Dell PC’s
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Category: News And Views
Forum Name: Thoughts and Opinions
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Topic: Dell PC’s
Posted By: DeTrevni
Subject: Dell PC’s
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:31pm
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Well, there are a lot of computer wizes here, and I need some help. I'm going into the media arts/animation business for a career choice, and I need a good computer. My cousin, who works computers for a living, said he can build me a good computer for my animation/3D modelling needs for around $600. 2 conditions though: - It's gonna be a Dell Now I hear a lot of people complaining about both of previously mentioned conditions. But I forget why. Could you fill me in on what's so bad about each? I know viruses and such for the PC, but my cousin says Dells are actually good computers. Any thoughts? Edit: Please keep in mind, I'm not very computer literate. ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell" 
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Replies:
Posted By: mbro
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:32pm
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What? ------------- 
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos. |
Posted By: Darur
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:37pm
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Hes not building you a PC, hes buying you one . . . Anyway, PCs really are fine for modeling, provided you can afford the programs (usually Maya or 3DSM). I will say you can't expect to go far fast with a $600 PC, are you talking about a computer to mess around with, or to use for school, or actually using to make your models and render them on? Either way, I'd recommend you invest more money and you actually build a PC, not get your cousin to buy you one. ------------- Real Men play Tuba [IMG]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1859/newsmall6xz.jpg"> PH33R TEH 1337 Dwarf! http://www.tippmann.com/forum/wwf77a/log_off_user.asp" rel="nofollow - DONT CLICK ME!!1 |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:41pm
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Well, what it is, is he works for some company or other that is supplied by Dell, so he is building it, but out of dell parts, or something like that. And $600 is more or less a deal, he says. He says that is the cost of a pretty basic system, but can be built up some more with a little more cash. He's a respectable guy, I trust him to not jip me. And he also says he can get me the 3D programs too. I don't know "how" he's gonna get them for me, or if it's gonna cost me, but I'm just telling it like he said it. I anticipate on using the computer for basic school work, and will probably eventually use it for rendering and such. But I understand that won't be right away with a $600 computer, but I can upgrade as needed. ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: Shub
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:45pm
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How will he build you a Dell? Dells come pre-built...anyway, even if it is a Dell, regardless of what many people say here, I don't think they are bad computers...the problem is generally speaking, they are kind of cheap, which isn't necessarily bad, but it all depends on where they skimp.
Many low price Dells have Celeron or Sempron CPU chips in them. These are the 'economy' level chips from Intel and AMD. A Celeron processor will be okay to run your browser software and word processor. But if you are buying it to run modelling software, make sure that you have a Pentium or Athlon series chip. |
Posted By: Darur
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:51pm
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Ask him for the specs of this PC, its possible it will be worth it. Dell's sometimes or often have shoddy parts, plus they are very limited with what you can do with them to upgrade them, but the same can be said of any assembled computer. It should be noted if you plan on doing modeling as a career, the industry uses Maya and 3D Studio Max for the most part, so if your going to learn it, those are the best options. The downside is they each cost a lot. If hes simply going to be slapping dell parts together, I'd recommend you try to get a Processor, RAM and maybe a graphics card cheap from dell, then ask him to pick out a new motherboard and power supply from newegg or somewhere like that. The dell motherboards will be your main limitation when you upgrade. ------------- Real Men play Tuba [IMG]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1859/newsmall6xz.jpg"> PH33R TEH 1337 Dwarf! http://www.tippmann.com/forum/wwf77a/log_off_user.asp" rel="nofollow - DONT CLICK ME!!1 |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:55pm
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He said he can put in a Pentium processor in there. Well, I don't know how he's gonna "build" one for me. Maybe he's gonna get a basic Dell for cheap and upgrade it for me. I trust him to do it, I've seen a computer he built, it was pretty nice (as far as I know.) Another option, in case he is giving me some poo, is building my own. Problem is, I honestly don't have the slightest idea how. Any good way to learn about computers? Or should I just peruse Newegg and Tigerdirect for reviews? I have a general idea on how they work, but I'm not a tech wiz. Or just buying a prebuilt and learning to up it. ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: choopie911
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:56pm
| I personally think using Maya on a $600 computer would be annoying more than anything. |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 13 May 2007 at 11:57pm
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What's a good basic system I can upgrade from? ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: Darur
