need to buy a new computer

[nubly]

the one i have now is dying. its very sloooooow to load pages. i have formatted the HD so many times already. bought back in 04 i think and it gave me problems right from the beginning (it shuts down on its own- still does that since i was too lazy to return it).

so now i need to buy a new one. i only need one to go online and for gaming. im not much into gaming though. the games that i do enjoy are pretty old (newest being ones that came out in the early 2000s). i have a laptop but i dont want to use that one to go online because i have some important files.

what should i look for?

[MouseWithoutKeyboard]

Core 2 (not Core Duo, not Core Solo)
Minimum of 2gigs of RAM
A dedicated videocard (7600,7900,8600,8800 from Nvidia or 2400,2600,2900,3865 from ATI)
At least a 250gig HD

[SebFontain]

U should look into a non-name brand computer. If you have any know-how building your own computer I would suggest to go that route. If not their are companies who build computers for ya. Cyberpower is a great company. I would look into customizing a computer that has an overall solid foundation for future upgrading (money saver in the long run). Get yourself a solid case with plenty of room, make sure not to go cheap on the motherboard, and the rest go cheap on. PSU's are cheap upgrades along with ram, Graphics cards can be purchased cheap along with processors and everything else. ATI graphics are cheap so I would look into that.

[WineKitty]

I want to buy a new computer soon and I dont do any 'gaming' at all. I want to get a flat screen monitor as I am still using the same one I have had since 1998, a huge CRT type. My husband plans to subscribe to an online baseball thing that provides viewing of the games, I download lots of music and browse the web. I dont know what kind of computer to get either.

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Penny

I want to buy a new computer soon and I dont do any 'gaming' at all. I want to get a flat screen monitor as I am still using the same one I have had since 1998, a huge CRT type. My husband plans to subscribe to an online baseball thing that provides viewing of the games, I download lots of music and browse the web. I dont know what kind of computer to get either.

If you don't really play games that are graphically intense then I think any computer you buy at the store now will allow you do all the web stuff no problem

I don't think you should be spending anywhere near thousands of dollars for a computer, there's lots of good deals out there when going through my local flyer... Some computers here for $499 that come bundled with a 20 inch flat screen, make sure you get warranty on these things and If the operating System is Windows Vista make sure the computer has a MINIMUM of 2GB of Ram, if windows XP 1GB is fine.

If you're a deal hunter and canadian I personally like to keep tabs on this site http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/foru ... refix=Comp and see opinions by other posters on the deal and even ask questions if they bought it how they are liking it. There was a decent dell machine there for $289, thats no monitor however but you got the dual core intel, 2GB ram, Windows XP instead of Vista (many people aren't happy with Vista at the moment).

yeah...i think theres too many options it can be a bit confusing

[Halcyon]

Anyone own an Apple/Mac, what are your opinions on those? I"ve seen some good things, my cousin owns an apple laptop he uses for University and he never has any problems with the thing

[WineKitty]

My son has a Mac laptop and likes it very much, has urged me to get a Mac but I dont know anything about them either. Anyone??

[MouseWithoutKeyboard]

Originally Posted by Penny

My son has a Mac laptop and likes it very much, has urged me to get a Mac but I dont know anything about them either. Anyone??

When a MAC breaks, expect to spend $$$. When a PC breaks, it's easy to fix and cheap.

If you get a store bought computer, reinstall the whole operating system using a ACTUAL installation disc (not the recovery disc). The store bought computers come with a lot of crap (trialware, bloatware) which will slow your computer down significantly.

