2012 was a tough year for computer manufacturers. Consumer interest in computers waned due to the economy, rise in alternative mobile devices like tablets and the fact that software runs just fine on systems that are just a couple of years old. There were some significant changes in the market including the major price drops in solid state drives that have improved the performance of systems either through direct storage or caching. The net results is that many computer system prices have dropped significantly and retailers are likely going to be dropping prices to try and clear out inventories for 2013.
If you are thinking of getting a new computer system or even a tablet PC, check out my various buying guides to help and refine the search to best match you with a computer or device that best suits your needs.