Time for a new PC?
Fashion is fine for haircuts, trousers & shoes, but chances are you're going to be stuck with the PC you choose for a good number of seasons, so think carefully before you buy something with flared vents or shaved sides. Some really great innovations do come along every so often but think about it ... do you really want a touch screen? Do you really want a 'wafer thin' PC (built completely out of non-standard parts). Both of those examples sound great until it's out of warranty & something goes wrong. (I'll give you a clue ... the last touch screen issue I dealt with, the sensors didn't stop working. They thought it was being clicked ALL the time).Think about what you actually want out of a PC, not what the marketing department at "Bodge I.T. & Scarper" think they can get away with selling you. We don't keep ANY stock (aside from spares) - we order in what you want & it is delivered by courier the next working day (usually), rather than talking you into buying what we are stuck with.
The next thing to consider is - are you sure it's time? Just because its running slowly doesn't mean you need to change it - the primary deciding factor is age. If it's only a couple of years old (& wasn't crap to start with), it may just have a problem that needs fixing, or even just be in dire need of a tune up.
Finally how much are you going to spend .. it amazes me that people will spend upwards of $30,000 on a car they will spend a few hours a week driving, but balk at spending $1500 on a PC that lets them work and supplies their entertainment & communication (apparently now an average Australian spends about 1/3 of their day in front of a screen).
Pros & Cons - Desktop v's All-In-One v's Laptop v's Tablet
The Playing Field
First up, let's compare Oranges with Oranges (yes, you guessed it I don't like Apples).Prices vary between different models within a computer type for a reason. Some have seriously cheap & nasty parts inside (often with unusably small hard drives & memory) while some have top of the line components & are obviously priced accordingly.
At time of writing, I can supply a factory built (brand name) PC for $635 all the way up to a custom built full on "top of the line" gaming desktop PC for about $5300 (more about comparing components in the summary below).
Next you need to work out what you want or need (or can afford). For me the ideal situation is a good desktop & a half decent laptop. While not everyone is in a position to afford to have 2 PCs, I really think it's well worth the money, particularly if you are dependent on it (for work or even entertainment). I always ensure I have 2 working vehicles because if I end up transport-less, I'm stuffed. Same with computers; if you only have the 1 & it breaks down it can be very stressful, whereas, if you have a 'Plan B', it's just a slight inconvenience, (especially if you can access your backup files).
Desktop
The desktop is the 'Top dog'. It's the most powerful. It can be configured in a ton of different ways to work how you personally want it to. If you want 4 extra USB 3s, 2 graphics cards no problem. You want 6 extra hard drives, no problem at all, (more than 6 requires a bit of planning). You want a super duper sound card; if you want to add the latest new interface card (at time of writing as an example USB C 3.1), no problem; ultra high res screen .... you get the idea. The best thing is that if you decide you want any of these later, it's no biggie (not the case with any of the others below unless you can connect to 1 of those few existing ports).On the 'Cons' side they're a bit bulky. Monitors & peripherals add cables to the tangle & then there's the price - however to me, it's extra money well spent.
- In recent years, variations on full-sized desktops have become more popular. The latest (& most extreme) being Intel's NUC. The NUC is REALLY small (about 11cm x 11cm x 4.5cm) & they really do look great. Although it is really the extreme example, they all pretty much combine most of the downsides of a laptop (limited power, less upgradeable, use non-standardised parts, less repairable), with nearly all of the downsides of a desktop (no built in monitor ... so not very portable, cables connect everything, no battery). The only major advantage other than looks is price (assuming you're willing to do the set up yourself) as they are often factory built (with most of the basic set up already done for you ... although I'm always there to do the full set up if needed).
Laptop
If you're only going to have 1 type of computer in your house & you HAVE TO HAVE portability, then you have to have a laptop (or a tablet at a push).When you're out & about using your laptop, the built in monitor, scratch pad, keyboard & battery mean you can easily make any notes while working on your lap or the bonnet of your car.
The down side here is that a laptop is designed to be far slower than a desktop (this means it won't overheat (heat being a by-product of fast computing) or drain the battery too quickly ... often actually used as a selling point for a laptop/tablet/phone).
It also means if the built in battery, screen, scratch pad or keyboard fail, it's not just a case of buying a replacement & plugging it in (It would need to be taken apart by a technician) & will end up costing you more to maintain over the years. Another consideration is what happens if the motherboard (main circuit board) fails .... This is the most common terminal failure point with all of these devices. If it happens on a desktop we could replace it with any make of motherboard as long as it takes the same type of processor & memory. Unfortunately, not the case with the other types of computers (holes, connectors, fans & most of the internal components all have to line up ... which they don't unless the component exactly matches the original; not just the same brand - the same model).
All-In-One
All-in-ones actually come in 2 basic types; those made with laptop parts & those made with (faster) Desktop parts ... & of course they don't tell you.While they ARE prettier, they have most of the disadvantages of desktops & laptops with almost none of the advantages. They do however, have touch screens. As an idea touch screens are great. It's when we take a great idea & put it into the real world that the problems often arise. I recently had an All-in-one brought to me for repair.... the touch screen was playing up. You'd think that wasn't a major hassle, however it was (& no it's not just a case of flicking a switch to turn the touchscreen feature off). The screen was faulty & thought it was continually being clicked, at first it was occasional but in the end it was continual ... you couldn't do ANYTHING on the computer because every time you clicked on something (for example enter your password), the screen thought you'd changed you mind & moved the cursor somewhere else. Just like a laptop, the motherboard (main circuit board in the PC) cannot be replaced with a generic 1 if it fails (all the parts won't line up with the holes in the case)
Tablet
Tablets are at the bottom of my list. Not as useful as a laptop but better than a phone. I bought a tablet when they first came out (as in I got 1 of the very first Tablets available) the day before I left for a 5 week holiday in Europe. I thought it was the absolute 'Mutt's Nuts'. I don't think it left my hand the whole time unless I was driving showering or sleeping. When I got back home, I just put it down & didn't pick it up again. It wasn't a conscious thing. it just didn't occur to me to pick it up again, because I had a proper (well, ok, several proper) PCs to use at home.I didn't include phones on the list because I find them too frustrating to use on-line except in an emergency. Don't get me wrong, I think modern phones are great & I use mine for all kinds of things & I'd be lost without it, however, as above, they just don't compare to a PC.
What It Boils Down To
In this day & age, most of us are stuffed if we don't have a working computer (& I'll always make sure I have at least 1 spare) so you should have a serious think about a 'Plan B'. Things go wrong even with good quality new PCs (which is why we have warranties). So what do you do in the mean time if your new PC or laptop has to go back for repair under warranty? (or off for repair if it's a bit older)? Let's compare components.Everyone is different (yes you're special) & we all have different needs from our devices. People using mobile phones is like, you COULD drive to Sydney from Byron on a 50cc Moped - in spite of all the money you'd save on fuel ...you wouldn't. I'm not suggesting you should buy a top of the line computer, just not off the bottom shelf.
That being said if you have very limited funds (& simply don't have the choice to buy something decent), don't waste your money on a second hand device, at least with a new "cheap & nasty", you know you're going to get a year's use out of it (warranty). 1 final point in this regard, if a PC/Laptop is available 2nd hand, someone got rid of it for a reason ... when you part with your hard earned cash you want to be sure it's not flaky, knackered or possessed. The term refurbished seems to have a flexible interpretation, however, a 5 year old computer IS a 5 year old computer, with corresponding lack of performance & aging parts.