Need NEW computer advise...

[rn240sx]

Well, the wife was gonna buy me a new DELL computer, but she didnt know what model to buy me so she just told me to find out which one i need and she would buy it for xmas.Now, i currently own a (POS) compaq presario model 7470 and its about a good 5 yrs old. It does its job, the only thing is I cannot play any games on it. The games im talking about is like (wheel of fortune, jeopardy, sims, etc.)Nothing hardcore and no playstation type games. These are gameshow type family games. And i cant play them cause it freeze's up this computer when we start them up to play. I did buy some extra RAM chips but that didnt help. I know its a 500mhz processor with 312M ram. Like i said, its OLD.

I really want to buy a dell, but im not sure if the Base 2400 is better than what i have now...

The only things i really do on this computer is just get on-line, download street race video's from the forums, play the above games i mentioned, burn a music cd once or twice a year, and i wana be able to watch CATV on my computer. We dont really do any hardcore stuff on this computer...

If anyone can help me out here, id appreciate it.

ThanksRobert

[Rockenreno]

Anything Dell sells will be an upgrade for you and play those simple games. A 500mHz processor is about 6 year old technology. You probably won't get anything under 2.5gHz (2500 mHz) if you go Pentium.

Oh, and you just need a $30 TV capture card or ATi All In Wonder video card for watching TV.

[rn240sx]

Well, is it my entire computer that is not letting me play these "SIMPLE" games..??

I was told it was my ram memory that was holding me back so i went out and spent $100 on more ram and that didnt help... I was pissed..!!

Now, i tried to ask Compaq what exactly was inside my computer, that way when i bought my DELL, i would not buy it with the same crap in it as this compaq.. and they would not tell me. Is this 6yr old computer that outdated..??

[Jesda]

Needs a new motherboard, CPU, RAM (because your old stuff isnt compatible) and video card. Preferably a new hard drive too.

Unless youre a hobbyist (like me) or you come across a lot of leftover parts (like me) Just dump it and buy new. I like Gateway, personally. Even a $500 hardware expenditure plus $80 for a video card will bring you well up to date.

[cnickk]

wow

[rn240sx]

Im definitly trying to dump this POS, but i wana make sure that even the Dell 2400 will be able to play those games.. Thats my main concern is being able to play those games. And if the 2400 will do that with ease, then thats what ill get.

[accel junky]

Dell's are great. Everyone I've worked on has been painless.

[PoorManQ45]

Well, is it my entire computer that is not letting me play these "SIMPLE" games..??

I'd bet $10 that it's your video card, or lack thereof. Compaq computers usually have built in graphics chips. Now, these are fine for Word processing and email, but as you have found out, it is not good for even the most basic games.

Six years old. Hmmm. 500Mhz.. Hm... That would put you at a pentium 3 running on a 133 or 166 Front Side Bus. Or an AMD K6 running at 100 or 133Mhz FSB. Since it's a Compaq, I am going to assume that it is the pentium because 6 years ago, Intel and Compaq had a contract that limited Compaq to only using Pentium compatible equipment.

6 years ago.. Hmm.. Accelerated Graphics port was widely implimented in what? 97, 98? So, it is possible that you have an AGP slot, but I highly doubt that because Compaq intentionally limited your upgrading capabilities.

You definetely have a PCI slot, and possibly even an ISA slot.

So, if you don't want to drop alot of money on a new computer, I would suggest buying a PCI Graphics card for $50 or less.

Have you ever taken a computer apart before? Have you ever wanted to? If so, I can help you put together a bitchin computer for about $500. And I can guarantee you that it will blow any of those OEM computers, in the same price range, out of the water

[cnickk]

pain=gateway from the time they changed their name from "gateway2000". all the cases would cut you like a razor so sharp you dont know till you see blood and wonder where its coming from. the two top 5 1/4 bays had two holes to push in to take the front cover off, and your thumb is done if your an idiot

[Rockenreno]

Any Dell should do what you want. I would suggest at least the following: 512 MB RAM, any video card (not integrated graphics), and a 40gb hard drive. The rest probably won't matter for you. Yes, you're computer is really *that* old and out of date. I've bought two new computers for myself since my 500mHz PC. As a general rule, your PC should be replaced about every 3 years if you are a basic user. Someone who needs to play advanced games needs to get a new PC every 1-2 years. You could get a computer that will do everything you need for $500-$700 and be good for a few years.

[rn240sx]

PoorManQ45:

Give me ur email address so we can talk about building this computer or email me at [email protected]

[PoorManQ45]

You can email me at [email protected]

Are you can talk to me on AIM, my screenname is SirWarlord .

Or, you could just post on Nico and myself and a few of the other knowledgable computer guys could chime in.

[rn240sx]

Money is not really an issue right now, my main concern is to get a computer that can play those simple games. I have heard nothing but good from DELL computers. But if i can have one built BETTER than a dell for a cheaper price than what they ask for, then thats the route i will go.

