I am so overwhelmed, I need to get a new computer, I need suggestions, I want something for under 500.00, I want lots of space, speed , usb drives in the front and dvd burner and everything new. Where do I start Help Me
thanks
slightly overwhelmed
The computer I own now is an old dinasour so anything would be better than this
Actually, start in IMHO. Moved.
samclem gQ moderator
Build your own. My son built one for me from parts we ordered online. It was much easier than I thought and much cheaper than what you’d pay a manufacturer.
Look in the Sunday paper until you see a good special on a Dell. They have cheap ones that are Ok as long as you reject most of the upgrades. It is hard to get badly burned that way and it is very simple.
I have to agree with Shagnasty. It is very easy to build your own - I do it and upgrade constantly - but if you are overwhelmed now it is not the way to go. Plus, you get to call Dell (and wait 30 minutes to talk to someone on the other side of the globe who may or may not understand you) should you have any problems. If you aren’t comfortable troubleshooting PC problems - both software and hardware, and if you don’t have spare parts lying around to help isolate problems, and if you don’t want to deal with each individual parts manufacturer should there be any problem, look at Dell / HP / Gateway / eMachines / Packard Bell*.
*OK, j/k on the last one - Packard Bell made some lousy computers.
Try http://outlet.dell.com too, if you want something robust for under $500. Three people I know have bought machines from there recently and so far, no complaints.
I disagree (mildly). It’s pretty hard to beat manufacturers for a sub-$500 computer; you just can’t get the deals on parts. Above about $1200, you can almost always do better building yourself.
Check www.slickdeals.net for deals as well. There are deals on Dell computers there all the time, especially lately. Even now there’s one for an Athlon core with WindowsXP and a 19" widescreen Samsung LCD monitor for $450. I know AMD is behind at the moment, but still, that’s a good deal if you don’t mind integrated video.
A decent video card is going to cost you, though. It’s usually the most expensive part of any computer, at least if you build yourself.
I also agree with the “go with a manufacturer” sentiment. If you were willing to spend even a few hundred more AND you had the time and inclination, I’d say build yourself, but if you want a good one for under $500 and no muss/fuss, go with a ready-built one.
thanks I will look into all of these options, except I really don’t think I could build my own I am not that technical
It honestly doesn’t take a lot of technical knowledge. Desktop computers are modular, buy a case, CPU, motherboard, RAM, video card, (sound card), power supply, and put it all together. Most parts snap in, others screw in. It’s a bit involved, but don’t go thinking that you can’t do it because you don’t have a degree in electrical engineering or computer science.
To a point, however, you are correct. Anyone can learn how to do it, but the process is involved and can be very time consuming. It would help to have a friend who has done it before, you’d want to read reviews on any part you wanted to get, make sure no parts have known compatibility issues, that sort of thing. As **TimeWinder **has already said, for the money you probably wouldn’t be able to build anything better than a pre-built machine could already offer, so it’s a moot point.
I’m just saying that it’s not terribly difficult to learn how to build a computer yourself. In case there comes a time where you want a $1500 computer that’s faster than anything Dell has and that AlienWare would charge $3500 for.
It’s easier than you might think, but really you should not undertake it unless you really have a strong urge to do so. 
You would not save that much on a low-end one anyway, and then you would also have to buy Windows and other software, which usually comes free with any computer you buy.
I second the motion to go look at the Dell site.
Would you be interested in something refurbished (not new, but re-certified and warrantied)?
If so, you can usually find some very good deals on refurbished computers at tigerdirect.com and similar places. I got a refurbished AMD Athlon 3800+ eMachine with 512MB RAM, 150GB hard drive, DVD/CD burner, and an integrated GeForce video card (the only part I’d like to upgrade) for $250 from TigerDirect. I spent an extra $75 and got more RAM, and bam, nice computer for $325. It’s still under warranty, runs great, looks great. I highly recommend it.
You can get a brand-new computer for under $500 from major manufacturers, but you’re almost always going to get a) a lesser-known, lower-quality processor, and/or b) a serious lack of RAM, which is second only to processor speed in how smooth and fast your computer runs. Prepare to spend an extra $100 or more to get the RAM up to the 1-2 GB range you’ll need for Windows Vista, plus another $100-200 for a decent monitor if it doesn’t come with it (which for sub-$500, it usually doesn’t).
Just want to reiterate that Dell isn’t the only player in the cheap PC market. HP/Compaq and Gateway are also contenders.
We haven’t talked much about what to look for in a newer PC. Here’s a column by Walt Mossberg, who writes for the Wall Street Journal: Tips for Getting Past Some of the Hassles of Buying a New PC
Walt’s columns are aimed at the consumer who doesn’t want to research parts and compatibility and benchmarks, and just wants to buy something that works.
I’m going to offer one company that you ought not deal with:
syberpowerpc.com (and with that first “s”, replace with a “C”)
These jackals build crap machines and can’t seem to fix them. Then, they refuse to replace/refund your money–you’re stuck with the machine. In other words, I would recommend you spend a few extra dollars and go with a name brand who has a BBB rating to defend, and is willing to stand by their product. Don’t go with some of these flashy ads in magazines.
I’ve sent my one damned laptop back twice, and it still has problems. This ‘Cyber’ company has yet to live up to its warranty promises.
Tripler
Be wary of anyone willing to sell you a garage product.
Thanks I will not even consider these people
I guess I really don’t even know what exactly I am looking for , how much RAM, and hard drive GB does a person need, I need quite a bit since so many family members use this computer, I also want Dual dvd burner, and do refurbished come with all the software programs, I saw a refurbished one on woot.com it all sounded good but wasn’t sure.
thanks
The article I posted gives you some ideas regarding RAM and hard disk space.
Here’s what $469 gets you on Dell today:
Processor: AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core 4000+
Operating System: Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
Memory: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs
Hard Drives: 160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
CD or DVD Drive: 16x DVD+/-RW Drive
Monitors: 19 inch Samsung 920NW Widescreen LCD Monitor
Video Cards: NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE Integrated Graphics GPU
Sound Cards: Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
Network Interface: Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
Miscellaneous: C521
Labels: Windows XP™
Floppy Drive and Media Reader: No Floppy Drive Included
Modem: No Modem
Speakers: No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system)
Keyboard: Dell USB Keyboard
Mouse: Dell® 2-button USB mouse
Office Productivity Software (Pre-Installed): Microsoft Works 8. DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD
Security Software: No Security Subscription (Norton 90-day)
Warranty & Service: 1 Year On-site Economy Plan
Adobe Software: Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.0
Hard drive size will be enough as long as people don’t use the computer to store music/videos. If that is the plan, then you’ll need significantly more. You do get a recordable DVD drive, but it doesn’t appear to be dual-layered (which, due to the price of dual-layered disks, I haven’t used on mine yet).
As to RAM and hard drive space, it depends on what you’re doing with the computer.
In general, unless you are a hardcore PC gamer, you will be satisfied with any Intel or AMD dual-core processor, 150-200 GB hard drive space (though it’s easy to find an affordable box with much more), and 1 GB RAM. If you are getting Windows Vista, do not even think of going below 1 GB RAM. Honestly, no matter what you’re using your computer for, it’s worth the upgrade to 2 GB.
The dual layer DVD thing… I’d wait on it. The technology’s not common enough to come standard on most boxes yet and IMO isn’t really worth the price increase. You can always buy a drive and stick it in later, maybe after the price of the discs goes down.
If you’ve found a particular deal you’re interested in and don’t know whether it’s a good one, post it here and maybe some of us can help you out. 
thanks I will be sure to do that, I will be looking sometime this weekend
thank you