Computers

[mikeythefireman]

Ok, it's time to toss that expensive paperweight I've got at home and get a functioning computer. I'm not looking for something that will pilot the Mar's rocket, I just want something that will let me play some games, edit some pictures, and surf the internet. I don't want it to be the top of the line for any of those things, just middle-ish.

What are your guys' opinions on computer sales??

Sorry, Sarah, i'm not getting a Mac.

[nagal]

Get the new iMac

Sorry can't be of much help as I always build my own PCs. If I have to buy a store bought one I'd probably get a Dell but you mentioned playing games. In the end it always comes down to how much you want to spend.

[mikeythefireman]

I'm leaning towards Dell, but it seems their customer service has been somewhat lacking lately. The fact that their tech support outsourced to India bugs me a little, too. Apparently when you do manage to get through, the language barrier is obnoxious.

Like most everything, the amount we spend will be in direct proportion to what we get. What we don't want is all the extra crap that we won't use but have to pay for anyway. Sorry, went off a little there.

[nagal]

I agree about Dell's support not being nearly as good as it use too. As far as the outsourcing goes, I would expect it from all the major PCs makers. You might even want to try a local PC shop. Just like mechanics, some are good some are awful.

[mikeythefireman]

I've been looking at the locals and their main problem is price. They can get stuff really cheap, but they've still got to put it together. Their labor price makes them more expensive. I'm thinking about finding one to upgrade our current junk. Gonna price that this weekend.

[nagal]

Well... if you want to get the best prices with only the items you want you can always build it yourself. Only problem with that route is you can get hit hard on the software side. If you are comfortable upgrading PCs you shouldn't have much problems building one as long as you research all the parts for incompatibilities.

[seapahn]

Just go to best buy and get something like this and you are set. Stay away from the emachines though. HP/Compaq is what I would go for at the low end. Dell is another good option as mentioned above as they have some great deals on their site sometimes.

The one above is an all around good PC to do just what you said. But if you are heavy into 3D gaming, that's a different issue.

Also note there's a $50 rebate on it.

[Dukes69]

Tammy has 2 Dells, I have a Dell, my Dad's business has 3 Dells. None have had any problems. My Computer is a 3 year old P4 and it does everything I need it to do. The processor is a little slow, by todays standards (1.5 Ghz) but its not hurting anything. I'd buy another one. Just build it as big as your budget can bear! So in a year its not totally outdated.

[Dukes69]

I'm not looking for something that will pilot the Mar's rocket

Who is this Mar guy anyway? and how big is his rocket?

[mikeythefireman]

He's the God of War. I'm guessing his rocket is as big as he wants it to be since he's a god and all.

[sarah]

This guy rocks!
http://www.integrity-pc.com/

He has built enough computers to need a spreadsheet to count them.
You can also get a really REALLY REALLY good deal on some that are being turned back in from leasing plans. That's what I'm going to get from him. Tell Aaron I sent you!

[NAILER341]

buy your computer at COSCO. you jet a 6 month exchange warranty, and the manufacturers warranty. you wont find the exchange ANYWHERE!

[mischifdad]

Mikey,

I say just take a few hours and read up on "how to build your own personal pc".There's tons of websites that will explain and show you all you need to know about computers.

I'll never buy another Dell,HP,Compaq or any name brand pc due to proprietary parts they all use,which sux to the consumer when they want to do a upgrade.

The only good thing about buying one from a major company is you get a nice bundle of software,most of which you will probably never use.

You'll have fun building your own.It'll be better built,faster,and custom made to your needs with only parts you choose.You will be able to upgrade witout dealing with expensive proprietary hardware or hours of phone support.

CPU's are dirt cheap right now due to Intel and AMD new cores coming out.

I did and will never look back.

[seapahn]

It really depends on the type of personality you have and your level of knowledge/comfort level dealing with electronics and computer components. Putting together a custom PC is not for everyone. Trying to track down all the drivers, correct bios and firmware versions, resolving instability issues with the various DRAM and chipset configurations, as well as power issues is not a trivial task.

Don't get me wrong, as mentioned above, it's a great way to put together a PC completely tailored to your needs as well as knowing exactly what you have in there ... but if it's your first, it won't be like buying components, slapping them together, and installing an OS. It's a lot more involved than that ... so do it only if you have the time, the patience, and the desire to go track down potential problems. It may take days to put one together and have it run in a stable way.

A lot of people slap together PCs and think they have a working system while there are many nasty instabilities that give them random crashes and lock ups which later on they attribute to windows or something. The problem may well be unstable hardware or a glitchy/weak power supply.

If you do decide to go that route, I would HIGHLY encourage you to read up before buying stuff and do NOT get the cheapest thing out there. In the PC market, profit margins are very low and you really do get what you pay for.

[mikeythefireman]

Thanks for the advice everyone. We managed to get our old computer up and running. I'm still thinking we'll upgrade it soon, but I don't know which route we'll take right now.

I'm not sure I have the patience to build one from scratch, but if this one is working and I don't need a new one, I might be able to scare up some patience from somewhere to build one.