After a few hours of convincing, I got my mom to say yes to getting me my own computer. But, I don't know what to get! Laptop or PC hasn't been decided yet. Whats the best and cheapest?
OK, first things first.
Laptops are more expensive for the same or slightly less processing power, hard disk, and RAM when compared with desktops. The advantage is mobility. If you want to save money and get a computer with better specifications, get a desktop.
Operating system: Windows for games and compatibility, Mac for reliability and security.
Beyond this...need to know the answers to a few questions.
a) Do you have a network in your house, and do you need to connect to it in order to get onto the Internet?
b) Do you do a ton of extremely advanced gaming on your computer, or are your games a bit older/you surf the web more than playing games?
c) Do you use your computer for hosting a lot of music or multimedia (vis a vis Itunes, Limewire, etc.)?
d) Do you have a CD with which you can install Office? If not, which Office programs do you need (World, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Publisher, Access)?
e) Are you going to be watching movies on your computer? If so, do you want the option to watch Bluray?
Quote from: Phaze on November 16, 2007, 11:04:10 AM
After a few hours of convincing, I got my mom to say yes to getting me my own computer. But, I don't know what to get! Laptop or PC hasn't been decided yet. Whats the best and cheapest?
i don't know whats cheapest, but i am guessing a PC.
i would get a laptop because you can take it with you wherever you go.
I don't game much on the computer (This is my moms computer, she would freak out if I downloaded a game or anything) But if I had my own I would probably use it to store pictures and multimedia. I like to watch viseos and movies on the computer. And I have DSL
Quote from: Phaze on November 16, 2007, 11:28:47 AM
I don't game much on the computer (This is my moms computer, she would freak out if I downloaded a game or anything) But if I had my own I would probably use it to store pictures and multimedia. I like to watch viseos and movies on the computer. And I have DSL
'K. I'm going to assume that you've got a phone jack in your room and can plug in and reach the Internet directly. This being the case, you wouldn't need Vista Ultimate. Home Premium would be fine.
Here are a couple models that you might want to consider...you can go to each manufacturer's website and customize it. Note that these models
don't include MS Office. Also, you may want to wait for a bit and check online for coupons...you can get extremely good deals at certain times of the year.
HP m9000z series: $1,100
-Vista Home Premium
-2.8 Ghz Dual-Core AMD Athlon64
-2 GB of RAM
-256 MB NVidia GeForce
-320 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive (You can upgrade to a 500 GB one for 50 bucks)
-Soundblaster X-Fi gamer card
-20-in LCD monitor (there's a deal going now: buy a monitor, you get a 20-in for a 15-in price)
-Basic speakers/keyboard/mouse
-Basic warranty
Dell Inspiron 530: $1,200
-All the same features as above, with a slightly slower Intel processor. (2.4 Ghz)
I used to like Dells, but the last two that my family has gotten haven't been very reliable.
You also might consider checking out Lenovo and Gateway using similar features and see what they're offering.
Also, you don't need anything gourmet like Alienware--they gouge you for the name recognition and style.