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Message started by Kris01 on 12/11/14 at 15:47:10

Title: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Kris01 on 12/11/14 at 15:47:10

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=StoreIM&N=100019095&IsNodeId=1&page=1&bop=And&Depa=3&Category=228&CompareItemList=%2D1%7C83%2D220%2D692%5E83%2D220%2D692%2DTS%2C83%2D101%2D027%5E83%2D101%2D027%2DTS%2C83%2D103%2D975%5E83%2D103%2D975%2DTS%2C83%2D220%2D687%5E83%2D220%2D687%2DTS&percm=83%2D220%2D692%3A%24%24%24%24228%24%24%24%3B83%2D101%2D027%3A%24%24%24%24228%24%24%24%3B83%2D103%2D975%3A%24%24%24%24228%24%24%24%3B83%2D220%2D687%3A%24%24%24%24228%24%24%24

I hope this link works like I want it too. These are a few desktop PCs that I'm interested in at Newegg.com. Do any of you more tech savvy guys see anything wrong with any of them? Is there anything I need to watch out for? Are there better/cheaper alternatives?

FYI, I'm kind of leaning toward the Asus M32BF-US002S.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by engineer on 12/11/14 at 17:16:23

I am certain they are all OK computers. And almost all modern computers are good enough to run most software. Only gamers and people doing video editing, stuff like that need fast machines. I used to build a lot of computers but haven't done much during the last several years. It's not cost effective to build your own anymore. I have built machines with both AMD and Intel processors and I prefer Intel. The motherboard also has a lot to do with performance and reliability and Asus makes a decent motherboard.

The newer quad core I5 processors seem to me to be a good compromise between performance and cost. For almost all applications they are quick enough. The I7 can get expensive. I have an I5 laptop and it seems to run just as fast as the I7 laptop another family member owns.

Maybe Oldfellow will jump in here, he keeps up to date with the newest electronics.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by zipidachimp on 12/12/14 at 03:16:27

stay away from anything from 'Gateway'.
I'm using a compact desktop model and it's crap even with Linux Mint 17. slow, buggy graphic stumbles, wont run HD video. POS ! >:(

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Steve H on 12/12/14 at 03:36:48

Gateway is a subsidiary of Acer these days. However, they still seem to be doing their own thing. They don't have gateway branded acer models...just their own stuff. What I've seen of acers is they seem to be decent, pretty solid systems. The only gateway I ever messed with was in the early 90's and it was a tank. Nothing would kill it. That, of course, has nothing to do with today's designs.

I spent 20 years in the pc repair business. When pc's got to the throw away and buy a new one price point, repairs almost completely died. I got out of it about a year before the company I worked for closed. During that time, the most repaired unit we saw was Dell...probably because there are so many of them around. I have no idea how they stack up percentage-wise base on total number sold.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by zipidachimp on 12/12/14 at 13:07:27

my 'gateway' problems appear to be software related-sometimes need to boot 4 times before it activates, lock-ups etc. I blew out the windows8 as soon as I got it and replaced it with Mint 17.
It really hates linux. no problems with my other no-name desktop.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by old_rider on 12/12/14 at 13:26:47

7B4259430001300 wrote:

Kris, what are you looking to do with it? surf the net? business? art? cad (computer assisted drawings)? gaming?

Most computers sold now-a-days can get you on the net and let you surf at a decent speed, however, if you want to really "do" anything, then you have to buy for the things you want to do.

Are you sure you want a desktop? I use my laptops as desktops and can move them anywhere in the house with ease (wireless is the way to go).

I also game on my laptops... (making sure your machine has a "dedicated memory" video card is a must for a laptop) and can play and record videos at a good rate.

I used to buy all my stuff at new-egg and tiger-direct (when I was building mine and the families pc's).... until local discount giants started selling equal if not better stuff.

Throw out a little bit of what you want to do with your machine and see what folks that know a little about them can do for you.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by rl153 on 12/12/14 at 13:50:05

I heard windows 7 is better than windows 8.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Kris01 on 12/12/14 at 17:59:28

I really just need a good, all around, general purpose computer. A large HDD would be great. I'm liking the 1-2 Terabyte size.

