Ryan's Computer Consulting Services

In the early days of computers they were very expensive and you did get what you paid for, at least for most of them.  Now, you see specials everywhere in the sub $1,000.00 range.  Never the less, there is a reason why this systems are so inexpensive.  There is information that they not telling you and praying off of your ignorance.

Let's start with the hardware. 

1:  Most computers that cost below $1,000.00 have something called integrated video graphics.  Simply, this means that the pictures you see on your screen is coming from a built-in graphic card on your main board of the system.  Why is this so bad.......the card demands from the computer chip and system memory and if it were to fail, you would have to replace the motherboard, which normally is not a industry standard board, meaning it could cost twice as much to replace than it would with a industry standard board.  On the positive side, however, there are some lower cost systems that allow for an upgrade to a video card via a PCI-Express slot or the older AGP slot.  If you are going to purchase a entry level computer, you should definitely check this out for the possibility of bringing some life into your computer in the future.

2: Here goes the snowball.  Now that they have integrated the video on their proprietary motherboard (factory made just for that particular computer case).  The system memory is used as video memory (it is supposed to be separated for best performance).  So the small amount of ram (normally the cheaper ram at that) that they put in your system is no longer being used for its original purpose.  Example would be:  512mb of ram, video requires 64mb, you now have only 448mb system ram to use.   Then comes another issue in these "expendable" machines, not only is the ram being used up, now you have cpu being used as the video processing power house.  Motherboards that have their own integrated video typically have on board graphic processors, however these processor do not perform with the same power as would their related video card.

3:  Now that your ram is bogged down and the cpu is crunching all the time, let's talk about what the hard drive is doing.  The ideal hard drive would be the one that has to operate the least.  Data is transferred to the RAM (Random Access Memory) and at that point the data would be accessed from it only.  If there is not enough RAM, then the hard drive will have to reload it, while the RAM is making room for the data.  The cpu is running even harder to keep up.  This little cycle is putting a real demand on your computer by this time, and running it's life clock down faster.

4:  Now, let's throw a couple more things into the equation; next they give a "56k" winmodem.  This Internet modem also requires the cpu and ram to operate.  It will not hold its own weight.  A hardware modem would work all by itself without the help of a cpu or the system ram.

5:  Typically the best thing you get out of these systems is the LCD monitors.

6:  Did you know that a Celeron or Sempron processor is nothing more than a Pentium 4 or Athlon processor that are stripped down in performance?  It's like buying a large truck with a four cylinder engine, and at a reduced price than the real thing, hmmmm.....  Oh, I almost forgot that most of this systems only have 1 case fan, and most of time these fans are even doubling as a cooler for the cpu.  Very dangerous practice and the ambient temperature in the case is rarely never ideal, leading to a early death of the system.

7:  Where is the floppy drive?  I know this is becoming a thing of the past, but they are still needed.  I am confronted with it on a weekly basis at least.  So all you people that think the Floppy disk drive (1.44mb) is dead, I will have differ with you in the "real world."  I know, we have usb drives, cd's, and the like, but the floppy isn't completely phased out just  yet.  Apart from the floppy being left out, I also need to mention that there are often generic, or sub-par components used in these systems.  Not so long ago there was a certain manufacturer that actually repaired returned systems with used parts without the customers knowledge.  Now, if you read the fine print, you will see that they say that components that are replaced will be equal or equivalent to bad part, but may be refurbished (another way of saying used).

8:  Look out for the 90 day warranty and 90 day anti-virus software, etc.  You really think that they want to back up a machine they barely make a profit off of?  Or, put software on there that would cost them money?  Warranty is everything when it comes to a computer.  If you do happen to buy a cheap system, don't ignore the warranty!!!!

9:  They want you to buy a new system at least every 2 years.  On average, statistically, a computer that is built properly will last about 5 years.  Sometimes longer, than 5 years if your fortunate enough.  While this is not a guarantee, I have seen this to be true with most systems that are not built the way I have been describing them above.

10:  Ahhhhh, the software....... where is the Windows operating systems disk?  Believe it or not, some manufacturers don't ship the computer with a recovery disk.  They will however in the advent you need one deliver it to you on average of $30.00+ dollars s/h and cost of material.  The other fact is that it is a disk that is specific to the motherboard of the computer.  If you could change out the motherboard and upgrade, the recovery disk will not work.  You will need to buy another copy of Windows.  How you like that for quality?

11:  Customer Service........outsourced.  I have no problem with people that can clearly speak the English language.  I do have a problem with people that cannot speak to me in an audible, understandable dialect.  For all of you that has grown up in the USA and know the native English language and have had to ever call tech support (which by the way most are in India) fully understand what I am saying here.  Not all, manufacturers outsource there tech support, but they are the ones that seem to have more problems with there machines and therefore have a well organized tech support department (for obvious reasons).

12:  Horror stories of sending the machines back are all too common.  In most release documentations that you have to sign, it will state that it would be a really good idea to backup your data, and/or remove your hard drive.  They will not be responsible for lost or erased data.  Simply put, you may not get the same computer back as you sent out or they may reload all the original software without your consent.  Not everybody reads this information, and certainly not everybody is comfortable about taking a device out of their computer.

Well, the list can go further, but I think I have hit the highlights.  The answer to this saga is to find a honest, trustworthy local computer company to build you a system that has very few or no integrated parts, full software licenses, & a descent minimum 1 year hardware warranty, and good tech support.

If your local to the Greencastle, Mercersburg PA, & area you can check out RCCS' website at www.ryansccs.com for options on a custom built system for you.  Your local YellowPages will also assist you in shopping around.  Just remember honesty and integrity is a must.  If it seems shady, or too good to be true, it probably is not worth your investment and time.