You can get a "deal" on a new $300-$400 computer, but you may soon start to feel a gnawing sense of regret centered in your gut chakra - the chakra that longs for curious bargains. Those computers will either have a slow processor, a mechanical (not an SSD drive), or some other disability.
For instance, Best Buy has been selling Macbooks for under $800. OMG that’s a great deal!
Nope.
Those Macbook great deals all have only 8GB of memory. Any new computer should have a minimum of 16GB of RAM. If you tend to have more than a few Chrome or Firefox tabs open you are already using up your 8GB of RAM memory.
That’s why 8GB RAM Macbooks are on sale. Because their memory is now soldered on the motherboard and can’t be upgraded later, like most PCs. So instead of getting the 7 or more years you used to expect from a Macbook, your deal from BestBuy will get you 3ish.
I can help you avoid these attempted robberies.
Call me on the phone and tell me what you need in a new computer. That day I’ll email you back with the link to one computer that I think is the best deal for the money that week. You’ll buy it yourself, online at Dell HP, Lenovo, or pick it up that day at BestBuy if they have a good one, or if you are in a real rush.
Bring it to me along with your old computer and I will copy your old data to the new computer. I’ll setup the new computer to minimize the stupid things about Windows 10 or 11, like forcing you to login with a Microsoft email address, as well as neutering Microsoft's attempts to make your new computer a never ending Microsoft ad campaign and collection device of your personal information.
A new Windows PC laptop or desktop that will run great and last you the next 5-7 years is in the $550-$800 range. A basic, good, new Mac starts at about $1600. If you are getting a much better deal than that, beware, there’s a reason.
My new computer service is $150