There are a lot of PCs out there to choose from, all with fantastic hardware specifications with lots of features and what is called "added value" software installed. Some PCs are so cheap that it's hard to believe while others are priced from midrange to whaaat!! OK.. so you begin to compare prices and features and then wonder why there are price differences when the features look the same. The truth is they are all different in areas of hardware performance, what software is installed and compatibilities with other external components. And unfortunately some PC manufacturers build their systems in such a way that customers must buy add-on software and external accessories only from them at significantly higher prices. Well then how do I select a system you might ask?

Approaching the selection of a PC buy comparing features is definitely the wrong way. A consultation first determines what you want to accomplish with the new PC. Do you need word processing, email, internet access, need high/medium/low performance, are there a lot of files going to be stored, what drive access speed is needed, is the PC used occasionally or daily and so on. Once the requirements have been determined, then the requirements for each component can be determined. All PCs can be broken down into the following list of basic components. Each component varies from manufacturer to manufacturer as far as features which fill different needs. The list gives an example of some of the different features each part can have.

•  Case - # devices the power supply handles, room for more drives, room for added cards, energy star compliant.

By first determining what the PC must do, then a list can be made of what each component must be capable of doing and what it must be compliant with. Then a final PC selection can be made by looking at and comparing all the different component specifications. Some times there will be situations where an off-the-shelf PC does not meet all the user requirements and a PC needs to be custom built and configured. There have been many LSI custom PCs built which cost less and have more performance than it's closest off-the-shelf system.

Software can be an even more complicated issue where off-the-shelf PC manufacturers have "added value" to their systems by incorporating their own programs or trial and "limited edition" software to add market attractiveness and increase sales. Some programs are great while others can cause problems later on down the road. To explain better, the following list gives some examples of problems customers have encountered. Manufacturer names have been omitted.

•  Want to upgrade from XP Home to Pro but the PC only allows their version for over $500 instead of store's $170.

•  XP has a better faster CD burner program but is overwritten by another burner program which can't be removed.

•  The video driver is slow so my graphic software is slow. Microsoft says the card is not compliant.

•  PC has a built in medic program which slows the system down by continually accessing my internet connection.

•  XP isn't installed right and the PC only allows their modified version of XP.

•  PC dedicates a large portion of the hard disk to crash recovery reducing available hard disk space.

•  Removed some of the junk software and now other programs don't work.

•  Stuck with the original slow CD drive because new drives don't fit the case and the model is discontinued.