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 12:05am
I tend to come from the mindset that you should learn how to build them yourself. Its not terribly hard, but it will take a long time. A great place to lurk for this stuff is http://www.ocforums.com/index.php - ocforums . They are very friendly and helpful over there. I have no idea how much you know about PCs, so I'd recommend you just read up on what the components are, then start reading up on brands and what each brand offers you. Wikipedia is very helpful here. Hopefully by the time your ready to build, you'll have saved up enough money to make a very nice rig. I will say though that unless that dell is being sold to you for half what they'd charge, you'll have a hard time working with it. ------------- Real Men play Tuba [IMG]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1859/newsmall6xz.jpg"> PH33R TEH 1337 Dwarf! http://www.tippmann.com/forum/wwf77a/log_off_user.asp" rel="nofollow - DONT CLICK ME!!1 |
DeTrevni wrote:Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 12:11am
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Well, there we go. Problem solved. Now I just have to keep myself from wasting money until I figure out what I want. I want to build a computer myself, if for anything but to get a feel of it. I may just buy a n33t case and stuff my old E-Machine in there, just to get a feel of assembly. Needless to say, when I figure out what I'm doing, the E-Machine crap is probably gonna get tossed... ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: mod98commando
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 2:33am
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Since the computer is primarily used for 3d rendering and simple work apps, I would suggest putting the most money towards the processor and memory. You can get by with a crappy video card or even integrated video (built into the motherboard) since 3d rendering is done by the processor. I just took a modeling class myself last semester using Blender (nice, free program to learn with) and upgrading to a dual-core processor was awesome for that. I used to have an athlon 64 3500+ and then I upgraded to an opteron 165 and overclocked the crap out of it. Since the opteron has 2 cores, it can literally render at twice the speed of the other chip at the same frequency when running multiple threads. Blender supports up to 8 threads and I'm sure Maya and 3D studio support at least 2. If that doesn't make much sense then think of a CPU with multiple cores as basically just multiple CPU's combined. You could build a computer similar to the one I'm using right now for probably around $1000. Mine was made for gaming in addition to school work and 3d rendering so there is the added expense of video cards and such but you don't need that. If you want to make something cheap, I would look into the older AMD stuff (socket 939) or intel's LGA775. The last generation of AMD stuff is pretty cheap now since intel kicked the crap out of it with the Core2 line of chips but you can find those fairly cheap in some places too. I would price both and see what an intel system would cost compared to AMD. Look up benchmarks (performance tests) and reviews for the specific hardware you plan on buying too. I've been building computers for a few years now so if you have questions, feel free to ask. My email is vscuorzo@hotmail.com, i'll respond to an email sooner than a forum post since I may not see it. I have a terrible addiction to computer stuff so I don't mind answering a buttload of questions, even the noob ones  .My favorite computer hardware sites: www.newegg.com www.tigerdirect.com www.zipzoomfly.com (prices may be slightly higher but there is no shipping charge, which usually makes up for it) www.xoxide.com One last thing, don't buy a pre-built unless you are really uncomfortable putting one together yourself. I got a Dell last year to use at school since I didn't have time to make one (and we got a school discount) but I ended up regretting it quite a bit. The thing worked fine but since I'm also into gaming, that thing just couldn't take what I was throwing at it. When I took a look inside to see what kind of upgrades I could get, I almost threw it at the wall. The computer industry has a lot of standards when it comes to hardware. For example, the motherboard almost always mounts on the right side of the case with the back panel and connectors at the top left corner of the board. Dell found it necessary to have foxconn make some retarted motherboard for them that reversed this, making the case basically useless unless you used that motherboard. To make things worse, the motherboard didn't let you overclock or really do much of anything. You might say that overclocking is no big deal but it can actually save you quite a bit of money and cut down render times significantly. My $180 opteron comes clocked at 1.8GHz out of the box and I got it to 2.6GHz, the same speed as the FX60 which goes for like $400. A lot of people with this chip got it over 3GHz too, making it even faster than the FX60. Anyway, the point is, Dell likes to gimp their computers in terms of hardware because they don't want you to upgrade, they want you to buy a completely new one. I suggest you indirectly tell them to shove their backwards motherboards up their "butt" by making your own PC. Even if it's a tad more expensive, it will probably pay off in the long run when you're looking for a slight upgrade since you can reuse a lot of stuff. ------------- oreomann33: Everybody invades Poland Rofl_Mao: And everyone eats turkey Me: But only if they're hungary Mack: Yeah but hungary people go russian through their food and end up with greece on everyth |
Posted By: Panda Man
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 2:43am
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also look into a Intel Duo. Those are extremly nice, usually I'm all "AMD all the way" but since your not really doing much... usually an Intel motherboard is alot easier and cheaper to come by.
