Everyone has an opinion about buying this year’s model—with all its super-duper new features—or buying last year’s model at a terrific cost savings. And nowhere is that dynamic more keenly felt than in the world of technology, where the latest and greatest shows up, on average, every six months.

As with cars, by the time you walk the latest tech gadget out of the electronics store, it’s lost about 30 percent of its value and is on its way to obsolescence. But before you decide to spend less on older technology, take a moment to think through your decision: What you’re buying may be the most important part of the decision.

To read more about how to buy specific items like PCs, MP3 players, and game machines you’ll want to read on.