It is that time of year again – pc buying guide 2014. The PC marketplace continues to shrink as manufacturers try to stave off competition from tablets and to a lesser extent, smartphones. The trend is toward smaller, faster and cheaper computers that can handle tasks such as computerized investment research, analysis and tracking.
As with any big technology purchase, there are a lot of choices to make. Without careful planning, you could end up with a computer that is not powerful enough to meet your needs or one that has features that are superfluous.
The first step in determining your computer is to decide on its basic style: desktop, laptop, tablet or hybrid (clamshell or other models that can transform into tablets). Next, consider your price range. If possible, you should aim to spend under $1,000. It's also worth remembering that with desktops, but to a much lesser degree with laptops, it is usually possible to upgrade the machine later so you don’t have to shell out a fortune right away. Also, it's generally best to avoid buying a used machine that has a large number of dents and scratches.