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Top 10 things to consider when buying computer.
When entering into the world of computers it can get very easy to get confused and loose sight of your goals and sometimes your budget. Here's the top 10 things to consider;
1. Most importantly, know what you want to use it for and set aside a realistic budget.
Your budget
The first thing that most of us are constrained to is budget so this is the first thing you should consider. We always want the best but we need to be grounded on what we can afford. So Get a budget and stick to it.

Laptop or Desktop?
The next thing you should be looking at is your requirements. Do you need a laptop or desktop? What is the machine going to be used for? Once you have done this go back to number one and see if these are compatible often they are not first time round. You either need to adjust your budget or adjust your goals to make them more compatible with each other.

Now its time to look at the computer.
There are many things to consider when actually buying the computer, here I will list the most important so you can choose wisely.

2. The Processor
This is the most important factor when choosing a computer nowadays and there are many factors in processor choice the main thing is that in my opinion Intel are at the moment making the best chips and their core 2 duo range is the best so go for one in this family and you will be ok.

3. RAM (Computer Memory)
Essentially, the more rams you have, the more browsers and applications you can open. 4Gb is the most basic nowadays. 8GB is the sweet spot for most people. If you are a gamer, photo or video editor, or planning to do CAD/CAM work, you need at least 16GB of Ram. Make sure you get windows vista 64bit as your operating system.

6. Hard Drive
This is the next piece you should tackle. Computers today usually come with 250GB and 750GB of space in the hard drive. As more people are storing their information online on cloud storage, you may want to rethink of buying a huge hard drive space.

Google provides the 1st 15GB of free & monthly fee of $1.99 for 100GB and $9.99 for 1 terabyte.

Mega provides free 50GB

pCloud provides free 10GB

MediaFire provides 10GB

Dropbox provides 2GB

Where to get free cloud storage;

7. Graphics
Now all computers come with some form of graphics built in. But my recommendation is to go with something a little better possibly from NVIDIA or AMD. They make your computer resolution better. AMD cards are good for mining while NVidia is good for Adobe programs.

8. Computer Software
Most computers comes with microsoft software. The latest is Windows 10.

9. Anti-Virus Software
The last thing to do with the actual computer is a good virus and spy ware package. Don't be under any illusion this is possibly the most important part of protecting your computer. It will get attacked at some point be prepared when it does.

10. Your Computer Lifeline, Internet
Finally the internet, get a good internet provider broadband at least. No computer is complete without a good internet.

I hope this list is helpful in helping you make vital decisions when buying your new computer.

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Top Ten Things to Consider When Buying a Computer

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Top 10 things to consider when buying computer. When entering into the world of computers it can get very easy to get confused and loose sight of your goals and sometimes your budget. Here's the top 10 things to consider; 1. Most importantly, know what you want to use it for and set aside a realistic budget.

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In this free computer buying guide, get helpful advice and information on what to look for when purchasing a computer.

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Every business needs to routinely purchase computer hardware and software, from the smallest startup to the largest corporation. There are a lot of elements to take into consideration, but which should you prioritize when it comes time to make that buy?

The three most important factors to consider when purchasing computer hardware and software are:

Quality

Price

Service after the sale

Because these three points are all related, they should be considered together to ensure the best purchase.

Quality

The quality of a product is essentially its goodness or "badness." You can determine quality by asking yourself the following questions:

How well does this product meet my specific needs?

Does it have the features and functions I require?

How well is it made?

How long will it last?

Online reviews can help you answer these questions, especially those found on respected sites such as Newegg, which are authored by real men and women in the tech sphere who actually use the products they're reviewing.

The bottom line: Doing your research and reading reviews is an important component of gauging a product's quality. If a product has good reviews and comes from a respectable brand, you may be tempted to pull the trigger on your purchase. However, you also need to understand how the product will interact with the technology you already have in place. Getting a second opinion is an absolute must, whether it be from a managed services provider or another type of IT consultant.

Price

Everyone has a budget, but that doesn't mean buying cheap is necessarily the way to go. After all, if you purchase a product that breaks easily or doesn't fully meet your needs, you'll end up needing to replace it, thereby busting your budget.

The bottom line: Keep in mind that the actual cost of a product is only one part of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) - the sum of all costs incurred over the product's useful life. In addition to the initial price, quality and service after the sale also impact TCO, reaffirming that buying based on the lowest available price alone is not a smart move.

