Buying a new Computer

Megan, I would stay away from them. They really don't pay their people enough to get good techs and a lot of the time they will refer you to the manufacturer for support any way. The local shops can be good if you have problems. Dell is definitely good at problem resolving but sometimes you may have to send the unit back. Generally as long as the local shop uses standard parts, even if they go out of business the manufacturer will still cover the part. Most of the time if a component doesn't fail within the first month, you are set for the life of your computer.

I have some guys I know in Canada on another forum. If you like I could ask them about some shops in your area.

I say just shop online and don't worry about the hassles of going to the store. The next computer I buy this summer will be online, indeed. Dell is no doubt good, but I also like Gateway. Current one has been running flawless three years straight. No reinstalls needed, no hardware problems.

Hmmmm... that's interesting, because I can get a much better deal at a local shop (ie. about $500 cheaper) as opposed to going with Dell. Are Dell's prices competitive over there? (in the 'states)? They seem to be a little steep compare to what I was looking at locally today.

Keep in mind that I'm in Canada.

I was looking at:

AMD Athlon 1 Ghz
128 RAM
40 Gig HD
17" Montitor
8x CD-RW
keyboard, mouse, modem, speakers etc.
$1548 + tax

At Dell something similar to that would be at least $2000 + tax + shipping! The people I talked to today were really friendly - I got a good feeling about them so I think I'm going to get one from them. Will check out a few other places first.

Is there a difference between Athlons and Intel processors? Is one kind better than the other? I don't know too much about hardware brands and all that.

Megan, I tried to reply to this post yesterday. It bombed every time. Dell's prices are okay. They use mostly Intel chips so you can't compare there.

Several years back Intel would have been your only good choice. AMD was around and their chips were cheap but they had some compatibility problems. Today AMD has really come alive with the Athlon and kicked Intel in the seat of the pants. Their chips are cheaper and run faster than Intel's. My system has a Athlon 1Ghz T-bird in it. No problems at all.

I would try to alter your system config a bit though. Here is what I would do:

• Upgrade to 256MB RAM. Memory is cheap and is well worth the price.
• Forget the 17" monitor, get a 19" instead. I would review what monitors that they do have. Often times due to their limited selection it is best to leave the monitor off and order one online. I paid $250 US for my 19" online including shipping.
• 8x CDRW will work fine but it is a bit dated. Ask them how much for a 12X.
• What Operating System and Software come with it? I would suggest Windows 2000 Pro as top choice followed by Windows 98SE. I would try to stay away from Windows ME. Too many problems there.
• Make sure that you have a 32MB Video card.

Anyway keep us updated.

Dell and Gateway are the best two types of personal computers you can get, without a doubt. What brand name are you looking at in a local store? I prefer to stay with the big names, as they usually are more reliable and better-built. The only ones I've seen at local stores are like HP and Compaq, which I totally detest.

Megan, that's odd that you get that for that price because I've personalized one at Dell with 256 MB RAM, 19" monitor, and a quicker Intel processer for around that price. To answer your question about Athlon vs. Intel, this is an ongoing geek debate in many places, but I like Intel. Don't let the 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, etc. GHz Intel chips make you think they're quicker than the 1.3 Athlon. They Athlon 1.3 has been tested and is as quick as the 1.5 Intel, I believe. Also, you can say quite a lot by not getting the very latest chip. For example, get the 1.4 instead of the 1.7 and you can save and only lose a little speed.

Megan, you can also try playing some hard ball a bit if you want. Try taking the specs that you have to Dell. You will have to call them. Tell them what you are willing to pay and see if they can match it. Intel Processors will continue to be slower than AMD until software comes out that is optimized for it. Geeks tend to prefer AMD since they are cheaper and easier to overclock. I know I are one.

Marc - I am in Canada, remember? Dell.ca (Canadian) seems to have much different pricing from Dell.com (US). When you factor in the exchange rate, a system on Dell.com would still be a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than the same thing on their Canadian site. It doesn't make sense.

And, as I said above, a system on Dell.ca costs about $400 more than what I can get locally. I don't even know if Gateway sells to Canada. I went to their site and I was really annoyed because I couldn't even find out if I could buy their product! I HATE when that happens!

I really can't afford to make a lot of upgrades to what they're offering. I am probably going to get a 1.2 Ghz instead of 1, and I might upgrade to a 19" because that's not too much more. I will ask about RAM, but I could always updgrade that later when I can afford it. The problem is that I can't do a lot of freelancing right now because my computer can't handle the heavy graphics programs, or even Flash very well, so once I get a new one I can (hopefully) start making more money.

Remember, guys, that I'm in Canada and I'm not paying the same as what you are for these things.

Megan, I would personally rather have the RAM than the 1.2 processor. Most of the time I have Photoshop, Homesite, and a couple of browser windows open with few problems. Homesite and Photoshop alone would choke on 128MB.

It is weird about Dell's pricing strategy though.

