Buying a New Home Computer

Choose a computer based on what you actually do, not the largest number printed on the shelf label.

Start with the workload

Web browsing, email, video calls, schoolwork, photo editing, gaming, and professional applications have very different requirements.

Practical baseline

• 16 GB of memory for a comfortable general-purpose Windows computer
• Solid-state storage with enough room for your files
• A supported operating system
• A good-quality display and keyboard
• A warranty appropriate to the cost and expected use

Extremely inexpensive systems often become expensive through frustration, short life, and limited repairability.