What to look for when buying a computer?

perhaps · 06-21-2003, 09:08 PM

I need to buy a computer (PC) this summer and I don't know a thing about them. What should I make sure the computer has? I don't necessarily need the best of the best but I want good quality. I wanna make sure I can use it for the next 4-5 years.

GMartin2R · 06-22-2003, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perhaps

I need to buy a computer (PC) this summer and I don't know a thing about them. What should I make sure the computer has? I don't necessarily need the best of the best but I want good quality. I wanna make sure I can use it for the next 4-5 years.

well depending on what you're going to use it for, just about any computer that you can get nowdays will pretty much do the job. rough specs though, i'd plan on at least 512mb of ram. make sure its' ddr though. cpu, plan on at least 2ghz should be sufficient. the standard video adn sound cards shoud be fine unless you're going to do some gaming or soemthing like that. hmm a lan card is always good to ahve, as is a modem if you dont plan on getting high speed access. try to get a v.92 modem though as it's the latest tech modem which can put the connection on hold to let a call through if set up right form what i've heard. umm... dual disc drives woudl be nice... meaning a dvd-rw drive possible a burner and also a cd-rw drive but the cd-rw is imo necessary. umm, can't thinkof anythig else right now...

Jay42 · 06-22-2003, 09:12 PM

Hello A-moon-da!

I'll ditto what G said. You can't go wrong with what's on the market right now because Moore's law has brought speed & capacity ahead of what your current consumer demands are. Although - in 5 years your demands might surpass current computers because by then, G and I will be speaking to you as life-size holograms in your room.

I don't think there's any huge warning we could give you at this time - except never trust a salesperson named Megan or Jason.

Bryan · 06-22-2003, 09:57 PM

I would also recommend at least a 17" monitor. 15" is too small. If you can afford a LCD monitor I would get that because of it's small footprint.

GMartin2R · 06-23-2003, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay42

Hello A-moon-da!

I'll ditto what G said. You can't go wrong with what's on the market right now because Moore's law has brought speed & capacity ahead of what your current consumer demands are. Although - in 5 years your demands might surpass current computers because by then, G and I will be speaking to you as life-size holograms in your room.

haha yeah true... that'd be interesting, chatting via holographic projection. though chances are i'll still be on a slow net connection. hehe...

Awesome Guy · 06-23-2003, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perhaps

I need to buy a computer (PC) this summer and I don't know a thing about them. What should I make sure the computer has? I don't necessarily need the best of the best but I want good quality. I wanna make sure I can use it for the next 4-5 years.

Ok, since you say you don't know alot about computers, I would suggest buying an HP or other computer that is already built. Stay away from sony Vaios, They might look nice, but they have crap hardware in them.

DVD CD-RW combo drive

or a DVD, and a CD RW

(DVD RW is not worth the money yet)

256 MB DDR memory minimum

1.6 GHz P4 processor minimum

AGP Non-integrated video card

Sound card, non integrated is preferred, but it isn't as big a priority as video.

you will want a 10/100 Ethernet NIC

60GB HDD (Harddrive) min thats lots of storage for all the files you want

40GB will do but try for 60, or maybe even 80

i think that covers all the important stuff

umm

17" monitor, if you could afford an LCD one, by all means go for it, but a CRT is alot cheaper, viewsonic makes some pretty nice ones.

Hope this helps

slap_j · 06-24-2003, 12:01 AM

I just bought a PC with...

P4 2.4GHz processor 533 FSB
1024 MB of DDR RAM
ASUS P4SDX motherboard
Plextor 48x24x48 CD-RW
400 watt power supply
Zalman 7000-Cu fan/heatsink (the biggest friggin CPU fan I've ever seen)
Logitech keyboard/optical mouse
Win XP professional
ATI Radeon 9600 PRO
Western Digital 60GB hard drive
Sony 16x DVD-ROM

...for $1,130. Of course I already had a monitor. So you'd need to get one of those. I'd recommend CRT for gaming because the colors are usually more vibrant, they have a faster response for fast moving video and games, and they're much cheaper. LCD monitors save space, but they're more expensive.

**H.M. Murdock** · 06-24-2003, 02:36 PM

Don't get a Hewlett Packard.

Try for a Dell/Sony Viao, with at least 1-2 gigahurtz of processing power, lots of RAM ( ahhh, the enigmatic RAM-factor...

), a good monitor, and try for an Nvidia video card, and a Soundblaster sound card.

slap_j · 06-24-2003, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H.M. Murdock

with at least 1-2 gigahurtz of processing power,

gigahertz

Quote:

lots of RAM ( ahhh, the enigmatic RAM-factor...

),

At least 512 MB

Quote:

a good monitor,

A 17" Samsung SyncMaster 765MB (a good, bright, flat screen [flat screen, not flat monitor] CRT) will only set you back $150 or so.

Quote:

and try for an Nvidia video card,

ATI or nVidia is fine. Unless you're going to be gaming, don't spend too much on one.

Quote:

and a Soundblaster sound card.

Not really necessary since most motherboards have built in sound now.

**H.M. Murdock** · 06-24-2003, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slap_j

gigahertz

Sorry. I always get hurtz and hertz mixed up.

[quote]
At least 512 MB
[quote]
Barely enough to run Maya Learning Edition.

Quote:

A 17" Samsung SyncMaster 765MB (a good, bright, flat screen [flat screen, not flat monitor] CRT) will only set you back $150 or so.

21" flat-screen CRTs are better.

But they cost more, so definitely stick to 17".

Quote:

ATI or nVidia is fine. Unless you're going to be gaming, don't spend too much on one.

True. That was the gamer coming out on a rampage there...

Quote:

Not really necessary since most motherboards have built in sound now.

Well, if she has my luck with sound cards, she'll want it seperate.

GMartin2R · 06-25-2003, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Barely enough to run Maya Learning Edition.

512 pc133 or ddr? i can't see 512 ddr being barely enough for anything aside from the most complex graphical\movie editing software out there turnewd up to the max performance settings...

**H.M. Murdock** · 06-25-2003, 11:40 AM

pc133

I've been looking for some cheap memory so I can put Maya on, but I can't find any

Darn. I'll just have to stick to good ole' 3DStudioMax

slap_j · 06-25-2003, 03:12 PM

I personally have a gig of DDR RAM. It's sweet.

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 06-25-2003, 09:01 PM

ddr

for most applications 256 ddr will smoke the socks off of 512 pc133.

don't skimp on the cheap parts. Remember, it will only run at the speed of the slowest component.

if you use pc 133 your memory will degrade the performance severely/

GMartin2R · 06-26-2003, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillSPrestonEsq

ddr

for most applications 256 ddr will smoke the socks off of 512 pc133.

don't skimp on the cheap parts. Remember, it will only run at the speed of the slowest component.

if you use pc 133 your memory will degrade the performance severely/

which is why my next comp will ahve ddr... a gig ideally...

Quote:

pc133
I've been looking for some cheap memory so I can put Maya on, but I can't find any
Darn. I'll just have to stick to good ole' 3DStudioMax

how much are you looking at spending for that. i've seen some fairly good deals on pc133 floating around out there but never got any cause i didn't want to fork over the money. now i'm almsot glad i didn't as that' more money to put toward another comp with ddr.