What PC to buy?

**mightyfun** · 30 July 2007, 03:18 PM

I'm getting ready to give up the laptop and buy a new desktop.

I don't want to get a Mac, because all of my programs are made for PC, and I think PC's are just as good as a Mac for my purposes.

My questions are : What are the key features I need to look for?

I've been looking at Dell XPS 410... and Gateway® DX430X so far.

Jen

**a4hire** · 30 July 2007, 05:39 PM

What programs are you going to run? What will you use the computer for ?
I think that this can determine what you might want to buy.

**mightyfun** · 30 July 2007, 06:04 PM

I'm running Xara Xtreme, ArtRage, and Inkscape.

The problem I have is I like to have several programs open at once. This really slows down my computer. I'm looking for something that will be able to keep up with me.

Jen

**Soquili** · 30 July 2007, 06:19 PM

Jen if you get a machine with Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad with a very minimum of 2 GB RAM it should keep up with you for several years. Go for 4 GB RAM or more if you can afford to do so.

If you plan on getting into 3D graphics using programs like Hexagon or Maya also add a high end graphic card (currently a 'gaming' machine would already have a good video choice).

I bought a 'digital media manager' machine and I cannot run Hexagon or Maya on it. Have to go back to one of my old AMD processor machines with a Radeon or nVidea graphics card to support those two applications.

**a4hire** · 30 July 2007, 06:39 PM

Well That Dell 410 looks pretty nice. 256Mb on the video card and the system can take up to 4Gb of memory. I would get 4Gb if you can afford it. That can probably keep up with what ever tasks you want to do.

**gidgit** · 01 August 2007, 12:28 AM

Well, it seems that somethings are not quite as vista friendly, and for that matter, there really is a lot of bloat and bloat scare out there...

xp still works ok

even for 3d work, music, what have yas, most any mid road amd is plenty, , mid range v cards, a gig of ram and your set...

**raynerj1** · 02 August 2007, 01:22 PM

I have to agree with Gidgit. Get the most bang for your buck...

go with An AMD Processor... More speed, less hype, less cost.

As much RAM as you can throw in her...

An ASUS motherboard...

A decent Video Board... 256 Meg should do it...

If you work with lots o bitmaps... As large a HD as you can stuff in the box, and as many as you can get. (I have 500 GB and have to juggle what I keep on the computer... but I do a bit of video work and that eats HD space.)

I personally prefer to buy my machine empty and load the OS myself... These days, the 'puter makers throw 10 tons of garbage on the machine, then don't even give you a copy of the OS...

**steve.ledger** · 03 August 2007, 02:38 AM

The best advice I can give is to avoid off-the-shelf PC's no matter the marketting blurb.
The big-name sausage-factory PC's are fine for newbies and offices, but never good for those with higher expectations and specific usage requirements.

If you are comfortable buying, assembling and loading your own PC that's always the best way to go.
If not, find a very reputable local bloke who will build to your requirements.
Never accept cheap and nasty components (buy cheap = buy twice)
For example, the often overlooked case+PSU. Cheap power supply units can be the source/cause of OS and application crashes AND of internal hardware failure. The PSU is the very *heart* of a system (the CPU is the Brain).

Look for good name parts, I agree with raynerj1 on the choice of ASUS who offer 3 yr WTY on thier mainboards which is a good indication of faith in their manufacturing.

My rig is a few years old now, but has never let me down (Though I needed to fit a better CPU fan due to our tropical summer heat and my dislike of home Air Conditioners)

ASUS K8V mainboard
AMD3400+ 64bit (2.4GHZ)
2GB ddr400 ram
ASUS GF7600GT 128MB
XPPro / Vista Ult (Dual-Boot - but seperate drives)
Lian-Li tower with 480W ThermalTake PSU with Active PFC (Power Factor Correction).

The GF7600GT runs a 24" Dell LCD at 1920x1200 on DVI without any dramas.
(Though I have pretty well all Windows effects turned off except styles because I dislike sliding/fading menu's etc).

And get a good quality 700VA UPS to protect your investment.

**aridzone** · 03 August 2007, 06:08 AM

I think it all depends on what you can afford

The PC is advancing by leaps and bounds these days.
What's high tech today is history tommorrow

**steve.ledger** · 03 August 2007, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by aridzone

What's high tech today is history tommorrow

Personally, that's no reason for me to buy rubbish - I just can't afford that much money

I know from experience that buying good quality componentry is important no matter how quickly it is superceded by newer models. A high quality PC will last for years, be more reliable and give outstanding performance.

Quality is remembered long after price is fogotten.