(FORTUNE Small Business) – Let's face it: Computers stink. I get paid to play with them all day, install new software, and troubleshoot problems, so I like them. But for you, every time they save the day there's another time when you want to take a baseball bat to them. If you don't have a dedicated IT staff, your office manager--or worse, you--has to deal with them.

A new way to acquire and support a small business' computer infrastructure is emerging for those of you who aren't big enough to have full-time tech help. Think outsourcing: Why not rent from one company rather than buy and manage a series of products from several? For example: Two startups, CenterBeam (www.centerbeam.com) of Santa Clara, Calif., and Everdream (www.everdream.com) of Mountain View, Calif., will supply your firm's computers, software, services, tech support, Internet connectivity, and sometimes more, all for about $150 to $200 per system per month. Scribble on the back of an envelope what you expect to spend on computer products and support in the next three years (CenterBeam's service contract is 36 months; Everdream's is 30), and you should see that outsourcing delivers a significant cost savings.

Although CenterBeam and Everdream are similar in concept and cost, the differences begin with the details. CenterBeam delivers the kind of infrastructure a big firm might have, but not everyone will qualify. You must lease at least ten systems. That means any computers you own now will have to go (there is a trade-in deal). Your workspace must be compatible with the high-speed wireless local networks that CenterBeam sets up at all its customer sites (too much steel in the walls is a dealbreaker).

CenterBeam also insists that it set up your high-speed Internet connection. If you can't get DSL in your office (the preferred option), you'll have to pay about $1,000 extra per month to get a T-1 line. You'll need the high-speed line because CenterBeam backs up all your systems every night remotely, so if Godzilla were to step on your office, CenterBeam could send out new PCs with all your software and data the next day.

Everdream, on the other hand, has almost no restrictions. It will sell and support a single PC. Its systems ship with Windows 98. You can use a dial-up connection to the Internet. Don't need a network? Everdream doesn't require it, but if you do want one, Everdream steers you to one of its regional resellers.

This less stringent approach lets more customers take advantage of total outsourcing, but it also invites potential problems. Windows 98 is far less stable than Windows 2000 (another CenterBeam requirement). Like CenterBeam, Everdream backs up your PCs nightly and remotely manages them. But backing up over slow phone lines could be a challenge. Everdream insists that it works fine, but we're skeptical, especially with large files.

Even if either service meets your basic needs, however, the outsourcing model still has limitations. The hardware and software offered today doesn't include other things you might need--like handheld devices, scanners, and accounting software. Service for such "extras" is minimal or nonexistent.

For everything that these companies do service, support was something all the customers we spoke to raved about. That's notable because it's all done without a human showing up at your office. Robert Young, owner of 17-person All-Premium Sports in Mountain View, and an Everdream customer, had trouble setting up a printer. Everdream, using its remote-controlled software, "took over, installed the drivers, and left a page on the screen telling me that everything was set up," he says. Cy Sidun, vice president and general manager of West Coast Office Interiors, a 40-person, contract office-furniture dealer in Santa Clara, has been happy with CenterBeam: "You place a call, and within an hour you get a response."

If you've got ten or more systems and are looking to start fresh, then you should definitely consider CenterBeam. If you have fewer users, think about Everdream for new purchases, but only if a local reseller can help with networking. Unfortunately, neither Everdream's reseller network nor CenterBeam itself is fully national yet.

Is this just another screwy computer fad? I don't think so. Even established PC companies (such as Dell, Gateway, and Micron) are moving in this direction, offering lease programs and Web hosting, and industry leaders Dell, Intel, and Microsoft have invested in CenterBeam. Outsourcing is the future for many firms, because you can work on your business rather than on your computers. You'll have to get in your batting practice elsewhere.

www.fsb.com What are the tax implications of outsourcing vs. buying computer hardware and software? Log on to www.fsb.com/toc/ to find out.