The REAL Cost of a New Computer You just found a killer deal on a new desktop: Intel 3rd generation Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory and 1TB hard disk, all for $400! But wait… unless you’re sure you have everything you need and the technical ability to “move into” your new computer all by yourself, this marvelous machine is going to cost you more – possibly a lot more. Here are some additional expenses you should consider in your new PC budget: Let’s start with your additional hardware. Your new computer probably includes a mouse and keyboard. But even if your new computer is one of those fancy, new all-in-one models, there will be some other things you need to plug in. Assuming the new computer is not an all-in-one, let’s start with your monitor. Unless your old computer is only a few years old, it probably has a standard VGA port – trapezoid-shaped, about ¾” wide, 15 pins and probably color-coded blue. And unless your existing monitor is only a few years old, it probably has only a standard VGA input port. What you may not realize is that some new computers only have DVI ports. These are a little wider, roughly rectangular, have many more pins, color-coded white and are not directly compatible with standard VGA. If your new computer lacks a standard VGA port, you have two choices: buy a DVI-to-VGA converter plug or replace your monitor. Converter plugs are relatively inexpensive, starting at around $6.00. However, after trying one, you may discover that your display looks jittery or shimmery with your new computer. Even if your new computer has a standard VGA port, you may still experience display quality problems with your old monitor. It’s possible that Windows driver updates for the display system or monitor may clear this up, but if it doesn’t, you most likely need a new monitor. Discount prices for new monitors start at around $90 for a 20” wide screen model; add roughly $15 for every additional inch up to 24”. Now let’s look at your printer. Many people like to hold onto their old printers – especially solidly-built, workhorse laser printers. The problem is that a printer that you bought one or two computers ago may only have a parallel interface – trapezoid-shaped, about 2 inches wide, 25 pins, usually color-coded magenta. Most new computers lack parallel ports, as they are old, slow and not well suited to the communication that modern versions of Windows depend on for printing. If your old printer doesn’t have a USB port, then you may need a new printer. (There are USB-to-parallel converters on the market, but I can’t recommend any of them due to poor reliability. There are also ways to use an older printer as a network printer, but these usually don’t save you any money, especially if you don’t already have a network.) Besides that, if your existing printer is old enough, or just not popular enough, the manufacturer may not have published software to make it work with Windows 7 or Windows 8, and you will quickly find that your printer won’t work properly – or maybe at all – with software written for older versions of Windows. Prices on new printers that I recommend start at around $140. It’s usually also a good idea to buy spare ink or toner along with the printer – printers never seem to run out supplies when stores are open! Figure $50 to $150 for that, depending on which model printer you buy. Next, let’s consider the software you use. Common productivity software like word processors, spreadsheets, database management systems, desktop publishing system and presentation software usually work fine on newer and older versions of Windows. But wait – do you still have your old software discs and product keys? If not, you will have to buy them again, as there is no reliable way to transfer them from your old computer. If you do have your discs, were they purchased with your old computer, and is there language on the packaging or on the discs themselves to the effect of “For distribution only with a new PC”? If so, then you have an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) edition of that software, and it probably will not work with your new computer. Microsoft Office deals vary, but they generally start at around $120 for a Microsoft Office 2010 Home & Student Product Key Card (which gives you a link from which you create a Microsoft Live ID and then download the software) on amazon. If you need Microsoft Outlook, the least expensive Microsoft Office package that includes it is Microsoft Office Home & Business, which averages around $200 including common discounts. With some software, licensing won’t be a problem, but the software itself may be. For example, do you edit home videos on your computer? Multimedia editing software nearly always has to be replaced when you buy a new computer, because the versions that worked with your previous version of Windows (or MacOS) usually won’t work with the newest ones. Consumer multimedia editing software runs about $50-100. And it’s not just niche products like video editing software that has problems going from an older operating system to a newer one. Common business software like QuickBooks may not be happy on a new operating system, either. Intuit, the company that publishes QuickBooks, does not support older versions of their software on newer PCs. Your copy may work fine if it’s only a few years old, but if it doesn’t, your only recourse is to upgrade. If you’re still running a very old version, say, QuickBooks 2004, you will almost certainly have to upgrade it if you want to use it on your new PC. QuickBooks Pro normally costs around $200. Some niche software for specific industries or activities may not work in a new version of Windows, and there may be no upgrade available that will. If that’s the case, then you may require your new computer’s operating system to be Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate so that you can run your software in Windows XP Mode - which is not available in Windows 7 Home Premium or any edition of Windows 8. Finally, don’t forget that after you’ve asked all the right questions, found your software discs, looked at your old monitor and printer specs and bought whatever you’re pretty sure you need, you need to set it all up. You also probably would like to move your data files – documents, photos, videos, etc. – from your old computer to your new one. If you have the technical knowledge to do that yourself, or if someone who loves you is willing to do it free of charge, terrific! If not, you’re going to have to pay someone to do it for you. Expect this to take 2-4 hours depending on the complexity of your home or office setup, or even more if you require special software setup. So, let’s sum it up: If you end up needing $90 for a monitor, $140 for a printer, $50 for spare ink, $120 for a new copy of Microsoft Office, $200 for the latest version of QuickBooks and 3 hours of consulting time at $65/hour to put it all together for you, the cost of that new PC could grow from $400 to $1,195 – that’s $795 more than you anticipated, and we haven’t included sales tax or shipping in those figures. Ouch! Lebowitz IT Services offers pre-upgrade consulting. We can analyze your existing setup in order to help you budget for your new equipment and keep your total costs down. If you also use us to set up your new system, the money spent for the up-front analysis will be credited to your final bill.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 18:14:14 +0000
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