Is your computer moaning every time you turn it on?  Does it grind through tasks at a painstakingly slow pace?  Is it older than half of your food storage?  Maybe it’s time you put the poor thing out to pasture and invest in a brand new, fast and sleek piece of computing wonder.

But, how do I know what to buy?

Here are a few tips that I’ve found helpful.  First, give yourself a budget – how much do you want to spend?  Then look at online sites such as HP, Dell, and various search engines.  Look at what computers are offered.  Look for those priced about $100 below what you want to spend because of shipping, taxes, and a couple little upgrades.

Once you’ve picked out a couple potential candidates that fit your budget, do a search for reviews on the models.  There will normally be lots of input from other people of the pros and cons of buying a particular model.  Many vendor sites will include reviews on the same site where they sell the item.

Once you’ve decided on the lucky steed, look at what various vendors charge.  You can also see if Nextag shows a price history on the item.

Finally, you can shell out the cash and begin enjoying the wind flashing past you with your new speed and power.  As with any new item, think of how you can use it to accomplish many good things.