If im gonna have a unit built, then i need to know what the minimum standards i should stay on.

EX:Should i use a celeron processor or go with a pentium...Will 256M ram be enough or should i go wioth 520 or more..??Can the video card be integrated or does it need to be a card and if it should be a card, what specs should the card have..??

When i bought my computer 6 yrs ago, it was the tyop of the line "according" to them...

Now its obviously outdated and i cant even play simple wheel of fortune or geopardy... Im paying for high speed DSL (~3.0Mps) and my computer cant even support those speeds..

Back to money, i dont wana spend $2000 on a system if im only using it for simple family type games and simply web surfing..But i do wana be caught up to date.

If i were to custom build it, what do i get..??If i were to get the Dell, which model..??

[DAEDALUS]

Dell was selling low-end systems for like $350 that would do everything you need it to. There's no reason to go top-of-the-line for simple games, Office tools and web surfing. No tax to most states and free shipping often. Dell buys their componenets in bulk; they do a very good job of making sure that building it yourself won't save you much money.

[DAEDALUS]

How does this sound?

DellSB - Dimension 3000 w/ 2.8Ghz P4, 512MB of DDR SDRAM, 80GB HD, 48x CD-RW, and 2 Year Warranty for $349 after Rebate w/ FREE Shipping.

The only catch is that this is from Dell Small Business, so you have to pay your state's sales tax. It's a bargain.

[PoorManQ45]

Bah... Daedulus, there's one really big problem with Dell, and other OEM computer "manufacturers". And that is that you don't truly know what you are getting. Yeah, they tell you the Processor, RAM, Hard Drive, and a few other things, but they don't tell you exactly what Motherboard you are getting. I don't like not knowing what motherboard I'm getting.

The problem with not knowing everything that is in your computer is that you don't know how upgradable it is. I mean, does it have 1,2,3,4 or more PCI slots for expansion? How many extra ATA/SATA plugs/connections are there? They usually don't tell you that.

But, I don't think that this applies to rn240sx . I think that the computer that Daedulus is talking about will be sufficient for what you wish to do. Can you give a link Daedulus?

rn240sx, if you'd still like to build your own PC, feel free to contact me.

[Jesda]

Robert: Thats a steal!

Call Dell. They will answer all of those detailed questions. Plus, the warranty is nice.

[MaineExport]

There are 2 Dell's in my family that are both less than 3 years old.

BOTH have had new hard drives installed.

Overall I have been EXTREMELY impressed with Dell and their willingness to correct THEIR problem... but I just figured I'd give you a heads-up.

It's entirely possible we just got 2 unlucky computers with defective hard drives. Regardless, Dell fixed the problems FOR FREE!

[PoorManQ45]

You may have gotten Dell computers that had IBM Desk(Death)star Hard drives in them, Deskstar HD are known for failure.

[MaineExport]

That could be...

I know I saved it. It's in a pile of used junk electronics I keep in the basement.

I'll have to dig around and find out who made it!

As for my father's hard drive... the Dell tech kept it.

[BadMojo]

You may have gotten Dell computers that had IBM Desk(Death)star Hard drives in them, Deskstar HD are known for failure.

That's a vicious rumor. I had a Deskstar and, oh wait...it croaked after about a year.

My dad had one too and his...yeah, that's right, it bit the dust too.

The Dell that Daedalus mentioned would be more than enough to mess around on the web and play some simple games. At the price, you could easily snag a nice LCD (prices are coming down and LCDs are nice if you have limited space and aren't a hardcore gamer) and TV tuner card and still be under $700.

[Jesda]

I also had an expired Deskstar. Was in a Thinkpad 365 from 1996. Drive died in 1997. The replacement they sent also died, a month after the warranty expired.

[DAEDALUS]

http://service.bfast.com/bfast...o=993

Sponsored ad from another website. Click on the link, and it'll give you the option of customizing it. Go barebones for the $350 price, or do some upgrades as you see fit, such as higher processor, bigger hard drive, CD burner for $29, etc. Don't forget the rebate! $100 back.

[driverdriver]

Don't buy Dell, HP/Compaq or IBM, these companies are offshore outsourcing American jobs by the thousands to third world countries. Do you really wan't to support a manufacturer who are replacing educated Americans with cheap foreign labor in order to drive up profits and fat bonuses for their CEO's???

[PoorManQ45]

Don't buy Dell, HP/Compaq or IBM, these companies are offshore outsourcing American jobs by the thousands to third world countries. Do you really wan't to support a manufacturer who are replacing educated Americans with cheap foreign labor in order to drive up profits and fat bonuses for their CEO's???

OMG... There is nothing wrong with Outsoursing. Outsourcing leads to cheaper products because in other countries, what is basically slave labor can be used.

And with the fall of the US dollar relative to currencies around the world, many foreigners are traveling to the US on vacations. And guess what they're doing. They are spending money and actually feeding the US economy.

