Buy New vs. Repair Old

This page is meant to inform people about some of the decisions they should make before spending what they think is a small amount on a new computer. In no way am I discouraging you from purchasing a new computer or repairing an old one. this is my professional opinion helping you decide whether or not you really need a new computer or repair/upgrade your current one.

There are so many considerations to review before making a new computer purchase and the advertisements out there from the big box stores make it sound so great to buy new because of the inexpensive computers available on the market today.

The advertisements today look very attractive to purchase a new computer. For example: "Buy an X Name desktop for only $299" or "Buy an X Name laptop for $349" and we'll move your files for free! This is corporate marketing going to work on your temptation to buy a new computer and if you think it sounds like a good deal, then it has done its job.

Let's take a closer look at the statement "and we'll move your files for free".

Do you know what this really means? It sounds like everything from your old computer will be moved to your new computer and the new computer will be the same as it was before, right? Wrong. What this really means is that all of the user created files in your ”My Documents” folder (the files you create and save; pictures, music, etc ...) will be moved over to your new “Documents” folder, but um wait a minute, all the programs that you used to create and save those files won’t be moved over and reinstalled. That is an extra fee to reinstall them or even purchase new programs because you have lost the install media and codes for the original programs.

So great, the last year's Quick Tax file was moved to the new computer, but the Quick Tax program wasn't reinstalled on the new computer and the file essentially can't be used. So now you need to find the installation discs and license codes, if you still have them, and reinstall this program. If you don’t have the install file and license code anymore you will need to prove that you own the programs to the manufacturer or re-purchase a probably newer version (which is usally different from what you are used to because of the interface changes) of the program and reinstall it at a cost.

Any way you look at it, this is more money added on to the purchase of your new computer. Also, you will more than likely need to purchase antivirus and/or other internet security products too if you didn't buy a transferable/multi license in the first place. You may also be looking at another expense of purchasing a license for an Office package that you no longer have the install codes for which can amount to hundreds of dollars depending on the package you choose.

So, does that $299 desktop seem to have lost some of it's flair all of a sudden once you need to pay more to have programs reinstalled, replaced or upgraded?

Alright, so your “old” computer is running a little slower than it should. Maybe all it needs is a little tune up and file system cleanup or some hardware upgrades to improve performance that might come close to that new computer price. Maybe your old computer has been infected with malware and junkware programs slowing it down. Most hardware upgrades for older systems are not too expensive while the pesky annoying junkware applications can be removed from your system in most cases making your computer seem like brand new again.

I am sure that you already know where to find what you are looking for on your current computer, so remember, with a new computer there is usually a learning curve for you to understand how to use it. New computers generally have new operating systems, and currently the differences between using Windows XP and Windows 8 is a huge step in understanding how to use it. I will always be the first to say that Windows is Windows and intrinsically it is all the same, but that only applies if you are quite familiar with using the computer and you know the Windows operating system inside out.

So, the final thoughts are: do you really need a new computer? Or will your old one suit your needs? If your computer is too old (10+ years) it may be time to have it recycled and treat yourself to a new (or new to you) computer. If you still have questions about your computer, please contact us to learn more.