# Technogeeks: Please recommend a computer for me **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311 "2005-03-19T14:21:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/1 "2005-03-19T14:21:20Z")
It’s been 5 years since I bought my HP Pavilion and while it still functions fine, it’s slow. And it has Windows98, which is starting to become a problem. I have been checking the ads weekly for BestBuy, Dell, CompUSA, etc. to try to find a decent deal, but comparing all the different specs is making my head spin. (Do I want a Pentium 4 processor with 2.8 or 3.6? How much memory is sufficient so that’s it won’t be obsolete in a year, but not overkill. What the hell is Centino?) So I’m hoping for some advice. I use my home computer mainly for e-mail, word processing, surfing the internet, and light games (no Doom III). I have a digital camera and I do download pictures. I’d also like to start burning some c.d.'s from iTunes. I have about 20 different software packages (e.g. WordPerfect, TurboTax, Quicken, PhotoShop) installed. I won’t be watching movies on my computer. I currently have a desktop though I’m beginning to see how a laptop might be useful so that I can do work in the kitchen, etc. Don’t know how costly a docking station would be. I already own a 17" flat panel and some average speakers so I don’t need those. Any recommendations on a decent computer or what specs you think would be sufficient? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/2 "2005-03-19T14:45:52Z")
Well, it sounds like you are nor going to need the Formula One of computers. That said, you are right to be conscious of the specs. That will make you happier in the long run and extend the service life. Here is a concise list of what I would recommend. 1. Processor - Pentium IV or AMD Athlon 64 (don’t shy away from Athlon’s. They are even superior to Pentiums in some ways) 2. At least 512 MB RAM 3. DVD/CD Writer 4. Case that you like 5. 160 GB hard drive or bigger. 6. Built in ethernet jack (almost all gave them now). 7. Brand isn’t overly important. A lot of people have biases and many people hate e-machines though. Post here for brand opinions if you see something. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/3 "2005-03-19T14:49:29Z")
You asked about clock speed. Don’t buy at the high end. You will pay a big price premium for a small benefit. The “sweet spot” is usually in the middle although I think a Penyium IV 2.8 ghz would probably meet your needs. All Athlon 64’s would too. I do not recommend Celerons for desktop computers at all. ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/4 "2005-03-19T18:52:35Z")
I’d say 160 GB of memory is overkill. 80GB should do the trick. Oh, and a Hard drive with 7200RPM speed minimum. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/5 "2005-03-19T19:11:19Z")
In my opinion, for most home users, any computer being manufactured right now isn’t going to be obsolete anytime soon. The only thing you may need alot of ram for is if you’re doing serious image manipulation, but other than that you could probably stick to the lowest end model you can find and be fine until the computer completely wears out. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/6 "2005-03-19T19:13:21Z")
Oh, and Cent **r** ino is a design for laptops which make them much more energy effecient, thus conserving battery life. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/7 "2005-03-19T19:43:23Z")
If i were shopping for a computer to do the sort of things you want, i’d definitely take **Shagnasty** ’s advice and avoid getting the fastest processor available. The price premium is just too great. If you already have a monitor and stuff, then it might be worthwhile checking out refurbished computers, like those at Dell outlet (i’m not trying to shill for Dell here; just giving you a sense of what’s out there). [This one](http://outlet.us.dell.com/Dispatcher?target=SpecPage&serviceTag=E6VJL1HX&sessionID=C81RQILI!-753979861!900887618!1111261073862&tgtSeg=I) seems like a good deal for the specs:[ul][li]Pentium IV 3.0GHz, 800MHz FSB[/li][li]1Gb DDR SDRAM[/li][li]160Gb SATA Hard Drive[/li][li]128Mb PC Express ATi Radeon video card[/li][li]16X DVD ROM Drive[/li][li]16x DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability[/li][li]a whole bunch of the usual Dell-type software[/ul]All for $639.[/li] This computer gives you a pretty fast processor, heaps of RAM, and two optical drives, one of which can burn both DVDs and CDs. I know you said you don’t want to do flashy video stuff, but you might change your mind later, or you might decide to try out some more advanced games, so it’s nice to have a separate video card rather than on-board video. It also means that your system RAM isn’t being taken up by video processing. The above computer is almost identical in specs to my own (which i purchased about eight months ago for a few hundred dollars more). I use it for internet, email, word processing, webpage creation (Dreamweaver), digital photo processing and manipulation (Photoshop), video encoding (TMpegEnc; TMpegEnc DVD Author; VirtualDub; DVDShrink), music ripping and listening (CDex; WinAmp), watching DVDs, and a whole bunch of other stuff. It is fast enough for everything i need to do, and lets me run multiple applications wthout a problem. Of course, you don’t have to get a Dell. Lots of stores offer display models or refurbished computers for cheap, and they are often especially good deals if you already have your own monitor. And if you want to buy new, you should be able to get similar specs for a couple of hundred dollars more. [CompUSA](http://www.compusa.com/products/products.asp?N=200005+400547&Ne=400000), for example, has some HP Pavillions in the same spec range, including Pentiums and Athlons, for around $800-900. I know that a laptop is handy for portability, but you’re not going to be able to get anywhere near this sort of computing power in a laptop for a similar price. You also won’t get as large a hard drive. I’m not quite sure i agree with **Teelo** that 160Gb is overkill. I used to think it was, but i decided to get a 160Gb hard drive just in case. And you know what? If you take very many digital photos, and if you like to have some music on your computer, it’s amazing how quickly hard drive space can begin to fill up. My music takes up 30Gb by itself on my hard drive. Nowdays, hard disk space is pretty cheap, and i’m even contemplating adding another 160Gb hard drive to my computer. If you can get a computer with a large hard drive within your budget, you may as well do it. ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/8 "2005-03-20T11:08:36Z")
