Tips for Buying Computers

Dec. 7, 2000 -- Many shoppers planning to buy computers as holiday gifts needguidance.

CompuBug was lucky enough to secure an exclusive interview withLongnose A. Frimplesnitz, chief technical officer of Jolly ElfElectronics, the computer subsidiary of North Pole-based SantaIndustries.

BUG: Mr. Frimplesnitz, how much should consumers expect to spendfor a personal computer, and what does that amount cover?

LAF: About $1,500 should buy a very acceptable PC or iMac. Andat Jolly, we say that if the computer is going to be used for theInternet, word processing and other home applications, there’s nooverwhelming argument for either system. Generally, look for atleast 128 MB of RAM, a 56-kilobit internal modem, and a 20 to 30 GBof hard drive space.

The Need for Speed?

BUG: What about processor speed?

LAF: That’s one of the most abused system yardsticks, sinceoverall performance is a product of how well all system componentsdo their jobs. Word around the Pole is that salespeople and adcopywriters who use it to mislead consumers should start thinkingabout heating with coal.

BUG: Well, yes, but how about a number anyway?

LAF: In the PC playpen, you’re talking an 800 MHz or so PentiumIII with 256 L-2 cache. In the iMac playpen, that’s a 500 MHzPowerPC G3, with a 512 L2 cache.

BUG: Did you say “cash”?

LAF: It’s pronounced “cash” but it’s really the part of thememory the chip uses as a staging area to increase speed. An L2cache talks to the L1 cache, which talks to the CPU. And, by theway, more cache may speed up some applications but have no effecton others, so don’t obsess about it.

BUG: I notice you didn’t mention Apple’s Power Mac G4 Cube.

LAF: You want design, go see Bill Blass or Halston. Sure, theCube is sleek, but it’s $1,799 and that’s before you spend $499 fora 17-inch monitor. And while I’m thinking of it, if you want toupgrade the memory on an original iMac, you should consider thatwhile Apple wants $400 for 128 MB of RAM, you can find it onlinefor around $80. Get a sense of what’s out there by checkinghttp://www.pricewatch.com, a site that pulls together ads fromvarious retailers.

BUG: Which PC brands are the best?

Comparison Shopping

LAF: Hey, if the kid building ‘em in his garage from mail-ordercomponents does a good job, his product will be just as dependableas the stuff from the big guys.

BUG: If it comes down to a choice between two similarly pricedsystems, what should be the tiebreakers?

LAF: Give the nod to the system with the most main memory, themost video memory, the bigger monitor and the one that comes with aCD-RW drive.

BUG: Isn’t that CD-ROM drive?

LAF: A CD-RW drive does everything a CD-ROM drive does, plus itcan create CD read-only disks and CD read-write disks. Very handywidget for system backup, file sharing and such.

BUG: Should folks worry about operating systems?

LAF: Almost every new consumer-market PC ships with Windows ME.In Macville, it’s OS 9.

BUG: Much difference in bundled software?

LAF: Not much. Internet Explorer has become as unavoidable asdeath, but more fun than taxes. And in the PC world, you’llprobably find Microsoft Office thrown in, which includes Word andExcel for word processing and spreadsheets, plus a money managerand some other goodies. And you’ll probably find software includedto sign you up with an Internet service, which may be a good deal-or may not be. Shop before you sign up.

Bundles of Deals

BUG: What other incentives are out there?

LAF: Most of the big guys will bundle a color inkjet printerwith their holiday packages. Keep in mind that many of them retailat $100, and you can bet the big guys aren’t paying retail, so it’snot as much of a bonus as it seems. You’ll also see some low-enddigital cameras and maybe a scanner or two as throw-ins. Don’t getsnared in the tinsel — concentrate on the tree.

BUG: One last question, Mr. Frimplesnitz — buy retail or online?

LAF: Unless you happen to live near a major PC retailer, goonline. Yes, it’s nice to be able to hop into the car and getsupplies or a question answered or a problem fixed — unless it’s a350-mile hop.

BUG: Thanks for your help Mr. Frimplesnitz. Looking forward tospending Dec. 26 around a cozy fire?

LAF: No way, man! I’ll be in Aruba!