Service after the sale

Quality and price are both important factors, but you need to consider them alongside service after the sale to get the full picture. Here are a few aspects you'd be wise to look into before purchasing:

Return policy: If the product isn't satisfactory, how much will it cost to return, including shipping costs and restocking fees? How much time will your staff waste dealing with a cumbersome return process? Will your operations be impacted by not having a working product in place? Since many IT purchase decisions are made to mitigate costly problems, the financial hits will likely continue until the issue is resolved, so it's best to avoid returns whenever possible. Most importantly, make sure you can return your purchase in the first place! Sometimes, products are final-sale - especially those that are very low-cost (i.e. used goods or items sold by cut-rate vendors).

Warranty: Warranties apply to the state of the product when you purchased it. If something is wrong with the product, the vendor will repair or replace it at no charge, as long as the warranty - or subsequent warranty extension - is in effect. Does the seller you're interested in offer a good warranty, or any warranty at all? Check reviews to make sure the company stands behind its warranty policy and is easy to reach when problems arise.

Service agreement: When you're dealing with IT hardware and software, you can expect ongoing improvements to be released and applied in the form of updates and new versions. These updates are made for a variety of reasons, including boosting general performance, introducing specific features and addressing recently discovered security vulnerabilities. Service agreements are essential for IT products that are critical to business functions because operational losses due to outdated hardware or software can be very costly.

The bottom line: Usually, the more complex an IT purchase is, the more service after the sale impacts TCO. If you're not careful, the cost of poor service can easily exceed the initial investment.

Combining the 3 factors to make a successful purchase

Many companies without experienced IT departments are often tempted to make price the driving factor in their IT purchase decisions. As a managed services provider with a wealth of experience in hardware and software, we urge companies to evaluate not just cost, but quality and service after the sale as well. And remember above all else, the best thing you can do when purchasing hardware and software is to get a second opinion from a competent IT provider.
The purpose of this blog is to answer the questions you ask! Whether interested in managed services or just needing more information around IT, we encourage you to contact us or check out our resources section. Visit our Budgeting for IT blog section for more tips and tricks around planning and purchasing for your IT needs!

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The 3 most important factors when purchasing computer hardware and software

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Every business needs to routinely purchase computer hardware and software, from the smallest startup to the largest corporation. There are a lot of elements to take into consideration, but which should you prioritize when it comes time to make that buy?

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What do I need to build a PC?
A little bit of time, patience, and a Phillips head screwdriver are all you really need to build a PC. While it may seem a little daunting at first if you're a first-time builder, if you think you can finish a puzzle, then you can build your own PC. There are a lot of great guides available online, especially video guides on YouTube. The Micro Center Community is also a great source of knowledge as our experienced technical support monitor and respond to questions.

How do I figure out which parts to get?
We actually have an in-depth guide on choosing your PC parts! This guide will cover all the necessary parts to build a PC and what to look for when buying them. Start with which CPU and GPU you want, then work your way out from there, and of course if you have any questions, feel free to ask us on the Micro Center Community!

Can I share my build online and get feedback?
Yes, once you've picked the PC parts, you can save it and then share it on reddit, the Help Choosing Parts forum in the Micro Center Community or any other forum to get other people's feedback. You can share the URL or the list of parts in various formats: HTML, text, markdown, etc.

Can someone at Micro Center give me advice on picking parts?
Our sales associates know how to build computers. They have spec'd out thousands of custom PC builds for business, working from home, video production, streaming and gaming. They have extensive experience with fitment and compatibility across all types of cases, cooling solutions and lighting options. Visit one of our 25 stores and one of our associates will be happy to help.

What if I don't see a part I want in the Custom PC Builder?
Our online tool checks availability specifically at your local store. If a part you want isn't showing up in the list of products, it may be out of stock, so you can click on the option to show all products, or it may not be a product we carry.

Why can't I select certain parts?
Some of the fields will not be available until you select other parts first, e.g. you cannot select RAM until you select a motherboard.

How do I know my pc parts will work together?
The Custom PC Builder tool automatically tries to filter out parts that would be incompatible with any you've already selected. We always recommend you do a little research and double check just to be safe.

