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My computer is over 7 years old. It still works, but it's slow and I'm running out of space. I've been browsing around to see what's out there. I don't need a monster of a machine. I just want to do some streaming and some gaming. I'm thinking something with 8GB of RAM a decent graphics card and a HD with 1 to 2 TB of space should be more than enough. I really like the Macs, but they are pricey. Does anyone have any suggestions for a system and where to buy it at?
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Brian -
I suggest you ask this questions on a PC hardware/gaming forum.seek knowledge, not answers
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Thought about that. But, I figured that the people there would have no regard to keeping things reasonably priced and would steer me toward something high-end that I don't need.Originally posted by feh View Post
I'm just trying to get a feel for what the Saving Advice community has had good experiences with.BrianComment
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I'd be able to discuss a general-purpose machine, but not one for gaming. The only value I can add to the discussion is to ask: why so much disk space?Originally posted by bjl584 View Postseek knowledge, not answers
personal financeComment
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If you are anywhere near a college, you can usually score some decent systems from CL. Some people will advise to stay away from used computers, but a lot of times college students upgrade as their courses and side ambitions demand more, so you can find very good systems for around $300.
What will be your primary use? If you'll be watching netflix or playing games that don't demand a lot of high power, you can easily get away with an i3-2100, which has 2 cores and built-in HD graphics, eliminating the need for a discrete graphics card.
Why are you looking for 8 GB of RAM? I have 4 GB of memory and do a lot of video editing and rendering, and it is more than enough. Also, 1 GB of disk is generally enough for most. You can always add an external or another HDD if you need it down the road. If you want a snappy computer, you'll get by far the best bang for your buck going with a SSD hard drive.
edit: that i3 has 2 coresComment
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Plenty of colleges in the area. I will look into that. Thanks.Originally posted by JoeP View PostBrianComment
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I also can't help with the gaming question but for general computing and web stuff, I love my Toshiba Satellite. This is my second one. Great screen. Comfortable keyboard. Not heavy to tote around. And it was only $350 at Best Buy. I'd love a Mac laptop but I just can't justify the price though I swear by my Mac desktop at home (and my iPhone, iPad, daughter's iPod, etc.).Steve
* Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
* Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
* There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.Comment
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I'm looking at desktops, and the Mac looks very nice. A coworker of mine has a Mac and he swears by it. I'm considering it, but they are pricey.Originally posted by disneysteve View PostBrianComment
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In that case, I wouldn't even consider anything but a Mac for our desktop computer. We've had Macs since 1994 and I'm sure will continue to have them as long as they keep making them.Originally posted by bjl584 View PostSteve
* Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
* Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
* There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.Comment
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I need to keep doing some research on them. Other than word of mouth I don't really know much about Macs, and I've never used one.Originally posted by disneysteve View Post
I don't really need a ton of memory or space. I was just looking at things from the standpoint that I want the machine to last. I don't want to get 5 years down the road and have it be completely obsolete. So, I figure if I overbuild a computer slightly now, then it will give it a significantly longer lifespan. I'm willing to pay a little more now if it keeps me from having to upgrade later.BrianComment
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How proficient are you with computers? Is building one an option?Comment
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Forget about it. It doesn't work that way. Five years is a good lifespan for a computer. Technology changes rapidly and in 5 years, anything you buy today regardless of brand, price, or specs, will be obsolete and unable to keep up with newer machines. That's why I never understand folks who go out and spend top dollar to get a computer with all of the bells and whistles because in 5 years, those are just as obsolete as the cheap ones.Originally posted by bjl584 View Post
Buy what you need to fit your current usage. Don't overbuy because it won't increase the lifespan. It'll just increase the cost.Steve
* Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
* Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
* There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.Comment
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If you can, try to buy a computer with technology that allows inexpensive upgrades.
Spend a couple bucks more to get USB 3.0, because even though there are not a lot of devices that work at this speed now, more are coming out every day. Same for SATA 6 GB ports on your motherboard. A storage upgrade with faster data rate is common, and these will support that. My PC uses the on-chip Intel HD graphics now, but I can upgrade to a discrete card some time down the road; newer applications are actually borrowing cycles from the GPUs on these boards to speed up the applications, so this capability is valuable. Finally, you can get more mileage if your CPU and motherboard support overclocking. This will give you the ability to force your CPU to run faster, but requires a CPU cooler beyond the stock one. On the Intel side, this would be chips that end with "K" meaning unlocked, running on a z77 motherboard (e.g., I run a i5-3570k on an ASRock z77 extreme4).
These may sound minor now, but without them, you may end up buying a new machine a few years earlier.Comment
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The only thing I can add to the discussion is that if you go the PC route is that Windows 8 sucks.Comment
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