"Desktop PC Buying Guide"

Deciding which desktop PC to buy can be a real challenge, especially when purchasing for the latest models. There are so many features that may sound "promising" to the novice ear yet it is actually not. To guide you through the many factors involving buying desktop PCs, here are some tips that you should follow.

Decide on what you want to use it for – Most people buying a PC to simply browse the Web, check, and send e-mails, as well as perform word processing or spreadsheet work. Today, even the least expensive system can perform any of those jobs admirably, costing around $1000 or less.

If you are a more demanding user who wants to edit digital video or manage a large database, you may need more than the basics. You would be better off looking at systems that start in $1500 to $2000. Meanwhile, gamers are among the few groups who are willing to shad more than $3000 on a computer to ensure that they are getting the optimum possible performance. Such PCs usually feature overclocked CPUs and dual-graphic-card setups.

Decide on what to add – Most vendors would ask if you want to customize and upgrade your basic-model PC with a wide variety of selection (at a price, of course). If you want extra storage, pick a larger hard drive. If you want extra memory, load your computer up with 4GB of RAM.

If you want to watch HD-DVD movies, choose an optical drive that supports it. Take your time in deciding on thes aspects and select only what you need today. If you anticipate needing other upgrades within the next year, save some money for it.