In both cases, it's a smart move to stick to the better-known players. More manufacturers are getting into the direct game, such as Apple and Compaq. Buying directly from a manufacturer usually means you can choose which components go into your PC rather than having to take a preconfigured unit. And it often means that the manufacturer saves money by not having to warehouse preconfigured systems. Surfing the Internet.
Net shopping is the latest option in buying PCs.
Some Web sites make it easy to price-compare similar PCs from different manufacturers. On the other hand, some sites provide only moderate detail about the systems offered, and they may not list all the available configurations or provide delivery dates. This forces you to phone a salesperson. If you'd like to hear about others' experiences in shopping for PCs or share your own experiences, you can start or join a discussion in a relevant Usenet newsgroup, such as comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems or comp.sys.mac.hardware.misc. All rights reserved.