Need suggestions for a new PC

I'm getting tired of my dinosaur. I have a PIII 500. I told you it was a dinosaur. I need some suggestions.

I don't want to spend a lot. (around $400) All I use it for is for is the net, minor photo editing and synching my iPod. I don't do any gaming.

I've been looking at Dell. They have a 2.53 GHz Celeron with 1 Gig RAM, 80GB HD and DVD-R for just over $400. I didn't like the fact that it only had two USB ports on the front and they were mounted low on the case.


I'll use my old 20" monitor. I'll add my 120GB HD, Wireless NIC, maybe my sound card and video card if they're better.

I want a reliable system. A case with multiple inputs on the front with convienent access and of course cheap. Don't want to build one. I'm done with that. This system just needs to last me through school, (3 years?) and not bog down on webvideos, synch my iPod (60GB photo) as quickly as possible, and run Photo editing software decently.

Actually my current system isn't too bad but I know it's time to upgrade when it takes hours and hours to synch my iPod. (USB2)

I'd love a MAC (I know, blasphemy!) but it's out of my budget right now.

Last few I have bought have all been HP's, all have card readers USB 2.0 ports, fire wire ports and so on and fit your price range. Have been relativly bulletproof (not counting operator errors) at the world headquarters as well as home.

Plus ya just gotta love Best Buy's 0% interest for months and months, $500 over a 12 months is a whopping $41.ish a month, yes I am a cheap bastard!

YMMV

Once you have decided your must have specs and what it would cost you online, be sure to take a walk through Fry's to look at the PCs that have those orange clearance tags on. I saved around $80 and added 20 gigs of HD space over the PC I was about to buy from Dell by doing that.

The past few I have had were HPs and for the most part have been great if you take away the fact that my last one didn't come with a cooling fan and I still haven't got my $50. rebate on the current one I bought 4 months ago.

Other than that I think I will get a Dell next time.

I'd recommend a Dell. The 5150 series is nice (and quiet). The 5150C is nice if it needs ot be smaller. You may need to do the "SUPER DEAL" and sell the free LCD flat panel on ebay to get one for a great price, but I like them. Also... since they're SATA, if you get dual optical drives, there's no where to plug in your old hard drive. However, ATA cards are sub $10, so that's probably not an issue.

Caveat #2... no parallel port, no serial port, no ps/2 ports... Welcome to legacy free, USB only PC's.

Fry's has Mac Mini's for $700 this weekend, but they're a little shy of enough RAM, I think.

One word.

DELL

Dude, you're getting a Dell.

http://adweek.blogs.com/photos/uncat...elldude1_1.jpg

My last 3 have been Dell's. No complaints and they are cheap!

Paypal just emailed me a coupon for Dell...
Coupon Code: C99$273GQ1L4W8

Go here - http://www.techbargains.com/

Look on the top left of the screen for 'Top System Deals'. Dell is always on top.

Celerons suck. Bad juju Spend the extra couple of $$ and get a regular CPU. You'll be glad you did.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tailchaser

Fry's has Mac Mini's for $700 this weekend, but they're a little shy of enough RAM, I think.

---

Go for the Mac Mini! :thumrigh: I have a G4 PowerBook and it rocks - I never use any of my other machines (3 Dells at my house). FWIW you can get a basic Mac Mini with the new Intel proc for $600 at apple.com, factory refurbs with the G4 for $520. Discounts for students if you are or know one.

No, they don't come with an enormous amount of RAM, but it doesn't sound like you'd need it. I have 512MB and do light photo and movie editing, web pages, word processing and spreadsheets, the whole bit. No problems, no waiting. Even if it is slowing down to swap stuff to disc, it's way faster than a reboot every time the stupid PC crashes.... ;) YMMV,

Craig

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CraiginTX

Go for the Mac Mini! :thumrigh:
Craig

---

When I end up getting soimething for what you want I will pick up a Mini. The G5 is way overkill for what you want but the mini is purrrfect. Also since you are in school, I might be able to help out with stuff, PM me if you are interested

With the Intel Macs you're getting two machines in one, now that they will officially boot Windows. I bet an Apple store would demo that for ya.

Just a thought...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by redmenace

With the Intel Macs you're getting two machines in one, now that they will officially boot Windows.

---

But why would I want to do that when I can run OSX??? ::StirTheP

For sure, the base Mini is more than sufficient for the stated purpose - like I said, my 1.25GHz G4 is plenty for such light use. The only thing I might miss (with the base machine) is the DVD-burning SuperDrive, but you won't find that in a $500 Windows box, either.

Craig

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CraiginTX

The only thing I might miss (with the base machine) is the DVD-burning SuperDrive, but you won't find that in a $500 Windows box, either.