I would get the faster processor because you can always cheaply and easily upgrade RAM while updating your processor is difficult.

That is not totally true. It is not too difficult to upgrade the processor. It is kind of a moot point anyway since any future processor upgrade above 1.33Ghz will entail a new motherboard and likely new DDR memory. The question is though which would give the better performance. No question that you would gain the most by the extra RAM doing what you are doing. Photoshop, Homesite and other graphic programs choke because they run out of memory not processing cycles.

I always look at it like this, having a fast processor is like having a car that can go 200mph (or whatever km in Canada). Well when you are out driving this car there is almost nowhere where you can actually get it up to 200mph. You probably average 33mph. Adding RAM is like going from a 2-lane highway to a 8-lane highway. Say you have two hundred cars going the same direction at the same time. Which ones get there first? The wide lanes with no bottleneck, of course.

Hmmm... thanks for the advice guys. I'm still unsure about the monitor thing - I know mairving thinks I should go for the 19".... It's only $129 extra for the upgrade - I could do that instead of going for the extra .2 gHz. Think that would be worth it? I'll have to ask what brand of monitor it is and do some research on that - the only thing I don't like about my old machine is the monitor. And if RAM isn't going to be too much extra I'll go for the $256

Megan, to me if you are doing graphic/web development, I wouldn't consider anything less than a 19". The extra real estate will save your eyes.

Here are a some links that review monitors:
PC Magazine
CNet
PC World

I just bought the LG Electronics 995e based on what others had said about it and the PC Mag review. It's a nice one.
And please call me Mark.

Alright, does anyone else have any advice? I'm going to e-mail tonight to ask about the monitor brand and how much the extra RAM would be - Then I'll decide how much I can afford.

As a graphics person I have only one thing to say RAM RAM RAM. My OLD PC with only a 266 processor and 256 Ram works almost as well as my new PC with a 1.3ghz processor and 256 ram.

Quote: Originally posted by Charm
As a graphics person I have only one thing to say RAM RAM RAM. My OLD PC with only a 266 processor and 256 Ram works almost as well as my new PC with a 1.3ghz processor and 256 ram.

True, good point. Not everyone needs those super-fast processors to do their daily tasks. If you are doing video editing, for example, you will need cutting-edge processor power. But for most users, having sufficient RAM can provide them with a system that gets the job done.

Being a person who likes to fill the taskbar. RAM is very important. I have 512 MB. And I usually have about 300 MB free.
(334MB right now. with Outlook 2000, windows explorer, 4 IEs, GameSpy, and InterDev all open)

Being a programmer who likes to page between windows. Monitor size is very important. Not quite a year ago, I bought a 19" Samsung SyncMaster 955DF for just under $400. Now I wish I bought a 21", but that was around $800. So instead, I'm trying to span my desktop.

Quote: Being a person who likes to fill the taskbar. RAM is very important. I have 512 MB. And I usually have about 300 MB free.
(334MB right now. with Outlook 2000, windows explorer, 4 IEs, GameSpy, and InterDev all open)

That is amazing. I thought that InterDev took about 300MB itself. I too wish that I had the 21" but I am holding out for the LCD which are getting cheaper all the time.

I would absolutely LOVE a LCD.... but we're talking about an extra digit. That, I'm afraid, I can't afford. 8[

I did it! When in and ordered last night after work. Turns out that they added 256 RAM to the package I was looking at so I didn't have to worry about that upgrade. I did get the 19' monitor - now i just have to figure out how I'm going to fit it on my desk! Comes on Friday, maybe Saturday... YAY!!!!!

:jump:

Megan, I should have told you that you would probably have to get a new desk. Keep us informed.

Oh baby!!! It's here!!!!!!!!! The monitor is so huge!!!!!!! I am very low on desk space here..... that'll be the next thing I guess. I love how Win ME shows previews of photos right in the windows explorer - no more need for a separate image viewer!

Weird new keyboard... trying to get used to it.... Back to installing....

Quote: Originally posted by Megan Jack
Oh baby!!! It's here!!!!!!!!! The monitor is so huge!!!!!!! I am very low on desk space here..... that'll be the next thing I guess. I love how Win ME shows previews of photos right in the windows explorer - no more need for a separate image viewer!

Weird new keyboard... trying to get used to it.... Back to installing....

Congrats! I'll be experiencing the same feeling in a few weeks when I purchase and receive my new Dell. Note: You can view images in Win9x's explorer view, too, it's not something new in ME. Just view the folder as a web page and the image preview shows up there on the left.

So Megan, how's your new computer treating you? Tell us its specs.

I wanted to bring this thread back up since I am thrilled to say I just bought a new computer today - my first Dell and my first computer that is soley for me.

