Computer geeks, I need your opinion here

buckaroo

buckaroo

Here kitty, kitty, kitty
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After the first of the year, probably after we get our tax refund, I'm going to purchase a new PC, probably a Dell. Here's my question. Should I go ahead and spring for at least a 2.4 mhz machine with the 533 mhz bus speed, or is the 433 bus speed with the 2.0 mhz good enough? There is a pretty good price difference and I'm not sure it will make that much difference with what I use the computer for. Right now, Dell has a 2.0 mhz P4 with 256 megs of DDR Ram, 120 Gig HD, two CD ROMs with one CD/RW and a 17 inch monitor all for only $788 after a $100 mail in rebate. Of course, with shipping and tax, it will still be about a grand when it is all said and done. I'm sure this will probably be lower by the time the refund gets around, but it sure won't be higher. Any comments?
 
Personally, I would go for the larger size of the Dell. Simply because with all the forever changing things in the world of a computer you will be less likely to have to upgrade as quick. Have you checked out Gateway? I was looking on there the other day and found under there refurbished computers a very close match to what you are looking at (the bigger size) complete with everything..for $488 plus shipping was free. Dell is an awesome computer. My sister just bought one and is having a ball. I do not like the windows XP, therefore it is keeping me from wanting to go with a new one. I like the one I built I know what's in it and what it should do. Generally, I can fix anything that is wrong with it sooner or later. At the present I am frustrated with mine. As I cannot get a racing game for TWF to work correctly. So I have taken a break from it and then all of a sudden it will hit me, I will get it to work and kick myself for not thinking of it sooner.
 
I keep track of both Gateway and Dell to see what they've got. There's some great deals at both places. Just a few months ago, I was set on building my own machine. I've got a friend who advises me on things and gave me some hints as to where to buy this and that. I was already making my list, deciding to build a machine with an AMD Athalon chip, making is a bit cheaper. Then Brian said to forget about all that because both Dell and Gateway are making available machines that are cheaper than you can build for yourself, plus they include the OS. If I use my onw Gateway EV700 monitor, I can get a very good machine for less than $500, but I want to get a complete new outfit and give this old relic to the daughter to use so she won't be messing up my machine! :) Which reminds me, don't let your kids live with you once they are out of college. Em's 27, engaged and still livin with the parents.:( We've got one more year before she's moving out. There are times when you want time to go slow and times when you want it to go super fast. Now is the later for us.
 
I built mine for $200. Had a friend that had about 4 monitors so I was able to get one from her pretty cheap. Plus I have about 4 friends that do computer repair so that helped alot. We gave TWF's parents the first computer that I bought an Emachines (don't waste your money). Then while I had that I worked on building this one. Building your own can teach you alot but teach you a lot of words you didn't know. :p Loading windows was the hardest part.
 
Shoot, I'm an old hand at loading windows. Have to do that every time I reformat and reinstall. Hate to do that.:mad:
 
It goes alot smoother now. For some reason it didn't want to go it would hang up with about 30 minutes left everytime. Finally got it to go and haven't had a problem since. I have two hard drives in my computer...one for my daughters things keeps her from messing up my things. That could have caused the hang ups, but oh well. After we get unpacked looks like I will be traveling that road (reformating) In trying to get TWf's race game to work it has messed something up and the computer is now locking up and not keeping time correctly. UGHHH I have tried to restore back and it has made it worse. Those damn race games LOL
 
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