Don’t pay more, go for bargain-priced computers

Tobias Hanraths/ DPA

Here’s the good news: prices have plunged for decent computers that provide all you need for internet search, occasional email and letter writing and storage of music and photos.
“Even the low-end computers are not underpowered when you compare them to the level of a decade ago,” says Hans Stahl, professor of computer science at the Technical University of Cologne in Germany.
That doesn’t mean that one should buy the first computer one comes across. The bad news is that there are still bad deals on offer.
So to avoid grief later, there are a few important considerations to bear in mind while shopping.
“A dual-core processor is now standard,” says Stahl. “You can carry out all routine tasks with that.” Buyers should definitely not settle for less, whether in a desktop PC or a notebook.
The same goes for RAM. “I wouldn’t buy any computer with less than 2 gigabytes of memory,” the expert says.
“For everyday computer use, memory is the most important resource, more important than the processor.” In terms of the computer’s hard drive, he says 500 gigabytes is standard today, with anything less considered shoddy.
Higher levels of performance and memory are only needed in a computer if you’re going to be using it for more than routine tasks and internet surfing, for example photo and video editing or playing demanding games.
In some circumstances though, even office applications can bring a PC to its knees.
“Large word processor or spreadsheet documents make standard PCs work noticeably slower,” Stahl says. Self-employed people with a lot of book-keeping or students with a lot of scientific work to write would all benefit from a little more computing power.
It’s a good investment to spend some money on additional SSD storage, then save the operating system and the most important programmes on it. That should make an appreciable difference to the speed of working and surfing.
To ensure future-proofing it’s advised to make sure the computer has modern interfaces such as USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt 3.
A separate graphics card is really only needed for those who play games a lot or work with complex simulations and 3D models. Anyone else will get along fine with the graphics cards built into the computer, German computer magazine c’t advises.
Notebooks are generally more expensive than a comparable desktop computer.
“When it comes to pure performance for a price, the classic metal boxes are still best,” says Hans Stahl.
Those who value mobility should also consider the alternative of a tablet.
“For the average consumer who wants to surf a bit and check email, a tablet is almost better – at least if you’re occasionally mobile.”
And people who need to write long texts on a comfortable keyboard shouldn’t reject tablets out of hand, because there are plenty of accessories available to use with them, such as detachable or Bluetooth keyboards.
There are also Convertibles, devices which are a cross between a tablet and a notebook.