Also, you should stop trying to get those crappy jobs that are being outsourced. The only jobs that will soon be left will be financial management, Investing, lawyers, and fast food. Lawyers will always be here because of this stupid habit that Americans have. They like to sue each other at the drop of a hat. Financial Management will be around because Americans are just plain stupid and don't know how to manage their money. So they pay someone else to do it for them. Fast Food will always be around because Americans are just so damn lazy. They can't even spend 30minutes cooking their own food, they have to pay someone else to cook up a solidified pile of grease/fat for them. And last, and definitely most important, Investing will always be around. Be it in the Stock market, real estate, or anything else that appreciates in value.

So, get one of those jobs that I just mentioned and stop being a little beotch and enjoy the cheap prices caused by outsourcing.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I hate Dell. Dell is a pain in the ***, unless you don't want to touch anything inside or mess with anything, or upgrade yourself. I've never had a Dell that wasn't an utter POS. NO name brand is worth buying. Go down to the corner computer shop (yes, there is such thing now) and tell them what you need it to do. They'll offer you an equivalent warrantee, BETTER customer service (Dell's sucks...they talk to you as though you can't tell a button from a monitor) and you won't have to ship the computer to them to get it fixed, you can just throw in on the backseat and take it there. They will also normally offer a price match, so you can find a Dell that fits your needs and take the specs in. They should build the same thing for less, same warantee, smarter people (they usually hire hobbyists like me and Jesda who do it for fun more than anything) and they'll be right there when you need something, instead of having to depend on telephones and email.

Trust me, brand name computers are to be avoided like a terrible contagious plague. Don't get one.

[DAEDALUS]

I heartily disagree! My parents and I each own both Dell PCs and laptops, 4 machines in all. The PCs we've had for just over 2 years, the laptops just under 2 years. No problems whatsoever related to the hardware (though my parents need to be walked through some software issues every now and then ). The PCs have the common 5 PCI slots and I've upgraded both. The cases are very easy to swing open for access. I'm only disappointed in the laptops for having a single PCMCIA slot (and no serial port), but with USB becoming prevalent, it's not that big an issue. I only have 3 PCMCIA devices, 2 of which I rarely use. The only problem we've ever had with Dell was with a harddrive that crashed back in 1997 (was it a Deathstar?). I lost the data, but the tech was out there within a day to replace it for free. I agree customer service isn't what it used to be, but still very good. The cost to ship a PC from CA to TX is about $15 via surface, so not that big a deal.As far as price, you really think a local shop can match it? Not here, that's for sure. A local computer shop has listings in the company flyer. Their machine that most closesly matches the Dell specs (almost as good) is listed at $550. I really doubt they would agree to take almost 40% off their advertised price. Dell is the Walmart of the PC business, the 800 lb gorilla.

[MinisterofDOOM]

For shipping, it's not the price that's bad, its the time...and careless shipping companies. There's nothing worse than wondering where and in what shape your expensive computer is in.

http://www.superiorcomputers.comEDIT: not the right URL...gotta find it, hang on...I can't find it...I'll look at my receipt when I get back home, it's got it printed on it.

Built me a Athlon 64 2.4ghz, Radeon 9800 Pro (128mb) with DVDdrive, 512 RAM, 52xIforgotx52cdrw, four high power USB 2.0, and firewire for only $1800. That was back in June or July, when the Athlon 64 was new and (more) expensive. That's DAMN good. Came with XP Pro. Anything goes wrong, I drive for five minutes and drop it off. Pick it up a day or two later. And they said if I brought in any price from and major manufacturer, they would match it. But they had it beat to begin with. And their wiring is clean, the case is very well ventilated, with big twin case fans. The only beef I have with it is that the CD recording software it came with was Nero. Nero sucks monkey balls. Fortunately, I have my old Sony software from the old P 200 (now dissected to retrieve the hdd and zip drives...no longer worth a damn anyhow), and I threw that on there...works fine...much better than nero. The computer has had zero problems, but my parents, like yours, need to be taught some basic maintenance and software lessons. (Periodic defrag, not letting my sister install every IM prog under the sun, keeping the systray clean, that sort of stuff).

[Jesda]

Dell's on-site service plan is nothing short of awesome. In 24 hours had a guy out to fix broken plastics and tighten up the screen hinges on an Inspiron 8000.

[rn240sx]

The way I see it, it will be A LOT easier to just un-plug the computer and drive 15 minutes to the local computer shop and drop it off. Rather than shipping it out via UPS or fed ex or whom ever i go thru, then have to wait till it gets their, then wait till its actually LOOKED at cause god only knows how many other computers are in line B4 mine waiting to get serviced... Then they call me up to tell me that the part is not in stock and i have to wait another couple of days for them to get it, then they have to install the new part, then ship it back out to me.. And this is WORST CASE SCENERIO..!!

At least if i went to the local shop here, i know up front how much it can be upgraded when they build it for me.

My brother has a custom built computer and his has been problem free for well over 2 years.

I think im better off getting one built from scratch will good internals, rather than getting a company made computer with internals that i have never heard of...