Can Micro Center help me build a PC?
If you're not sure what you want or would just prefer working with somebody directly, our in-store sales associates are happy to help you pick out parts for your custom PC. After you build a pc online using our tool, our highly trained technicians can assemble it for you for an added fee. Details on pricing and what's included in each tier of build can be found here: https://www.microcenter.com/site/service/instore-service-complete-build.aspx

How do I place my order?
Once you've selected the parts in the Custom PC Builder tool, you can click "add to cart" to automatically place everything in the cart. You can then reserve your parts for in-store pickup by going through the checkout process online. Our store associates will locate the items and set them to the side to be picked up within 3 days.

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What do I need to build a PC? A little bit of time, patience, and a Phillips head screwdriver are all you really need to build a PC. While it may seem a little daunting at first if you're a first-time builder, if you think you can finish a puzzle, then you can build your own PC.

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Assembling a computer yourself is a good way to learn how they work.

If you've been beating yourself up about doing nothing productive during our never-ending pandemic, stop. Sometimes doing nothing is exactly what you need. Other times, it's nice to make something with your own hands. That's what this guide is about: how to build a PC from scratch.

It can be daunting for a lot of reasons-it's expensive, it's complex, it can get messy. But I want to be clear: If you can build an Ikea table, bookshelf, bed, or anything that comes in more than one of those deceivingly heavy flat packs, you can build a PC. The tricky part? I can't tell you how to build your PC. Not really. Not unless I know exactly which hardware you're using. I can, however, explain what each component does and what my recommendations are for each category.

Once you've built your shiny new PC, it might be time to check out some other stuff to further accessorize your new partner in crime. Be sure to have a look at our guides for the best gaming keyboards, best gaming mice, best gaming headsets, and best gaming controllers.

Updated April 2022: We've removed some picks that are hard to find, added a section on buying advice, and added more information to each product most affected by shortages.

Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED. com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

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First, Let's Talk Shortages

For several years now we've been in the midst of a PC hardware shortage. First, cryptocurrency miners bought up all the GPUs to farm crypto, then we got hit by a worldwide silicon shortage, and then there was that whole pandemic thing. Point is, it's tough to get all the parts you need to build a PC, it has been for years, and it's likely to continue being tough for the foreseeable future. I can't fix a global logistics crisis, but I can give you some pointers on shopping during one.

When you're shopping for components, make sure you're buying from a reputable vendor. You may think you're buying from a large online store like Amazon, Walmart, or Newegg, but they allow third-party sellers to list products as well. There's usually a little notice that will tell you as much, right underneath the buy button.

If it's shipped and sold from someone who isn't Amazon, Walmart, or Newegg, you're probably going to pay more for the component than its retail price. For instance, our top motherboard pick retails for $130, but as of this writing its listed on Newegg for $205. It's shipped and sold from a third-party retailer, hence the markup. First-party sales (when the product is shipped and sold by the store whose site you're visiting) tend to have better prices that hew closer to the actual manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of the item.

We've tried to stick to first-party sales, but sometimes components are just not available through anyone but a third party. In that case, my advice is don't spend more than 50 percent over the MSRP on any of these components. Give yourself a hard budget and please don't pay double or triple what any of these components are worth.

We've added buying advice to each category most affected by the shortage to speak more specifically to each component's scarcity, but in general just know that building a PC right now is probably going to cost you more than you'd expect.

What Do You Need?

In order to get a list of components together, no matter what your experience level is, you should use PCPartPicker. Not only does it have everything you need to buy, it also lets you build your PC piece by piece right on the website and makes sure all your hardware will play nicely together. It even has a few example builds you can tweak to your liking.

Regardless of what kind of PC you're building ( home office or gaming), the components you need are going to be the same. You'll need a motherboard, a central processing unit (CPU), storage, memory, a power supply, a case, and a monitor. The only thing you might not need if you're mostly using this PC for home-office tasks is a GPU (graphics processing unit), but it's necessary for photo or video editing and gaming. That's a lot of stuff! Here's a little breakdown of what each component does, along with some hardware recommendations.

Every other component plugs into this circuit board. It's the highway they use to communicate and collaborate. They come in different sizes and configurations, and each one looks a little different, but they all fill the same function. Make sure you know which processor you want before you buy a motherboard.

