Computer questions and stuff.

[Skirmisher]

I have been contemplating a new system for some time and even asked about one prior system before but i'm a chronic procratinator so of course I never actually bought it and besides, now its getting more and more buggy and solw so I will once more ask the opinions of our more computer savy members of a potential purchase.

Its a Dell and the specifics are listed below.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Catalog Number Description Product Code SKU Id
Dell Dimension 8300 Series: Pentium® 4 Processor with HT Technology 3GHz w/800MHz FSB SP308H [221-2452] 1

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional WPXP [313-7222][412-0409][420-1922] 11

Mail-In Rebate Offer: Save $150 with mail-in rebate. Price shown before rebate. 150Q4 [462-5889] 56

Memory: FREE UPGRADE! 1024MB DDR SDRAM at 400MHz 1GB4P [462-0749] 3

Hard Drive: FREE UPGRADE! 80GB Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive 80P [462-3283] 8

Floppy Drive and Additional Storage Devices: 3.5 in Floppy Drive FD [340-8628] 10

CD orDVD Drive: Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 8x DVD+RW Drive DVD8DVR [313-2223][313-2559][430-0594] 16

Keyboard: Dell ® Quietkey ® Keyboard QK [310-1582] 4

Mouse: Dell® 2-button scroll mouse SM [310-1871] 12

Productivity Software: Microsoft Worksuite® including Money® DWORKS [412-0573] 22

Security Software: Norton Antivirus® 2003,90-day introductory offer NAV2003 [412-0322] 25

Monitors: Video Ready w/o Monitor N [320-3000] 5

Video Card: New 128MB DDR GeForce FX 5200 Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI 128FX52 [320-0735] 6

Sound Card: Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 (D) Card with Dolby® Digital 5.1 capability SB1024 [313-1932][313-6010] 17

Dell Media Experience: Dell Media Experience™ DMX [412-0519] 115

Speakers: No Speaker Option N [313-2198] 18

Digital Music: Dell Jukebox powered by MUSICMATCH MMBASE [412-0516] 27


Digital Photography: Dell Picture Studio, Paint Shop Pro Trial, Photo Album Starter Edition DPS [412-0521] 28

Multi-Media Players: RealOne™ Player, with 14 day SuperPass trial REALBAS [412-0380] 40

Dial-Up Internet Access: 6 Months EarthLink Internet Access Included ERTHLNK [412-0584][412-0625][420-3224] 37

Modem: 56K PCI Data/Fax Modem DFAX [313-1313] 14

Network Interface: Integrated Intel® PRO 10/100 Ethernet IN [430-0412] 13

Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options: 1 Year Limited Warranty plus 1 Year At-Home Service S111OS [412-0360][950-1260][950-3337][950-9797] 29

Optional Support Services: Express Tech Support, 1 Year PCRDHS1 [902-7077] 31
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I guess the quick questions are as follows:

A) Would it be worth it to wait to see what is coming out as far as the new 64 bit chips are concerned?

B) thoughts on graphic cards? Should I go for something hardier, or just take the base that is offered(thats what I did for this example) and wait a bit to see whats coming out.

Any advice will be very gratefully accepted.

[Bobmuhthol]

You should stop buying from Dell.

[Skirmisher]

Opinion noted.

[HarmNone]

Heh. I am currently looking at a similar system, Skirm. I will be interested to see what others have to say, as well. I have a Dell now, and have been very happy with it. :)

HarmNone

[Drew2]

That system is perfectly fine for anything you should need. The Video card is the same one I have, if not very slightly better, and I'm a pretty avid gamer, if that tells you anything.

The memory is great, storage is great, processor is great, etc. If you get all that for a decent price, go for it.

[imported_Kranar]

<< A) Would it be worth it to wait to see what is coming out as far as the new 64 bit chips are concerned? >>

Screw 64 bit processors. It's really just hype, like when MMX came out and was supposed to be the holy grail of multimedia, and then it got so little support and no developers had the need to use it so it ended up being useless. Very few applications use 64 bit arithmetic, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

<< B) thoughts on graphic cards? Should I go for something hardier, or just take the base that is offered(thats what I did for this example) and wait a bit to see whats coming out. >>

Your card rocks.

[HarmNone]

Whee! Thanks, Kranar! Helped me make my decision, as well! :D

HarmNone will buy now

[Drew2]

OH, AS LONG AS KRANAR SAYS YOUR CARD IS OK THEN THAT'S GOOD.

FORGET ABOUT TAYRE.

/CRY

Tayre is such a drama queen

[Drew2]

My name isn't Tayre.


It's Madison.

[HarmNone]

Heh. Tayre, Kranar covered the 64 bit stuff, which was what I had been wondering about. Skirm and I both admit we are procrastinators. Anything like that 64 bit question gives us an excuse to procrastinate further. ;)

HarmNone did appreciate Tayre's opinion, too

[Overlord]

My opinion stands thusly, if you know enough about computers (Like myself) just build your own damn system and quit spending too much fucking money. I haven't bought a pre-built system in over 5 years.

As for that particular Dell, the hardrive sucks in comparrison as well as the video card. But the way computers go these days theres a price bracket and they just fiddle with certain things to keep within that range. I still recommend building your own system and ordering parts online. Will be cheaper and will produce a better system.

[Skirmisher]

I understand that building your own system is much more cost effective, but when i buy a dell I am buying more than just hardware.

I am buying a support system that I can utilize at 3 am when it breaks down cause even though you all are a great help its not quite the same thing as having someone I am able to demand asistance from rather than to plead for it.

