Why You Should Almost Never Buy A Computer At a Big Box Store

If you need a new computer, and don’t have a choice but to buy one at a Big Box store, you’ll really want to pay close attention to the points I make in this blog post.

I should note that not ALL Big Box stores are worth avoiding when considering a new computer, but most are.

It’s always best to have a chat with someone you know who is tech savvy, and really get a solid understanding of what you’re looking for, even if you only end up memorizing the parts you’ll need without having a full understanding of what it all means.

The worst thing you can do is walk into a Big Box store blindly and relying on the staff to guide you in the right direction, because in most cases, all they really care about is selling you ANY computer.

I honestly recommend going to your local computer shop to get your new computer, as you’ll be supporting local, and they’re more likely to genuinely care about what you need based on what you’ll be using it for.

Of course, it’s always best to support a local computer business when possible, and they’ll care a lot more about what you’ll need, depending on how you’ll use it. They want you to stay loyal to them, while Big Box stores couldn’t care less.

The only exception I would make here is Memory Express. They know their stuff and aren’t commission-based.

You may hear phrases like “2TB (terabyte) SSD”, “16GB (gigabyte) of RAM”, “Intel i5 processor”, and “Windows 10 Home” thrown around like it sounds like what they know what they’re talking about in an effort to gain your confidence. Although it matters, put on your poker face at that point.

The very first thing to realize is that ALMOST every pre-built computer at a Big Box store has been, for the most part, made with the cheapest parts they could find, though they can’t really cheap out on the processor. Their goal is spend the least amount possible, so they can make as much as possible from the sale.

This means that if you want the computer to last more than a couple of years and not give you much grief, you’ll want to do upgrades almost immediately. So keep that in mind when you see the initial price.

I recently bought a pre-built PC for my home business. I immediately upgraded the RAM (memory), power supply, and SSD (Solid State Drive). Same amount of RAM, but better quality. I am able to do that myself and saved on labour, but it still cost nearly $500. Add that to the $1,500 initial price tag. I’ll eventually upgrade it from Windows 10 Home to Pro as well. So that $1.5K turned into $2K. It would have cost more if I paid for them to install these parts for me.

It’s certainly possible to order all of the parts and have it built, but the cost will vary as a result, and you REALLY have to understand your needs for each part to ensure it’ll do what you want it to do, and be compatible with the rest of the system. I was really tempted to do this with my recent system, but it’s nearly impossible to buy video cards right now, so I chose a pre-built system instead.

When it comes to details like whether an “Intel i5” or “AMD Ryzen 5 5600X” processsor and compatible motherboard suit your needs, don’t stress too much about it if you’re just going to use your system for email and other basic tasks. But if you’re a gamer, or do things like video editing, don’t cheap out on the processor and other components. You likely won’t need super high-end, but you’ll want to spend the money to future proof it for at least a few years. That said, don’t get something like an “Intel i3” processor if you’re going to make it work hard, because it’ll really struggle to keep up.

I absolutely and wholeheartedly recommend getting a PC with a Solid State Drive (SSD). They are much more reliable and much faster than tradition Hard Drives, and SSDs have really come down in price. It’s worth installing Windows and your programs on the SSD, and having your personal files on a separate traditional Hard Drive that will have more storage space.

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