Seven steps to choosing your perfect computer

We’re going to start this buyer’s guide with one monster assumption: that you’re looking to buy a Windows 10 PC, rather than a Mac or a Linux system. While much of our advice applies equally to Linux, Apple’s control over its hardware makes that buying process an entirely different set of decision trees.

With that out of the way, we’ll cover the broader question first, followed by some nitty-gritty specifics. Even if none of the dozen PCs we review here appeals to you, hopefully this guide will help you make your final decision.

1 What do you want to do?

If all you’re looking for is a simple system for email, web browsing and Microsoft Office, we can save you both money and time: buy the PC Specialist Aurora Mini. It’s more than powerful for all those tasks, whilst being small, quiet and cheap to run.

At the other end of the scale, for those who want to play the world’s