I need to get a new desk top computer for my home is Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  I will probably buy it at either Costco or Staples since they have the best selection.  The prices are about the same here as they are in the U.S.  Last summer I bought an HP desk top for my home in Southern California at Bestbuy.  I am not too jazzed with the performance of the HP but that might be because of Windows Vista.  Staples and Costco in Cabo San Lucas have HP, Dell, Gateway, and a couple of off brands  I know I am probably going to get stuck with Windows Vista but I wonder which company makes the best computer, and which processor is the best, Intel, etc. Any suggestions?

and Vista on a DVD for when / if you want to upgrade.....

...go to their website, if the price is right for you, they ship directly to you, even to new mexico...

I bought a Dell/Vista machine direct for SO...  best deal is direct. Love the machine, not thrilled with Vista.  Vista continues to get complaints... I'm going to wait for Windows 7 due out in 1 year before replacing this one.  Lots of copies of XP Pro out there.  I've not tried it but have instructions for loading XP to run selectively on Vista machine.  Dell wanted $150 to do this when I bought mine before Christmas.
I'd wait for Win 7 if I could/
skb

Hard to say what's up with your existing HP without a lot more details, but I'd guess Vista since I have several HPs that run XP just fine. I'd go with HP or Dell (we have several hundred Dell machines here at work) over Gateway. I've found Gateway's reliability to be quite variable, probably due to their using whatever brand of components are cheapest at the time. No idea what Dell's support is like down there, but I've always been happy with it here in the states.

Warranty service is available locally. However buying a computer online is not an option because it can't be shipped directly to your home.  It has to be shipped to a Mexican customs warehouse.  By the time you pay the tariff and "tip" the folks at Mexican customs it could end up costing substantially more than if I bought it at a local store. Costco, Staples etc., are just as reputable and competitive down here as they are in the U.S.

Windows 7 is due at within the year.  I think they will offer upgrades for the Window Vista people for a fee.  When it gets a liitle closer to the release date, they will offer free upgrades if you purchase a computer that is sitting on the shelf, to move the inventory.

was poor when I was there.

Brownouts wreak havock on the electronics of a computer.

And make sure you get one with adequete backup power.  It won't be the least expensive.  In US cost is approx $100.  Staples should carry them.  Not sure if Costco has them.  Never looked.

Plug the computer, monitor, DSL modem, etc. into it, but NOT a laser printer.

Consumer Reports as well as PC magazine seems to think its Apple.  I swear by mine, can run Windows too though I can't figure out for the life of me why one would want to do that.  Cheaper, too.  I have both Mac and PC in my office, and I consistently spend more on tech support, virus protection and service on the PC side.

I recently got a new computer with Vista and it is working pretty good, only thing is I just cannot find "The Farmer In The Dell"


Thank you
2009 = 27

Apple is almost a generation ahead of all Windows based computer in terms of the hardware. The computer is built into the screen, there is a built in camera, the computer runs so much quieter than a PC, and since everyting is built in there are only two cables to connect- the power cord, the internet connection

And you can pretty much run any PC software on an Imac these days.

Yes, they cost more, but once you go to a MAC you will never go back.

Yes it is NEW mexico, Gringos have been buying property there for years, lol... eom.....

-- Modified on 2/3/2009 8:36:26 PM

impervious to viruses.

Taking a computer cross boarder might be be inconvenient, because custom will check the software on the computer.  Some software are not allowed out of the US boarder.  Also, I would suggest that you buy the computer at Mexico, because of the voltage difference of the two countries.  Just some techs for thoughts.