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Buying and owning a computer has always been something of a financial minefield. So many mistakes can blow up the cost of your investment. When your current computer either stops working or ages to the point of uselessness, what should you do? Should you buy a new computer or pay to replace whatever part has stopped working? Should you upgrade parts to keep your computer useful a little longer? Should you install Linux? If you decide to buy another computer, should you buy new or used? Where should you buy it? What kind should you buy? What operating system do you want, or do you even care? Should you buy software to run on your new computer or use free open-source software? Can you still use your old accessories, or must you replace them with compatible ones? What kind of accessories should you buy? What should you do about your backup situation? Should you buy a smartphone, laptop, and desktop, or should you just buy a smartphone and ignore the fact that it is awful for surfing much of the Internet or doing just about anything that involves creating any kind of content whatsoever? Is a tablet computer a good investment? Making the wrong choice when faced with any of these decisions can waste your money.
When forced to make a decision about buying a computer, some people just throw up their hands, walk into Walmart on a Saturday morning, and buy almost the first computer they see. A few years ago, I met such a person. He had given his girlfriend a tablet computer as a present. Rather than expressing gratitude, she had berated him for buying an Android tablet instead of the Windows computer she needed. He, knowing nothing at all about computers, had rushed to Walmart, desperate to rectify the situation immediately. I tried to explain to him why buying a computer this way was just about the worst thing he could do, but he was determined to buy his girlfriend's computer then and there. Don't be like him. Don't allow yourself to be in a situation where you don't have time to think about what you are doing. This almost never produces a good result. And maybe consider finding yourself a significant other who is grateful for the gifts you give them--or one who shops for their own computers.
Each individual's computer needs are not just different but very different than most others. One person may be perfectly happy with a five-year-old smartphone as his only computing device. Another may not be satisfied with anything less than this year's $3000 MacBook Pro, and that will be just the beginning of his many computer-related purchases. I don't understand how, but a few of us manage to rarely use a computer at all. In contrast, some of us sit in front of a computer all day at work, then go home and sit in front of one much of the night. Personally, in addition to my work, I write for this blog, build and run a small social media site called Blue Dwarf, and when I am not doing any of that, I am working on a number of computer hobby projects, surfing the Internet, or watching Netflix or Amazon Prime on my home theater PC. I am in front of a computer nearly every waking hour of every day and night.
I will not address this article to the $3000 MacBook Pro buyer, because he is unlikely to listen to anything I have to say anyway. I am talking to those who may not know much about computers but who would like to have their basic computing needs met without spending more money than necessary.
The first thing to understand about computers is that they are dirt cheap if you know what you are doing. The second is that you can either spend your money or your time. If you are not willing to spend either, you should probably not own any type of computing device. Unfortunately, today almost every adult must have easy and reliable access to the Internet just to get through life. I don't see a way around this unless you are lucky enough to live with a family member who doesn't mind letting you use her Internet-connected device.
Now, let's talk about some basic strategies for minimising the cost of buying and owning a computer or computing device. The first is to always understand what you need before you buy. A computer that is more powerful than you need will likely cost hundreds of dollars more than necessary without giving you any noticeable benefit, at least in the beginning. Don't buy a computer with a core i7 CPU when all you plan to do with it is write letters and surf the Internet. Understand what software you need and be aware of its hardware requirements. This is not a time for guessing. Carefully research the system requirements of the software you plan to use. Also, understand what makes a quality computer and how much it should cost. What I am telling you is that knowledge is what you need most to make the best computer buying and usage decisions.
Many people buy more computer than they need, thinking that over-buying will mean they won't have to upgrade to a new one as quickly. While this may seem logical, I don't think it is always the best approach. Spending $2000 today for a new and powerful computer is more expensive than buying a seven-year-old computer that was top of the line back then and is 15-20% of the cost of today's new computer. Seven years from now, when the price of today's computer is 15-20% of its current price, you can repeat the process. The result is that instead of buying a new computer that costs $2000 and lasts for 14 years, you buy two computers for a total cost of $300-$400 that together adequately serve your needs for 14 years.
The next strategy for minimising the cost of computer ownership is to develop the habit of using efficient software in order to put off buying new hardware for as long as possible. All software is not created equally. Some is well written and therefore fast and efficient. Some is poorly-written and therefore inefficient and slow. I believe some may even be intentionally written to run slowly. The reality is that many programmers are lazy and apparently could not care less about writing good code. Sometimes the fault lies with short-sighted management that rushes products to market before they are ready. Whenever possible, choose well-written programs that are lean and fast. Avoid glitzy user interfaces with all sorts of complicated bells and whistles in favour of basic functionality. For example, instead of running the Chrome browser, which is a memory hog, run the Pale Moon Internet browser that requires much less memory. You might even experiment with text-only browsers like Lynx or Links2 that require comparatively tiny amounts of RAM. And if compatibility is not a major issue for you, dump Microsoft 365 in favour of efficient office suites like LibreOffice or FreeOffice. Using free open-source software instead of Microsoft products can also save you quite a bit of money. If you must use commercial software, rather than renting it by the month, buy it whenever possible. Over the long term, renting almost anything is more expensive than buying.
