Today, there are hundreds of options to consider when trying to decide what type of computer to buy. Instead of overwhelming you with every option, we’ve created the following tool to guide all types of users in making the right choice for a new computer. Take a few minutes to answer the following short questionnaire to help you decide what type of computer would be best for you, your spouse, your kid, or someone else you know.getintopc
How do you plan on using the computer?
The best way to start understanding the type of computer you need is to understand how you plan on using the computer. Some users might be surprised to learn that they don’t need the most powerful computer to only view the web and read e-mail.
Check the following checkboxes for the tasks you plan on doing with your computer.
E-mail
Internet browsing
Watch videos
Basic gaming
Advanced gaming
Photo editing
Video editing
Programming
3D modeling
CAD
Homework
Office applications (e.g., Microsoft Word)
How does the above tool work?
The above tool goes through nine steps of questions that help give you a better understanding of the type of computer to purchase. Based on how you answer each question, the available types of computers (mentioned in the next section) are given or subtracted weight. At the end of the questionnaire, the computer(s) with the most weight is the recommended computer. Examples of the types of questions asked in the questionnaire include the following.
What type of computers does this questionnaire cover?
By answering the questions in this questionnaire, we’ll suggest one or more of the following computers that best meets your needs.
Apple desktop (e.g., Apple iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Pro)
Apple laptop (e.g., MacBook Air and MacBook Pro)
Apple iPhone
Apple iPad
PC desktop
All-in-one PC
Custom-built PC
PC laptop
Chromebook
Android smartphone
Android tablet
Amazon tablet
MSX (1983)
There has always been a game-development scene on Apple Macintosh computers, although it remained comparatively small thanks to the dominance of the IBM PC, and the fact that the original Mac 128k computer had a monochrome display. It was on the Mac though, that we first played hugely popular adventure title Myst, and where Halo developer Bungie started out with Marathon and Myth. The computer also saw a thriving indie scene through the 1980s and 90s.
Tandy TRS-80 (1977)
Designed by Microsoft Japan, the MSX wasn’t one machine but rather a hardware standard – the VHS video of computers – supported by a range of manufacturers including Sony and Toshiba. Using the same Z80 processor and Texas Instruments TMS9918 video chip as the Sega Master system, it was an excellent games platform – and famously, the MSX2 hosted the original Metal Gear title.
Amstrad CPC 464 (1984)
Available via mail order for just $400 (a fraction of the cost of commercial computers at the time) and built around the 2MHz Intel 8080 CPU, the Altair effectively kickstarted the home microcomputer industry. Initially only programmable through a series of RAM switches on the front, it was hardly a mass-market product, but it got a lot of young nerds into coding (most famously Bill Gates and Paul Allen), and adding a terminal and monitor allowed simple games development.
Sharp X68000 (1987)
Unfairly considered the also-ran computer of the 1980s, the Amstrad was acclaimed on arrival thanks to its impressive specs and integrated design, which included the keyboard and tape deck into one stylish unit. With excellent graphics and sound, it was a good gaming workhorse and many users cherished its outsider status amid the Spectrum v C64 playground wars.
Apple Macintosh (1984-)
A key Japanese personal computer of the late 1980s, the X68000 featured a 16-bit Motorola 68000 CPU, like the Atari ST and Amiga, but with added graphics performance including support for hardware sprites and hardware scrolling, allowing almost perfect conversions of coin-op classics such as R-Type and Final Fight. Basically an arcade machine disguised as a PC.