Motherboards come in a couple of flavors, but the most important thing to know is what kind of socket it has. There are basically two: LGA and AM. You'll always see them listed with a number after them, like "LGA1150" or "AM3." The exact numbers after the LGA and AM portions of these socket names will change over time, to indicate which generation of Intel or AMD chips they support, but the current standards as of 2022 (which will work with the latest chips from either maker) are LGA1200 for Intel and AM4 for AMD.

Motherboards also come in a couple of sizes, the most common being ATX (or "full size"). That's what I generally recommend, especially if this is your first build. Your PC case will list which size motherboard it supports, so make sure they match up.

Buying advice: Motherboards are less scarce than the other components on this list. We try to keep this list updated regularly with prices that aren't too much higher than MSRP, but if any of the prices here skyrockets between updates, shop around. Your chances of finding a reasonably priced motherboard are much better than your chances of finding a good price on a GPU.

This is the brain of your computer. It sockets directly into the motherboard, and it's the single most important component of your PC. That doesn't mean it has to be the most expensive (we'll get to that later). If the CPU doesn't mention including thermal paste, get some. Don't eat your CPU. I know it looks tasty, but it's not actually food.

Buying advice: You're going to see the highest markups on your CPU and GPU. But these prices will move around quite a bit, so keep checking back if you can't afford the component you want at the moment.

If you'll be playing games on this PC, you'll need a graphics processing unit (also called a graphics card). This is a specialized processor that's designed and optimized for handling visual data like the graphics in games. It's also used in video and photo editing and other graphics-intensive tasks.

Buying advice: These cards are tough to find in stock (or at a reasonable price) at the moment, so you may have to wait a while. Graphics cards are among the most in-demand PC components right now, and their prices are way higher than they should be. That's why the picks on this list are generally mid- to high-end. If you're going to pay through the nose for a graphics card, make sure it's a good one.

Radeon RX 6800 XT: If you're going all-out, the RX 6800 XT is my top choice right now. It's a beast of a GPU that can handle anything you throw at it. Even Cyberpunk 2077 at full 4K resolution.

This is your PC's walk-in closet. This is where you store all your files, your games, your movies, your documents, your photos, your everything. You can always add more storage later.

Western Digital Black 1TB PCIe Internal SSD: This lightning-fast NVMe drive is a good option for nearly any gaming system. It has incredible read and write speeds of up to 7,000 and 5,300 megabytes per second respectively, making it fast enough to not only store all of your games, but possibly your operating system as well. It's also available in M.2 varieties.

You'll see a lot of the same terms when you're looking at memory and storage, but they're very different. Memory is more like that one table you toss things on to deal with later. It's scratch paper; it's short-term. It's very important, though, because software uses memory to cache (temporarily store) data in a place where it can be retrieved quickly.

Your power supply unit is a little box that keeps the electricity running to every component. It determines how quick and powerful your PC can be. The faster it is, the more power it needs, and you always want to have a little more than you need, just in case. Just like GPUs, PSUs are also in and out of stock right now.

Your case is just what it sounds like. It's a metal box. It might be covered in glass panels and etched aluminum, but inside it's just a big metal box that holds everything together. Make sure you match it up with your motherboard size. For example, if you have an ATX motherboard, you need an ATX (or "full-size") case.

Corsair Obsidian Series ATX Full Tower: There are lots of kinds of cases. Some are super small, others are enormous. And your decision will ultimately come down to the design you like as much as anything else. If you're unsure what to get, this one is great for your first build. Other case manufacturers we like are NZXT, Fractal, Phanteks, Cooler Master, and Lian Li.

MSI Gungnir 100 ATX Mid-Tower Case: This budget-friendly case is a solid option for most people. Be aware that it'll be a tight fit-there's almost no wiggle room for bulky cables or hyperspecific configurations. It looks nicer than you'd think for the money, and the RGB button syncs up your lights with very little effort. The smokey tempered glass allows them to shine through without turning your office into an EDM show.

When you build a PC, you don't automatically have Windows included. You'll have to buy a license from Microsoft or another vendor and make a USB key to install it. Or you can check out the newly released Windows 11. Here's a little more information about what all you get out of the newest version of Windows.