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Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 2:43am
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Crap. That was really helpful. Thanks. I may just have to drop you a line! ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: Darur
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 3:53am
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Mod98, your post is excellent, but I disagree with recommending a socket 939 processor. I'm not a fan of chasing the latest technology, but if hes planning to upgrade, AM2 is the perfect platform to do so from. AM3 is coming out in less then a year, supporting DDR3 quad cores and completely new architecture. Its going to be backwards compatible with the older boards. This way, once AM3 drops in price, he can pick up a very nice AM3 CPU for a fair price, then upgrade his mobo and RAM when he has more money. Also, you wont be able to overclock on really any OEM mobo. I learned this the hard way two years ago =\. While I would usually tote overclocking as the perfect solution to his problems, in this case it would probably be a bad idea. To do it effectively, you need a decent mobo, not top of the line of course, but at least something which will clock nicely and regulate voltages properly. You also need to spend extra on a nicer power supply to be safe, although you should do that with any PC. Finally, you really should have decent RAM, not the high end super low timing sticks, but not the mystery sticks you usually find in OEM PCs. Granted again its not entirely needed, but if your planning on OCing, you should take these into consideration. Also, as much as I like OCing for helping to bring slower processors up to par with faster ones, it doesn't matter how fast your processor can run if the architecture is crap (Too much to explain in one post). This is why Pentium 4-Ds running at 3.5+GHz are blown out of the water by the new Core2Duos running at 2.5GHz. This shouldn't really affect you, just something to bring up. I would advise you do NOT throw away your e-machine. It won't be much use for your new build, but you never know when you might need/want a second rig. Plus you can always turn it into something useful such as a server. ------------- Real Men play Tuba [IMG]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1859/newsmall6xz.jpg"> PH33R TEH 1337 Dwarf! http://www.tippmann.com/forum/wwf77a/log_off_user.asp" rel="nofollow - DONT CLICK ME!!1 |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:08am
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Well, http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3092546&Sku=A455-2138%20A - here's that Socket 939 Mod98 was talking about. And http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3074349&CatId=332 - here's the AM2 that Darur was talking about. I can afford both barebones, and I don't really know which way to go. Upgrading is good, and Darur said the AM2 was the best for that? Ugh. I have so much to learn... ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: High Voltage
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:26am
| Screw Dell. Build your own, pansy. |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:26am
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I'm pretty sure we established that's what I was gonna do... ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: High Voltage
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:31am
| I know, it just had to be said. Dell really does suck that hard. |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:32am
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I see. ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: mod98commando
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:57am
You bring up a lot of good points but I didn't want to overwhelm the guy .
