Make sure a “bargain”computer can meet your expectations.

There are many desktop and laptop computers at bargain basement prices in stores and in online stores, such as eBay and Amazon. But be careful, some aren't the good deals they appear to be after careful examination. There are cases when an affordable Refurbished Laptop may be a better alternative than one of the new under-powered systems.
Here's a shopping tip that you should use when you examine that bargain you have uncovered in your shopping exploits: Some computer manufacturers have replaced dual-core processors with single-core Pentium and Celeron processors to reduce costs in the face of the sluggish economy. Several manufacturers have begun offering lower-priced desktops and laptops that on the surface look like full-performance systems. But many of these models use the less powerful and less costly Atom processors that are found in small, inexpensive netbook, or mini notebook computers. If you grab one of those "bargains" there is a good chance you will find yourself frustrated by their sluggishness when you try to surf Web sites that have a lot of media content, watch videos, or play 3D games. It doesn't matter if you plan to run Windows Vista or the new Windows 7, Microsofts new operating system, the higher-performance processors will almost always outperform lower-performance processors such as the Atom.
The bottom line is when looking for your main desktop computer, or your primary laptop computer for general purpose computing, stay away from computers with single core processors such as some Atom and Celerons, and less than 1GB of memory. If you are looking for a low cost Netbook, mini notebook computer, choose a model that uses an Atom processor and has 1 or 2GB of memory, and at least a 160GB hard drive. Refurbished Netbook Computers with Atom processors are currently an excellent buy if you are looking for a second portable computer.

The old saying 'you get what you pay for" is true when buying computers. If the price is too good to be true there is usually a reason, and it frequently is the type of processor that is under the covers. Do your homework as you shop, and make sure you understand what kind of a processor is in the new or refurbished computer you are buying.

Originally posted 2009-11-09 16:25:50.