Buying a new computer? My computer recommendation
A friend recently asked for a recommendation on buying a new computer. Admittedly I'm not near up on hardware as I once was. With that in mind, I knew my recommendation would be better than what he could do on his own. Here's what he asked: I need to get something sound & reasonable to replace it. Our needs have changed since last purchase and we are looking for something with lot's of room for photos & music along with some games my wife likes, (mostly puzzles & sim games, not huge graphics with blood & guts) , just basics. And my reply: I usually buy low-end PCs, and they've worked fine for 3 to 5 years. First some guidelines: Always understand what you want to accomplish first (which you've explained). Buy something that you can get help when needed, which typically means avoid Apple despite the buzz. Buy feature and function over brand. For example, I've bought many eMachines over the years, and they've done fine. If you have extra bu...