Finding the ideal computer for your use can be a tricky question to answer, because you need to know what you're going to be doing with that machine. Generally, computers can be broken down into four main categories:
- General Purpose
- Media/Entertainment
- Gaming
- Niche
General Purpose Computing
Most people don't need a high end machine to perform their everyday tasks. In fact, a low-end $500 computer is more than enough to surf the Internet, get your e-mail messages, chat online, write some letters in Word, and everything else you would normally do on a computer.
For the everyday computer you don't need to invest a lot of money. Granted, you'll probably feel the need to upgrade or replace your computer if you intend on doing something more complicated (like gaming); but, in the long run, spending a minimal amount of money on a computer is generally the way to go for a general purpose machine.
Media/Entertainment Computer
A lot of people want to take care of all of their media needs on their machines: they want to watch movies, listen to music, watch television, and do an assortment of other media-center related things. While a cheap general purpose computer could handle these tasks, if your ideal computer falls into this category you may be better off spending the extra money on getting a media PC or Laptop.
Generally speaking, computers that are built with media playback in mind perform much better when playing movies and music than a do-it-all machine. Of course, this increased performance comes at a cost: media PC's are generally going to cost more than a do-it-all machine would.
Gaming Computer
Gaming PC's are, usually, a niche subject, as the general purpose Pc tends to take the place of the family gaming computer; however, for the serious gamer who has to play the latest games with the best graphics, there is nothing better than a top of the line gaming computer.
The problem is, though, that gaming computer comes at a steep cost: the high quality components and top of the line graphics will cost a pretty penny. On the upside, you generally will not be upgrading a gaming Pc as often as a cheaper alternative. Well, not unless you have obsessive compulsive disorder and must have the best gear at all times.
Niche Computers
Perhaps these general computers don't fit your ideal of an ideal computer. In this case you've got a specific job in mind for the computer to perform: you've got a niche computer. While niche computers generally tend to be low-end machines, they, oddly enough, tend to cost the most in terms of time, labor, and money.
A niche computer isn't something you're going to readily find on the open market: you're going to need to buy the individual components and put the machine together yourself (or pay someone else to put it together for you).
The ideal computer could be anything - but it all depends on what your definition of ideal is.
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