I hate shopping for new computers. I should really enjoy it because I do like new technology and the discovery process and comparing but for some reason computer shopping is just not as fun as it should be.
When you go shopping for cars you have a pretty diverse range of subjects to choose from be it color, body style, number of doors, tires, engines, transmissions, stereo systems, and that is without mention of make and model preferences, reliability records, mileage, performance, insurance. Yet for cars you can quickly eliminate many of the items and focus down on what will meet your needs the best, then find a store (dealer) that will take the best care of you and figure out the price you’re willing to pay.
Computers on the other hand can be broken down into a commodity item, or at least it should be, and the first place you want to look is the manufacture (dealer) for reliability, dependability, and price. Once you have found a place you can work with and rely on then it becomes a matter of which machine fits your budget, or how can I get the most bang for my buck.
This is where it starts getting difficult and they know it. It is not just a simple matter of saying bigger is better because sometimes it isn’t. Newest and latest does not guarantee anything either. And the truly rotten thing is no matter what you get there are no guarantees that it will be compatible with anything else in the industry, now or in the future. They have you on the hook for a continual rotation.
Because of this I have set my price point for the next computer buy to be on the lowest end possible that will still function reasonably well for the next three years. I know that is asking a lot but I should be able to buy a machine now and a new one in three years for the same amount of money I would have to spend to have a machine that would last four years. Did I mention I’m a numbers guy?
Back to point, this should still be a fairly easy process. Decide desktop or laptop, size screen, DVD writer and be done with it, but no, that is just the beginning. Which processor do I choose Intel or AMD? Which video card, though most pre built boxes are fixed? How much memory will I need to run the Vista hog? Why does it costs more to “upgrade” to Windows XP? That should tell me something right there.
Anybody that has done this (and you all must have to be reading this right now) knows that I haven’t even scratched the surface. Every week there is a new introduction of what the latest and greatest new hardware item is. From CPU, to Video cards and all points in between there is always a reason to wait for the next release which is also the reason that what you just bought just became yesterday’s news. Yes my friend, your machine is now obsolete and you haven’t even gotten it out of the packing yet.
Now I understand that and I am o.k. with that. It is pat of what innovation is all about. New technology is wonderful when it continually leads you to new and better things. My hardship stems from trying to figure out the here and now. The manufactures (and here I refer to any that make prepackaged boxes) have done their best to make things just a little different so that you have a hard time comparing them to the next guy down the block. I can understand that as well, that is just normal marketing for a commoditized product. What I can’t understand is why they make it so difficult to compare one item from the other within their own lineup.
I am a little more aware of computers than my fellow cube mates and I could probably build a computer ala carte easier than most, at the very least I could pick out a list of items and have someone put it together for me but then you are talking customization which is best done at a local shop. Actually that would be my preference if I had the time and money, but need and budget are driving factors at this point. Also, the problem with local shops is they can be opinionated, backlogged and pricey. Come to think of it, so are the big boys. The local shops don’t have the buying clout of the big boys so they have to pay more for their stuff which means you have to pay more for your stuff. To be at the same price point you are dealing with older or lesser technology.
Speaking of price points, the big boys should have better economies of scale with the volume they are producing. Second point is they should also be able to assembly line pre packaged units far cheaper than the customized boxes by using mass production techniques. I have not seen much evidence to support this theory in their pricing but I have seen evidence of it in their profit margins.
So why can’t I find wonderful deals on Dell or HP or whatever for pre-built, pre-packaged, all in one, inclusive 80 percentile, desired machines? I don’t know. It should be a no brainer, even from a marketing standpoint.
I have gone to their web sites, often, and tried pricing out various machines looking at both pre-builds and customization builds. All I get is more confused and frustrated. They have a hundred (self recognized exaggeration) slightly differently named models with very little in the way of figuring out what makes them different. This makes it all but impossible to compare even within the same lineup. And if you use their customization order form to personalize your choice and you want to compare between the regular case and the slim line you will go insane because you can run a dozen different scenarios in the same line and still not be able to compare apples to apples. I know about what I want and about what I want to pay but I have yet to build a list the same way twice on the custom list.
My answer at this point is to just give up. I am not going to be able to get what I want, how I want it, for the price I am willing to pay (I will always want more) and it isn’t worth the aggravation of going through the hassle of an overloaded web site, which never really gets around to providing the choices you want. I think I will just go down to Costco and find the one that is closest to my spec list and if it is on sale, load up the truck and bring it on home.
No machine I get will be a perfect answer. In the world of computers and Microsoft, incompatibility is the norm. That is why I decided years ago, after buying my first computer and the troubles I went through, that my gaming machines were going to be a Sega or a Playstation because all the compatibility problems would already be taken care of. Life is easier that way.
This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.
No comments:
Post a Comment