Computers: What would you do?

[Hot Lips]

I have a Toshiba Tecra
Intlel Pentium III
1.13 GHz
384 MB of RAM
OS: XP

I'm debating if I want to get a new laptop or a desktop. I rarely remove my laptop from my desk, but it's nice to have the option. I would like something that doesn't bog down when I'm working on large graphics.

Then again, I get buy with what I have and I could spend some $ and just buy Office 2003 and some other apps I'd like to upgrade.

Or, I just leave the money in the bank and save for a shag pad that I'll actually own.

I can't decide. *twirls hair*

[Death.]

Large graphics? Best thing for that would be a LOT of RAM and a decent processor, 1.13 ghz isn't much if you plan to be running multiple programs that require alot of resources. what kind of graphics work do you do?

There are really nice laptops out there, you can get one made to your spec from dell, but be prepared to spend atleast $1,000 for anything over mediocre quality

[narbilistic]

Your laptop sounds like it's from the stone age. Time to get a new laptop, Dell has some good deals and also coupons you can save like $750 when you spend $1999. http://www.gottadeal.com/Page/2

[Hot Lips]

I actually get a discount on Dell's through my new place of business so that's an option.

I do odd jobs for online clients. Full color flyers, etc. Working on something that's just 8.5"x11" 300 dpi can be a killer when I start working in layers.

[scrybe]

I do odd jobs for online clients.


Teeheehee, you girls are making it too easy today.

What's your budget..... for the computer, I mean.

[Death.]

Then I would suggest a nice dell laptop, with atleast a 2.4ghz + processor (I'd go over 3ghz personally..better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it), and get one with 2GB of ram. I don't think graphics cards are all that important as long as you aren't dealing with animations and such, but you may want one that can handle a pretty high resolution.

I'm more of a desktop person myself, so I don't know all-that on the laptops, but my brother just got a custom dell for around 1,700$ (3,000 before discounts through business + coupon), with enough stuff packed inside it to make pc nerd cry.

[Conga]

Then again, I get buy with what I have and I could spend some $ and just buy Office 2003 and some other apps I'd like to upgrade.

http://www.openoffice.org/

[James]

The 20th century called. It wants the abucus back.

[Hot Lips]

Scrybe & James!!!! ;)


Thanks guys that gives me something to think about. I don't think I'd want to spend more than $2k and less if I can help it. I'll shop around for a bit longer since this laptop is still doing OK by me, but I know it won't last and I really want to upgrade to all the MS 2003 products so I can practice for my certifications and work on the same versions I use at work.

[scrybe]

$2k as a budget will give you plenty of options. You could buy a REALLY nice desktop for that, or a really good laptop. The best value in computers is always to buy technology about 6 months to a year after it has hit the market. That way the initial price has dropped significantly, but you are still buying something that will be up to date for a good 3 to 4 years.

[Aerosoul]

$2K is a good budget as scrybe said. make sure you get at the very least 1GB of RAM, though.

[Name Taken]

A 2k destop would be a killer machine - if you bought the parts and had someone put it together for you

[Ria]

I would go for the laptop HL...I continually find myself wishing I had my own so I could go out to say, Barnes and Noble and do my homework. That sounds silly, but it really is convenient and you find yourself able to use it in places you can't with a desktop. And if you travel it's always good to have it of course. It acts as a desktop and a moveable, accessible machine. love it.

The problems with laptops is you have to bother with wireless internet if you want full use of it (it's not hard at all though); laptops also don't have nearly as much disk space as a desktop. But I could be wrong...how many gigs does the average laptop have? I think you can get upgrades though, if you're running out of space.

[Death.]

Well you can order the hard drive you want with your laptop..100 gb should be enough for the average person, who doesn't install 20 games on their PC

[K2-Kelly]

Without hesitation go to a "local" PC shop and give them the specs of what you want them to build........Myself I looked at Dell, Gateway etc., yet they all seriously lacked this that or the other thing and they're not flexible enough to add it in.......So had a PC shop build one.......Load all the software.....Debug......Put in everything I wanted and more......Cost?

$50.00 over parts.......Impossible to beat (though is a desktop, not a laptop) and came out much cheaper then the Dell that didn't have what I wanted.

[K2-Kelly]

Well you can order the hard drive you want with your laptop..100 gb should be enough for the average person, who doesn't install 20 games on their PC

Not really......as with each improvement in drive size, the software folks seem to feel they can turn the old 20Mb program into a 120Mb.....Without any change to speak of.......What I suggest instead however if going with a desktop would be numerous hard drives.......Those hard drives also partitioned as it speeds up searching. Myself, I have (of the newer drives 6 total) 3 80Gb each partitioned at 40/20/20Mb for that very reason.

[EvanL]

This thread is attracting alot of unwanted attention from the nerds HotLips.
I suggest we get Farmgirl to close it.

[farmgirl]

This thread is attracting alot of unwanted attention from the nerds HotLips.
I suggest we get Farmgirl to close it.


I'm sorry, Evan.... I'm too busy baking pies to close this thread.....

[EvanL]

I'm sorry, Evan.... I'm too busy baking pies to close this thread.....
That's alright FG.
You're pies require vast amounts of attention and time. They are very much worth it.

[farmgirl]

That's alright FG.
You're pies require vast amounts of attention and time. They are very much worth it.


how right you are, evan.....