When do you need this computer built by? If you don't need it before the summer ends, I would wait a little longer to see what AMD and Intel release. I think there were some things planned for the summer and that will not only introduce new options but it will drive prices down on the older stuff too. However, if you need something now, you have Intel's LGA775 and AMD's AM2/939 to choose from. I would look into a system built around each one and see what they cost and what kind of performance you can expect. I would suggest getting a Core2 chip from intel since the performance is great and I hear they overclock very nicely as well but if they are priced a lot higher than what AMD is offering, it may not be the best choice. Last time I checked (few weeks ago), it would cost about the same to build a computer based on the latest from Intel or AMD but Intel seemed to perform better. That may have changed though so definitely double check me. Also, when pricing a socket 939 setup, make sure that you look at DDR memory and not DDR2. AMD CPU's have the memory controller built into the chip so the memory options are determined by your processor with them. Intel chips rely on the motherboard for the memory controller so for an intel setup, your motherboard will determine what memory you can use. From AMD, AM2 uses DDR2 while 939 uses DDR. From Intel, check the motherboard specs but they should all use DDR2 at this point (I think Intel ditched DDR after socket478). Again, if you get confused and need help determining compatibility, let us know. ------------- oreomann33: Everybody invades Poland Rofl_Mao: And everyone eats turkey Me: But only if they're hungary Mack: Yeah but hungary people go russian through their food and end up with greece on everyth |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 5:27am
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Well, for a few bucks more, I can grab http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2717619&CatId=2405 - this ... As for when, I'd like it ASAP, because I'm entering my degree in the fall semester, and it's a very competitive subject, so I'd like to get a jump on working everything. I should probably start by learning more about computers... ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: mod98commando
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 6:00am
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Well, since you need it soon, I'll suggest aiming for a core2 setup like the barebone kit you found but I'll check out some stuff for you and post what I find here so everybody else can double check it. I'm going to look into what AMD has planned too because if you can use an AM2 chip on an AM3 board then an AM2 setup may be a better choice. ------------- oreomann33: Everybody invades Poland Rofl_Mao: And everyone eats turkey Me: But only if they're hungary Mack: Yeah but hungary people go russian through their food and end up with greece on everyth |
Posted By: mod98commando
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 7:05am
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Here's a nice intel setup from tigerdirect: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2151751&sku=ULT33137 - Case & Power Supply http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2205987&sku=O261-9008 - Memory http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2844210&sku=T925-2034 - CPU Cooler http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2768813&sku=A455-2311 - Motherboard http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3017573&sku=CP2-DUO-E6320 - Processor It costs $36.91 to ship that stuff to me in central NJ so the total is $596.86. It isn't a kit but it is all the essentials. You can reuse your old keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard drive(s), and optical drives. All you'd have to do is set everything up and reinstall windows and you should be good to go. Technically you should also reformat your hard drive but you can probably just reinstall windows and the necessary drivers for your hardware and not have any problems. These are all brands I trust and use myself but, of course, check the reviews. Professional reviews are best but you can also take a look on newegg to see what the users think. I looked at the AM2 chips and they were a little cheaper but also didn't have as much cache memory. If they are compatible with AM3 boards though, that might not matter so much but until then, i'm gonna say intel is the way to go. ------------- oreomann33: Everybody invades Poland Rofl_Mao: And everyone eats turkey Me: But only if they're hungary Mack: Yeah but hungary people go russian through their food and end up with greece on everyth |
Posted By: FlimFlam
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 9:55am
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I lol'd... Lots of good advice being thrown around here, so I won't dilute the issue. Honestly, DeTrevni, the hardest part of assembling a PC is connecting the wires from the case (power switch, HDD LED etc.) to the motherboard. The motherboard part is always documented, but it seems that most case manufacturers use thier own "unique" lables for each of the leads. Once you get past that, it's pretty easy to assemble... and very satisfying to build your own monster machine. Be sure to do some research on the parts you're buying, to make sure everything will play nice together, and you'll be fine... ------------- 
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Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:10pm
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Well, in asking some of my computer geek friends, they suggest getting an AMD. So, do y'all think that's wise, or is there some other reason I should look into Intel? ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: Dye Playa
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:28pm