[Halcyon]

This looks good as far as gaming goes, I'm not sure about Dell, mixed reviews out there...they might have gotten their act together

http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/con ... &lid=77903

$829.00 when you re-configure and add the upgrade for the 8800GT video card, 8800GT is one of the top video cards out right now

Intel® Core™2 Quad Q6600 (2.40GHz,8MB L2Cache,1066FSB)
Genuine Windows® XP Professional
2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz - 2DIMMs ~ Upgrade to 3GB Ram FREE option
320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
128MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8300GS ~ Upgrade to 8800GT option for only $130 i think
16X (DVD+/-RW) Burner Drive
1 Yr Limited Warranty with 1 Yr NBD Onsite Service and 1 Yr Tech Support
10GB for 1 Year Online Data Backup by Dell DataSafe
DELL NETWORK ASSISTANT 1.7
1 Year Dell Automated PC Tuneup
Dell USB Keyboard, English
Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
Dell Premium Optical USB Mouse
Adobe Acrobat ReaderCompatibility Alert

No Monitor ~

[njodis]

Frankly, if going by what you wrote (playing old games, just want to browse the internet) I'd probably just buy the cheapest one I could find. There's definitely no need to spend $829, that's for sure. I'm sure you could get something for $300~ that would suit your needs.

That's just me, though.

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by njodis

Frankly, if going by what you wrote (playing old games, just want to browse the internet) I'd probably just buy the cheapest one I could find. There's definitely no need to spend $829, that's for sure. I'm sure you could get something for $300~ that would suit your needs.

That's just me, though.

I agree, i mentioned in earlier post about stuff i see in flyers here at retailers for $499 with 20 inch LCD monitors that are more than enough for web browsing, watching movies and lite gaming

If you are going the gaming route i think that $829 machine is pretty good from what others are saying on the deal sites tho

[SebFontain]

CASE: ATX MEDIUM TOWER CASE 350 WATT (BEIGE COLOR)
CPU: (Sckt775)Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E4400 CPU @ 2.00GHz 800FSB 2MB L2 Cache 64-bit
MOTHERBOARD: Asus P5N-E nForce 650i SLI Chipset LGA775 FSB1333 DDR2 Mainboard
MEMORY: (Req.DDR2 MainBoard)2GB (2x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Mushkin or Major Brand)
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT 1GB 16X PCI Express (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
VIDEO CARD 2: NONE
VIDEO CARD 3: NONE
LCD Monitor: NONE
HARD DRIVE: Single Hard Drive (160GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 8MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
Data Hard Drive: NONE
Optical Drive: (Special Price) 20X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2: NONE
SOUND: 3D WAVE ON-BOARD 5.1 SOUND CARD

Total before rebates and shipping charges: $621.00

I went and customized a lil gaming PC and w/o monitor, mouse, speakers, keyboard the total was $621. I upgraded from ATI to Nvidia and upgraded the graphics to GeForce 8500 GT 1GB. It is cheaper to go ATI, but if you have the cash, I would go Nvidia. If you're budget is tight you could go ATI and it would be considerably more cheaper than the price above. Ohh and if you are runnin Vista with an 8500 GT you should upgrade the Power Supply to atleast 450watt I would think. If XP, 350watt should be fine.

[holtby43]

Originally Posted by njodis

Frankly, if going by what you wrote (playing old games, just want to browse the internet) I'd probably just buy the cheapest one I could find. There's definitely no need to spend $829, that's for sure. I'm sure you could get something for $300~ that would suit your needs.

That's just me, though.

I totally agree. Also, what do you have now?

[WinterDave]

I don't like brand name computers like Dell, HP etc. because the cheap *******s try to save every penny they can even if it comprises the quality of their computer....You can spend a thousand or fifteen hundred on one of their top of the line computers and they will still screw you on the obscure but vital things like fans and power supply....They will save a few pennies on these important areas and compromise the performance/lifespan of their computers...You are better off building your own computer or going to a site where you can choose ALL of the components in your system including case, fans, power supply etc...Never buy store bought computers because their technology is already outdated before it ever hits the store shelves.....

[nubly]

Originally Posted by Toscy

I totally agree. Also, what do you have now?

i dont know what i have now. i bought it in 2004 though

[WineKitty]

Originally Posted by WinterDave

.Never buy store bought computers because their technology is already outdated before it ever hits the store shelves.....