---

Might want to check pricing again, but I have a DVD-RW/CD-RW in a less than 500$ Dell laptop with a P4 processor, widescreen, 1GB RAM, and 60GB disk drive.

Please stop supporting the company that is putting out ignorant and deceptive ads about how bad PCs are and how things "just work" on their overpriced Macs. Get a Dell and be happy :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sammm

Go here - http://www.techbargains.com/

Look on the top left of the screen for 'Top System Deals'. Dell is always on top.

---

Yep, I was going to link to techbargains too.

Another good place to look is the Dell Outlet.

Worst thing about Dells is that you have to pay shipping & taxes...

http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineS...=22&l=en&s=dfh

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883102673

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wrxmr2eater

Please stop supporting the company that is putting out ignorant and deceptive ads about how bad PCs are and how things "just work" on their overpriced Macs. Get a Dell and be happy :D

---

Very true. I have had my current xp machine for 18 months and it has not crashed once. Prior to that I had a machine running ME for 3 years with no crashes. At work, I have had zero crashes in 4 years between Win2k and XP. I have not had a crash at home since saying farewell to '98 and work PCs have been stable since moving away NT4.0. Apple seems to be taking advantage of people's long memories of the no longer relevant Windows history of blue screen hell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Titus

Very true. I have had my current xp machine for 18 months and it has not crashed once. Prior to that I had a machine running ME for 3 years with no crashes. At work, I have had zero crashes in 4 years between Win2k and XP. I have not had a crash at home since saying farewell to '98 and work PCs have been stable since moving away NT4.0. Apple seems to be taking advantage of people's long memories of the no longer relevant Windows history of blue screen hell.

---

Hence the ::StirTheP

My PCs actually work all the time, too, and I like Dells just fine - I own several, and my wife used to sell them. My XP Pro box at the office is very stable, and I'm a heavy multi-tasker using multi-megabyte spreadsheets, querying multi-terabyte databases.

Having said that - I do enjoy using OSX better - better even than the beta of Windows Vista I've played with. And for home use - movies, music, photos, web pages, etc - I don't see going back to Windows.

Craig

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...c=2d31h8&s=bsd

If you wait a couple of days, as the quarter closes, Dell usually offers some serious deals.

The one I linked to is a good deal and includes a 17" monitor, if you want to keep your 20", sell the 17" on eBay...

Good ideas! Thanks! swaying towards a Dell for now. I have all the hardware and software for a PC. Don't want to stat over right now.

I'll put it plain and simple. I build my own. Best price for best/neccesary components. It's like Burger King. Get it your way, right away. That's just me though, the last whole PC I bought was back in 1995. That was also the first one and yes it was a Dell. (Pentium 1 @ 133 Mhz, 16 MB RAM, 28.8 kbs modem, 6X CD-ROM, 2 MB video card, and 2 GB HDD. But now I have a Dell for work and it's great. It's a Latitude 600.

My home rigs are

Main:
Pentium 4 @ 3.2 Ghz
Corsair Pro 2 GB RAM
Western Digital 74 GB Raptor (10,000 RPM SATA) x2
ATI 9800 Pro 256 MB video card
Sound Blaster Audiology 2 Pro card
Plextor 716A DL DVD-RW
HP DVD-ROM
Asus P4C800E- Deluxe mother board
PC-Power and Cooling 510 Watt power supply
Custom water cooling setup all wrapped up in a Lian-Li 67 Plus black case
Runnnig Windows XP Pro

Server:
AMD 3200+
1.5 GB Kingston RAM
Western Digital 120 GB HDD x3 in a RAID 5
IBM/Hitachi 20 GB x2 in a RAID 1
ATI 9800 Pro 128 MB video card
Plextor 48/24 CD-RW
HP DVD-ROM
Antec 400 Watt power supply
DFI Lanparty 350Gb mother board
All wrapped up in a Lian-Li 75 silver case
Running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition

Laptops:
HP N610c with CD-RW with 1 GB RAM (test rig currently running Windows Vista Beta 2)
HP N620c with CD-RW with 30 GB HDD, 1 GB RAM, Linkys WiFi card (currently testing MS Office 2007 Pro)
HP NC6220 with 40 GB HDD, 1 GB RAM, Bluetooth, WiFi (this one is actually collecting dust even though it is the newest one of the bunch)
All running Windows XP Pro

Extras:
Linksys WRT54GS broadband WiFi router with high gain antenas
Linksys EG008W 8 port gigabit switch
Cat6 cable between all cabled connections

Oh and the download machine:
Compaq something
Pentium M @ 2 Ghz
1 GB RAM
Seagate 120 GB HDD
Running Windows XP Pro