Help spec a new computer
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Hi, my 1.0Ghz Dell Inspirion is begging for replacement (lock-ups with little other than WinXP running (if you call it running) and the fan/hard-drive started making a "really bad noise" (as my bride described it) today. I need to get the most computer for the best money (I realize best doesn't always mean least, but if it is close to least, then that is really good on my budget -- our two 18-month old boys have discovered the joys of eating a lot already!). I'm looking for a laptop since I do contract work and travel some; working on location. I don't care that much about watching video or listening to high-end music, I just want to run Outlook, SQL Server, VS2003/2005, Word, etc. I've seen several different processor models that I'm not familiar with, and I'm seeing laptops with wide screen resolutions, but not sure how that really stacks up (I'm used to 1600x1200 on my primary display). I have been very satisfied with my Dell, but have had several bad expereices with Dell customer support (for computers of friends/family). What do you suggest?
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Hi, my 1.0Ghz Dell Inspirion is begging for replacement (lock-ups with little other than WinXP running (if you call it running) and the fan/hard-drive started making a "really bad noise" (as my bride described it) today. I need to get the most computer for the best money (I realize best doesn't always mean least, but if it is close to least, then that is really good on my budget -- our two 18-month old boys have discovered the joys of eating a lot already!). I'm looking for a laptop since I do contract work and travel some; working on location. I don't care that much about watching video or listening to high-end music, I just want to run Outlook, SQL Server, VS2003/2005, Word, etc. I've seen several different processor models that I'm not familiar with, and I'm seeing laptops with wide screen resolutions, but not sure how that really stacks up (I'm used to 1600x1200 on my primary display). I have been very satisfied with my Dell, but have had several bad expereices with Dell customer support (for computers of friends/family). What do you suggest?
First of all, from what you say, I would not care if the laptop had a wide-screen display or not. I guess that a high width of the displays native resolution should be your first concern, though better displays tend to increase the price of their host device a LOT. If you are planning to run servers on that machine, a dual-core processor might be a good choice. In that case, I would go for a laptop with a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor. You might also consider a Centrino Duo setup, but I have lost track of which kind of processor that uses. Probably Dual-Core, though. If you want to use the laptop while travelling, you might want to consider either buying a laptop with a high-capacity primary battery or with the option of replacing the CD/DVD-Drive with a secondary battery. Also, you might want to take a look at where the USB-ports are placed. If the only USB-Port on a subnotebook is up front, thats pretty uncomfortable on a train ride ;) I hope this helps some.
Cheers, Sebastian -- Contra vim mortem non est medicamen in hortem.
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Hi, my 1.0Ghz Dell Inspirion is begging for replacement (lock-ups with little other than WinXP running (if you call it running) and the fan/hard-drive started making a "really bad noise" (as my bride described it) today. I need to get the most computer for the best money (I realize best doesn't always mean least, but if it is close to least, then that is really good on my budget -- our two 18-month old boys have discovered the joys of eating a lot already!). I'm looking for a laptop since I do contract work and travel some; working on location. I don't care that much about watching video or listening to high-end music, I just want to run Outlook, SQL Server, VS2003/2005, Word, etc. I've seen several different processor models that I'm not familiar with, and I'm seeing laptops with wide screen resolutions, but not sure how that really stacks up (I'm used to 1600x1200 on my primary display). I have been very satisfied with my Dell, but have had several bad expereices with Dell customer support (for computers of friends/family). What do you suggest?
Glenn E. Lanier II wrote:
What do you suggest?
spec a Dell/Alienware. Don't necessarily buy one, but spec one. Find your price-power range. Off hand it looks like you can handle a decently high Core2 processor, with a reasonable hard-drive (7200RPM), and a reasonable graphics system. It might be better just to ask about the parts you don't know, which I assume are things like Turion m44 vs Core vs. Core2 Duo vs. older gen Pentium-M and P4-HT desktop chips? Core2 has a flexible processor cache that adapts to the incoming flow. Not sure how exactly it works, there are a few boring white-papers I almost read. But the point is... it works. Performance comparisons are showing with very few exception Core2 Duo chips are better than AMD X2 chips. And, of course, being the next gen processor, it was designed to beat the P-4 and P-M designs as well. Core 2 is the fastest chip right now, not counting what may be released tomorrow (everyone is waiting -- but not holding their breath -- on the any-day-now release of the ?Core2quad? (Kentsfield) that Intel is trying to get out before the slated release of the AMD 4x4 in 1st quarter of next year.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Glenn E. Lanier II wrote:
What do you suggest?