Putting It All Together

The internal layout of every gaming PC is a little different, so we're not going to get too far into the weeds here. Your best bet for specific instructions for your hardware will be referencing your manuals and searching for your components on YouTube. It can be super helpful to actually see a person handle and install your exact hardware, especially when you're stuck and can't quite figure out what the hell your manual is talking about. But here are some general tips for putting all these components together.

First, prep yourself a clean workspace. This can be a dining room table, a cleared-off desk-just any surface big enough for your case to lay flat on its side, with ample room around it for the rest of your components. You'll also need a Phillips-head screwdriver that will fit the screws on your case. When you put these parts together, be sure to discharge any static buildup and work on a nonmetallic surface like a wooden table. Or you could just assemble the motherboard on top of the cardboard box it comes in.

Most of the components you bought are going to come with instruction manuals; keep them handy. We're going to start with the motherboard, so open up the instruction manual to the installation page. It can be pretty intimidating-there's a lot to look at-but think of all this as a big Lego set. Each piece fits into each other piece. For the motherboard, your first job is going to be seating your CPU.

Depending on what kind of CPU you purchased (Intel or AMD), the chip will have either little prongs on one side (don't touch them) or little golden contacts on one side (don't touch them). Seriously, don't touch that side of your chip. Oils from your fingertips can damage the contacts, or you might bend a pin. Do either one and your processor becomes nothing more than an expensive hunk of silicon.

Seating your processor is pretty easy. First, double-check your motherboard's instructions and make sure you've unlocked the processor socket. It'll be a big square with a bunch of little holes (or contacts), with a lever or button beside it. Your motherboard's instructions will say explicitly how to unlock the socket so you can put your processor in without any issues.

Once you've confirmed that it's unlocked and ready, just find which corner of your processor has a little golden triangle and line it up with the same symbol on your motherboard's processor socket. Gently lower the processor into the socket, then gently flip the latch or locking mechanism. You shouldn't have to fight it. If you have to press really hard, double-check that the processor is socketed correctly.

Next, you're going to need your thermal paste. That little tiny plastic syringe of silvery goo is very important for this next step. Now that your processor is seated, take a look at the shiny square of silicon in the center of it. That's where your heat sink is going to sit. Your processor came with a heat sink, and on one side of it, you'll see a copper circle. You're going to be putting the heat sink directly on top of the processor after we apply the thermal paste, with the silicone square and the copper circle lining up perfectly.

Go ahead and carefully squeeze a tiny ball (no bigger than a pea) of thermal paste onto the silicon square on your processor. You'll want it as close to the center as you can get.

Now line up your heat sink with the screws surrounding your processor, and gently lower it into place. You're gonna squish the thermal paste, and the goal here is to create a thin layer covering the back of your processor. It's OK if it oozes a little bit, but if it oozes out and over the edge of the processor, you used too much. Get some isopropyl alcohol, dab it on a lint-free wipe, and wipe the processor and heat sink. Wait till they're thoroughly dry and try again.

If it looks all right, screw your heat sink into place. Flip back to your motherboard instruction book and find the right place near the processor socket to plug in your heat sink's cooling fan. It should be very close to your processor socket. Once you've found it, plug it in-congratulations, you just installed a CPU. This was the hardest part, and it's over. Good job!

Installing Your Storage and Memory

Memory is maybe the easiest thing to install. See those vertical little sockets beside the CPU? Line up your sticks of RAM and slot them in, starting from the left-hand slot. They'll lock into place once you've seated them properly. If you have two sticks of RAM, make sure to skip a slot between them. Your motherboard manual should say which slots to use.

For your hard drive or solid-state drive (SSD), find an empty bay in the front-facing part of your case. Slide your drive in and screw it into place. If you have an M.2 drive (a tiny SSD about the size of a stick of gum), there should be a place on the motherboard where you slot it in directly. Check out your motherboard's manual to see where the M.2 slot is if you can't find it.

Installing Your Motherboard and Power Supply

The rest of this is formulaic. Start by putting your motherboard into your case. Consult your motherboard's instructions, line up the screw holes in the case with the ones on your motherboard, and get to work.

Next, you'll want to install your power supply. There should be a spot for it near the top or bottom of the case, a big square spot that will fit your supply perfectly. If you're having trouble finding it, look at the back of your case: There'll be a big empty square. That's where the power supply goes (and where you'll plug in your PC when you're all done). Once you've found its home, slot it in and screw it into place.

