Must-have goodies?
Moderator: Wiz Feinberg
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Steve Frost
- Posts: 262
- Joined: 24 Sep 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Scarborough,Maine
Must-have goodies?
I'm about to buy a new computer. Figured I might ask for opinions on features I shouldn't do without this time around. I'm looking for a burner, IIIE 394 port(or is it IEEE394?)and I want the XP upgrade when it comes out... but what else? Is a 100 Mhz bus passe'? Should I go for Pentium 4, or will I be happy enough with a Celeron? I've got a pentium 166 now, so most anything will be like magic. Anyway, thought I'd fish for opinions. TIA- Steve
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Jack Stoner
- Posts: 22136
- Joined: 3 Dec 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Kansas City, MO
My advice to anyone that asks me about a computer. Buy "overkill" or as much as you can afford. Go for the P4 as the Celeron was originally intended as a lower priced "consumer" version of the Pentiums. The higher front end Buss will help on intensive applications. You may want to consider a unit with both a CD/DVD reader and a CD burner. USB is still popular but firewire is becoming popular - maybe a unit with both???? Minimum of 256meg ram and at least a 40gb hard drive. Separate AGP graphics and separate audio board. The on-board (on the motherboard) graphics and audio suck. Ethernet port. Avoid a modem with the Connexent (used to be Rockwell) chipset. Best bet is a US Robotics data/fax modem.
There's more, just my thoughts if I were going to buy a new PC today.
There's more, just my thoughts if I were going to buy a new PC today.
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David Wright
- Posts: 5346
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Pilot Point ,Tx USA.
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I'm with jack on this. I just got a new Dell my third one, P-4 . 1.7 768 RD ram 17 in flat panel monitor, Altec THX speakers Digital, 16X10X 40 burner. Prices are really dowm right now.Go look at Dell they have some great deals going. I have XP Pro on my lap top and really like it.
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[url=http://david_wright1.tripod.com/]My Web Page[/url]
Sierra S-12 9&7
Peavey-2000-PX-300
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[url=http://david_wright1.tripod.com/]My Web Page[/url]
Sierra S-12 9&7
Peavey-2000-PX-300
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John Gretzinger
- Posts: 427
- Joined: 20 Aug 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Canoga Park, CA
My only disagreement with Jack on this is not to get today's top of the line CPU. I only say this as the price difference between the fastest and next fastest is usually a whole lot more than the performance difference should dictate. If money (within reason) is no object, then go for the fastest you can afford, 40 Gig Hard Disk, at least 256MB RAM (it's so cheap right now, I'd go for 512) and as Jack has pointed out be sure you get separate video and sound cards. Having the CD/DVD reader and a CD Burner is wonderful. I'm not that fond of watching movies on a 17" or 19" screen, but there is more stuff coming out on DVD that makes it nice to have.
Entry systems are currently 800/850 Mhz, 256MB RAM, 30Gig HD going for less than $700 here in LA.
Enjoy,
jdg
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MSA D-10
'63 Gibson Hummingbird
16/15c Hammered Dulcimer
Entry systems are currently 800/850 Mhz, 256MB RAM, 30Gig HD going for less than $700 here in LA.
Enjoy,
jdg
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MSA D-10
'63 Gibson Hummingbird
16/15c Hammered Dulcimer
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Steve Feldman
- Posts: 3345
- Joined: 5 Dec 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Central MA USA
And the dissenting opinion......
I say it entirely depends on what your application is. Here at home, all I do is get on-line and do routine word processing, a little scanning, Quicken stuff, so my measily PII/233MHz is 'jes fine, I assure you. At work, where there is some more serious number crunching, image analysis, and memory intensive things cooking, that's another story. Course, I don't do computer audio stuff at home either, so I guess it all depends on what you intend to use the system for. My NSH $0.02.
I say it entirely depends on what your application is. Here at home, all I do is get on-line and do routine word processing, a little scanning, Quicken stuff, so my measily PII/233MHz is 'jes fine, I assure you. At work, where there is some more serious number crunching, image analysis, and memory intensive things cooking, that's another story. Course, I don't do computer audio stuff at home either, so I guess it all depends on what you intend to use the system for. My NSH $0.02.
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Jack Stoner
- Posts: 22136
- Joined: 3 Dec 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Kansas City, MO
The operating system also dictactes what is needed. To run XP will require more than a 200Mhz PII. I have a 350Mhz PII and it's probably at the low end as far as processor requirements for XP.
For those that only use certain machines for certain tasks there may be less stringent requirements.
But, for someone buying a new system, I still say buy as much as your pocketbook will let you. I've seen and had too many "home" clients that thought they only needed the minimum hardware as they only wanted to get on line but after they had it they wanted to do more and found out what they bought would not run or would not reliably run what they wanted to do. e.g If you someone wanted to buy MS Word, the only version they can (legally) purchase is the XP version and it too has minimum h/w requirements.
The difference in $$ on a new PC purchase will not be that much for current technology over "last month's" technology.
For those that only use certain machines for certain tasks there may be less stringent requirements.
But, for someone buying a new system, I still say buy as much as your pocketbook will let you. I've seen and had too many "home" clients that thought they only needed the minimum hardware as they only wanted to get on line but after they had it they wanted to do more and found out what they bought would not run or would not reliably run what they wanted to do. e.g If you someone wanted to buy MS Word, the only version they can (legally) purchase is the XP version and it too has minimum h/w requirements.
The difference in $$ on a new PC purchase will not be that much for current technology over "last month's" technology.