Manfred Kuechler, Hunter College (CUNY)
Version: June 8, 2001
 

What kind of computer should I buy?

Advice for students buying a first computer


Note, there is no official school policy on what kind of computer you should have (and there should be none). Take these recommendations as the view of one faculty member and compare them with recommendations you may find elsewhere. A good source is CNET's "Buying Advisor". And keep in mind that the market changes quickly. A year, or even six months from now, my recommendation may be obsolete. My main concern is affordability (aka as price). But don't fall into the trap of "false economy" -- buying something that is low priced, but that does not offer good value or that you will outgrow very quickly.
 

Basic decisions

Stationary computers give you a much better "bang for the buck", so if money is a major concern go for a desktop. After all, commutes on the NYC subway hardly offer the convenience of working on your laptop; people commuting from the burbs in Westchester are in a much different position. -- Same holds for PC/Win, much greater variety at lower prices for comparable performance. Also, most software comes in Mac versions with some delay only or not at all -- notwithstanding some exceptions. But note that CNET has developed a strong pro-Mac bias lately.
 

Basic features in a PC/Win desktop station

Increasingly, instructional material will become available on CD-ROMs and via the Web. Also, no matter what field of study you are in, the Web will be an important source of information. So, you want to be able to access the Internet from home with reasonable speed and be able to view multi-media materials. Here are the specifications you should look for: Note that you are likely to see higher specs for some components (larger hard drives, faster CD ROM drives) even in "bargain" level stations. So, higher specs are fine as long as you don't have to pay extra. Also, I left out the CPU ("processor"). It does not have to be a Pentium IV; there are cheaper alternatives including the Intel Celeron and chips from other vendors (Cyrix, IDT). The "clock speed" (like 533 MHz) is not all that important unless you are into 3D video games; even the cheaper processors now run at some 400 MHz and higher. This is not an area where you want to spend extra money. But if you are into multimedia, "MMX" (for Pentiums) and similar features in other CPUs are a nice addition.

Bundled Software

Almost all computer come with some software pre-installed. Chances are your computer will come with either some version of MS Office (MS Word) or MS Works. Lately, especially lower priced computers come with MS Works rather than MS Office (which includes MS Word, MS Excel and more depending on specific version). While MS Works is fine for basic word processing, it does not offer many features that MS Word offers and it is simply not a good choice for a college student. However, the new "MS Works Suite 2002" includes MS Word 2002/XP, so this should be your minimum for bundled software. But, if you can afford it, go for the real thing MS Office XP (relased in May 2001) or MS Office 2000. Note that the "Small Business" version does not include MS Powerpoint, a presentation software.

Approximate cost

As of June 2001, a basic station as described above can be bought for as little as $700-800 including printer and monitor. But prices and products are changing quickly. For the most part, they are going down; so the vendors try to sell you more (higher specs) than you really need. In any case, it helps to shop around; prices for the same computer vary among retailers and there are often special deals good for a limited time only. A good starting point is CNET's hardware review page. Many vendors including Dell (look for Dimension L series), Gateway (look for Essential series), Atlas Micro  let you customize a station to your needs and recalculate specific prices.
Keep in mind that you will need an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to connect to the Internet from your home computer. You have probably heard of AOL, but this may not be your best choice. See the ISP advice page for detailed information. Expect $15-20 a month for unlimited Internet access. There are also some free ISPs (Netzero is the leader in this field, but there are others), but as a price you have to live with constant advertisements on your computer screen. And, if you don't mind the trouble, you can exploit free 30-day trial periods by major ISPs; try a new one every month.
Finally, some vendors (including Dell) offer purchasing plans; i.e., you pay in monthly installments of as little as about $25. Check the details on interest rates; this may be a better deal then what you get on your credit card. Be aware of "free computer" offers, though. In exchange you have to enter into a long-term and usually overpriced service contract with an ISP (like Compuserve).
 

Where should extra money go?

Still confused or uncertain?

There are a lot of technical terms involved in a discussion about what computer to buy. If you want to know more about what a specific term means, there is a great web site explaining it all: PC Webopaedia. If you want to know specifically about a computer's "heart" (the CPU) and the various choices, CNET has all the answers.