What to look for when buying a new computer

Great news is that computers have become cheaper, faster,lighter and more powerful than ever before as compared to a few years back when a normal desktop was going for about 1000 US.(Kshs.80,000). now you can purchase a new computer for as cheap as 350 US Thats great news especially for the third world countries, owning a home PC has become a reality. The challenge lies in choosing the best when purchasing, most people end up selling their computer after only year while they could be used up to three or four years if no special upgrades are needed. for instance hardware that can not be compatible with the version that you have.
according to the IT specialists the following should be carefully considered when buying a home or an office PC.

LAPTOP OR DESKTOP?

you need to decide whether you want a laptop or a desktop. If you need to work from anywhere except the computer desk in your home, a laptop is clearly the way to go -- many portables are as or more powerful than their bulky, stationery desktop cousins.

Laptop Types

Most often, laptops are divided up into four general size categories: ultra-portable, thin-and-light, mainstream, and desktop replacement, each with its own particular pros and cons. But, that list has now been complicated by the emergence of the Netbook, a very small, low-power laptop aimed at basic tasks like Web browsing.

Desktop types

when buying a desktop, size makes no difference, most desktops are almost the same size and shape unless you are into small things, you can run for the Small form factor (SFF) computers which according to many users, they are a bit smaller in size

OPERATING SYSTEM. Windows, Mac, Linux etc

for most users without a good knowledge of a PC i would suggest getting a copy of windows to start with. its more user friendly and you can run a lot of programs on it, Macs are cool but i wouldn't recomed for most users especially in Kenya due to their compatibility issues such as printers, cell phones, back-up drives, and 3G wireless broadband cards.
on the hand, getting a copy of Linux is easy this freely available from different distributors and is downloadable. But when talking about user friendly, Linux is the worst of all, unless you are planning to become a hacker since Linux supports a great number of hacking tools.

TECH AND OTHER FEATURES

The most important thing to look for is RAM, which has the most impact on the speed of your computer. Accept no less than 2-gigabytes (GB), but if you've got the cash, spring for 3- or 4-gigabytes (GB), just to be safe, especially if you intend to run the resource-hungry Vista. If you're determined to save some money on RAM, then buy the standard 1-gigabyte (GB) and get your technologically-inclined nephew to upgrade it for you after the fact.
When choosing a processor,you should go with an Intel processor -- they just tend to be faster and more efficient, which means fewer mysterious freeze-ups during computing and longer battery life if you opt for a laptop. Any Core 2 Duo will do -- and aim for the 2-gigahertz (GHz) and higher models if you plan to do any gaming.

EXTRA HARDWARE

there's more to a computer than simply the computer. How will you get online? What's WAN? And what kinds of extra hardware or peripherals -- monitors, printers, keyboards, speakers, and more everyone wishes that computers would come with everything, how would other companies make money? if only you could buy a house in Runda estate and it comes furnished and with your favorite car packed outside. how will Toyota make its billion form car hungry Kenyans?