All new computers are pretty amazing now. I will have more to say about this when I'm not typing this into a phone, but:
Insist on Windows 7, 64bits. This is accept-no-substitutes mandatory.
Install as much RAM as you can afford. If you still have money to spend, consider an SSD, but that's getting pretty fancy.
Consider organizing your backup situation at the same time. This is "an equally-sized usb drive" for most people.
Consider also _not_ buying a computer until (1) during the back to school rush when there will be sales, or (2) after that, when companies roll out new products in October, having emptied their shelves in aug/sept.
Beyond that, don't buy a great computer and hook it up to a crappy mouse, keyboard and screen. You'd be much happier with the opposite.
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Insist on Windows 7, 64bits. This is accept-no-substitutes mandatory.
Install as much RAM as you can afford. If you still have money to spend, consider an SSD, but that's getting pretty fancy.
Consider organizing your backup situation at the same time. This is "an equally-sized usb drive" for most people.
Consider also _not_ buying a computer until (1) during the back to school rush when there will be sales, or (2) after that, when companies roll out new products in October, having emptied their shelves in aug/sept.
Beyond that, don't buy a great computer and hook it up to a crappy mouse, keyboard and screen. You'd be much happier with the opposite.