Make sure all the snaky cables coming out of the power supply will reach your motherboard with room to spare. Don't plug in anything yet; we're going to come back to the power supply in a bit.

Installing Your Graphics Card

Your GPU is going to be pretty big. Even a modestly powerful GPU like the GTX 1060 is large compared to your other components. That means how it fits into your case is important. Once you put your GPU in there, space is going to start getting tight.

Flip open your motherboard's instruction book again and look for a PCIe slot. It's going to be a horizontal slot with a little plastic latch beside it, near the middle or bottom of your motherboard. That's where the GPU plugs in. All you need to do is identify the back of your GPU (the side with the HDMI and DisplayPorts), line that up with the back of your case, and push the GPU into the horizontal slot. It should lock into place easily enough; if it doesn't, make sure you're inserting it correctly.

Find another one of those tiny little screws and fasten your GPU to the case. There's a little spot for that on the same piece of metal with the HDMI ports. It should be easy to find.

Now, take a look at the cables coming out of your power supply. There should be a few that look like they could fit into the square (or rectangular) socket on the side of your GPU. It should look like six or eight little holes in a rectangle shape. If you're having trouble, take a look at this video from hardware manufacturer Asus. Some of the specifics will be different, but it's a great look at how to install a GPU.

The motherboard needs to be hooked into all your devices. The power supply unit I used in this build is what's called fully modular, which means that you can select the cables you need and leave the rest off to eliminate clutter. Otherwise, power supplies have a ton of cables, and you'll have to deal with the unused power connections dangling inside your case. You'll need to connect the PSU to the SSD and the motherboard.

You also need to plug the motherboard into your case-the power buttons, audio plugs, and USB ports on the front of your case. There are special headers for each kind of plug scattered around the board, so you'll want to check your manual for the location and function of each grouping of pins. These tiny pins need to be plugged in a certain way, and they're unbelievably minuscule. There's also a hookup for the case's fan-in the case I used there was one header on the motherboard but three fans installed. Then there's the SATA cable for your SSD, which plugs into the motherboard.

This part of your build really depends on the hardware you purchased, so consult the manuals for each component to ensure you've correctly plugged it into your motherboard and the power supply.

Boot It Up and Install Windows

The final stage of your build is a simple one: Hit your power button. If the PC whirs to life, you probably put it together perfectly! If it doesn't, don't despair. There are a lot of potential problems that could cause a PC to fail to boot up for the first time. This video from Kingston goes over some pitfalls that might cause you some headaches, so if you're not able to boot your PC, give it a watch and retrace your steps.

There's also a chance you could have received faulty components. This video goes over some tips on how to check your parts. In general, if you're having trouble with a specific component, YouTube is your friend. There are tons of helpful PC-building tutorials.

If it started up just fine, the next step is super easy: Turn it off. Remember that Windows flash drive you made earlier? Plug it into the PC and boot it up again. If you set it up right, your computer should just do its thing and get started installing Windows. If not, you might need to open your BIOS (check your motherboard's manual for how to do that) and set the USB drive to be a "boot device" first. Here's a brief rundown of that process (start at step 3).

You Did It!

Congratulations on building your first PC. It's a bit of a pain, but it's a great way to spend an afternoon. Or a couple of days, depending on how many unforeseen headaches you run into. Seeing as the pandemic hasn't totally gone away, you can use your new PC to help you spend all those extra indoor hours productively (or just grinding out loot in Warframe).

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Assembling a computer yourself is a good way to learn how they work. If you've been beating yourself up about doing nothing productive during our never-ending pandemic, stop. Sometimes doing nothing is exactly what you need. Other times, it's nice to make something with your own hands.

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Dell and HP are two of the old dependable brands that most people consider when thinking about purchasing a computer or laptop. And as of 2021, they still offer some of the best options around.

Of course, with Apple becoming increasingly popular and Lenovo becoming the businessman's laptop of choice, there are a lot more brands to consider than just these two.

However, many people have used these brands for years, and have become attached to them for several different reasons - customer service and lots of parts available being just a few.

But if you're looking to purchase a Dell or a HP laptop, which is going to be the best option? Well, let's take a look at the two brands to see how they compare.

