Buy a computer on a budget

— -- Computers don't last forever. Even if the old clunker is still chugging along, you can always drum up reasons why you need to buy a new one. Fortunately, $500 will buy you a fairly capable machine.

You'll be able to use the Web, do your e-mail, manage your photos and write that best-selling novel you've dreamed about. Here's what to look for.

General specifications

A bottom-of-the-line computer will probably get you Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic, but just say no. You want the more expensive Vista versions — Home Premium or Ultimate — that offer Vista's Aero look. They also include Media Center. That's important if you watch movies or TV on the computer. And when Windows 7 comes out this summer, rumor has it that Microsoft will offer a free upgrade only from Home Premium, Ultimate and Business versions. Vista Home Basic users are out of luck.

You need 1 gigabyte of memory. Double this, if possible. You also need 128 megabytes of graphics memory. Again, I recommend doubling this to 256 megabytes.

Don't expect high-end processors in budget machines. Intel's Celeron or AMD's Sempron are common. They work, but much faster processors are available. I'd opt for a 64-bit AMD Athlon, or an Intel Pentium or Core 2 Duo. These were high-end a few years ago. They still perform well.

Laptops

In the $500 range, expect a laptop with a 15-inch screen. In addition to the specifications above, make sure the laptop has built-in Wi-Fi so you can connect to wireless networks easily.

The Compaq Presario CQ60 costs about $450. It features Vista Home Basic and a Sempron processor. It has a 15.6-inch screen and 1GB of memory. There's a 160GB hard drive, a DVD burner and built-in wireless. For $100 more, you can bring it up to my recommended specifications. You can order the upgraded version through Hewlett-Packard.

Dell's Inspiron 1525 runs about $480. It features Home Basic and a Celeron processor. You'll get a 15.4-inch display and 1GB of memory. There's a 120GB hard drive, a DVD burner and built-in wireless. Bringing it up to my recommendations pushes the cost to about $599. You can upgrade by ordering through Dell.