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If you’re not an enthusiast then you may have purchased your computer from a local shop. I would typically advise against this, unless you know your local computer store’s technicians have a background in information technology (as opposed to someone who only has an A+ certification).

If you’re buying a laptop, you should investigate prices directly with a vendor (such as Dell, Gateway, Hewlett Packard, etc) or at least with stores such as Best Buy or Office Max. Though most people will tell you not to. It’s best to go straight to the manufacturer. In any case, look around and investigate prices for new computers. You could save hundreds of dollars.

Don’t buy a computer from any store that sells furniture or primarily products not at all related to computer technology (such as Wal-Mart). Sure you may be able to buy brand name there, but you can do that directly from the manufacturer. If you go through another source you may have less options, there may be additional charges and you may not get all of the facts.

The custom built computers you buy from stores usually are made with the cheapest parts available. This is one reason I have a problem with local stores that deal in computers. That and the computers are built either by inexperienced “technicians” with no real professional credentials. Some employers do require a CompTIA A+ certification, but the A+ certification isn’t indicative of much.

Local shops don’t get the bulk deals that major vendors get. Instead, they purchase parts as cheap as they can find them to keep profits. This is also the case with brand name manufacturers, but you have a much better warranty to back up your purchase and more expertise was put into the configuration of the PC. It’s very hard for anyone to compete with the prices of brand name manufacturers.

You may be able to find a PC for $299 locally, but at this price range, the PC is outdated. You may get away with email and the Internet, but not a lot more.

Ask a salesman the different between IDE and SATA or PC-100 SDRAM and DDR2-800. If a technician trying to sale you a computer can’t answer those questions, walk away. If they don’t know, they have no business selling or working on computers. Dell and other companies hire help locally from other companies to work on computer so a local store’s technicians will probably work on your computer, but if you purchased from the manufacturer you may have gotten a better deal and warranty.

If Best Buy is offering a deal on a Compaq that you can’t beat directly from Dell or Gateway then that may be fine. Pay attention to the warranty. Ask questions. Does the store provide the warranty or does the manufacturer? Don’t just trust store warranties. Back them up with manufacturer warranties.

If you’re up to it, a cost effective way in the long run is to build your own computer. You can shop for all of the parts you need from a site like New Egg. This gives you the option of putting exactly what you want in your PC. You have thousands of options to choose from and can purchase much higher quality hardware. This means higher performance and stability. Your computer will not become outdated as quickly.

Remember that the prices you see at vendor websites omit several requirements that will be added later. The price will almost always increase from the original price that you see on a website or advertisement. You will need to hit the customize button and add several requirements such as an LCD monitor if you’re buying a desktop. When you’re shopping around, decide what you need, customize systems from different sites and print out the results so you can compare later. Don’t forget to look for deals such as “instant savings”. Never rely on a rebate for anything. You may not get the rebate.