1. If you are in Orange County, California; buy a custom system from us :) We only sell quality performance computer systems, so if you are looking for low cost we recommend Dell or HP.
   We build, test, and update our new computers in order to give you a stable and secure computer.  Your warranty will be serviced by us, not by a national call center and a so called technician located in another state or even another country (i.e. India).
   
2. Buy New!
   The warranty is one reason, cost of repairs or upgrades can add to the original cost of an old/used system.  Old technology and slow performance is another, why spend money on something that will not run your programs adequately.
   
3. Do not buy from a mail order, tv infomercial or a furniture store.
   These places usually stock computers that are more than a few months old. These places do not specialize in computer nor do they know how to support you in cased of any problems or issues.  Where will your support come from?
   
4. Shipping Costs.
   When comparing prices for computers, consider the shipping charges for online orders.  The price for shipping can be pretty high due to size of monitor, accesories, speakers and tower.  Dell's standard desktop shipping starts at $99 and system will take weeks to ship.
   
5. Do not buy a system with an Intel Celeron processor.
   If you are spending money on a new computer make it count, most systems now have dual core processors, either Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD X2 processors.
   
6. Buy system with enough RAM, at least 1GB.
   Memory will help your programs run smoother and will not tax your hard drive for data retrieval.  Switching between programs will benefit greatly by having more memory. Systems with Vista will require over 1GB to run smoothly (2GB or more is recommended).
   
7. System should have at least a 160GB 7200RPM hard drive.
   Anything smaller and you are just getting leftovers from a few years ago.  Performance will also be affected, if not by lower rpm's then later by the hard drive filling up and not having enough room to do proper file swapping.  Even if you don't plan on using much of that space, more empty space helps overall system performance.
   
8. We recommend AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core processors.
   They are loved by gamers, which demand high performance and a great value since they need to upgrade components to keep up with the latest games.  These processors have proven to be reliable, stable and a great performer for the price.
   
9. Do not buy any systems with Lindows or any other linux operating system.
   These will cost you more in support and there may be many software incompatibilities now and in the future.
   
10. Buy a system that has both an internal v.92 modem and a network connection.
    Your system should be ready for both dial up and high speed broadband internet, so you have a choice to switch between the two types of internet access. Almost all computer now have built in Network NIC for high speed internet, almost none have a modem by default. If you plan to use dial up, you need to make sure that you add a modem.
    
11. Check warranty provided by manufacturer.
    If available, some big companies make it hard for you to find out specifics, check how the warranty works.  Do you have to spend hours with their tech support in order to have a technician come to your house and replace a part.  Will you have to replace the part yourself?  It is usually worded in a way in which you must work with phone support to help troubleshoot problem.
    
12. Beware Mail-In Rebates!
    Consider the fact the you might not receive the advertised rebate when comparing prices.  For instance, Dell requires you to mail in your rebate form and required documentation (packing slip) within only 30 days of system ship date.  Some of the requirements are receipts/packaging slips that come with your system.   Your system may take up to 2 weeks to arrive, most people forget about the rebates or loose printouts/receipts and never get the rebate.  It is estimated that only 2-3% of all rebates in America are successfully claimed and cashed.

 

Our goal is to offer a great service with a great price for Orange County computer owners and soon to be owners.  PC Aid is dedicated to helping anyone who needs their computer repaired or is looking to buy a brand new system.   We will evaluate what you need and will need in the future, giving you the best value for today and tomorrow.  Our systems our built by PC Aid and serviced by PC Aid.  We stand behind our products and services.

We can build superior performance computer systems but even if you decide to go with a National Brand, please let us provide you with our computer services.  We can do setups, training, repairs and upgrades for home users and small businesses.  If the Nation Brand lets you down in terms of performance and/or service, we can step in and help.