Here are the specs:

Dell Dimension 8100 Series
Pentium 4 Processor at 1.3Ghz

Memory: 256MB PC600 RDRAM
Keyboard: Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Desktop Solution
Monitor: 19 in (17.9 in viewable,.25-.25AG)P991 FD Trinitron Monitor
Video Card: 32MB NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 4X AGP Graphics Card with TV-Out
Hard Drive: 40GB Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows 2000 Professional
Network Card: Integrated 3Com EtherLink 10/100 Ethernet Controller
Modem: US Robotics 56K PCI Telephony Modem-Sound Option
DVD-ROM or CD-ROM Drive: 16X DVD ROM Drive for 32MB NVIDIA Geforce2 MX AGP Graphics Card
Sound Card: SB Live! Value Digital
Speakers: AltecLansing ACS340 Speakers w/Subwoofer
Bundled Software: Microsoft Office XP Small Business
Digital Imaging Software: Image Expert 2000, Dell Edition

Printers: Lexmark Optra E312L Laser Printer

Other Software (shipping separately): Norton System Works 2001

Special Offer - Free PDA!: Special Offer: Palm M100 At No Extra Cost! $129 Value

I'm especially excited to get a free Palm Pilot.

Looks, pretty good, Marc.

Are you still using dialup? If so, that would be my next upgrade. Also be careful using SystemWorks. I have seen it cause some problems on systems before. The antivirus is pretty good but Cleansweep is a stinker and somewhat of a resource hawg.

Quote: Originally posted by mairving
Looks, pretty good, Marc.

Are you still using dialup? If so, that would be my next upgrade. Also be careful using SystemWorks. I have seen it cause some problems on systems before. The antivirus is pretty good but Cleansweep is a stinker and somewhat of a resource hawg.

Yeah, I'm still using dial-up, but getting broadband is next on my list. It would be silly to install broadband on an old computer, so I have to wait for my new one first. I also want to setup a wireless home network with it.

As for SystemWorks, I use it for this old Win98 system and it's been a gem. I used CleanSweep for the first time this weekend and it wasn't bad. I use the Disk Doctor and Speed Disk a lot. I like it and that's why I ordered it for my new system.

Marc, I would like to compare your 1.3 pentium with my 1 gig athlon. I think they would be pretty even from what i read.

Yeah, I've got a 1 gig athlon too. Will post the rest of my specs later.

Anyway, I came in here to say that I am getting rid of Win ME. I should have taken your advice and gone with something else. I'm hoping they'll let me trade it in (the OS I mean). So should I get 98 SE or 2K?

Quote: Originally posted by Megan Jack
Anyway, I came in here to say that I am getting rid of Win ME. I should have taken your advice and gone with something else. I'm hoping they'll let me trade it in (the OS I mean). So should I get 98 SE or 2K?

Definitely get Win2K. I just got my new Dell 8100 Computer (specs posted earlier in this thread) and I *love* Win2K with just a few hours using it! Using it on this new system has been my first experiences with it, too. It manages memory much better and you can run it for days without restarting and not losing performance. It's also more secure and obviously more stable. Couldn't be more pleased.

Have you had any problems with software not working with Win2K? games perhaps?

Well, I can't trade it in, so I might end up buying a new one. Problem is that it sounds like re-installing windows is quite a difficult process - at least from what a friend told me.

Actually Megan you really don't want to re-install Windows. One of the worst things that you can do is to install one OS over the other. This generally leads to problems. You can either set your system up to dual boot both operating systems or you should format your drive and install Windows 2000 from scratch. ME will at least qualify you for an upgrade. It still is a bit expensive for 2000.

Mark, in answer to your question about 2000. It generally supports most newer games. Any of the old DOS games are hopeless. Most software works okay. There is some hardware that doesn't work as well. I have a new Firewire scanner that W2K doesn't like. So when I get time, I am going to set my system up to triple boot, ME, 2K and Mandrake 8.0. I have an extra 20GB HD I need to fill up. The only reason for installing Linux is to run a script that I have to run to update the pages out of a database. It takes forever on my P200. So I am going to probably try to run a cluster with a couple of my computers and speed up things a bit.

Quote: Originally posted by mairving
Actually Megan you really don't want to re-install Windows. One of the worst things that you can do is to install one OS over the other. This generally leads to problems. You can either set your system up to dual boot both operating systems or you should format your drive and install Windows 2000 from scratch. ME will at least qualify you for an upgrade. It still is a bit expensive for 2000.

That's what I meant - process sounds a little too complicated for me so I might be stuck with ME for awhile.

Quote: Originally posted by Mark Hensler
Have you had any problems with software not working with Win2K? games perhaps?

Aside from the fact that I'm having trouble restoring my ICQ contact list, everything has run A-okay. No compatability problems whatsoever. Win2K has really impressed me, I'm glad I got it over ME.

Megan, I would take the plunge and go for 2K. Here are some links that might be of some help:

Partitioning: http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/showtell/story/0,23008,2102712,00.html

Reformatting: http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/answerstips/story/0,23008,2160819,00.html