I've had the same Mac for about 10 years and have no idea about buying a new PC. The wife has an HP that's getting old. I've been able to fix a few issues with it but she thinks it's time to upgrade.

I looked on Amazon and they keep showing me refurbs. Most of the time "renewed" isn't in the description until I click it.

So she's been looking at Best Buy. I've never liked Best Buy but if they are still okay maybe she should go there. I don't even know what brands are good anymore. She's looking at Dell and HP because that's what she knows.

Anyhow, she's a realtor. Needs web based work and MS Office (already has a subscription I guess). No gaming or anything but she does like state of the art stuff. She's a bit spoiled. Monitor can be separate as I've just been seeing these extra long monitors that she may like for when she's looking at properties.

Advice appreciated. (ETA: Also noticed Windows 10 or 11, is there any reason to pick one or the other?)

To be clear, refurbished are a hard no and only new shall be considered?

When I used to purchase computer gear it was always from Newegg.com. However, it’s been several years so I don’t have any recent experience.

I won't order online so it's the Best Buy around me unfortunately.
I try to know what I want before I go there so I won't have to deal with the help.

I've bought my last two direct from HP, good back up with any problems I had. Seems the prices were similar to buying at Best Buy, like you I don't like BB.

When I don't build one from scratch for a client I just go to Costco and resell one from there.
The deals are generally pretty good if something meets your needs.
They sell Dell, HP and Lenovo.
I have purchased all of them - Desktop, All in One and Laptop.
I mostly build a custom machine but sometimes time is a factor for me and it is a good alternative.
Good Luck

Costco or Fry's Electronics depending on who has the better buy.

The new ready-built ones will be Windows 10 so if her old one is Windows 7 or 8, hopefully your wife is ready for a change.

The WSJ's take on Windows 11 is to wait for it to get built out - supposedly much of what would make it better/interesting is yet to come. WSJ: "Microsoft Released Windows 11. But Should You Upgrade?" - non-paywall link

quote:

Well, with Windows 11, which arrived Tuesday, you’re better off putting it off, at least for a few months. At launch, Microsoft’s latest feels more like Windows 10.5 than what the company promised at its big announcement in June.

Best Buy, Amazon, Newegg, and Walmart are mainstay sources to actually buy from. As is Dell, directly, if you decide on a Dell. The office supply players (Office Depot, Staples) have a limited selection but can have good pricing with sales. Costco, too, but they don't offer much in the way of choice, if they happen to have something you're looking for, they'd be a good vendor.

That said, I would suspect your best bet is to first figure out what you/she really are looking for and go after specific models that do what you need, rather than going to a vendor site and look through all the listings trying to find out if this one, or that one, or that other one there would be OK.

If you/she are open to refurbs, I've gotten several deals over the years on Dell refurbs via the Outlet part of their website.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Costco or Fry's Electronics depending on who has the better buy.

Fry's is long gone .. aren't they?
They were pathetically devoid of inventory even before the Wuhan Apocalypses.
Completely gone here anyway but I wouldn't trust them for anything if in fact they have a straggling store left.

I use Best Buy to buy Apple's and PC's for my company...there are two near me that are pretty good. YMMV.

We have a Geek squad "subscription" for problems...

I have used both Costco and BH Photo ( https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c...ci/9581/N/4294542559 ) ... with good results.

I purchase directly from Dell. They have good discounts on discontinued models. Also you do not have as many junk programs as HP or other brand retail units.

Sam’s Club has some good deals but I almost always build from Newegg.com.

I have always had good luck with Dell. You can add extras like drives, more memory etc and they still ship in 2-3 days. Or shop the refurbished site and get pretty good deals on preconfigured units which are usually just missing the box, or have minor cosmetic imperfection. Sold gear, with a pretty decent warranty. My current desk top is a Dell as is my laptop.

Costco if you want to pick it up in person.

Newegg and BH Photo are reputable online dealers.

And, of course, there's Amazon.

You can also buy directly from Dell.

As a realtor, she really needs barely anything at all with regards to power. Anything will pretty much do. I would, however, get her a big wide curved monitor so set can open up a bunch of documents side by side.

Lastly, she could also consider a Mac. The learning curve isn't bad, the hardware is good, and if she is using an iPhone, there's some synergy to be had between her phone and computer.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Costco or Fry's Electronics depending on who has the better buy.

Fry's is long gone .. aren't they?
They were pathetically devoid of inventory even before the Wuhan Apocalypses.
Completely gone here anyway but I wouldn't trust them for anything if in fact they have a straggling store left.

You're right, they're gone as of April of this year. Obviously I haven't been there in the last 5 months.

So, with them gone, I'd go to Best Buy. I just looked online and they have a pretty good selection.

COStCOS ... no kidding

First place I start if not buying direct from Dell, is Microcenter. These guys are hands down the best resource for me on anything computer or technology related. Have great prices and blow Fry’s out of the water for electronics.

Looks like they have a store in Cambridge, MA. Hopefully close to your neck of the woods.

Refurbished are most often "brand new" as it is usually just a marketing scheme. Plain box and 90-day warranty is the norm

quote:

Originally posted by skywag:
Refurbished are most often "brand new" as it is usually just a marketing scheme. Plain box and 90-day warranty is the norm

Totally agree with this as well. Dells refurbished is were I got last 3 laptops purchased for work. Not a single issue on any of them. Oldest is mine, that is 5 years old, I think. Only thing I have done was upgrade to a Samsung EVO 500gb ssd, and added more ram (just because, was not needed).

I’d buy right from Dell or HP