Upgrading a Store-Bought Computer
Published: February 25, 2002
By Jerry Honeycutt, Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columnist
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In my last column, I blew a wad of cash on a new family PC. Windows XP didn't just rock on this computer, it played jazz, classical, and everything else.
But you don't have to spend a lot of loot to get a good computer for Windows XP. Here's a compromise between spending $500 on the basic computer I built in A Basic Box Can Rock, and the $2,000+ for the family PC I built in Supercharged Family Computer: Buy the best computer you can afford from the store, and then upgrade it.
In order to put an inexpensive computer on the shelf, the vendor cuts a few corners. On the whole, however, these computers are good deals. The trick is to figure out which components are the losers and then upgrade them.
Good Candidates
At my local Best Buy and Computer City stores, I see a handful of low-cost computers. They cost about $500. Occasionally, I find one on the clearance rack for about $350 (open boxes are a steal if you're upgrading).
One brand comes to mind, and that's eMachines. eMachines are reasonable, inexpensive computers. The sales person will always tell you not to buy an eMachines computer, though, because of inferior quality and difficult to get replacement parts. Malarkey! First, you're going to replace the cheap parts, and if you have a look at their Web site, you find a complete inventory of replacement parts, including mainboards, drives, memory, fans, and more.
An alternative, just in case the salesperson got to you, are store-brand PCs. CompUSA sells computers under its own brand, for example, and at a good price. Other stores are likely to sell computers under their own brand, too. In most cases, they're good computers, with the store leveraging its volume to bring down the cost.
Tossing the Deadwood
When you spend $500 on a store-bought PC, including an eMachine, you're generally getting a good mainboard and processor. The computer case and power supply are good to go as well. What's missing right off the bat is enough memory to make Windows XP scream. That's easy to fix.
Some of the components are deadwood, though. They're where the vendor cut costs to bring you such a low-cost computer. Most notably are the keyboard, mouse, and speakers. The keyword will be small and clunky. The mouse will feel like a mouse trap every time you pick it up, and the speakers aren't worthy of that cheap $10 alarm clock that's in your bedroom. These are priorities, since they directly affect your experience with Windows XP.
The other bit of deadwood is the modem. It is consistently poor quality, failing to connect at full speed, if it gets a connection at all. This is the next priority.
Shopping for Bits
Most of the components that you'll want to replace are available at the local electronics store. So far, the list looks like this:
| • | Keyboard |
| • | Mouse |
| • | Speakers |
| • | Modem |
| • | Memory |
This doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Spend $150 on the keyboard, mouse, and speakers. Spend $30 on the modem, and $25 on another 128-MB of memory. If you want to shop on the cheap, here's a trick for you: Go to the local OEM, which is a small computer store that builds custom computers, and ask to buy OEM components. OEM components don't include the fancy box, but they do include the exact same parts, manuals, and software. You can save a good bit of money, and the OEM will be happy to sell them to you.
If you don't have an OEM handy, try a flea market. No, really. Dallas, Texas has First Saturday, a huge computer flea market that happens the first Saturday of every month. The odd thing about this flea market is that it starts at about 9PM and ends the next day (they assume that geeks like me don't sleep). I've found everything from mainboards, processors, memory, and cases at extraordinarily low prices. You take a risk, though, since returning defective parts is difficult.
Down the Line
Over time, you'll be ready to upgrade more of the store-bought PC. You'll want to take a close look at your hard drive, for example, to make sure it's quick enough. As CPU prices drop, consider upgrading the processor to something a bit faster.
Next time, I'm turning my attention to a rather unconventional computer. Apple inspired me with its new iMac (you know, the sunflower-lamp looking thing), and I want one for Windows XP. I'm not likely to reproduce the idea exactly, because I'm no industrial designer, but I want a really small, attractive computer that I can put in my kitchen. The computer should have a tiny case, a sexy flat-panel monitor, and look good sitting between my KitchenAid mixer and the refrigerator.
Expert Zone Columnist Jerry Honeycutt is a writer, speaker, and technologist who has written over 25 books, including Microsoft Windows XP Registry Guide (Microsoft Press, 2002). He frequently writes about customizing and deploying Windows XP.