For what you want to do, almost any machine out their will be fine. That machine **mhendo** looks quite nice for its price, though note that the x300 SE video card that is comes with is pretty much bottom of the barrel when it comes to separte video cards; still, if you ever play more advanced games, upgrading a video card is pretty easy. You also might want to check out [Monarch Computer](http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv), a whitebox builder. They build custom machines for you, and from what I have seen their quality seems a notch above what you get from the Dells & HPs of the world. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/9 "2005-03-20T12:11:16Z")
> [@Teelo](#): > > I’d say 160 GB of memory is overkill. > 80GB should do the trick. > > Oh, and a Hard drive with 7200RPM speed minimum. Storage!! One of my pet peeves. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/10 "2005-03-20T16:14:18Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Storage!! One of my pet peeves. Yeah, but 160Gb of memory probably _would_ be overkill. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/11 "2005-03-20T16:21:01Z")
I just want to throw out the build your own system idea. First of all, you’ll get exactly what you want. Second, you’ll get a good amount of experience in how a computer is put together and how operating systems and hardware is installed. It really is pretty easy to build your own system, and it can be done in one night. As far as specs go, anything listed earlier in the thread will work. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/12 "2005-03-20T17:04:13Z")
Thanks a lot for the advice. [Here’s one I’m eyeing](http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=317593&pfp=BROWSE) Do you think it’s fairly priced? ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/13 "2005-03-20T18:57:42Z")
Seems a bit pricey to me, especially as it has integrated video. I could probably build a better machine for $700-$800. I would go with the Dell that **mhendo** listed before I bought that machine. **kinoons** suggestion of building your own machine isn’t a bad idea - you get the best deals & quality that way. A check at Newegg shows you could build a machine with a socket 939 Athlon 64 3000+, Nforce 4 motherboard, Geforce 6600 PCI-E version video card (MUCH MUCH faster than the integrated video you listed), 250GB hard drive, DVD Burner, 1 GB RAM, case, and Windows XP for $780 or so. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/14 "2005-03-20T22:12:54Z")
What does integrated video mean? That I can’t upgrade it in the future? The idea of building my own machine is very intimidating. ---
**Author:** ![jdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@jdc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdc)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/15 "2005-03-20T22:38:57Z")
If you buy retail from Compu USA or similar, make sure they have no hassle full refund return policy. Dell has 30 day no-questions-asked return policy. Stick back in box and call them. One issue with lower end machines is cheap noisy fan vs nice quiet fan with thermostat. You won’t be able to tell how quiet a machine is in the store. My Dell Precision 360 very nice and quiet compared to the kids cheapo Dimension. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/16 "2005-03-20T23:42:39Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > What does integrated video mean? That I can’t upgrade it in the future? > > The idea of building my own machine is very intimidating. No, i’m pretty sure you can upgrade it in the future. But integrated video means, essentially, that in the system you buy the video processing will be done integrally and will be a drain on the system memory (RAM). Now for most of the applications that you want to do, this probably won’t present a problem at all. Looking at photos, web browsing, even digital image manipulation and such should all be fine. But if you start to do things that require more video processing power, you might find that your system struggles to keep up. I don’t know if you’ve seen any discussion about recent hi-tech computer games like Half Life 2, but one of the key components in getting such games to run properly is having a powerful enough video card, which has its own little processing unit-type thing and its own memory (separate from system memory). A powerful video card can process video quickly, allowing players of new games to see all the tiny little details that the makers intended, and to do so at a resolution and a frame rate that makes the game appear smooth and fast. A high-end video card (like [these](http://www.compusa.com/products/products.asp?N=200105+14&Ne=500000) can cost upwards of $400. It doesn’t sound like you’ll need anything like this. But it is still nice to have a lower-end video card to process video better and to take some of the load off the system memory. The Dell that i linked to above has a low-end card which should be fine for the sort of thing you want to do. And you can also get better cards nowdays for not much more money. As for building your own, i’ve never done it, but i think i’m going to do it next time. That’s because i’ve made an effort to learn a bit about it over the past few months, just be doing some reading, and i feel confident that i could do it. By all accounts, with modern form factors and interchangeability, it’s actually quite a straightforward process. The devil, however, can be in the details, and you have to be careful to follow instructions. Also, if you’re not very comfortable doing things like working in the BIOS and troubleshooting, then it might present a bit of a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Othersider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Othersider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Othersider)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/17 "2005-03-21T00:47:26Z")