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he's not going to be building you a new computer with dell parts, he is putting in specific parts that dell offers-any one can do it, as it is standard dell procedure. just go to their website, pick a computer, and start adding to it, then dell puts it together for you. now, for 3d rendering software, the core 2 duo processor is one of the top processors on the market, and since most rendering is with the processor, this is a wise investment. most of these programs are also demanding and use a lot of physical memory (ram) to run, so it would be good to put in at least a gig, but 2 would be perfect. those are the 2 things you need a lot of, the graphics card probally won't be necessary too much, unless your gaming. the harddrive space is completly up to you, but most new computers have ample room for storage-100 gigs is probally more than enough, but you might want to play it safe, depending on how many 3d softwares your are using, as hey tend to be pretty big in size, and the files/drawings/p[lans they create also are usually quite large. dell is good, in my expirience, but if you plan on upgrading build your own, they really lock you in and make it so you can't really do much. i would spend the extra couple hundred to get a nice setup, i wouldn't cut back on a computer that you are using for school and work, as this would be really frustrating when you are trying to view a render have have to wait 12 and a half minutes until you can view the other side. good luck ------------- 
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Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 4:31pm
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I'm hearing AM2, and I'm hearing Core 2. This would be easier on me if I knew the advantages/disadvantes of each. ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: mod98commando
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 6:11pm
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At the moment, it seems that AMD has intel beat in terms of price but not performance. The AM2 chips are cheaper and may be usable when the new AM3 stuff hits the market, allowing you to follow a nice and easy upgrade path. However, I haven't found anything yet that guarantees this compatibility. Intel has AMD beat when it comes to performance but it will cost slightly more (probably about $50 or more). I'm not sure what Intel has planned for the near future but I heard rumors of something similar to what AMD plans on doing, though I don't know if they'll be changing the socket type or if you just have to flash the BIOS to use the next gen chips. Unless some more information is uncovered and it can be trusted, I would say the Core2 chips are the best way to go based on their performance. They also generally overclock well so you can explore that when you feel ready. I would personally go with a core2 setup based on the facts I'm currently certain of but if the talk about AM3 and AM2 playing nice together is true then I would have to recommend AM2 instead as the AM3 stuff looks promising. AMD also plans on releasing something they call 4x4 which would put 2 processors on one motherboard, allowing you to run two quad-core processors simultaneously. That would be a beast for rendering but costly. If you had an AM2 chip though, you could drop that in a 4x4 ready motherboard and slowly upgrade to two quad-core chips. Other than this potential upgrade path, I see no reason to choose AMD over Intel other than maybe a slight price break. Basically, since you want this fairly soon, you could gamble on an AM2 setup and hope the rumors are true about AM3 or go with Intel. It's a hard choice to make and it's probably best to wait a little to make sure you don't screw yourself down the road when you want to upgrade but if you want it now, Intel is the safe choice from what I can see.
------------- oreomann33: Everybody invades Poland Rofl_Mao: And everyone eats turkey Me: But only if they're hungary Mack: Yeah but hungary people go russian through their food and end up with greece on everyth |
Posted By: Dye Playa
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 6:34pm
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yup commando has it right. core 2 duo is better, amd is cheaper. you get what you pay for pretty much. -------------
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Posted By: Darur
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 9:47pm
Sorry M98, had to nitpick a bit  . Although, just one tinny point to make, modular power supplies are great for case management, but most aren't meant to run with all or most of the cables attached, so you might be in a risky spot if your drawing a lot of current. AMD has already confirmed AM3 processors will run on AM2 boards. Read http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=3169 - here . To be honest, the performance gap between AM2 and Core2Duo is pretty slim. One thing to bear in mind though is AM2 architecture does not require as large of an L2 cache as the Intel procs. Thats why most of the Core2Duo line has upwards of 2 MB of L2 cache per core while AM2 has usually 1 MB or 512KB per core. Thats a part of why the Core2Duos cost so much more and also that will tend to draw more power and produce more heat from what I've seen in the past. My slightly OC'd 4600 benches right up there with Core2Duo. Considering your already looking for a cheaper rig, I still suggest AM2, but if you can afford it, by all means go for Core2Duo. ------------- Real Men play Tuba [IMG]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1859/newsmall6xz.jpg"> PH33R TEH 1337 Dwarf! http://www.tippmann.com/forum/wwf77a/log_off_user.asp" rel="nofollow - DONT CLICK ME!!1 |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 14 May 2007 at 11:28pm
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Well, from what I'm reading, there really isn't much of a difference performance wise between the Intel and the AMD. However, if the AMD is cheaper, and can be upgraded to AM3, and may even be compatible with the 4x4 concept, then I'm really leaning towards an AMD. But how well do AMDs overclock? I know if the 4x4 thing works out it really won't matter much, but I'm just trying to weigh all possiblities. ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: mod98commando
Date Posted: 17 May 2007 at 5:57am
