Here's what you need to know about those great "deals" from the most well-known brand names in computers -- to achieve those low prices, brand-name computer manufacturers have cut corners on everything from quality control to technical support to software.

First, brand-name computer manufacturers purchase their parts in large lots based on price rather than on the quality of the parts. That means your new $299 computer won't have enough memory or processor power to properly run today's applications and games. Worse, your cheap computer will only be covered by a 90-day warranty.

In addition, the brand-name computer manufacturers perform the bare minimum testing before shipping. They run them just long enough to install the operating system and then off they go to the big retailers.

The brand-name computer manufacturers don't install the latest versions of anti-virus software, or install the latest hardware drivers to ensure compatability, either. And forget about asking them to install your periperhal software and drivers.

In addition, brand-name computers are now shipping with minimal software, meaning you'll need to fork over far more than the $299 you paid for your system to use it to its fullest potential. At a minimum, you'll have to pay to renew your 60-day anti-virus subscription. Most likely, you'll also have to pay for worthwhile financial and office software.

The moral of this story is simple -- when you buy a brand-name computer, you really don't know what you're getting. Certainly, you're not getting the great deal the brand-name manufacturers would lead you to believe you are getting.

The only ways to avoid such problems are to buy a computer from a local company you can trust, like FlexITechs, or spend hours with salespeople trying to determine if the brand-name computer you're considering has quality components that can handle the tasks you plan for it.

If it doesn't, you can count on spending hours trying to understand the brand-name computer manufacturer's overseas technical support. If you already think computer talk is gibberish, try spending a few hours on the phone with someone with a heavy foreign accent.

For PeaCe of mind on your next computer purchase, call FlexITechs at 537-4198. Not only do we thoroughly test all of the computers we build, we transfer your data to your new computer, install the latest anti-virus, anti-spyware, driver and Windows security updates, software applications, and your peripheral software to ensure that you get off to a fast start with your new computer.

Besides our in-house warranties, our packages include the parts' manufacturers' warranties, which vary from 1 year to 5 years, and a one-year service contract that entitles you to call us for any computer-related question, not just if you run into a problem.