I don't NEED anything specific but something that I won't have to upgrade in 2 years would be awesome. I'd like to try and stay away from being an obsolete PC as best as I can.

As far as laptops go, they're great for portability but I just don't like them. I REALLY prefer desktops.

I'm using Windows Vista right now and like the standard Windows interface. From what I've seen of Win 8/8.1, I'm not too impressed. Granted I haven't used 8, only seen screenshots of it, but it doesn't look like the way I'm used to Windows working. I wish Microsoft would just leave well enough alone. I liked XP but, of course, that's out of the question!

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Oldfeller on 12/13/14 at 05:44:33

Get the Windows 7 machine and be happy with it. That is as about close as you will ever come to what you think Windows should be, ever again.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Kris01 on 12/13/14 at 08:12:32

That doesn't put a smile on my face, Oldfeller! :'(

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Oldfeller on 12/13/14 at 20:38:19

Kris, which part makes your smile turn down?

That you will recognize Win 7 and be happy with it as it will act like you expect Windows to act? Or the tacit flipside that no later version of Windows is going to behave like what you are used to seeing?

They don't behave like you are used to, you know -- Win 8 is massively different, and Win 8.1 is ditto with some few "old features" tossed back into the opening screen to quiet down the user complaints.

Win 7 is in the latter third of its lifespan now, with some theorizing that next year MS will offer a free Win 10 upgrade to Win 7 users simply to get them off the "long term long lasting version" gravy train and get them on the forced monthly internet update, yearly pay me a fee Win 10 system.

After offering a free upgrade, then MS can legally kill all support for the Win 7 OS -- saying of course that Win 10 was/is the free offered upgrade path for that particular OS version.

Good news is that Big Business and their lawyers will act to force MS to keep the Win 7 updates coming until 2020 which is their firm contractual end of life, but MS will try to get you as an individual to take Win 10 upgrade instead simply because you are a downgraded by the OEM machine, not a Win 7 original purchase user.

Ask Old_Rider what happens if you keep saying no to the upgrade prompt after the first 5-6 times .....

Hard fact is all real update/maintenance efforts have already ceased for Win 7 when the support people got laid off this past summer -- MS only really supports Win 8.1 and Win 10 at this point in time.

Since no more Win 8.x units can be backed down from higher versions back down to Win 7 any more, what is offered for sale this Christmas will likely be it for Win 7 forever. I'd get yours while you still can, but please try to get it as cheaply as you can.

So, which part of this story is the part that makes your smile turn down?

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Kris01 on 12/14/14 at 19:38:32

The fact that I am being forced to accept a product that I probably won't enjoy and the fact that Microsoft just doesn't care makes me a little timid about buying a new version. The supposed "upgrades" are usually no better than the previous versions.

My thinking, right or wrong, is that I NEED to buy a product that will last and be supported by the manufacturer as long as possible. For example, I wouldn't run out and buy Win 3.1. What's the point? Win 7 is closest right now to what I'm used to but if it's currently obsolete (or will be shortly), then it might as well be Win 3.1.

Rock and a hard place, ya know! ;)

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Oldfeller on 12/15/14 at 04:05:57

Kris,

When MS offered the Win 8.0 guys the free upgrade to Win 8.1, then forced them to take it, that sorta told the world what MS was all about.

No matter what you buy, you will be offered to go to Win 10 within a year of it coming out. MS isn't going to keep people around to support a lot of obsolete versions any more.

=========================

Big Business likes Win 7 and MS has made a "Service Pack 1" provision for them of sorts that you can glom on to if you take the effort. First read the official obsolete timeline grid and see what MS is officially supposed to do.

http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/53bc09f16bb3f7c843fba6a2-850-443/windows-end-of-support-chart.png

Remember, Mainstream Support ending means no new features, no corrections for existing errors in features, the software guys simply move on to other projects (or get laid off, which is what is really happening).

Mainstream Support for Win 7 ends next month on January 13th IF you have loaded Service Pack 1 (if not, you have no support at all).

Extended Support means that MS will patch any huge gaping bug holes that are found in the software and make some attempt to put your system back into a useable shape. This generally means they re-copy large chunks of the original code back on to your machine to "remove the effects" of any large malware exposure.

