Geekery | Buying a PC -Where to Start

Buying a new computer can be a dilemma and, if you are not computer savvy then it can also be a daunting task.

Being in the so-called age of technology it isn't a wonder that the new generation is very adept at the use of computerised gadgets, such as smart phone's, tablets and desktop computers. If you're born into something and you are constantly surrounded by it, then it isn't any wonder that proficiency is almost second nature.

But... that's today's youth, and 'some' of us older folks did not have the privilege to be born into it and often, but definitely not always, it is the case that people cannot be bothered to learn how to make use of them. But, it's inevitable that at some point in our life we will have to use them, and when that time comes we are usually lost and left wonder what the hell a Gigabyte is (a gigabyte is a unit of information comprised of 1024 megabytes). I learned the hard way when I was a 10-year-old boy, and this new world of exciting technology had been opened up to me. Nobody else in my family had any knowledge of computers and I simply dabbled and tinkered about until I got the results I wanted. I still remember the day I got my first 3dfx video card, the voodoo banshee which boasted a whopping 16megabytes of EDO DRAM (Extended data output, Dynamic random access memory) and boy was I over the moon!

Most computer enthusiasts will tell you that nothing beats a self-built computer but, not everyone will have the time or patience to learn what is required to build and source the best computers for your budget. When buying a new computer you need to ask yourself one thing, and that's what the end use will be. Will you use it for word processing? or using it as a home media centre, or maybe for uploading pictures to your Facebook profile, think about these things before committing to anything as you will save yourself a lot of money and stress when purchasing it.

Generally speaking, anything that isn't specialist geared, such as rendering high-resolution photographs for editing, will not require a high-end build and most "all-in-one" computers will suffice for general use. One such model is the Acer Aspire XC-780, which comes with Windows 10 and for only £379.99 it's a great place to start.

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Resource-intensive tasks such as high-end gaming require better hardware and therefore cost a bit more. So, if money isn't something you are worried about then there are some really good pre-builds available. The Dell XPS 8900 is a good option for playing the most recent games and at £900 (with free shipping) it's a nice entry-level model for gaming. Another top player in the pre-build market is the Lenovo 90DD0097UK which features the video card top dog - the GeForce GTX 1080. At £1299 it's a bit on the expensive side but for what's included and how it's manufactured it's a good deal.

The added benefit of purchasing a prebuilt PC is that they will have everything you require to get yourself up and running. Most brands offer free or trial versions of virus protection/internet security software, which is a must when you are browsing the internet.