Well that is great and all if you know something about computers which I dont. That is why people buy computers at Circuit city or best buy etc...we dont know which fans, power supply etc to choose. I love my computer but I am not "into" computers in that I want to learn about how to build them and such. I just want a decent computer at a fair price.

[SebFontain]

Originally Posted by Penny

Well that is great and all if you know something about computers which I dont. That is why people buy computers at Circuit city or best buy etc...we dont know which fans, power supply etc to choose. I love my computer but I am not "into" computers in that I want to learn about how to build them and such. I just want a decent computer at a fair price.

There are a ton more reasons why people should build a computer themselves, have a friend do it, or have another company build it for you. If you want to save money, and want a whole lot more bang for your buck, and also have the option of upgrading in the future, then have a friend build your computer for you, or have a company do it besides Dell, HP and those major brands.. You can have a computer last years longer doing it this way. If you don't care about saving money, or the hardware that will come inside your computer, and you don't care about only having it for roughly 3-4 years before the computer becomes nearly obsolete, then go ahead and buy from the places like Dell.

For most looking to buy a brand new computer, they want a computer that saves them money and has great hardware and so on. So my suggestion would be have a friend build it for you, or have a company do it like Cyberpower (company suggestion for people who like to game.) I am not sure how many great companies are out their that build computers for you, for a reasonable price, but I am sure if you asked people would suggest some great places.

Hope this helps sum up why to NOT buy from Dell and other similar companies. I just woke up so I hope I didn't leave anything else out.

[nubly]

where do i find these companies at? most people here dont have friends so we can ask a friend to build one. i think theres a shop here that repairs computers and can build them from the ground up so i'll probably go ask them. ive always bought name brands and they've lasted about 4 years each. i thought that was just the normal life span of a computer

[SebFontain]

Nah, if u have a good foundation (great mobo, great case,) you can upgrade your computer 4 years from now and the sucker will be just as good, if not even better than a store bought computer like Dell and what not. You can get alot of life out of your computer doing this and it saves alot of money in the long run.

I am not sure what all companies are out their that are great for buying home PC's but some cheap PC's can be found on Tiger Direct. I am sure Newegg even sells pre-build computers. As far as being able to customize a computer and save... I don't know any unless you are looking for a gaming computer. Maybe someone else can give some advice?

[Micronian]

Originally Posted by SebFontain

There are a ton more reasons why people should build a computer themselves, have a friend do it, or have another company build it for you. If you want to save money, and want a whole lot more bang for your buck, and also have the option of upgrading in the future, then have a friend build your computer for you, or have a company do it besides Dell, HP and those major brands.. You can have a computer last years longer doing it this way. If you don't care about saving money, or the hardware that will come inside your computer, and you don't care about only having it for roughly 3-4 years before the computer becomes nearly obsolete, then go ahead and buy from the places like Dell.

For most looking to buy a brand new computer, they want a computer that saves them money and has great hardware and so on. So my suggestion would be have a friend build it for you, or have a company do it like Cyberpower (company suggestion for people who like to game.) I am not sure how many great companies are out their that build computers for you, for a reasonable price, but I am sure if you asked people would suggest some great places.

Hope this helps sum up why to NOT buy from Dell and other similar companies. I just woke up so I hope I didn't leave anything else out.

I disagree. If someone doesn't know about computers, then it's likely they are not a "Power User" and will not likely do anything more with the higher specs. In that case, a regular HP, Dell, Gateway, Lenovo etc. is perfectly fine. The biggest problem I've seen people have is that they don't maintain their computer in good working condition. Their desktop is completely covered in useless icons, there's all kinds of expired software that hasnt been deleted, programs running in the background, bloatware, and spyware. That's really what makes people throw out their computers.

Heck, I still have a 7yr old pentium 3, 1Ghz (in perfect working order) and it still does everything I want it to do.