PC. Each has different
advantages and disadvantages as we have set out below:
Buying from a manufacturer or supplier by distance (such as
phone, internet or mail order). This is a good option if you
know about the system you want. It can be cheaper because the sellers'
overheads are low. Buying in this way will also entitle you to a seven
day cooling off period after the goods are delivered so you get a chance
to check them over and cancel if they are not what you want. You should
get an order confirmation via email immediately when you buy online.
High Street shops/Superstores. These range from large
retail chains to small local independents. You may not be able to take
the PC away immediately as many are built to order. However you can usually
test the system before you buy. Independent stores often sell, or are
able to order, a wide range of products.
Shop around between lots of sellers to find the best deal for
what you want.
When buying your PC
Having done your research, decided on where or how you want to get
your PC, here are some tips on buying it:
· Think beforehand about what you want your
PC to do and decide your budget. Don’t buy a more complex PC than
you need, but at the same time think about what you might want it to do
in the future. This will save you time and money in the long-term.
· Don’t be afraid to talk to sellers.
Explain what you want your computer to do and ask for their advice.
· If buying on credit, shop around because your
seller may not offer the best deal.
· Sellers will sometimes sell computers in bundles
that may include a PC, printer and scanner, perhaps a digital camera or
various software. Ask the seller to take any items out of the bundle that
you think you don’t want or need, and adjust the price for you.
· When ordering make sure that you get and keep
copies of all receipts, details of the order, confirmation, correspondence
and order numbers of your PC purchase.
· When buying online check that the company has
a UK contact address and telephone number in case you need to get in contact
with them. You might want to check for privacy vetted websites displaying
trading standards logos, such as those of Which? Web Trader, Trusted Shops
and TrustUK schemes.
Support and repair services
Computers are not always problem free. You should think about support
options when, or even before, you buy. Find out exactly what is provided,
how long it lasts and how much it costs.
Support services tend to consist of:
· Phone helplines. Most sellers and manufacturers provide access
to a telephone helpline that you can phone for help and advice. This can
be a quick and easy solution, and is often the first place you are advised
to go if you have a problem, but you may be charged. Charges can be up
to £1.50 a minute, so try to have any relevant information ready
before you call.
· Before buying, try out the helpline to see how
easy it is to get through. If you have to wait a long time then you should
think about buying from another seller – think about how you would
feel if you waited as long to sort out a problem.
· Online services. Many sellers now provide areas
on their websites that list common problems and solutions and where you
can ask for advice. Ask your seller if they provide such a service and
how much it will cost you to access it.
· Installation services may be offered by the
supplier. This may be useful if you haven’t used a computer before.
Repair services
The type of repair service offered varies between sellers and manufacturers,
so ask before you buy. Pick a seller that provides the best service for
you. If your PC breaks down always check whether it is still covered by
a warranty as explained below:
A manufacturer’s warranty. This will automatically
come with the computer. They typically cover repair and/or replacement
and may include protection against accidental damage or theft. Read the
small print before purchasing your PC or warranty and find out what it
covers and how long it lasts. Software is not always covered.
Remember, rights under warranty are in addition to
your other consumer rights, and a warranty doesn’t affect your legal
right to reject a computer that was faulty when you bought it and get
your money back. But don’t delay your complaint for too long or
you may be deemed to have accepted the machine.
Repair services are commonly organised in one of the following
ways:
· On-site repair service. Where an engineer comes
out to you to fix faults.
· Return to base. Where you have to send the computer
back to a repair centre. You may have to pay the courier fees for transporting
it to and from your home or office.
What about a printer?
Printers are an important piece of equipment to go with your PC. However,
buying a printer may not be as straightforward as it seems - check out
the information below:
· Before you buy, think about what you need the
printer for – do you want to print in black and white only, or colour
photographs? Will you be doing a lot of printing?
· Don’t assume that a cheap printer is always
a good bargain. It may use more ink and therefore be more expensive to
run. The best printer for you will depend on more than the initial price.
· Ask the seller how much the ink cartridges cost
BEFORE you buy your printer. They can be expensive - ink can cost more
than twice the price of the printer over its lifetime.
· Ask the seller how many pages an ink cartridge will print and
how much it will therefore cost to print per page, for
both colour and black and white. Ask how many pages it will print per
minute to check it is not too slow.
All these questions apply even if you buy the printer in a bundled
package. Before going shopping think carefully about what you want from
a printer, the checklist will help you.
