Holiday Gift Buying Guide: Computers

Value shoppers will find plenty of bargains. The biggest question is do you want a laptop or desktop? Desktops are cheaper, but you can’t take them with you. Most people use Windows-based PCs, but Apple’s Mac line of computers are actually easier to use and less trouble prone (I’m considering a switch myself). Macs, however, are generally more expensive for laptops and desktops.
Value Set-ups: Dell’s Inspiron line starts at $279 (without a monitor) and you can customize as you will.
Lower priced/value option: Gateway’s One is an all-in-one desktop that’s easy to set up and has no wires. At a starting price of $1,449, you get a powerful machine for a midrange price. Apple’s iMac is another all-in-one solution that starts at $1,199. Saavy shoppers can visit apple.com/store and shop for refurbished Mac products that come with one-year warranties for heavily discounted prices.
Big splurgers: Apple’s Mac Pro tower starts at $2,200 and you can equipment it with two processors, enough memory to run a small island and easily take you into the $5,000 or $6,000 range. Decked out correctly, it’s one of the most powerful consumer machine available, but if you’ve got to have a PC, check Dell’s XPS line of towers and notebooks. You can even get them with Blu-Ray DVD burners.