Time for an upgrade?

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The question arises from time to time. Should I fix my computer or is buying a new one a better option? Computers, just like cars, need maintenance from time to time. At some point though, you have to make a decision on whether the money spent to fix a computer will be justified against the cost of a new system.

There are some great deals to be had when buying a new PC but factor in the total costs when determining your options. These costs are measured in dollars as well as time. You have spent many hours customizing your system and possibly several hundred dollars on software that you have purchased and loaded.

A new computer will almost always be more powerful than your old system. The processor will be faster; it will have more memory and storage (hard drive) space.

The chances are very good that the new PC will come preloaded with Windows Vista. If you want to use the software you have purchased previously, you will need to invest the time to load and configure it, and there may be a cost to upgrade the software if it isn’t compatible with Microsoft’s latest operating system. Do you still have the disks and license codes that came with your old software?

How will you transfer your data from the old machine to the new one? External hard drives, flash drives and writable CDsDVDs are all options for transferring the data. If you currently own these, then the only cost will be your time to transfer and import the data into the proper programs. Some manufacturers will offer to connect to your PC via the Internet and transfer the data or have a service in the store. Typical costs for these services are $99 – $199.

You will need Antivirus protection for your PC and most of these new PCs come with a 30-day trial version installed that will constantly prompt you to purchase the full version. This could add $50 – $100 to the price of the new system. If you choose not to purchase the full version of the preinstalled software, you will need to remove it completely before installing an alternative anti-virus program.

What kind of warranty comes with your new computer? Most manufacturers offer a standard 1-year warranty on the hardware. If you plan on buying the extended warranty, add $99 – $199 to the price.

When you add it all up, that $499 computer could end up costing you $1000. This is still a good deal but might make a repair a more economically feasible option.

Steve Sanders is the local Data Doctors Computer Services Franchisee. He can be reached at [email protected].

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