NEW YORK — A buying opportunity has emerged in recent weeks as personal-computer makers warned that their sales are slowing. The drop-off in the PC business means small companies that want to buy computers or upgrade their existing hardware might be able to save a bundle.

        Prices have fallen in recent months and are particularly low during the holiday season. And computer-industry analysts predict they'll remain low into the new year.

        “Right now is probably one of the best times that I've seen to buy a PC,” said Kevin Knox, research director at Gartner Group, a research firm based in Stamford, Conn. “There's a lot of inventory out there and a lot of fire sales and rebates to be had.”

        As a for-instance: At a popular Manhattan computer store, an Apple Power Mac G4 was priced in late November at $2,100 after a $400 rebate from CompuServe — which required the buyer to sign up for three years of Internet access from CompuServe. Two weeks later, the price was $2,000 (after Apple's own $500 rebate) and didn't require signing up with CompuServe.

        It's also becoming easier to buy from some manufacturers. Gateway, which until now has not carried any inventory at its 320 stores — you went to the stores to order a PC built to your own specifications — is now stocking some prebuilt models. And its prices have come down, too.
       

Peripherals down, too        

        Mr. Knox said the best prices are to be found on PCs aimed at the consumer and small-business market. So if you're looking for highly sophisticated networked computers, you're not likely to encounter big discounts.

        But if you are shopping for a small-business PC, you'll also find great prices on peripherals such as printers. In the same Manhattan store, an inkjet printer was priced at $100, but by the time manufacturers' rebates were subtracted, a buyer would be paying only sales tax for the machine.

        Before you run out and pick up a machine at a blowout price, be certain it will fit your company's needs. For example, is that $100 printer up to handling your workload? Does a bargain-basement PC have enough speed and memory to run all the programs you're likely to use? Can the machine be upgraded as your company grows?

        If you've never bought a computer and don't know what kind of specifications or features to look for — and which pitfalls to avoid — talking to technosavvy friends is a good place to start. You also might want to consider going to a small computer dealer rather than a PC megastore or discounter; many customers find sales help more knowledgeable, and you're more likely to get custom technical support from a smaller retailer.
       

Taking deductions        

        There are also some tax considerations to keep in mind: If you're going to buy a computer and your company hasn't yet used up its $20,000 allowance for deducting equipment purchases for 2000, you might want to buy the computer and have it ready to use before Jan. 1, which is required to claim the deduction.

        But if you've already reached the $20,000 limit, it might make more sense to buy a PC right after Jan. 1, while prices are still good, and take the deduction for 2001.

        You'll need to crunch some numbers to decide when is the best time to make the purchase. Mr. Knox predicts prices won't be quite as good early in the year as they are now, though “they'll still be phenomenal.”

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