What to look for when buying a new computer
The following guide will help you to answer the questions of what you need, what do I upgrade, and more.

The first thing you need to consider is what you will be doing with the computer. Will you need to store a lot of video, pictures, and music? Will this be a media center PC? Or will this computer just be a basic email, websurfing, and word processing machine? Answers to all of these questions can help you decide what hardware you need.


Processor
The CPU is tough to upgrade later. However, if you don't do any gaming or CPU intensive stuff, you can probably just stick with a middle of the road processor.

Memory (RAM)
This is one area of the computer I would recommend upgrading no matter what you are planning to do with your pc. Most slow downs on people's computers is do to a lack of RAM. I would recommend at least 2 Gigs for Vista. If you can afford to go higher, do it. It will be worth it in the long run because it will keep your computer running faster longer.

Hard Drive
Make sure you get a hard drive with enough space for what you need. You may want to get a larger drive if you store a lot of music, pics, or video.

Video Card
Most users won't need to upgrade this. If you are a gamer or using intense video software, you may want to look at a better one.