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Time for a new PC..no a netbook, no a...
Kerbob97
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So it's time for me to drop some cash on a new desktop. At the same time I am looking at getting either a netbook, or a laptop(possibly a tablet).
Yes, I know building is generally the best option, but I can't do the -upgrade every 2 weeks the CPU, GPU, Mem, etc.
The Desktop is for the SO, and she basically needs lots of storage (500GB to a 1TB) and a good system for running Photoshop for her business.
The net/tablet would be for me. ( I am torn between light and portable for checking emails and web browsing, and doing some graphics stuff)
Problem for me is that I am liking what I am hearing about win7, and I am tempted to wait for it. The Desktop is on life support however, and the hard drive is about to burst. (New Baby=LOTS of pics)
I have been going back and forth between a HP touchsmart, or a Dell Studio XPS.
I don't want to get bent over any more than necessary, and would like to at least be able to upgrade to win7 when it comes out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
tldr; any suggestions on a new PC by manuf and specs?
Yes, I know building is generally the best option, but I can't do the -upgrade every 2 weeks the CPU, GPU, Mem, etc.
The Desktop is for the SO, and she basically needs lots of storage (500GB to a 1TB) and a good system for running Photoshop for her business.
The net/tablet would be for me. ( I am torn between light and portable for checking emails and web browsing, and doing some graphics stuff)
Problem for me is that I am liking what I am hearing about win7, and I am tempted to wait for it. The Desktop is on life support however, and the hard drive is about to burst. (New Baby=LOTS of pics)
I have been going back and forth between a HP touchsmart, or a Dell Studio XPS.
I don't want to get bent over any more than necessary, and would like to at least be able to upgrade to win7 when it comes out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
tldr; any suggestions on a new PC by manuf and specs?
Kerbob97 on
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Satans..... hints.....
Reiterating Blaket, building your own doesn't involve any more upgrades than a pre-built. You don't need to replace anything for, potentially, years, depending on what level of performance you require with newer apps.
Re: Win7, wait a month or two and you'll see the major manufacturers start to offer free Win7 upgrades with new machines that come with Vista. If you build your own desktop, you can probably just install whatever OS you have now on it until 7 comes out.
For a laptop, I'd suggest avoiding the higher-end models and banking the money you save. Netbooks are great for the basics, but won't be good for most "graphics stuff."
Oh, and one last thought - if your desktop's drive is full, and you just need a short-term solution to store your photos, go get a cheap external USB hard drive. That's assuming the performance of the machine is otherwise acceptable. Disk space is an easy, easy upgrade.
> turn on light
Good start to the day. Pity it's going to be the worst one of your life. The light is now on.
If you are getting your SO a PC for Photoshop and office stuff, then buying pre-built is fine. If you are going for some gaming too I would suggest building one.
You talked about the Touchsmart - my roommate has one and they are very cool. Are you set on an all-in-one? They are not very upgradeable (for more storage you will need to go with external drives). The touchsmarts do have dedicated graphics though - which is good.
If you decide to build, you can put a ton of storage (1TB+) in there for cheap and get exactly what she needs. Also, you can put the Windows 7 RC (free for now) on there and then just buy Windows 7 OEM when it comes out in the fall.
If you want to do anything more than e-mail/word processing on your laptop, don't get a netbook.
Why do you think that getting a prebuilt means that it won't be obsolete in short order anymore than a custom built?
It's not like the parts are any different. In fact you have control over the parts in a custom, so they're probably higher quality.
If you'd replace the parts every 2 weeks on a custom you'll be doing the same with a prebuilt. If you don't want to replace things constantly then... don't?
I really don't really get where you're coming from with the "Building is best but I don't want to constantly upgrade so prebuilt" angle....
as far as gaming, I pretty much have gone all console.
What killed PC gaming was when I needed the latest graphics card, told my wife I was getting one, and explained my logic.
She came back with, "well, if you need a new graphics card to keep up to date, I want to replace the couch with a new living room set b/c it doesn't all coordinate."
eep! $5-10k for new furniture?!? Yeah, I couldn't make the upgrade argument stick, and just said the hell with it. Shared financial decisions are fun.
The main reason for prebuilt- I travel a lot, and need a fairly reliable system, with NotMe as technical support. If something goes wrong, I don't have the time to deal with it. She is not Drink Holder bad, but she is definitely not tech-savvy. Plus, I am scared of getting back into the guts of the systems. I am a tinkerer at heart and if I get elbows in... Well, its like crack.
Good example- I had a 65 mustang I rebuilt that I probably dropped 20k on over a year or two (in parts, etc.) None of the money was spent on interior, AC, paint, or bodywork. Strictly drivetrain, tires, engine, etc.
And an ahhhOOOOOGAH! horn
So I need a reliable tech support, and fairly solid built system. I was looking at the XPS quadcore, but really want some good advice, hence me coming to the mountain as it were.
