archie@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Archie) (05/13/91)
I am interested in getting some opinion on ordering PCs directly ( from
advertisements in Computer Shopper, for example). My question are:
1. What should one look for in comparing the different machines
that are available?
2. Does the name of the company matter or that it may or may not
have been revieved in magazines before?
3. What "hidden" costs should be expected, if any?
I am also interested in hearing from people who have purchased a good (or
bad) machine. For your information, companies that have caught my interest
from Computer Shopper include: Gateway, Microlab, Standard, Austin, USPC,
Touche, Northgate, Insight, and Club. Please either post or e-mail to me.
Thanks in advance,
Archie Holmesgordon@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu (John Gordon) (05/14/91)
archie@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Archie) writes: >I am interested in getting some opinion on ordering PCs directly ( from >advertisements in Computer Shopper, for example). My question are: > 1. What should one look for in comparing the different machines > that are available? Things to look for: Chip type (386SX, 486, etc.) Chip speed (20MHz, 33MHz, etc) BIOS Type (AMI, Phoenix, etc) Installed RAM Speed of RAM (80ns, 120ns, etc) Type of RAM (SIMM, SIPP, etc) Maximum on-board RAM Video (EGA, VGA, SuperVGA, etc) Video RAM Type of Keyboard Type of Case (Tower, Desktop, Baby, etc) Floppy drives (1.2M, 1.44M) Hard Drive Capacity Hard Drive Speed Cost (obviously!) Number and type of Expansion Slots Number of Drive Bays Power Supply Wattage I/O Ports Included Bundled Software (DOS, Windows, EMM, etc) Bundled Hardware (Mouse, etc) Warranty Length & Coverage > 2. Does the name of the company matter or that it may or may not > have been revieved in magazines before? Try to buy from mail-order outfits that have been consistently advertising in the same magazine for several months. > 3. What "hidden" costs should be expected, if any? Shipping, cost of Returning merchandise, Taxes, Telephone calls for Technical Assistance. > >I am also interested in hearing from people who have purchased a good (or >bad) machine. For your information, companies that have caught my interest >from Computer Shopper include: Gateway, Microlab, Standard, Austin, USPC, >Touche, Northgate, Insight, and Club. Please either post or e-mail to me. We recently bought 10 Gateway 386-25 machines, and 2 of them have had problems with the I/O cards, and one of those is having other *major* hardware problems with the motherboard. A friend bought a PC from Microline, Inc. and has had no problems with it. So, buying from a small outfit is not necessarily a bad idea, and buying from a big company is not always a good deal. --- John Gordon Internet: gordon@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu #include <disclaimer.h> gordon@cerl.cecer.army.mil #include <clever_saying.h>