Nitpicking is actually quite welcome . This guy needs to know as much as possible before he buys and it's important that he gets a good amount of information. It's true that the modulars generally aren't meant for high power applications but I think he'll be alright with one here. My other computer has an Xconnect2 powering a whole bunch of crap with ease so it should handle his hardware without a problem.That info about the AM2 chips and the cache levels was good too, I was wondering why they would put so little in those chips. I'm hoping that the AM3 chips spank the core2's like the core2's spanked the last generation of stuff. Depending on how much money I can pull together this summer I may even prep myself for a 4x4 system  .Anyway, based on that article, I would have to change my recommendation to AM2. It seems like the performance gap isn't as significant anymore and the upgrade path is much nicer with AMD unless intel plans on copying them. About the AMD chips overclockability, I'll let Darur take that one since he seems to own an AM2 chip. It's impossible to tell how much the AM3 chips will overclock since they aren't out yet but I have a feeling they'll handle it well. Overclocking is complicated and risky though so I wouldn't jump into that area just yet. When you feel ready to head in that direction, talk to some experienced people first because you can badly damage your system if you just go into the BIOS and start changing stuff. Also, don't attempt to use settings from another person. Not every system, even if the hardware is the same, can overclock the same amount so it's always best to start at stock speeds and slowly creep up. You can use results from other people to give you an idea of what you could achieve but that's about it. ------------- oreomann33: Everybody invades Poland Rofl_Mao: And everyone eats turkey Me: But only if they're hungary Mack: Yeah but hungary people go russian through their food and end up with greece on everyth |
Posted By: Reb Cpl
Date Posted: 17 May 2007 at 8:05am
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In terms of the OS, don't get Vista withthe machine you order. Alot of the companies I deal with are recommending that we stick with XP professional for a while yet, and there is that option through dell. A bunch of people who our consultant works for are unhappy with Vista. If course, you could always move from a windows OS altogether, but if you're getting something from Dell directly, get Xp installed. |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 17 May 2007 at 11:44am
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Actually, Reb, I decided not to go with the Dell. Just gonna build my own. I can install XP, which I was debating doing, but what are the advantages for gettin Linux? I've never understood it, to be honest. Is it actually better than Windows, or it just a bunch of fanboys (no offense, Linux owners)? ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: Jack Carver
Date Posted: 17 May 2007 at 2:14pm
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Honestly, I don't think linux is any better than xp. XP is easy, powerful, and I've never had any security issues with it. Linux's main attraction in my opinion is that it is free. And although technically it is safer from viruses and malware, anybody who is computer-literate enough to be running linux is gonna know how to keep XP safe. That said though, linux works fine for most everything but games if you take a bit of time to configure it. You could also dual-boot linux and XP if you can get that sorted out. As for Core-2-Duo vs AM2, I vote for Core 2. All the benchmarks I've seen (and I read a lot of Tom's Hardware, MaximumPC, etc) have shown the Core-2 processors to be a better bang for your buck. Check out http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/05/10/dual_41_ghz_cores/ - this article, where they overclocked a cheapo Core 2 to crazy high speeds. So they also have the potential there. Here's http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/05/04/which_is_the_best_mainstream_cpu/index.html - another one (a lot more recent) where they compare "mainstream" CPUs from AMD and Core 2. If you skip to the conclusions:
Good luck with whatever you go with! |
Posted By: High Voltage
Date Posted: 17 May 2007 at 2:29pm
My friend dropped off this old piece.. anyone have an idea as to what I can do with it? Don't mind that green spot on the carpet, my dog got sick.  |
Posted By: DeTrevni
Date Posted: 17 May 2007 at 3:58pm
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Dude, totally thread jacked... ------------- Evil Elvis: "Detrevni is definally like a hillbilly hippy from hell"
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Posted By: Jack Carver
Date Posted: 17 May 2007 at 4:28pm
| Mod it!! I have a Dremel laying around that I got for Christmas just waiting to rip into some sort of modding project... perhaps my xbox? |
Posted By: mod98commando
Date Posted: 18 May 2007 at 11:22am
Lol. In response to the operating system question, I would stick with XP. It's easy and reasonably safe if you have some security software running. Linux can be a bit of a pain because most software is designed for windows since that's the dominant OS. You can get a lot of stuff to work with linux despite that but it can be a pain to deal with compatibility problems. However, linux is free so you can try it out before making Bill Gates' wallet any fatter. I have kubuntu installed on my other computer as a backup OS in case my windows installation gets funked or my main hard drive craps out. The interface is nice in that distribution of linux but it isn't as widely supported as windows so finding linux compatible programs can be difficult. Try it out but read up on it before you install so you have an understanding first. If it's too complicated for you or you just don't like it, you can always get a copy of XP later. ------------- oreomann33: Everybody invades Poland Rofl_Mao: And everyone eats turkey Me: But only if they're hungary Mack: Yeah but hungary people go russian through their food and end up with greece on everyth |