Believe me, I wish my expertise were to the point where I could build and support my own machine but alas it is not. :(

[Overlord]

I laugh....two of my friends also purchased a dell within the past year and a half. To be completely honest they never once called because there were no issue to be had that could no be resolved with basic computer knowlege. I mean yeah tis great, but that alone should not be your deciding factor on spending more money on an inferior system

[HarmNone]

I would love to be able to build my own computer but, like Skirm, I do not have the necessary skills to do so competently. I can stick in plug and play stuff and get it going with the CDs provided and an instruction book. I set up my own network. However, to build a computer from the ground up takes more skill than I feel I have.

HarmNone

[Anebriated]

Just to add on to the 32/64 bit topic... The hardware might be coming out soon, but i wouldnt really count on it to be 'mainstream' for at least another 2-3 years. The first few years of something like that normally are debugging and whatnot. If you cant build your own system as Overlord is suggesting then yes, your current system looks like it will be sufficient for most of your needs.

[Wezas]

The PC looks kick ass, the only thing I would add if it was mine would be a wireless network card (if you have a wireless router, might be cheaper to just upgrade that one thing when you first buy it). I use my work laptop for almost everything, and it's only a 1.6M w/ 1gb ram, 80gb HD. Video card isn't great, but then again it's a work laptop. Haven't had any problem running games, including RTCW:ET, GTA:VC, NFS:U, etc.

[Skirmisher]

Your sig makes me laugh every time.

Damn Bob and his annoying self who still has the ability to make a crack that gets me to laugh.

[Overlord]

Note on that currently using a wireless system and unless you plan on walking around your house with a laptop its fucking not worth the packet loss. Typically from my room i get about 50-60% connection to a wireless router not 20 feet away....thats with a signal boosting receiver attached to my comp too by the way. I'd rather go hardwire and get 100% untill i feel like tossing a good few grand into a new wireless system.

[Wezas]

For Gemstone and most of the games I play I don't need to worry too much about packet loss. For file transfer I have hard wire cables I can use. I thought about getting a signal booster, does it make a big enough difference for the money?

[Drew2]

Hi my namei s YOU'RE DUMB.

Wireless networks generally have a speed of 11Mb/s with a good solid connection. Most Cable providers give you what... 500Kbs/s? At the very fastest, 1Mb/s. Unless you do a lot of traffic over your home network (between other computers) you should see no problems with wireless if you buy decent hardware.

Of course if you're going to buy the 59.99 on sale wireless router at WalMart, you're probably not going to be very happy.



P.s.- I have no idea if WalMart sells wireless routers and I'm aware 59.99 is an unrealisticly low price.

[Wezas]

Originally posted by Tayre
Hi my namei s YOU'RE DUMB.

Wireless networks generally have a speed of 11Mb/s with a good solid connection. Most Cable providers give you what... 500Kbs/s? At the very fastest, 1Mb/s. Unless you do a lot of traffic over your home network (between other computers) you should see no problems with wireless if you buy decent hardware.

Of course if you're going to buy the 59.99 on sale wireless router at WalMart, you're probably not going to be very happy.



P.s.- I have no idea if WalMart sells wireless routers and I'm aware 59.99 is an unrealisticly low price.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?cat=3951&dept=3944&product_id=1174843& path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A126297%3A126311

Yeah, sucky Linksys.

[Tsa`ah]

External USB drives are your best friend for storage space.

I see too many people going spastic over huge HDs only to discover their current system won't operate it. So, they get a new system that comes with that beast of a HD.

There are some beastly USB 2.0 externals out there and a bajillion rather large USB drives that are rather tame in cost.

All data can easily mirgrate from one system to the next with very little wait time. Best of all, you don't have to shell out a few hundred dollars for that HD upgrade from dell or anywhere else. Get the standard HD, plug in the USB and go.

[Wezas]

Originally posted by Tsa`ah
External USB drives are your best friend for storage space.

I've got one I've had for a few years working again yesterday. Works good on my home PC (though that crappy PC is USB 1.1). When I plug it into my laptop, I get a blue screen and then it restarts my computer. Sucks. Dell Laptop 1.6m processor, USB 2.0 ports.

[Latrinsorm]

My school gave us wireless and I swear, there's one room on campus it works in (although it's the biggest room, go fig) and it never works in dorms. It claims it's going at around 6mb/s or some other unrealistically high speed when it barely loads the google page.

Wireless = teh suck.

Of course, I haven't experimented with holding the computer up to the wireless broadcast thingy. Wherever that is.

[HarmNone]

Heh. I was advised against wireless by one of the Dell techs a couple of years ago. I do not know how much things have changed since then, though. :(

HarmNone

[J-Tech]

Anyone wanna buy me a new computer?

-John

[Drew2]

Originally posted by Wezas

Yeah, sucky Linksys.

Although I appreciate sarcasm, you failed to notice that this router doesn't support 8.11b technology, and the fact that you're dumb.

Like I said, YOU CAN BUY THE WALMART, BUT YOU WON'T BE HAPPY.

[Overlord]

Look taye you bastard, currently running a system very similar to this except a little better. Still shitty sony though.
http://www.sonystyle.com/intershoproot/eCS/Store/en/imagesProducts/120x120/VSWG602.jpg

And quite frankly it still sucks in comparison to a hard wired network, there is no room for error they have not perfected the technology so its 100% efficient yet. So quite frankly you can kiss my hairy scottish ass

[Wezas]

Originally posted by Tayre

Originally posted by Wezas

Yeah, sucky Linksys.

Although I appreciate sarcasm, you failed to notice that this router doesn't support 8.11b technology, and the fact that you're dumb.

Like I said, YOU CAN BUY THE WALMART, BUT YOU WON'T BE HAPPY.

Turd,
First of all, it's 802.11b - not 8.11b
Second, just because Walmart doesn't say it's 802.11b doesn't mean the router doesn't:

What Linksys says about that router:
http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?prid=173&scid=0