[ The PC Guide | The PC Buyer's Guide | Introduction To The PC Buyer's Guide ]

"Value"--What Does That Mean Anyway?

"Value" is one of the most over-used words in the English language. It's very common to read an advertisement for a computer and see phrases like "an excellent value", or hear a salesperson talk about a "Value PC". But what on earth does this really mean? There are probably as many ways of looking at the word as there are ways of looking at the world.

My definition is simple: value is getting your money's worth. That means that you spend as little as possible for as much system as possible, and that you make sure every dollar you are spending on a PC contributes towards meeting your needs and wants.

As such, I don't believe there is any such thing as a "Value PC". If a vendor is trying to sell such a thing, does that mean that his other offerings are not a good value? In reality, the most expensive PC in a store can be a good value, and the least expensive a bad value. It depends entirely on how each PC is designed and configured, and what each costs.

Your goal in buying a PC can be summarized down to this one main concept: getting yourself good value, both in terms of the PC and the intangibles that go with it. That should be one of your guiding thoughts as you proceed on your "PC buying journey": maximum machine for minimum money.

Next: TANSTAAFL

Home  -  Search  -  Topics  -  Up