Things to Consider When You Purchase a New Computer:

Buying a new computer is a substantial investment for most people and it is important that you do some research before you commit to a deal. First of all, there are numerous options if you decide to buy a new computer. You could buy a brand name or you could buy a custom build PC. Sometimes buying a refurbished PC could also be a great deal.

If you decide to buy a brand name, stick with the popular ones. There is a reason why HP or DELL sell more computers than others.

If you decide to buy a refurbished, it is even more important that you stay with a reliable brand.

Now What is Really a Refurbished PC?

In simple english terms, REFURBISHED mean "fresh again". PCs are returned to manufacturers for various reasons, These reasons could vary from "flat out bad" product to a "customer didn't really need this PC but bought it anyway". But regardless of the reason, once it is returned to manufacturer, they test it, correct the issues and sell it through their refurbished product programs. Also remember, a product doesn't really need to go back to its original manufacturer to be called "refurbished". A good example could be a local retailer such as Best Buy.

You go to Best Buy store, buy a flat panel TV and a week later decide to return it. They have 30-day return policy, so they have to take it back regardless if it was faulty or not. But they will charge you a "restocking fee" if it is not returned for reasons such as faulty product. Now, let's say you returned it since you didn't like it, that doesn't mean that there is something wrong with the product. You just didn't like it, as simple as that. This product will get tested and will go back to store shelves as "Refurbished" or "Open Item". If you decide to buy a refurbished product, it will cost you less than the original price but you'll have to live with the fact that it wasn't "Brand new". The definition of "Brand new" can vary so keep that in mind. If you are comfortable with a "open box" or refurbished product, it could be a great deal.

Now since we have answered the "refurbished" question, let's move on.

If you're buying a brand name PC, sometimes, it might be cheaper to buy it from retailers instead of the manufacturer itself. For example, sometimes mail-in rebates on instant rebates can cut the price. Also, online retailers don't have to maintain a store, so they could turn out a little cheaper.
Another factor to consider is sales tax. On average, sales tax is around 6% across United States. Some online retailers don't charge you sales tax so it's flat out 6% saving. However, shipping cost should be watched closely. If your local store and an online store are selling a product for the same price, you might save sales tax, but if you have to pay shipping and handling, it might turn out expensive and you'll have to deal with someone over the phone rather than "in-store".

When Buying online, also remember that manufacturers will allow you to customized or "build your own" a PC while not all online retailers would do that. Most of them sell most popular configurations and they could offer you a better deal due to their sale volume. We would suggest that you only customized if you know what you're doing and are comfortable with most computer terms, otherwise buy the popular configurations.

Another very important fact to consider is "phased out products". Manufacturers have to continuously create new products to stay competitive in the market. What does that mean is that sometimes they will come out with a totally different product rather than improving an existing product. When that happens, they have to get rid of their old inventory and that could be a great money saving opportunity for you. A recent example is HP printers. HP sells a printer(Officejet - 7410) for $399 retail. This printer has pretty much everything anyone would need such as scan, fax, copy, wireless networking, duplex color printing and a decent speed. However, this printer is fairly large and heavy. HP is coming out with smaller and lighter design to replace this printer and that has created some great deals on HP7410. It is hard to believe but you could get one as cheap as $199 without any mail-in rebate. So always keep an eye open for deals like this.