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Buying a New PC?
Are you contemplating purchasing a new PC? Then step this way. Our guide will help you through the jungle, enabling you to make
the right decision.
Introduction
Buying a new PC is not as simple as it's made out to be. We have decided to write this guide not only to help you through the jungle but
also to give you the inside track of what happens internally from a vendor's point of view. Some of us here have worked for vendors and
system integrators for many years and wish to share our experience with you, at the same time providing you with an ultimate guide to buying a new PC.
We shall help to guide you through making your decision and provide three PC classifications based on Price and Specification with names
and links to five PC vendors, to assist you in your research. The Specifications and Prices of these PC's will be updated as soon
as any changes occur.
With our step-by-step guide, buying a new PC should be plain sailing...
..but first a quick synopsis of what to do:
- Decide what you want to do with the PC
- Decide on a budget including VAT
- Commence your research
- Establish your own specification and select five vendors
- Examine accurately specifications being offered by the vendors
- Thoroughly check out each vendor
- Examine the warranty supplied with the Hardware and all options if any
- Short-list three suppliers and it's decision time
- Parting with your money
But first, it's important that you know where you stand. With so many vendors around, it's inevitable that some of them
may have questionable ethics. Know your rights!
First of all, there's a nice little law called the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1984.
Don't worry, you won't have to immerse yourself in volumes of legal parlance to get the drift. Here's the distilled
version:
- The kit must be "as described". This is your best protection from exaggerations made either verbally or
in an advertisement. If the goods aren't exactly what you were promised you can reject them. Another gem in this part
of the act states that the goods must "correspond with any samples". This means that if you have the chance to try
before you buy, the kit must be (at least) as good as what you saw. This also helps in cases where kit has been
reviewed.
- It must be "of merchantable (or satisfactory) quality". Yes, I know what you're thinking - how can this be
quantified? There's a lot of grey areas as far as this part of the act is concerned, but according to the Office of
Fair Trading (OFT), this means "standards that a reasonable person would regard as acceptable, bearing in mind the way
they were described and what they cost". In other words, if you pay Bentley money and end up with a Trabant, you know
you can throw it back. Bear in mind, however, that if you pay bottom dollar for the spec of machine that you buy,
don't expect a diamond encrusted keyboard!
- "fit for purpose" is another almost laughable grey area. Just as well because this grey area almost
always works in your favour. A good thing to do is to put in writing to your vendor at time of purchase what you expect
the machine to do. If you need to run Microsoft Access, C++ and Microsoft Publisher at the same time, then say so! If
the kit won't handle this then you are well within your rights to reject the goods. Remember make your requirements
clear and put them in writing.
- If you end up with duff gear which does not comply with the above, then you are entitled to reject the goods within
a "reasonable time". What constitutes a reasonable time is anybody's guess. However, this is generally thought to
mean a time in which you are able to determine or identify any faults. Don't fall for the old excuse vendors sometimes
give when you sign for and accept the goods on delivery. According to the OFT, if you have signed acceptance on
receipt of the goods, this does not mean you have waived your rights to subsequently reject them. While we're here I'd
just like to touch on the subject of warranty. Whatever warranty you have, whether it be "Return to Base", "On-Site"
or whatever, if the goods don't work when they arrive you are entitled to reject them. If the Vendor wants to make
good this kind of foul-up be advised that the vendor, not you, is liable for all costs concerning collecting and
replacing DOA goods. Don't be fobbed of with "We'll have an engineer round in a couple of days". Any reputable company
will deliver a replacement at the same time as picking up the faulty unit. Anyway, more about warranty later.
Remember that these are your statutory rights which you are entitled to by law. In reality, however, a vendor should go
over and above these legal requirements. A test of how good a vendor is becomes apparent only when things go wrong and
(excuse the pun) when the "Chips are down".
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