spec a Dell/Alienware. Don't necessarily buy one, but spec one. Find your price-power range. Off hand it looks like you can handle a decently high Core2 processor, with a reasonable hard-drive (7200RPM), and a reasonable graphics system. It might be better just to ask about the parts you don't know, which I assume are things like Turion m44 vs Core vs. Core2 Duo vs. older gen Pentium-M and P4-HT desktop chips? Core2 has a flexible processor cache that adapts to the incoming flow. Not sure how exactly it works, there are a few boring white-papers I almost read. But the point is... it works. Performance comparisons are showing with very few exception Core2 Duo chips are better than AMD X2 chips. And, of course, being the next gen processor, it was designed to beat the P-4 and P-M designs as well. Core 2 is the fastest chip right now, not counting what may be released tomorrow (everyone is waiting -- but not holding their breath -- on the any-day-now release of the ?Core2quad? (Kentsfield) that Intel is trying to get out before the slated release of the AMD 4x4 in 1st quarter of next year.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Had AMD moved its timetable forward, I thought they weren't expecting a quadcore chip until Q2.
dan neely wrote:
Had AMD moved its timetable forward, I thought they weren't expecting a quadcore chip until Q2.
well.... since no chips have so far been fully released, time will tell, but AMD announced they "could" release in 1st quarter 07 *if* Intel tried to release the Quad-core 4th quarter 06. Both chips exist in limited release for benchmark and preview tests. But neither mass-produced lines have arrived. "When" is still purely speculation. If Intel drops the quad-core in-mass to the market, AMD may have enough to answer. We really do not know until it happens.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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dan neely wrote:
Had AMD moved its timetable forward, I thought they weren't expecting a quadcore chip until Q2.
well.... since no chips have so far been fully released, time will tell, but AMD announced they "could" release in 1st quarter 07 *if* Intel tried to release the Quad-core 4th quarter 06. Both chips exist in limited release for benchmark and preview tests. But neither mass-produced lines have arrived. "When" is still purely speculation. If Intel drops the quad-core in-mass to the market, AMD may have enough to answer. We really do not know until it happens.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Are these samples quadcores with the current architecture, or the new one that's supposed to be at least as fast as Core2?
dan neely wrote:
Are these samples quadcores with the current architecture, or the new one that's supposed to be at least as fast as Core2?
http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTE4NCwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==[^]
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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dan neely wrote:
Are these samples quadcores with the current architecture, or the new one that's supposed to be at least as fast as Core2?
http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTE4NCwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==[^]
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Hi, my 1.0Ghz Dell Inspirion is begging for replacement (lock-ups with little other than WinXP running (if you call it running) and the fan/hard-drive started making a "really bad noise" (as my bride described it) today. I need to get the most computer for the best money (I realize best doesn't always mean least, but if it is close to least, then that is really good on my budget -- our two 18-month old boys have discovered the joys of eating a lot already!). I'm looking for a laptop since I do contract work and travel some; working on location. I don't care that much about watching video or listening to high-end music, I just want to run Outlook, SQL Server, VS2003/2005, Word, etc. I've seen several different processor models that I'm not familiar with, and I'm seeing laptops with wide screen resolutions, but not sure how that really stacks up (I'm used to 1600x1200 on my primary display). I have been very satisfied with my Dell, but have had several bad expereices with Dell customer support (for computers of friends/family). What do you suggest?
Don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but a Toshiba is always reliable. I wouldn't go for Dell, HP or Compaq. Best bets are Toshiba, Asus and Samsung, if you want a reliable pc, with Samsung probably your best bet for price. Can't tell you models exactly. P.S. Where are you based.
Posted by The ANZAC