Buying PCs and Printers in California
California is one of the most industrialized states of the United States of America. It is also the seat of the entertainment and technology industry. All the major tech companies like Hewlett Packard, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, etc have major presence in California. They have their big offices and also big customers in the state.
A personal computer and the associated peripherals like scanner, printer, web cameras, etc are now a basic necessity of the urban American. Similarly, products such as Apple iPod, Windows and MS Office are now a household name. The spread of internet, too, has fuelled the demand for personal computers. We have already seen the irrational euphoria during the dot com period.
Cheap computers
The price of technology products always keeps falling. Companies now release new technologies on a regular basis and the prices of older technologies keep falling. If you have ever purchased a computer, you would very well know how prices decrease. Hence, buying a Personal Computer and any peripheral like a printer requires some smart judgment of the market conditions. But before buying a computer you should consider lots of things – if you need help on that, have a look at Dave's Guide to Buying a Home Computer.
Local computer stores in California
Firstly, if you are in California, you should find the local stores which deal in computers and related products. Yes, you can also buy online but if you are the one who likes to feel and touch the product before buying, then the local store is the only option. However, buying online can be an easier and cheaper option. But if you are new to using computers or the peripheral, it’s wise to at least try out the product with your own hands. So if you want to see and use the product before you buy it, flip the local yellow pages. Any good yellow page listing would include many computer hardware and software vendors. For instance, if you are in Los Angeles County then you can easily find more than 100 vendors of personal computers and peripherals. Then there are the popular store chains like Circuit City, Best Buy and others from which one can buy the product.
After Sales Services
Buying a PCalone is not the end of things. You will also need someone to service it whenever it stops functioning. Then at times, if you use it regularly, some sort of maintenance is required. So you will need the services of the computer vendor regularly. If you are not buying from one of those reputed big stores in California, it’s good to buy it from someone who offers a good after sales service. It also helps to talk to your friends or relatives, if they have bought a computer. If they refer a particular vendor, it makes sense to at least check out with that vendor.
Buying a computer online
If you are buying a computer online, check out the manufacturer’s website. For instance, Dell sells its computers online through its website. In fact, you can buy a computer with the configuration desired by you. You can specify, say, that you require 512MB RAM, 20 GB Hard disk drive, Pentium 4 1.6 MHz CPU and so on. So the whole computer is made as per your specifications. Companies like Dell also sell refurbished computers online. These are computers which have been returned by the original customer due to some cosmetic or technical fault. Companies then fix the computer and re-sell it at a discounted price. These computers, as claimed by companies, are rigorously tested before being put for sale again. Some companies also sell computers which are technically perfect but have some small cosmetic faults. For instance, the computer CPU can have a small scratch on the side or similar. Also many vendors offer some free software bundled with the computer. If you are comparing two vendors, do account for the freebies that come along.
AMC and Warranty
If you are buying for commercial use or intend to use your computer extensively, then AMC (Annual Maintenance Contracts) and Warranties are very important. The AMC ensures that, whenever your computer malfunctions, you know whom to approach for fixing. Moreover, AMC ensures that your computer’s health is checked regularly. Similarly, most computers come with one year warranty. Hence, if your keyboard is not functioning properly say after 3 months of purchase, than you can get the keyboard replaced by a new one.
Buying PCs, Printers or other equipment in California is not difficult. However, finding a good vendor not only gives you a good computer but also gives long term satisfaction.