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Seniors helping seniors use computers and the internet

 

Choosing a Computer - Part 3

New vs. Used

Much as with a car, you have a choice of a new computer or a used computer. For a first computer it is worth considering a second-hand machine; you don't know what you want to do with it, and you will take time working out how to do tasks so it won't matter if the computer is slow. Besides, you may well be given a superseded computer by a relative, so the choice is made for you. If you are not that lucky you can purchase ex-government computers from shops and from Green PC.

However, again as with a car, it is replaced because the original owner wants either the extra facilities of a newer model or the assurance of reliability provided by recent manufacture - older machines are more liable to break down.

You will probably elect to replace your existing computer with a new machine, both for performance and reliability reasons. Note that if you have a desktop computer you can replace the system box only, which will save you about $300 on a complete system.

Typical pricing for a basic computer: Used $0 (donation) to $300; new $500 to $1000. Your computer should always have at least 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive.

Extras worth considering:

Do not forget that you will probably want software programs on your computer, and they may well double the price you need to pay.

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