Help buying a new PC

stevemarks44

Hey everyone,

So, as we speak the logicboard, battery and fans on my 2006 macbook pro are dying out completely. The chances of this screen whiting out are pretty large while I'm typing this post and the chances of it locking up are greater. The only thing saving me is that I have my fanspeed all the way up to avoid overheating.

Anyways, I'm in the market for a new computer. The long and short of it is that I don't want another Mac. I didn't dislike this computer, and it served me well for many years, but the bottom line is, well, I don't need it.

I'm savvy enough with computers to avoid bricking my system or running rampant with viruses in a week. I can afford to have a little more control over my computer and after spending the last few days really customizing my Archos 101 Android Tablet, I miss the freedom that comes outside of Apple.

I'm also aware that the PC world is expanding rapidly, and that buying a computer for a 5 year investment at this point is moot, as tablet pcs etc are only going to mature in the next couple of years.

So I've kind of narrowed it down to SSF or an HTPC computer. I'd love to spend around $500, and to preface, I don't play many games. That's what my brobox brosixty is for. I'm a writer, so I need a reliable computer to write, and I spend a lot of time watching streaming movies and tv as well as surfing the web.

I want something that is going to be able to stream HD, play 1080p video and surf the web with minimal slowdown. I'm not the kind of guy that benchmarks constantly and if it takes a full second for an application to open I don't lose my mind. I'm very easy this way.

But here's my problem. I've been out of the pc game for years and everything I read conflicts. eeeBOX? Dell Zino? Compaq Slimline? I don't even know where to start, and the information is all greek to me by now.

So I come to you humbly, oh great tech forum, to point me in the right direction. To help me make a responsible, sensible and forward thinking purchase.

I appreciate any help you guys/gals would offer. Thanks!

mcdermott

To clairfy:

- You have no current parts you can place into a new system?
- You have no keyboard/monitor/mouse?

In your price range you're definitely looking at pre-built unless you have some parts and a monitor to begin with. Luckily your needs are such that nearly anything will do for you (note that 1080p video may require the addition of a discrete video card depending what on-board chipset you wind up with...but we're talking about a $30-$40 videocard, nothing crazy).

stevemarks44

mcdermott wrote: »

To clairfy:

- You have no current parts you can place into a new system?
- You have no keyboard/monitor/mouse?

In your price range you're definitely looking at pre-built unless you have some parts and a monitor to begin with. Luckily your needs are such that nearly anything will do for you (note that 1080p video may require the addition of a discrete video card depending what on-board chipset you wind up with...but we're talking about a $30-$40 videocard, nothing crazy).

Yes. This is all correct.

Things like Keyboard/Monitor/Mouse I'm not really placing in any kind of price range. I'm talking about "tower" only for $500. The problem is less that I can't afford a better machine. Rather, I don't want to spend $1000 when in 2 years everything has 8 cores and 5gigs of memory preloaded and I'm going to have to spend $2000 all over again. I'd rather get something that is accessible and relatively cheap to hold me over while the PC/Tablet/Device market smooths out a little bit.

Thanks for the early help and I hope I get to the bottom of this dilemma soon!

mcdermott

Hmmm....

Sounds to me like any dual-core will do you...i3 would be just fine, hell even an old Core 2 Duo if you can find a refurb. 2GB of RAM might work for you, though I recommend four if you can get it in your budget (and you can). DDR3 would be best for the RAM, because it leaves you able to expand more easily later. I recommend a 7200RPM hard drive, though 5400RPM would be fine.

Looking at the Dell Zino in particular, it seems like it might fit your needs (and your budget). I'm not sure how the integrated HD 4250 video card fares with Blu-Ray playback (particularly 1080p), maybe somebody has used one and can say? Either way, you can add an HD 5450 for $75, still be within your budget (at $475), and that would almost certainly handle it just fine. A little googling suggests that the 4250 would probably be enough, though.

No idea what the processor in that Zino is like, though...it's an AMD, I'm not familiar with it, but it's a dual-core and I'm nearly certainly it'd be just fine for your needs.

All of that said, I played around on NewEgg for a few and was able to put together a full i3 system for right around your budget (just under $600, but that includes $100 for Windows). Depending on what corners you're willing to cut, you may be able to do better, pricewise. That was in a small form-factor case (which will usually run a little more). It sounds like your budget isn't firm, so the extra hundred bucks or so might be worth it to you to roll your own.

I'm not posting the build, because it was "random" parts (it was an i3/4GB-DDR3/HD4350/500GB). But if you decide to go that route surely the chaps in the computer build thread will be more than willing to help.


EDIT: My primary concern with the Zino is upgradability. I've long since stopped believing the "I won't bother to upgrade it" lie I tell myself...I'm going to want something added eventually, whether RAM, GPU, something...and this thing is much like the Mac Mini in that you ain't upgrading much on it. And not cheaply. However, since you will be doing no gaming on this thing, it might work just fine for you (basically a Windows equivalent of a Mini, and about $300 less).


EDIT: Also, if you were to roll your own and were completely unconcerned about upgrade path, a Core 2 Duo system could be put together for dirt cheap. A micro-ATX LGA775 board, C2D processor, DDR3 memory, etc...the socket would be a dead-end, but then again the higher-end Core 2 Quads would probably be enough processor for your needs for years to come (and then some). You could probably shave $100 or so off that $600 I was talking about by going this route.

Alecthar

I'm going to assume you have no interest in building your own PC and recommend this Dell 570.

I'm not sure how well the integrated graphics will handle 1080p video, so if they aren't up to the task, you should go with something like this.

Between those two purchases and shipping you might end up 10 dollars or so above 500.

mcdermott

Alecthar wrote: »

I'm going to assume you have no interest in building your own PC and recommend this Dell 570.

I'm not sure how well the integrated graphics will handle 1080p video, so if they aren't up to the task, you should go with something like this.

Between those two purchases and shipping you might end up 10 dollars or so above 500.

Oh yeah, that PC would definitely work. I was more focusing on the SSF/HTPC angle, because I'm actually quite a fan of small form-factor for non-gaming PCs.

I was just thinking that you could start with something like this case (or something from Shuttle) and get that to a full system for right in the $500-$600 range. The only real problem I'm seeing is power supply...that case seems to use a smaller form-factor PSU, which will limit your choices (but I still threw together a full i3 Sandy Bridge system using an H67 mobo with HDMI out and Blu-Ray for about $625 including shipping, allowing $65 for a PSU).

EDIT: That price above includes a copy of Windows, obviously, under the assumption that you don't have a copy you were dual-booting on the Mac.