> [@Teelo](#): > > I’d say 160 GB of memory is overkill. > 80GB should do the trick. Hard drive storage is the one thing that varies the most between users with different purposes. Many people with computers with the same processor and memory might have very different storage needs. For example, my mother just bought a computer. For her, storage wasn’t much of an issue, because she rarely does much other than internet browsing and basic Microsoft Office usage, so all she needed was the smallest hard drive available, which was either 60 or 80 GB. For someone like me, however, who keeps an entire collection of digital music (thousands of mp3s) and often works with really large audio files, that wouldn’t be nearly enough. I have a 120 GB slave drive in addition to my 40 GB master hard drive, and I may one day decide I need even _more_ space than that. But the average person who doesn’t keep a music collection, doesn’t work with large audio/video files, doesn’t play newfangled, memory-intensive games, ought to be plenty satisfied with a processor of 1.5 GHz or greater, 512 MB of RAM or more, and the smallest hard drive you can find (I don’t think you can find new drives smaller than 60 GB very often now; if you really wanted one smaller you could probably find a used one though). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Foible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Foible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foible)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/18 "2005-03-21T00:49:18Z")
It usually isn’t a problem to upgrade the video on a machine with integrated video but sometimes it is. There are cases where you might need to atack the motherboard with wirecutters to disable the onboard stuff so the external one will be recognized. This is not a task for the timid. In the Pentium IV product line I believe the 3.2 GHz was the threshold for their “hyperthreading” technology. The claim is that under certain conditions the processor can act as a dual processor. I have seen no benchmarks that show this. The earlier posters are correct, most any machine sold today will do what you want. If I were you I would find a local computer store (if there are any left in your town) and walk in with an ad for a computer you think you want. One from the Dell site would do fine. Ask the same questions you did here and see what you get for answers and more importantly, see if you have a rappor with the staff. If they check out buy from them, there are lots of advantages in buying from a local store. You can get service, (ask in advance what their policy is) in the time you’d spend on hold talking to India you can drive the machine to a local place and get it fixed. The machines are uniform, they don’t do the dirty tricks Dell and the others do of using non standard parts to force you to buy from them. Most importantly, they’ll help you get the right machine for you. ---
**Author:** ![Othersider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Othersider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Othersider)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/19 "2005-03-21T00:53:04Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > As for building your own, i’ve never done it, but i think i’m going to do it next time. That’s because i’ve made an effort to learn a bit about it over the past few months, just be doing some reading, and i feel confident that i could do it. By all accounts, with modern form factors and interchangeability, it’s actually quite a straightforward process. The devil, however, can be in the details, and you have to be careful to follow instructions. Also, if you’re not very comfortable doing things like working in the BIOS and troubleshooting, then it might present a bit of a challenge. It’s not hard. Yes, there are some things you have to be careful about, but it’s nothing you couldn’t pick up by working with or being advised by anyone who’s done it before. I built my current computer and the one I had before this one, and I’ve had few problems. Obviously one big difference is in the parts - when you buy a system from Dell or Gateway or somebody you often have a warranty and/or service plan. If you build your own, you have that _caveat emptor_ thing. If something breaks, you gotta buy a new one if it’s not under its own warranty (which can happen, but it’s no reason not to do it yourself anyway). ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311/20 "2005-03-21T01:09:13Z")
I wish I needed a new desktop because [this deal looks great!](http://www.slickdeals.net/#p5866) This is _with_ a 17" LCD monitor! This appears to expire at the end of the day today. > [@](#): > > Dell Business has the Dimension 4700 2.8GHz PCI-E Desktop w/ 17" LCD Monitor for $499 after $100 rebate + tax. The 17" Ultrasharp LCD for $29, 3.0GHz for $20 are excellent upgrades. Remember to select the free Dell 720 Printer option. Thanks bandros. > > Pentium 4 Processor 520 with HT Technology (2.80GHz, 800 FSB) > Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition > 512MB DDR2 SDRAM at 400MHz (1x256M) > FREE! 17 in E173FP Flat Panel Display > Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator > 40GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) > Integrated Intel PRO 10/100 Ethernet > Single Drive: 48x CD-RW Drive > Integrated 5.1 Channel Audio > WordPerfect, Powerful Word Processing > 1 Year Basic Warranty > Mail- In Rebate $100 Mail In Rebate [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/technogeeks-please-recommend-a-computer-for-me/295311.md?page=2)