REMEMBER, once you are offered a free upgrade to Win 10 all real efforts to support the old version of the OS are off the board for you, as you could take the free upgrade to the current product and quit being exposed to the whatever is currently eating your old Win 7 machine.

Win 10 is expected to have a Classic Mode skin for folks who like Win 7 and XP ..... but under the hood it will be Win 10 all the way.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by old_rider on 12/16/14 at 08:16:29

Kris, I am running 8.1 (forced, no choice) but am happy with it. It actually boots to the same old windows main screen we are used to with a few bonuses thrown in if you move your mouse courser to the right side.
You can also, "grab and drag" your main screen from the top and drop it down, or just mouse over to the right and hit the start icon and use the "app" style windows... kinda the best of both worlds...
I still use the main windows desktop all the time.
Needless to say, you won't have a hard time getting use to it, and won't have to deal with the "we no longer support windows 7" crud that is going to come out next year (well, so the word around town says).
Just look at the offered cpu's, ram, hd space ect.. to find what you really want.
Most of the systems out now will do what you are looking to do, its just that a gaming machine (multiple processors, 10X the ram, large video cards) will run you double or triple.
Heck I actually bought a tablet that will do what most laptops do, except play CD's, and it will do everything I need for the "internet".
I still say you should go with "portability", I leave my laptop on my desk anyway most of the time, and have a little portable roll a round for it when I want to take it to different rooms to watch my you tube or play games while the wife and sis-in-law yak away in the living room (don't have an office, yet...the third bedroom is looking like a man room for me :) )
But with the tech that's out now, the newer PC's are bigger with more space to add what you need and more....
So I guess I would tell you...
Buy in your price range, shop online and look at reviews... lots of reviews...don't just look at the stars.... read the reviews..... some folks are heartless when it comes to reviewing a product and I like that.

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Kris01 on 12/16/14 at 16:00:38

To be fair, I've never actually used Win 8/8.1/10. I've just seen/heard about it and didn't like what I heard. I guess, in the long run, it's either keep up with the latest technology or get run over by it. If I'm forced to use Win 10 in the long run then I better learn to like it. I've never really cared for change. I mean, I ride a bike designed in the early 80's after all! ;D

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Art Webb on 12/19/14 at 10:40:56

My new machine is windows 8.1 (forced into it, needed a new tower as the old one was too buggy and the battery is dying) and while I'm not all that computer literate, it seems to serv my needs well, though they could have included XL for spreadsheets (mmay have to learn google docs, it's free I think)

and yes, first thing I did after setup was download Chrome) ;D

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Pine on 12/23/14 at 08:56:21

Hey Kris.. just saw this. My 2 cents:

Dont fret over hard rive size. There are USB external hard drives that work fine for storing large amounts of data and you can keep them offline (for more privacy and safer storage) I have three spare hard drive that i keep in my gun safe. Another "issue" though not really, is that data stored on a Windows 7 root drive will often be accesible only as long as the OS isnt crashed. Lets say the PC, (bad chip or something) and you pull the hard drive out to get the data. Since the root drive is not working as the master OS, Windows will "protect" data on the old drive (it can be gotten.. its just a little more work), With an external drive, by default there is no security, and thus the data is easy to get to. ( which means to need to the drive secure physically).

The ones you picked will do fine for all around stuff. The two AMD ones use APU ( verus CPU) the APU is both the CPU and the GPU ( graphics) function. Upgrading ( which most people dont do anyways) would be a tad bit more complicated.

Newegg is BY FAR the best online retailer I have ever used and I have been using them since 1998.

1 Terabyte is a LOT of storage.

I still like to build my own. Its not too hard and they can be upgraded very easily. My son is still using my old PC from 2003, and yes he runs the biggest games there are.

Good luck!

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Kris01 on 12/23/14 at 15:24:33

Thanks Pine. So far no one has said any of my choices are bad. I'll probably wait at least a few months before I buy anything. Gotta catch up a little from Christmas!

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Trippah on 12/24/14 at 06:38:28

It's your patriotic duty to spend..help the economic recovery. :D

Title: Re: Help with soon-to-be computer purchase
Post by Kris01 on 12/24/14 at 10:15:44

Sometimes I feel like I've single-handedly boosted the economy! ;D