Dell vs HP - Which brand is better?

Generally, Dell computers are some of the best available and are considered to be better than HP. Though HP have some great laptops, across their whole range there are many that can't compete with other brands. Whereas Dell have a pretty great range of laptops across the board.

Both Dell and HP are two American companies, with HP being headquartered in California, whilst HP headquarters is in Texas. Although Dell is still relatively young (founded in the 80s), HP were formerly Hewlett-Packard, which was founded back around the time of the second world war.

Deciding which brand to opt for out of the two can be quite difficult. However, it's not impossible. So, let's take a look at the two brands and see what they are are made of.

Dell

Recommended Dell Model - The Dell XPS 13

The best Dell model for the majority of people is going to come from their XPS range - we're treating Alienware as a completely separate company, even though they are owned by Dell.

The Dell XPS 13 is available in a variety of different models - you can purchase it in the standard model, but it's also available as a convertible 2-in-1 laptop too. The 13 refers top the screen size (13.4 inches), and it's also available with a 15 inch and a 17 inch screen too for those that need something larger.

The XPS isn't new to the market by any means - it's been improved and tweaked over the last few decades. In terms of design, it's hard to find a laptop that can beat its lightweight and sleek look.

The standard model comes with an i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for your files. However, you can upgrade this pretty easily to an i7 processor and 16GB of RAM for not much more - this would be a good choice for those looking for a more premium model.

For those looking for a Windows laptop for general use, then you're going to find it pretty hard to beat the new XPS 13. It has pretty much everything that most people need, and it's undeniably one of the top models in terms of design.

Design

Although personally I've never found Dell laptops to be amazing visually, many people like their simplistic design. The XPS series follows the same sturdy build that we've seen become successful with the Lenovo Thinkpad, so it's clear that nowadays users want a combination of design and power, with a greater emphasis on power.

Dell does have some really nice models, like the Inspiron range, which is worth checking out if you want something nice to look at and easy to use.

Build Quality & Hardware

New Dell laptops are coming with at least 8GB of RAM combined with a quadcore processor.

In the new models, it seems that most of the new Dell laptops are coming with core i7 processors as opposed to core i5 processors. Most HP laptops come with an i5 processor at a base level, and even the Macbook Air comes with an i3 processor.

So, it's clear that this is another area where Dell are only dealing in top quality processors - no dual core processors can be found here!

If we also consider Dell's other brand, Alienware, in this argument too, then it's fair to say that they have maybe the best build quality out of any laptop out there right now.

Displays

There's a battle going on between Apple and Dell for the best display out of the big laptop brands. Whilst the Macbook is well known for having a high quality retina display, the new high end XPS series at least matches them in this regard. When you combine the display with the integrated graphics card, then you're going to get a great viewing experience.

Performance

Dell have some of the best performing laptops currently available, and they have done for a long time. Whilst they never quite reach the top for customer satisfaction, they're always above average for performance.

This is because most Dell laptops use high quality fast processors and larger RAM than some of its cheaper competitors.

Durability

For those looking for a laptop that will last, Dell isn't a bad choice. Along with the good customer service most Dell laptops come with a comprehensive warranty, though this typically isn't necessary for most people.

Battery Life

Dell laptops, on average, are very similar to that of most other premium brands. You're probably going to get around 7-8 hours of battery life out of a full charge. You might get more than this if you opt for a premium model like something from the Dell XPS series.

Customer Service & Warranty

If customer service is important to you, then Dell is definitely going to be the best choice for you. Aside from probably Apple (who's customer service blows everyone else out of the water completely), Dell are known for having extensive warranties that you can trust.

Customer support is definitely something you'll want to think about. Generally, Dell have above average support not only in the US, but across the world.

Price

The main issue that many people have with Dell and their subsidiary is the price. Although the laptops are good quality and they work well, you often end up paying more than you would with a cheaper brand. However if price isn't too much of an issue, then it would make sense to opt for a Dell laptop in terms of reliability.

Dell Alienware Series

It's also worth mentioning the Dell Alienware series. Some people aren't aware, but Dell actually own the company Alienware too. This is a specialist company who are usually the first option people look for when hunting for a new gaming laptop.

They tend to deal in more expensive models, with full Nvidia Geforce GTX graphics cards and a good combination of Intel and AMD quad core processors too. They're definitely worth investigating if you're looking for a gaming laptop.

