Q: Where would you suggest I shop for a good but inexpensive computer?

A: Why, from us of course! We build very high quality systems and optimize them to outperform anything you can find in the “Big-Box” stores. We only build desktops though.

Our PC’s are non-proprietary in design, so upgrades, spare parts and repairs are much cheaper and more available than the big brands. They also come with a One Year Guarantee! Call us for details.

Desktops: The major brand desktop PC’s are all pretty similar these days, except for one. The ASUS brand stands out from the rest. They build solid, quality machines. In fact, we use only ASUS motherboards in our custom builds.

The others all cut corners so you get a cheaper, slower and less durable machine. Avoid eMachines and Gateway. Shop around for sales at any of the retailers, including office supply stores. Buying online is also great, but please stick to reputable dealers, like Amazon or New Egg.

Laptops: Here we see more differences among the major brands. Try not to buy anything below the $450-$500 price range. We’re talking regular price, not sale prices. Going cheap hurts with laptops more than it does with desktops. The sweet spot in the market is always around $600. This gives the best balance of quality and performance.

Major Brands (best to worst):

1. ASUS
2. Sony
3. Samsung (yup… they do laptops now… nice ones too!)
4. HP
5. Toshiba
6. Dell
7. Acer
8. Gateway (avoid)
9. eMachines (avoid)