A very important strategy for reducing your computer costs is to favour general-purpose computers. A general-purpose computer is one on which the owner can install whatever software he likes. Avoid buying any computer that runs only software approved by the manufacturer or for which the manufacturer makes the installation of third-party software so difficult than the average user rarely bothers. The best examples of what not to buy are Apple devices. Somehow, Apple has managed to convince many of its customers that its products are so superior to everything else that they are worth whatever premium Apple feels like charging. While Apple usually sells fine computer hardware, in my opinion Apple devices are not worth their price tags. Apple computer owners also have to pay for very overpriced accessories because Apple largely controls that market too. Ignore the reasons manufacturers give for limiting your choice of hardware or software. This is not about providing you with better security, it is about forcing you to pay more. Look for computers on which you can install whatever operating system and application software you want so that you are in control of your computers and their manufacturers are not.
One of the major problems with using some cellphones for all of your computing is that manufacturers are in the habit of locking them down to prevent their customers from moving to other carriers or installing unapproved software. This often prevents owners from using their phones the way they want. For example, some manufacturers make downloading music onto their phones difficult. Most owners of these phones can't download music to their phones' internal storage or move it to a computer's hard drive because the software that runs on their phones only gives them the option of streaming music. This means when the manufacturer discontinues its streaming service, all the music that customers have purchased goes away. On a general-purpose computer, many options exist for downloading music and storing it wherever you choose and in whatever format you choose. This means you can theoretically keep your music forever, rather than only until your phone's manufacturer decides to shut down its current streaming service. If you must rely on a cellphone for all your computing needs, do yourself a favour by buying one that is not locked to a single carrier. And choose Android phones over iOS phones, so you have more software options.
The next strategy is buying used computers whenever possible. A new laptop that won't fall apart in two or three years, won't shatter the first time you drop it, and won't have a keyboard that makes you feel like you are typing on a trampoline will cost around a thousand US dollars. A quality ten-year-old laptop that is still useful and may have another five to ten years of life left with careful software selection will probably cost around a hundred dollars. The downside of the ten-year-old laptop is that it will be thicker, and you will probably have to learn to use Linux. But, if you don't have to run veryspecialised software, you are not likely to notice much difference in your ability to do everything you need to do on it.
Another problem with owning an older cellphone or computer is that many people--especially young people--face significant social pressure from peers who don't know much about the technology behind their devices and look at them as status symbols. This is unlikely to change any time soon. Only you can predict how much this may affect you.
Amazon sells used computers, but the best place to shop online that I have found is EBay. (EBay is not paying me to say this.) EBay has thousands of used cellphones and computers for sale at any particular time, so you can usually find the one you want. Before you press the "Buy" button, however, be sure to do your research so that you know how much you should be paying. Also, scrutinize each advertisement to know exactly what you are buying and what condition the device is in. Look at what the seller is not saying as well as what he is saying. If too much information is missing, don't buy what he is offering. You should not have to guess about basic things, like exactly what model of CPU you are buying, the age of the computer, or whether it comes with a power supply. If you are afraid of buying a used computer because you absolutely must have a reliable one and you fear you may not be able to depend on a used computer, pay close attention to the next strategy.
Always own a working backup computer. Owning two computers may sound paradoxical from a cost standpoint, but it is not. You can probably find a still-useful used computer on EBay for $50-$75, but the best backup computer, assuming it still works, is the one you owned before you bought the computer you are currently using every day. The most important reason for always owning a backup computer is that you will feel more empowered to buy a used computer when you know you are not completely dependent on it. A backup computer will also be an inexpensive platform for tinkering. Among other things, you will be able to install and experiment with various Linux distributions and with all the other free software options that exist. Your main computer will still contain all your important files and be configured to work adequately for you, and your backup computer can have a different operating system on it every week until you find the one you like best. It can be your platform for learning. Also, if your primary computer breaks, owning a backup gives you time to do the research required to make your next good computer buying decision. Or, you may decide to try your hand at repairing your computer, rather than replacing it. Repairing a broken computer often requires having another working computer for locating pertinent information on line, downloading software, and testing parts.
The next strategy is to always try to repair your computers yourself. You may make some expensive short-term mistakes, but over a lifetime of computer usage, you will come out ahead financially by learning to repair your own computers instead of simply throwing down the next $1000 every time a computer develops a problem. Many people make the mistake of buying a new computer when nothing is actually wrong with their old hardware. For example, over a period of years, Windows computers tend to develop a condition known as "Windows rot" in which they slow to the point of becoming virtually unusable. Repairing this involves nothing more drastic than re-installing Windows or running a program like CCleaner, but surprisingly few Windows users know this. If you simply run to the computer store or to Amazon every time your computer develops a problem, you will never learn the basic computer repair lessons that can save you many thousands of dollars over your lifetime.
Upgrading the RAM and/or storage drive of a laptop may inexpensively extend its useful life, but not always. If you are happy with the performance of your laptop, but it sometimes freezes while surfing the Internet because it runs out of RAM, by all means, add more RAM if you can. On the other hand, if your computer is simply running too slowly, even though you are already using the most efficient software available and the CPU is not overheating thanks to something like a clogged fan vent, you may want to consider buying a newer laptop. This is an instance in which knowledge of computer trouble-shooting techniques can help you make the correct decision. Before buying new hardware, try booting with a Linux USB flash drive. If your computer becomes significantly faster, you may have either a corrupted operating system installation or a dying hard drive. You can easily fix both of these problems if you know how to replace a hard drive and re-install an operating system. You don't need to buy a new computer.
In summary, two types of computer owners exist. One knows very little about computers and consequently pays too much to buy and own one. The other pays very little because he knows he doesn't have to. Do yourself a favour by learning everything you need to become the latter. Learn how to identify your actual computer needs. Learn to use a general-purpose computer. Learn how to shop wisely for inexpensive used computers. Learn how to maintain and repair your computers. And learn how to find, install, and use efficient and free software.