Help me pick a new computer? Options

[dustin15brown]

Hey everyone. I'm not too knowledgable (sp) on computers. I would like to buy a nice convenient and cost efficient desktop computer. I do not know what I would need to efficiently run programs, stay up to date, among all the other things. I know that I want an HP desktop. A decent amount of memoery( i take a lot of pics) a good processor speed and a decent amount of RAM. Anyone offer anything I should look for?

[Digndoug]

Id say look for an AMD x2, you'll get the best performance to cost with it. A gig-2 gigs should be plenty of memory, and any size hard drive u need. most come with 200+ which should be more than enough.

[Starcraftjunkie]

I say go for an Intel conroe system.
Well.. first you should let us know what EXACTLY you use your machine for.. if it's just word processing and net.. or whatnot.

Then a budget you have in mind. That would be a good start.

[dustin15brown]

Id say look for an AMD x2, you'll get the best performance to cost with it. A gig-2 gigs should be plenty of memory, and any size hard drive u need. most come with 200+ which should be more than enough.

price?

I say go for an Intel conroe system.
Well.. first you should let us know what EXACTLY you use your machine for.. if it's just word processing and net.. or whatnot.

Then a budget you have in mind. That would be a good start.

Umm not a lot? I'm a poor college student.... lol

[Vissi]

hmm, id recommend that you build it yourself, its not as hard as youd think.
If not i need a price range. A good sempron with a gig of ram will serve you well.

[JonCars17]

Most computers out should beable to handle camera pics and basic needs. Don't worry about Ram and HDD space, cause you can always had more for cheap. If you want, pick a computer based on CPU speed cause that is the hardest to upgrade. The rest are easy. So just head to the store and pick one out in your price range with the fastest CPU speed. Most stores have ppl that can give you advice on CPUs, but there all the same. Yeah some are alittle better than others. It is more of a personal opinion. I like AMD myself.

If you were wanting a notebook, I'd obviously say something different

This post has been edited by JonCars17: Jul 23, 2006 - 11:12 AM

[dustin15brown]

I have a notebook.... and i guess around $300 would be ideal.... any body bought an ebay computer?

This post has been edited by dustin15brown: Jul 23, 2006 - 11:19 AM

[WannabeGT4]

I can only recommend that you wait for the Intel Core 2 Duo to come out. It's not too long of a wait and there will be substantial price drops in both AMD and Intel processor prices.

[Starcraftjunkie]

For $300, it won't get him far on a conroe system.. maybe a motherboard... lol...

You didn't say what exactly you need it for.

[WannabeGT4]

Wasn't suggesting a conroe.. just wait for them to come out so the prices will be lower on all of the other stuff.

[Vissi]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16883107027
Thats not a bad deal.

If the main purpose of the computer is gona be pictures, just get a cheap amd computer (doesent have to be new) and just put a bit of ram and a bigger hard drive on it. If you look carefully at fry's you can catch about 300gb for like 60$. Also I would not recomend any intel celerons.

[Bitter]

wait 2-3 months till conroe is out in full force then you can pickup a dualcore pentium D for pretty cheap.

[JonCars17]

I just like to know if you have a monitor already? if not, then you may want to wait a bit longer and get some more money because buying a cheap computer doesn't always come with a monitor.

[lagos]

let me get this right... you want to buy a system that will last you for a long time, but you ONLY want to spend 300bucks? lol

[Bitter]

yea, $300 wont get you much of a beast. once conroe is out pentium D celerons will be dirt cheap, theyre already around $50. a socket 478 board is pretty cheap too, ddr 2700 is dirt cheap as well, apg8x video card like a fx5200 also very cheap.

try these for a starting point.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16819112203
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16813138023
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16814143056
all that is $200, you still need ram, case, powersupply, drives

any 6600 agp card will be fine, that one has had some issues with DOA or bad fans. **** happens tho.

[Rayme]

let me get this right... you want to buy a system that will last you for a long time, but you ONLY want to spend 300bucks? lol

If he doesnt play game that can be done.

I got an athlon XP 2000 with 1 gig of ram and that things ownz