Laptop Superstore also has a "bargain basement" in the same location-a good place to look if you want an inexpensive used or discontinued portable computer to compliment your desktop.
Its closest store is at 1776 Mass. Ave., near Porter Sq., (617) 491-3454. Its Web site is www.laptopsuperstore.com.
The other large retailer in the area is the Brighton location of the national chain, CompUSA. About a $10 cab ride across the river, CompUSA is not the best place to shop.
For one, its selection is somewhat limited to the home market and, in the long run, this may limit your expansion options.
You should also beware of the high pressure sales tactics of CompUSA sales clerks. They're always eager to show off the flashy cases and graphics of their systems but usually neglect to tell you about the machine's limitation unless you ask pointed questions. Given Comp-USA's distance and poor selection, you can do better staying on this side of the river.
Even if you don't shop there, with its low prices Comp-USA is a good place to do price comparisons against other stores.
CompUSA is at 205 Market St., at the intersection of N. Beacon, in Brighton, (617) 783-1899. See its Web site at www.compusa.com.
If you really know what you want in a computer and want to save some money, your best bet is to shop at the local manufacturer. These stores build computers on-site and will custom-build what you want, sometimes at hundreds of dollars less than name brands.
PCs for Everyone has enjoyed impressive growth over the past year and offers rock bottom prices from components to custom-built systems.
PCs for Everyone is at 24 Thorndike St., (617) 868-0068 just one block west of the Cambridgeside Galleria Mall. You can get there by taking the T to Kendall Square and using the free shuttle to the mall, or you can get off the green line at Lechmere.
One of this store's greatest assets is its Web site where all store products and prices are listed along with technical information that can be used regardless of whether or not you shop there.
Point your browser to www.pcsforeveryone.com.
Other local choices include Computer Renaissance (www.computerenaissance.com) in the Porter Square Galleria, CTS Computers (www.ctscomputer.com) and Hi-Q Computers (www.hiq.com)
To find out about more local dealers, find a free copy of Boston Computer Currents magazine to compare prices. If you decide to go with one of these dealers, make sure you know what you want. Often these stores cut costs by using non-brand name parts.
--Baratunde R. Thurston '99 is the Claverly Hall User Assistant for HASCS and editor-in-chief of the 10th edition of the Computers@Harvard, published by the Harvard Computer Society. He also really likes computers.