buying a new computer....

[BobRobertson]

and full towers are customizable to the point that they can last YEARS.

Let me echo that myself. I've dealt with a lot of laptops, and you're very constrained by hardware. Basically, what you have is what you'll always have.

Get the tower. If for no other reason than that you can replace each component that breaks without replacing everything, or relying upon an "extended service plan" to save your neck.

And you can replace them with commodity parts, even "better" parts, rather than having to be restricted to only (again) "what you have is what you'll always have".

[blackie]

If I get a huge tower, it would probably be as a server, and I would probably start looking at low end server hardware. Something with a SAS RAID controller. I would probably run a hypervisor on it.

As for a laptop, I'll need that when/if I become unemployed, so it seems like I should wait till then to buy it. I bought a low end laptop a couple months ago, but I don't use that one much. Maybe to check a recipe in the kitchen and shit like that. It works for that. So I guess I don't need another laptop right now.

As far as a desktop system, I don't think I will want to upgrade it. Maybe more memory, maybe a larger HD. This computer isn't for me, so who knows? I just get to buy it.

Intel or AMD?

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

AMD is cheaper and still fast.  The Intel i7 is sexy but still too expensive for me.  I run a 3.0 Phenom x4 (actually a 2.6 I o/c'd to 3.0 on stock voltage) that cost me 150 bucks when I bought it last year.

[Cyro]

I'll build you a sick computer for a lower price than a competitive "Brand Name" system.  And I'll even give you a 1 year warrantee on it.

I'd offer to beat your quote, but honestly, the shipping alone would put me out of the market.

AMD is cheaper and still fast.  The Intel i7 is sexy but still too expensive for me.  I run a 3.0 Phenom x4 (actually a 2.6 I o/c'd to 3.0 on stock voltage) that cost me 150 bucks when I bought it last year.

To be honest, the i5 is nothing to scoff at, I've thrown the Core i5-6xx in my new baby and it works just shiny. With the GTX 260 (896mb) I can hit max graphics for virtually every new release.

If you're going to grab a decent laptop, expect prices to double over the box specs.

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

I'll build you a sick computer for a lower price than a competitive "Brand Name" system.  And I'll even give you a 1 year warrantee on it.

I'd offer to beat your quote, but honestly, the shipping alone would put me out of the market.

AMD is cheaper and still fast.  The Intel i7 is sexy but still too expensive for me.  I run a 3.0 Phenom x4 (actually a 2.6 I o/c'd to 3.0 on stock voltage) that cost me 150 bucks when I bought it last year.

To be honest, the i5 is nothing to scoff at, I've thrown the Core i5-6xx in my new baby and it works just shiny. With the GTX 260 (896mb) I can hit max graphics for virtually every new release.

If you're going to grab a decent laptop, except prices to double over the box specs.

I've got both.  I have Intel on my laptop and AMD in my desktop.  My desktop is worlds faster, but of course it was also more expensive.  I'm running a 4850HD graphics card and 6 gigs of ram and I too can max out graphics for almost every new game, although with MW2 this was no longer the case   I had to drop down from 1920x1080 resolution.

[blackie]

I don't care about games, but this computer isn't for me. My daughter was bummed out a year ago cus the computers we have couldn't support Spore.

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

I don't care about games, but this computer isn't for me. My daughter was bummed out a year ago cus the computers we have couldn't support Spore.

For 600 bucks I could build you a system that will support Spore, although it won't be completely top of the line or anything, just a moderate mid range system.

[Cognitive Dissident]

depends on what you need it for, everyday shit or games means buy or build a pc. From what I hear macs are better for things like making music or photos. This question all depends on what you plan on using it for and how long.

That sounds backward to me.  For everyday stuff, I'd definitely get a Mac.  For games, I'd get a console.  If someone was forcing me to use a windows program, I'd probably use VMWare or Parallels Desktop, if applicable.  I do use a ThinkPad for Windows-specific work, but I don't let it see the internet unless I have to.  I use the Mac for all my "regular" tasks.  If I didn't write software, I wouldn't have a Windows box.

