Computer Outlet Online
Work out what to buy before you spend anything
Buying a computer online means trusting a specification sheet. These guides explain which parts of that sheet decide how a machine will actually feel to use — written by a shop that also repairs the things it sells, and sees them again years later.
Where to start
Four questions, in this order
Most disappointing purchases come from answering these in the wrong sequence — usually by starting with a budget and a processor name.
Does it need to move?
Portability is paid for in capability, cooling and repairability. If the machine lives on a desk, that money buys more computer instead.
Laptop or desktop?What is the heaviest thing it will do?
Specify for the demanding end of your work, not the average. The task you do once a week is the one that will frustrate you.
Work through the guideHow long should it last?
Machines are usually retired for running short of memory or storage, not for a slow processor. A longer horizon means more of both today.
Storage and memoryWhat happens when it breaks?
Ask whether parts are standard and who will service it. A machine that is cheap to buy and impractical to repair can cost more overall.
Why that mattersBy machine
If you already know the shape of what you need
Laptop computers
Desktop computers
Custom PCs
Parts and upgrades
By what you do
What actually matters for your work
The same components, prioritised differently. The right-hand column is where money most often gets wasted.
| What you do | Spend here first | Commonly overbought |
|---|---|---|
| Office, email and browsing | Solid-state storage, then memory | A separate graphics card |
| Games | The graphics card, matched to your screen | The largest available processor |
| Video and photo editing | Storage speed, then memory capacity | Marginally faster memory |
| CAD, engineering and simulation | Memory capacity, and your vendor’s requirement | Anything before you have read that requirement |
Longer reads
Buying guides
Computer buying guide
Gaming PC buying guide
Business computer buying guide
Workstation buying guide
Advice from a shop that has to see the machine again
Wholesale Computer Outlet has sold and repaired computers in DeLand since 2003, from one store and workshop. Because the same building does both, we see which designs age well and which come back — and we have no reason to sell you more than you need.
What that changes- Trading since
- 2003
- Customers helped
- 20,000+
- Store and workshop
- ~3,000 sq ft
- On new parts
- 1-year warranty
Before you ask
Can I buy directly on this site?
Is this the same business as 1ComputerOutlet?
Will you tell me if I do not need to buy anything?
Describe the work, not the parts
Tell us what you need the machine to do and we will translate it into a specification — including when something cheaper is genuinely enough.