Glossary of terms
CD-Rom
CD that stores data.
CD-RW (Compact disc rewritable format)
A CD that can have information stored and be rewritten over.
Gigabytes (Gb)
Measures the storage capacity of the PC’s hard disc.
Gigahertz (GHz)
A thousand megahertz - a measure of how fast the processor in your PC
works.
Hard disc
This is a PC’s internal long-term storage for software and work
done.
Hardware
The physical components of your computer like the monitor and keyboard.
Megabytes (Mb)
Measures the amount of memory (RAM) a PC can hold. The higher the Mb,
the greater the storage capacity it has.
Megahertz (MHz)
Speed rating of the processor. The higher the MHz, the faster the processor.
Modem
Fitted internally in a PC (can also be an external box), can be connected
to your telephone line to allow PC’s to talk to each other. Commonly
used for accessing the internet.
Motherboard
Circuit board that is connected to all the components in a PC to allow
them to communicate with each other.
Processor
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the heart of the PC. The processor
determines how powerful the PC is. Pentium, AMD and Celeron are the names
of the most common processors.
RAM (Memory)
Random Access Memory (RAM) is a PC’s shortterm memory. The larger
the RAM the faster your PC will be.
Screen resolution
The number of pixels, (colour dots that make up an image on the screen)
displayed on the screen. The more pixels, the higher the resolution and
the sharper the picture.
Sound card
These let PCs create game sound effects and music and other sounds. Most
PCs have a sound card as standard but more powerful ones can be
bought.
Useful contacts
· Your local Trading Standards Department -contact details available
in local telephone listings or Yellow Pages
· Citizens’ Advice Bureaux, (contact details available in
local telephone listings or Yellow Pages) or their website is www.nacab.org.uk
· Consumers Association, call 020 7830 6000 or website www.which.net
· Office of Fair Trading, call 0845 722 4499 or website www.oft.uk
· UK-Online, website www.ukonline.gov.uk
· ICSTIS (The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Telephone
information Services) 4th Floor, Clove Building, 4 Maguire Street, London
SE1 2NQ, call 020 7940 7474 or website www.icstis.org.uk
· Mail Order Protection Scheme Ltd (MOPS), 16 Tooks Court, London
EC4A 1LB, Tel:020 7269 0520 or website www.mops.org.uk
Checklist
The following is a list of questions that you can ask yourself, with
facts and figures that you can gather together, before going shopping
for your PC. Tear off this checklist, fill it in and take it with you.
What do you want your PC for?
Games
Internet
Word-processing
Photo printing
Business/office
School/college work
Graphic presentations
Are you considering buying on credit?
Yes
No
If yes, shop around because your seller may not offer the best deal.
Are you considering buying
Desktop PC
Laptop
Not yet sure
Think about what you will want your PC to do in the future. Do you want
your PC to be easily upgradeable - i.e. do you want to be able to expand
its memory or add to its functions?
Yes
No
Unsure
Are you interested in a bundled PC package i.e with items like a printer
already included?
Yes
No
Unsure
If yes, what items would you like to see bundled?
Printer
Scanner
Digital camera
Games
Software
Others
Support
Do you want the computer to be installed by the seller?
Yes
No
Unsure
What type of support do you want?
Online
Helplines
Not sure
What sort of repair service would you prefer?
Return to base
On-site repair service
Not sure
What do you want your support to cover?
Hardware
Software
Understanding the user guide
Basic trouble shooting
Warranties
What length of warranty would you prefer?
1 year
2-3 years
4-5 years
Make sure you ask what the initial free warranty covers and how long it
lasts with regards to the hardware and software.
Printers
What type of printing will you do?
Black text printing
Colour text printing
Colour photographs
Colour graphics/presentations
How regularly do you intend to use your printer?
Occasionally
Once or twice a week
More often
Do you know how much ink cartridges for the printers you have chosen cost?
Yes
No
If no, check the prices as they can be expensive.
Check how many pages the cartridge will print and the cost per page.
How fast do you want it to print?
Very fast
Moderately fast
Not bothered
This is usually expressed as number of sheets printed per minute.
Internet
Do you want to enter into an Internet Service Provider agreement as
part of your initial purchase? This will give you access to email and
the internet.
Yes
No
Unsure
It is worth while checking out some prices before going shopping.
If yes, how regular a user of the internet are you likely to be?
A few hours every day
A few hours every month
A few hours a week
Look at the different packages available for the amount you tend to use
the internet.
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