Buying a new computer can be a daunting affair.

There are so many parts to a computer, each with its own special set of specifications and numbers.

On top of that, each manufacturer is bent on enticing you to his side with a bevy of offers and free gifts.

Digital Life shows you how to cut through the chaff with practical tips for choosing your computer.

1) Decide what you want out of it

Knowing this will immediately help you to focus on the parts you really must have in the system.

For example, if you want to run the latest computer games like Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, you will need a system with better specifications - the bare minimum for a modern gaming PC is 1 GB of RAM. On the other hand, you do not need a spanking new graphics card to type documents and send e-mail.

2) Think of desk space

This is one practical consideration that computer buyers usually forget in their eagerness to get a new system.

For instance, measure the height of the space under the table where the case will go. Make sure it will fit, especially if you have selected a tall case.

And buying surround sound speakers is a bad idea if your table and floor have no room for seven speaker boxes and a subwoofer.

3) Do your homework

Read up on the models that are on sale. There is no need to get into technical details. Just pay attention to the advertisements in the papers, and see what different manufacturers are offering.

What is the average price of a mid-range system, for example? Can a better deal be had for a couple of hundred dollars more, and what free upgrades does the manufacturer offer?

And do all the manufacturers include the same hard drive space for that price?

4) Balance your choices

Computers suffer from a problem known as bottlenecking.

Suppose you have a lightning-fast dual core processor at 3.2 GHz and a stunning graphics card with 512 MB of video memory, but only 512 MB of RAM on your system.

Your computer's speed and performance will be constrained by the RAM no matter how good its other parts are.

So skimping on a certain portion of the system while pumping up the other parts is a bad idea.

If you want a high-end performer, you will have to buy high-end parts for all the important sections - at the very least, the processor, RAM and hard drive - of your system.

5) See it in the flesh

Get down to the shops at least once. Test and poke around the sets on display and see if they hold up in real life.

Remember not to be distracted by the sales brochures, and stick to learning the facts about each system.

Here's an insider tip for checking the actual specs of a system: Click the Start button and select the Run option, then type in 'dxdiag' - the system will reveal all its specifications.