HP

Best HP Model - The HP Spectre x360

Most people would agree that one of the best HP series to be released is the Spectre series. It's very similar to the Envy series, however generally it has a larger trackpad and has slightly larger capabilities than the Envy equivalent. The Spectre is more for business use, whereas the Envy is a better choice for gamers.

One reason why the x360 has proved to be so popular is because of the battery life. You can easily get 10 hours of life out of a full battery with the x360, which is an improvement compared to most other laptops available.

If you want a laptop with high performance and capabilities, then the x360 might be a good choice for you. For those looking for a convertible laptop, it's definitely one of the best choices currently available.

Whilst the base model has everything most will need, many will want to upgrade to the 16GB RAM option. It also has a 4K AMOLED Gorilla Glass screen, with an i7 Processor and up to 1TB of storage space. It's another awesome laptop worth considering.

Design

The design of HP laptops is pretty standard - they don't offer anything different in comparison to what else is out there. They do have some attractive models, and it's typically easy to use their trackpad with its large design. They typically have a plain black or Chrome design, so whilst they're plain, they do look professional.

It's pretty easy to find laptops made by HP that are made across the entire market. So whether you're looking for a 2-in-1 or a regular laptop, HP have a variety of different designs to choose from.

Build Quality & Hardware

If we're talking in terms of build quality, then it's fair to say that across the board that HP are a little bit behind Dell. Whilst they do have some really well made laptops, they're not quite on the same level as Dell.

But, like Dell they tend to use Nvidia Geforce graphics card in their higher end models, and especially in their gaming line, the HP Omen. I've actually been really impressed with the HP Omen line in recent years, and it's definitely one of the top options for those looking for lower priced gaming laptops.

Performance

The performance of higher range HP laptops is great - looking at the Envy line and then Spectre line, they are both going to perform well over a long period of time.

However, the issue with HP comes with their cheaper models, which are expensive for the specifications, and more likely to break. Whilst HP do make some of the top laptops, they also make up some of the worst ones as well.

Durability

Durability is one area where HP get a lot of complaints. There are many stories online of people purchasing a HP laptop and it degrading within the first year or two. This is why a warranty is so important with any new laptop. Although you should be fine with a HP laptop, they aren't quite on the same level as Dell.

Battery Life

In general, HP laptops have a decent enough battery life. It's hard to say across the board, but any of their laptops should last you for at least a full 8 hours of use. Generally, HP state that their laptop batteries should be good for over a thousand full charges.

This means that for even daily uses, it should be pretty good for almost three years. However, there are those that have found their HP laptop battery to start getting weaker before then.

Customer Service & Warranty

Whilst the HP customer service isn't as bad as some of the cheaper brands around, it's definitely nowhere near the same quality as Dell. It can be cumbersome trying to get through to their support team, which no-one wants or needs when they have issues with their laptop.

So if customer service is of the utmost importance to you, then opt for Dell or Apple. They provide a better support for new laptops overall.

Price

Probably the most common criticism you'll hear people say about HP is that they are overpriced. Of course, this really depends what model of laptop that you opt for. As with any brand, you're going to find good and bad options.

However with HP, it does seem like their cheapest options are still pretty expensive, and they're not good value for money. If you want a cheaper option, opt for ASUS.

Conclusion

All in all, I think it's fair to say that most people (including me) think that Dell make the better laptop. There are some models of HP that I like, like the Spectre series, however many of their laptops are overpriced for the specs that you're getting. Another good HP series is the HP Pavilion, which I featured in my list of the best 14 inch laptops.

And although Dell is quite expensive too, you get a much more reliable machine with Dell. Plus, across the entire range of Dell models, there aren't too many which haven't proven to be a success. So, if you're trying to decide between these two brands, then I'd undoubtedly opt for Dell.

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Dell vs HP - Which Brand is Better? [2021] - Spacehop

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Dell and HP are two of the old dependable brands that most people consider when thinking about purchasing a computer or laptop. And as of 2021, they still offer some of the best options around. Of course, with Apple becoming increasingly popular and Lenovo becoming the businessman's laptop of choice, there are a lot more brands to consider than just these two.

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Best Buy | Official Online Store | Shop Now & Save

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