On the other hand... my man is traveling parts of Maine in a 33' RV with two other guys tonight, so I guess I don't have to make any pies for a couple of weeks.... :(

[EvanL]

how right you are, evan.....

On the other hand... my man is traveling parts of Maine in a 33' RV with two other guys tonight, so I guess I don't have to make any pies for a couple of weeks.... :(
I bet he has to sleep on the bottom bunk too.

[farmgirl]

I bet he has to sleep on the bottom bunk too.


last night he slept on a loveseat.... keep in mind... he's 6'3".... I wouldn't want to sleep on a loveseat, and I'm 5'6"

[EvanL]

last night he slept on a loveseat.... keep in mind... he's 6'3".... I wouldn't want to sleep on a loveseat, and I'm 5'6"
I once woke up in a love seat naked with some girls room-mate staring me right in the face.

[farmgirl]

I once woke up in a love seat naked with some girls room-mate staring me right in the face.


let's get this thread back on track.... what kind of computer did she have?

[EvanL]

let's get this thread back on track.... what kind of computer did she have?
I don;t know. But I lent her my hard drive. And I helped her fix the problem she had with her clicker.

[scrybe]

You're pies require vast amounts of attention and time. They are very much worth it.

He's absolutely right. FG's pies are always made with love, but no one ever seems to realize how much effort is required to put love into a pie.

[*TeUFeL*]

you need a new computer bro

if you have the money, get a mac, they are perfect for graphics and that kind of heavy app
if you dont, go ahead and customize a dell, ull get what u want and what u can pay, and u get the support

[scrybe]

First off, she's not a "bro".

Secondly, for the love of god, don't get a Mac.


To clarify: Macs = good, Mac = horrible overpriced peices of hipster crap

[Chuckie]

Well when you go to purchase Microsoft Office 2003, you can get the Student and Teacher version for a few hundred dollars less than what you'd normally pay. This place has the whole package for $134.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832102528

It's just for students and teachers though, ***wink, wink***.

[Lamer]

pirate the software and buy better hardware instead (If can do it)
unles you need lincensed programs for some reason

[wulfstan]

I'd go for the shag pad option.






What?

[CPLHUNTER]

Hit ebay and check out Dells there. I picked up my laptop a Dell C640 for under $600 and I love it.

It has 2.4 Ghz processor, 512 RAM and 533 front side bus, ATI graphics card and a wireless card.

Just be sure to grill the seller about the battery. Alot of people selling used laptops won't mention that it won't hold a charge or it only stays up for an 1hr

Here's a link to a similiar auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Latitude-C640-2-2GHz-P4-m-512M-40G-CDRW-DVD-XP_W0QQitemZ103001577982QQihZ013QQcategoryZ42201QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[VISTREL]

if you are working with large graphics files you need RAM and processor speed. Go for higher processor and at least 1GB of ram...512 won't do.

I have P4 3GHZ with 1GB at work, and it's a lot slower in Photoshop than my AMD4000 with 2GB at home. The last one opens photoshop files in like several seconds (PSD files > 5MB)

[CPLHUNTER]

I agree, I don't do much graphics work on my laptop. I save my desktop for that.

However, you can always upgrade the RAM. The bus speed also makes a difference.

[K2-Kelly]

I agree, I don't do much graphics work on my laptop. I save my desktop for that.

However, you can always upgrade the RAM. The bus speed also makes a difference.

Actually that's one of the issues I had with off the shelf PC's.....For many the motherboards were really the limiting factor. In kind, anymore if you're doing anything of consequence you should consider a gig of ram as a minimum.....More ram is IMLTHO often the best value improvement for the buck...More always better.

[dacanadianbomb]

Doing graphical editing ?

RAM RAM and then a large sideorder of RAM.
make that a double order of RAM.
The problems occur when you work with multiple large files that in total exceed the amount of RAM in the machine.Then you get the swap file action on the HDD happening, and then your going to come to a grinding halt.


Off the shelf PC's usually have a very crappy MB in them, and that really hampers the expansion possibilies in the future.
Beware of Motherboards that are cheap but only have 2 RAM slots .Get one with 4 slots.Get one that can actually do dual channel stuff for the rams you are going to buy.The higher the takt frequency the better.

Your only as fast as the slowest link.

If your really goign to get into the harcore editing stuff as a fll time living, I would suggest then looking into very strong graphic cards.

[c62]

HL, if you're getting a new computer(PC or Laptop) wait until the dual core chips come down in price to where you can afford one. Most dual core Laptops are around $2500(a PC would be less). That will also include many other very nice options such as lots of RAM, hard drive capacity, etc... Dual core chips scream, get an AMD if possible, otherwise the Intel are good too.

P.S. Conga, good call about openoffice. Good program, and free.

[Herrmannek]

ram counts, buy more ram everything will speed up, other than that your comp is okey.... 1gig ram is okey for home use, more ram will stop system from using swap partition on the disk... doing computer ghraphics(2d ) isn't realy a real time task, so the few seconds you will loose when apllying filters versus new puter shouldn't drive you crazy....

[Laworkerbee]

The 20th century called. It wants the abucus back.

LOL!!!

HL why not try upgrading your memory first to say a Gigbyte and clean up your programs running in the background, it should speed you up and be cost effective.