SCTCC - Buying a New Computer

Sun City Texas Computer Club
Buying a New Computer - Thrifty PC Shopping
Monday Meeting, 9 November 2009

Choices:

Hardware: New, Refurb, Used
Operating System: XP, Vista, Win7
Source (see below)

Homework:
Desktop PC Buyer's Guide <http://compreviews.about.com/cs/desktops/bb/aabybdesktops.htm>
Notebook PC Buyer's Guide <http://compreviews.about.com/od/buyers/bb/NotebookPCs.htm>

Sources:

Best Buy <http://www.bestbuy.com/>
Buy.com (usually free s/h, no tax) <http://www.buy.com/>
CompUSA <http://www.compusa.com/indexcu.asp?>
Computer Shopper <http://computershopper.com/best-prices>
Dell <http://www.dell.com/>
Dell Outlet <http://www.dell.com/Outlet>
Discount Electronics (local/Dell parts) <http://www.discountelectronics.com/index.php?l=z&c=21>
Frys* <http://www.frys.com/>
Geeks.com <http://www.geeks.com/>
HP Offers <http://www.hpoffers.com/>
Office Depot* <http://www.officedepot.com/a/browse/technology/N=5+9021/>
Office Max* <http://www.officemax.com/technology/computers>
Radio Shack* <http://radioshack.shoplocal.com/radioshack/default.aspx?action=entryflash&__amp__CMS__>
Shopping.com <http://www99.shopping.com/xCH-computers>
Staples* <http://www.staples.com/Hot-Deals-Center/cat_HC2_HC2>
Surplus Computers <http://www.surpluscomputers.com/>
Tiger Direct <http://www.tigerdirect.com/sectors/computers/index.asp>

* Check local ads

Used: Very good Dell Pentium 4 PCs with WinXP preloaded at Discount Electronics

Refurb Example: <http://www.buy.com/prod/HP-Pavilion-p6107c-Desktop-PC-Refurbished/q/loc/101/212809647.html>

Vista Orphans (new or refurb)

Continue to run Vista
Upgrade to Win7 (See Kaffee Klatch Windows Collection and consider joining Win7 Workgroup)