Hey ya'll... this is Jason here... just using my fiancee's account to post one warning message for those of you considering buying computers with your tax rebate and/or stimulus checks.
I am a Computer Repair Technician at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base... computers are my job, hobby, skill, and life. It's what I do... it's who I am.
Now... I've seen many people all over the internet talking about using their rebate/stimulus checks to buy new computers. THIS CAN BE A VERY BAD IDEA!!!!
I will explain:
Microsoft (Bill Gates and Co.) have recently released "Windows Vista"... which... putting it mildly... is a piece of sh!t. If you buy a new computer, you will be getting this nightmare of an OS (Operating System).
Most people these days, buy a P.O.S. from Wally-world (Wallmart). VERY, VERY BAD IDEA. Those computers, while cheap in price, will not last longer than 2 years... I will stake any amount of money on that one.
Those who don't buy a computer from wally-world... are getting ripped off by BestBuy, CompUSA, and/or Staples or any other computer company. The computers they are selling for $700 to $1500, are computers I can throw together from parts for less than $400... INCLUDING LABOR!
Now that I've torn the computer industry down to the ground... let me throw a few recommendations out there to help get the best bang for the buck.
1.) Shop around at e-tailers such as http://www.tigerdirect.com and http://www.newegg.com (there are others... but these two I've dealt with personally and can highly recommend)
2.) Buy parts, not fully assembled systems, and put it together yourself, or get a kid (neighbor-kid, your own kid, grandkid, etc), or even find a cheap computer repair shop nearby and pay them to build it. Kid will do it for around 20 to 30 bucks... and computer shops range from $121 (our price) to $300 (high end shops).
3.) Buy Windows XP NOW! Microsoft stops selling it June 30th. After which you will be stuck with Vista... the most awful OS to hit store shelves in 20 years. (Yes... it's even worse than Windows ME... and ya'll know how big of a disaster that was!)
I can build any computer... from any specs... for a lot less than any other company will sell them for... and they will last a lot longer than those from Wally-World or CompUSA/Staples/BestBuy/etc.
You can go with a $299 - $399 Wally-World computer... but I hope you are able/willing to spend that same $299 - $399 every 2 to 3 years.
Cheap computers may seem to be the "frugal" way to go in the short term... but the computers I've built from parts will outlast 10 to 15 Wally-World piece of sh!t computers.
Jason
I am a Computer Repair Technician at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base... computers are my job, hobby, skill, and life. It's what I do... it's who I am.
Now... I've seen many people all over the internet talking about using their rebate/stimulus checks to buy new computers. THIS CAN BE A VERY BAD IDEA!!!!
I will explain:
Microsoft (Bill Gates and Co.) have recently released "Windows Vista"... which... putting it mildly... is a piece of sh!t. If you buy a new computer, you will be getting this nightmare of an OS (Operating System).
Most people these days, buy a P.O.S. from Wally-world (Wallmart). VERY, VERY BAD IDEA. Those computers, while cheap in price, will not last longer than 2 years... I will stake any amount of money on that one.
Those who don't buy a computer from wally-world... are getting ripped off by BestBuy, CompUSA, and/or Staples or any other computer company. The computers they are selling for $700 to $1500, are computers I can throw together from parts for less than $400... INCLUDING LABOR!
Now that I've torn the computer industry down to the ground... let me throw a few recommendations out there to help get the best bang for the buck.
1.) Shop around at e-tailers such as http://www.tigerdirect.com and http://www.newegg.com (there are others... but these two I've dealt with personally and can highly recommend)
2.) Buy parts, not fully assembled systems, and put it together yourself, or get a kid (neighbor-kid, your own kid, grandkid, etc), or even find a cheap computer repair shop nearby and pay them to build it. Kid will do it for around 20 to 30 bucks... and computer shops range from $121 (our price) to $300 (high end shops).
3.) Buy Windows XP NOW! Microsoft stops selling it June 30th. After which you will be stuck with Vista... the most awful OS to hit store shelves in 20 years. (Yes... it's even worse than Windows ME... and ya'll know how big of a disaster that was!)
I can build any computer... from any specs... for a lot less than any other company will sell them for... and they will last a lot longer than those from Wally-World or CompUSA/Staples/BestBuy/etc.
You can go with a $299 - $399 Wally-World computer... but I hope you are able/willing to spend that same $299 - $399 every 2 to 3 years.
Cheap computers may seem to be the "frugal" way to go in the short term... but the computers I've built from parts will outlast 10 to 15 Wally-World piece of sh!t computers.
Jason