Deciding the best route for your technology upgrade needs is challenging... so that you know, Windows 7 is built on the same framwork as Windows Vista, so if you are considering buying a computer now and worried that it wont be fully compatible with Windows 7, then buying a machine that is Vista Compatible now will ease that concern. If you want to know more about Windows 7 then I encourage you check out the Windows 7 support forum, at micorsoft.com/springboard. The site will also give you all sorts of useful information, such as the “what’s new in the r.c.†feed….
Thanks,
Glen@microsoft-springboard
What problems are you foreseeing? I've had my share of PC-related problems, but none of them have ever been caused by shoddy building. Except for maybe realizing I hadn't plugged in a cable properly. Besides, there are sites out there that will let you select components and build the PC for you, including installing the OS for you.
Sorry, it just irks me when people insist upon paying more for an inferior product. I don't think the risks of self/custom-built PC's are really significant at all.
Eh, wanting to go pre-built for a basic computer (non-gaming) is fine. Tech support is also a fine consideration.
If you aren't gaming on it, then pre-built isn't really that much more expensive than building it yourself. It's the high-end parts that you pay the ridiculous mark-ups on when you go pre-built.
Check out the build thread. http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=90217
And to handle your wife's remarks. You're only replaceing one part of the PC so you should have said she can have a new cushions or a throw cover. Since the view card is help the current run better instead of replaceing all.
It doesn't matter if you buy a prebuilt or build yourself if you're the type that has to tinker constantly and upgrade parts you'll do it with any computer.
Seriously, a prebuilt is no different than a custom built with the exceptions that there is the theoretical possibility of outside tech support, you don't have control over the quality or compatibility with future upgrades of the internal parts, and you'll spend more initially.
You do get the option of standard/extended warranties(rather than individual warranties, where -you- have to take the time to figure out what's wrong), through the computer or retailer, and somewhere to take it to deal with if you buy a prebuilt. But honestly, because of the part's thing, I'd really recommend building your own. These days, places like Newegg and Anandtech(and these forums) make it a sinch and very convenient and simple to find any information you may need.
I've built over 30 computers and out of them, I've had 3 hardware issues, all hard drives that were 2+ years old. If you can, I'd really recommend building your own. Plus, it's fun!
I really ultimately want:
A reasonably fast, high RAM, high storage, good video card system. (Photoshop and some movie editing- NOT Crysis or the latest game)
If there is a problem, call a (decent) tech support, and have them come out and fix it. (I know there used to be some good tech supports out there, are there still?)
High uptime, low frustration levels FTW
Overall prebuilts are a better deal the more basic the computer you want to buy is. Often if you upgrade the memory or HD or whatever you get a pretty bad deal. If you don't want a gaming computer then the case for building your own is much better. You won't care about the minimal power supply the fact that the case/motherboard/etc. might make upgrades impossible later.
If you wold just shut up about your bad reasons for not wanting to build your own then no one would give you any shit.
Making your own computer does not require upgrading weekly.
An $85 video card will play all current games well.
It does not take any amount of dexterity to build your own computer nor does it take small hands.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
I would probably go with something like this http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dddwdc3&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=productdetails~inspndt_530
You get a monitor and everything for $700 plus tax. Add a 1GB drive for another $100 and you are good to go.
1- since your avatar is Alton, I am betting you like to cook. Alton's great and all, but do you always follow his line? No. Sometimes, I bet you go and eat a shitty burger and fries from some chain. Who knows why? We all know it is better to cook it yourself, you have more control over quality, taste, etc. But you still eat the shitty burger.
same thing here. I don't want to build a f'ing system. I want a decent system, that I don't have to screw with.
2-It doesn't take any dexterity to build your own computer?
Really? cause I must have missed the class on drunken master PC building. Having snapped the pin off a particularly expensive component, due to the fact I was trying to contort my hand into the system, I would disagree wholeheartedly with that. I have big damn hands, and my ring finger is like a 13-14. I accept I have big gorilla paws, and that they are not conducive to detail work. That is why I don't build models, or do any sort of small detail oriented shit. Hence, again, I do not want to build a system.
I just wanted people's opinion on a HP touchsmart or a Dell XPS. Unless someone had a better suggestion. (NOT Building) Yes, I know I am a horrible poser, but I know my limits, and I do not have the time or patience to build a system.
To the others who have given me some good advice, thanks!
I say mostly functional because until I went out and bought an extra 2 gigs of ram and got Vista off of it (Vista + bloatware, really), it was... less than impressive.
Regardless, $250 for a PC that runs W7 RC just fine seems decent to me.
As for relevant advice, I'm afraid I can't give you any. I'm a fan of HP laptops, but that's mostly just a brand loyalty thing. Nearly five years of faithful service and this baby's still kickin'.
I have both a XPS system and an Inspirion 530. The XPS gives you more empty hard drive bays and a bigger case. They both work about the same. I have Intel Q6600 in both of them. I would go with the non-XPS and save some money.