[blackie]

The lowest end mac is a mac mini for $600. How shitty is it in that config?

If I bump it up to 4GB, that is another $100, then add a wireless keyboard and mouse...another $130. $830 for a system with no monitor.

At that point I would start to look at the iMac. $1200 for the cheap one, but it has better specs and a monitor.

I wouldn't mind having a Mac around, but the price makes me go WTF.

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

The lowest end mac is a mac mini for $600. How shitty is it in that config?

If I bump it up to 4GB, that is another $100, then add a wireless keyboard and mouse...another $130. $830 for a system with no monitor.

At that point I would start to look at the iMac. $1200 for the cheap one, but it has better specs and a monitor.

I wouldn't mind having a Mac around, but the price makes me go WTF.

Really shitty

For 1200 bucks you could build a really sick PC.

[Bill Brasky]

Every couple years I buy what seems to be a good deal, price-v-performance (for my needs which aren't much).  First came the Gateway, I thought it worked groovy, then one day it went *PFT* and BSOD'd, and that was all she wrote on that.  Then came the Dell, which wasn't a bad machine, eventually did the same thing.  This pissed me off, so I went the used route and went to a geekshop where a guy had a used HP office machine, high end internals but zilch for internal memory.  The guy replaced a thing or two inside so he said, and it worked like a champ.  Thus began my love for HP, which I always thought was shit from my humble point of ignorance.  HP makes some pretty decent off-the-shelf rigs for a decent price.  If you really wanted to maximize your buck, you'd probably need to go private, and I was considering that for my next desktop.  Joel was gonna build me one, and I still might take the plunge when I work up the dollars.  But even if I decided to remain local, I think I'd still go the private route.  It all depends on how quick I needed it, and how much I was wiling to spend. 

I see it as the other way around from getting a cheap, good machine.  You can get a cheap good machine off the shelf for under $500 really easy, just go buy it.  HP will do ya.  If I was gonna spend 7-800 for the box alone, I'd probably have a geek work one up.  So its not really about saving money on the low end.  Its about getting a superior machine when you're gonna spend mid-range money.  Thats where I'd go private.  A wizkid can make some crazy fuckin shit if you set him loose with 800+, and it'll be exactly what you want, right down to the number of USBs.  And it would blow the doors off anything you can get off the shelf for that price, because they get the best deals on performance of each component. 

But I don't think I'd do anything of that nature for my kid.  I'd want her to have the software suites bundled in, everything work together the right way so i didn't have to fuck around with it.  Everything comes new in a big impressive box, and you don't look like a scavenger cheapo.  Kids don't understand the nature of why Dad would hack a machine together like Mad Max's car. 

[blackie]

I think if I am going to build a box, I would do it myself, and let the kids help. But I'm still not convinced I can save much money by going that route. I built the last couple of desktop computer I bought.

I guess I need to set a budget, and see what I can get with it.

Let's say around $800 for everything...computerbox, mouse/keyboard/monitor/speakers. WFT can I get for that?

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

I think if I am going to build a box, I would do it myself, and let the kids help. But I'm still not convinced I can save much money by going that route. I built the last couple of desktop computer I bought.

I guess I need to set a budget, and see what I can get with it.

Let's say around $800 for everything...computerbox, mouse/keyboard/monitor/speakers. WFT can I get for that?

Something pretty decent.

[BobRobertson]

Let's say around $800 for everything...computerbox, mouse/keyboard/monitor/speakers. WFT can I get for that?

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=10&name=Desktop-PCs

http://www.magicmicro.com/pricelist.asp?cid=9

http://www.dell.com/home/desktops

[blackie]

Let's say around $800 for everything...computerbox, mouse/keyboard/monitor/speakers. WFT can I get for that?

