Blog: What kind of computer do you recommend I purchase?

Do Not Buy a "New Computer" Made Out of OLD Parts

We have seen attorneys who bill $450/hr replace their paralegal's computer with a $300 computer from Walmart and then wonder why it is slower than their old computer. A brand new bicycle will never run as fast as an old NASCAR speedster. When you're replacing your computer, make sure you're getting a new machine that is actually going to be faster than your old one.

Do not Buy New Monitors 

(unless you really want them or need them for dual-screen) 

While computers get faster each year, monitors have not changed much since the advent of flat-screens.  By not buying new monitors, you can easily save $150-$300 dollars.

DOs When Buying a New Computer 

  Buy a Business-Class Computer.

Business-Class computers tend to cost slightly more but perform significantly faster and last longer. They also require less maintenance so you won't need to involve your IT company as frequently. Think of how many headaches you have when your computer doesn't work right or runs slowly. Usually the cost of a business machine is only $300-$400 more expensive than a consumer machine and they don't come with all those headaches.

If you are considering purchasing a new computer, we recommend the configuration below... 

A desktop computer with this configuration, without monitors, will generally cost between $1,000 and $1,500 and perform very quickly for 5-7 years.

Operating System: Windows 11 

You should not use Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8. If you're looking at a computer that comes with Windows 10, make sure it includes a free upgrade to Windows 11 (most do).

Processor: i7 Processor 

The processor controls how fast programs run.  An i7 processor is significantly faster than an i5 processor, which is significantly faster than an i3 processor.  If you are considering a computer with anything less than an i7 processor, stay away:  It is a slow computer.  

If your budget allows it, i9 processors are much faster than i7 processors, however they carry a premium price tag. When you purchase a new car, your car has a model and a year associated with it.  

Just because you buy a brand new car in 2023, doesn't mean it is the 2023 model - often times you might buy the 2022 model because it is slightly cheaper. Computer processors are similar and have a "generation" number with them.  When you see a processor, it will have a model such as... 

The bold number is the generation number, and you should generally only consider the current or the previous generation. 

• Generation 13 was released in Q1 of 2023.
• Generation 12 was released in 2022.
• Generation 11 was released in April 2020.

Hard Drive: 256Gb+ M.2 Solid State Hard Drive 

The hard drive controls how fast programs and documents load. There are three types of hard drives for sale today...    

• Traditional (Spinning Disk) Hard Drives: Really slow. Originally released in the 1950s. There is no reason anyone should buy a new computer with one of these in it.
• Solid-State Hard Drives: Much faster than traditional drives. Originally released in 1991.
• M.2 Hard Drives: These are essentially "version 2" solid-state drives. They cost about the same (sometimes even less) than a regular solid-state drive but are generally 5-20 times faster.

• Desktop:  Business Class Desktops for Legal Professionals
• Laptop:  Business Class Laptops for Legal Professionals