When it comes time to buy a computer, many people don’t really know where to start.  Some may just get the most expensive model they can afford, while others, the cheapest they can find.  Really, the trick to finding the computer you need is assessing your needs before even setting foot in the store.

If you simply need a computer for college, or general word processing, then you probably don’t need to get crazy with large amounts of RAM, and super fast processing speeds.  As a matter of fact, if you’re a poor college student, you won’t be able to afford such luxuries anyway.  This is where you might simple shoot for the lowest priced computer.  Anything that can access the internet with and run MS Word is going to be sufficient.  Make sure it has a good warranty backing it though, because you don’t want to have to pay for expensive computer repairs because you went the cheap route.  A cheap laptop is going to be even more useful for you, as you’ll be able to take it to classes, and do work in locations other than your dorm room, which can get rather boring.  A change of scenery can help freshen the mind.

Now, if you’re the type of person who uses their computer as a do-it-all media center, then this is when you might want to upgrade some of the components.  A faster processor, some additional ram, and better sound and graphics are all going to improve your media experience.  As technology progresses, the free streaming content you can find on the internet, from sites like Hulu, becomes more and more taxing on your system, so make sure you’re getting good enough components that will allow you to keep up for a few years.

Nothing moves faster, in the computer world, than gaming.  Talk about having to upgrade components; everything in your computer needs to be state-of-the-art if you plan on doing any level of gaming.  The hardcore gamer is going to need basically the best of everything, including mouse and keyboard, and a liquid cooling system.  The worst part about trying to keep up with gaming is that no matter how great your equipment is, something better will come out the next week, and a games will require you to upgrade yearly, if not every six months.

Finally, if you are the type who likes to tinker with electronics, you might look into a diy computer.  You can build your own computer with relative ease with proper instruction, and the right components.  This is something that can become a regular hobby, and you can start building computers for friends if you enjoy it, or building them and reselling them for profit.  Building a computer also gives you free reign in customizing exactly what you need for your computer usage.  It will also make it much cheaper to upkeep in the long run because diy computer repairs are cheaper to do than bringing the computer to the shop after your warranty has run out.

Before you walk into a big box computer store, and buy the computer that has the best marketing, shiniest package, or lowest price, access exactly how you use your current computer, if you have one, and how you think you’ll use it in the next few years.  This will make you a much happier consumer because you’ve purchased something you really need, rather than what was presented to you as the easiest option upon walking into a store.