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=10&name=Desktop-PCs

------------------------------------
Acer Aspire AM3802-U9062 Core 2 Quad Q8300(2.50GHz) 8GB DDR2 1TB NVIDIA GeForce GT 220 Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit - Retail

    * Recommended Usage: Home / Home Office
    * Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300(2.5GHz)
    * Processor Main Features: 64 bit Quad-Core Processor
    * Cache Per Processor: 4MB L2 Cache
    * Memory: 8GB DDR2 800
    * Hard Drive: 1TB SATA 5400RPM
    * Optical Drive 1: 16X DVD±R/RW SuperMulti Drive
    * Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 220 Graphics with 1GB Dedicated Video Memory

$649

HP Pavilion P6230F (NY548AA#ABA) Phenom II X4 810(2.6GHz) 8GB DDR3 750GB ATI Radeon HD 4200 Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit - Retail

    * Recommended Usage: Home / Home Office
    * Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 810(2.6GHz)
    * Processor Main Features: 64 bit Quad-Core Processor
    * Cache Per Processor: 2MB L2 Cache
    * Memory: 8GB DDR3 1066
    * Hard Drive: 750GB 7200RPM SATA
    * Optical Drive 1: SuperMulti DVD Burner with LightScribe Technology
    * Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 4200 Graphics with 256MB integrated shared graphics memory. Up to 3067MB Total Available Graphics Memory as allocated by Windows 7
$659
------------------------------------

http://www.magicmicro.com/pricelist.asp?cid=9

------------------------------------
Magic Intel i5 Starter
Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz (Quad Core) 8000K
Intel Socket 1156 CPU fan
Intel DP55WB P55 DDR3, GB LAN, iEEE
4GB (2x2GB) PC8500 DDR3 1066 Dual Channel
GeForce 9400GT 1GB PCI EXpress 16X dual head, tv out
500.0GB Hitachi 7200RPM SATA2, UDMA 300 8m cache
Lite On 20x DVD Recorder Dual Layer +R/RW -R/RW
AC 97 3D Full Duplex sound card (onboard)
Ethernet network adapter (onboard)
PowMax Black Mid Tower ATX Case w/ Front USB
Okia 500W ATX Power Supply
Black Windows Keyboard, 104 key, PS/2
2-Button Wheel Mouse, PS/2 Black
Black Multimedia amplified stereo speakers

$659.00
------------------------------------

http://www.dell.com/home/desktops

------------------------------------
studio-xps-8000

Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64Bit, English
Studio XPS 8000, Intel® Core™ i5-750 processor(8MB Cache, 2.66GHz)
Microsoft Works 9.0
1 Year Basic Service Plan
McAfee SecurityCenter, 15-Months
3GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz - 3 DIMMs
500GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache
16X DVD+/-RW Drive
No Monitor
ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system)
Dell Studio Consumer Multimedia Keyboard
Dell Studio Optical Mouse

$699
------------------------------------





hp.com
------------------------------------
HP 20" TouchSmart 300z series
#  Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
# • AMD Athlon(TM) II 235e dual-core processor [2.7GHz, 2MB L2, up to 4000MT/s bus]
# • 2GB DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM [1 DIMM]
# • 320GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
# • Integrated graphics - ATI Radeon HD 3200
# • Slot-load SuperMulti DVD Burner
# • Wireless-N LAN card
# • 6-in-1 memory card reader, 5 total USB, audio
# • No TV Tuner
# • Integrated high-performance 2.0 speakers always included (No external speakers)
# • HP low-profile, wireless keyboard and HP wireless optical mouse
# • Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
$799.99
------------------------------------



apple.com
------------------------------------
Mac Mini
2.26GHz : 160GB

    * 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
    * 2GB memory
    * 160GB hard drive1
    * 8x double-layer SuperDrive
    * NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
    * Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    * Free Shipping
    * $599.00
------------------------------------