Hi everybody,
Last week, I committed heresy - I bought a pre-config'd desktop PC from Future Shop. Normally I'm the kind of guy who snickers at those jaunty flyer-advertised desktops because, as we know, they always highlight an impressive CPU and pair it with cheap-o components (integrated graphics / inadequate RAM / no OS / no monitor / etc.). Although I'm not a hardcore gamer by any means and I rarely upgrade, my innate nerdiness traditionally forces me to spec out my computer so I know I'm getting the best components, and have it slapped together by the local hole-in-the-wall computer shop. However, this looked like a sweet deal to me:
ACER ASE700-EQ662A
CPU: Quad core Q6600 2.4GHz
RAM: 2GB (don't know the speed - if someone can tell me how to determine, will post)
HDD: 500GB SATA (not SATA II)
Video: ATI Radeon X1650SE 256MB
Dual layer DVD burner
Power supply: ? you got me - probably cheap-o
Motherboard: ? you got me - probably even more cheap-o
OS: Vista Home Premium
...plus it came with a bundled LG 20" monitor
Cost was $1,099 Cdn + taxes. Given everything it includes, it looked like a good deal and I got so excited I just went ahead and bought the damn thing. I felt like I was watching my own infomercial. Anyhow, it seems to be a fast, quiet little machine and thus far I'm very pleased with it as well as Vista. Typing in Wordpad is just so amazingly responsive, and Minesweeper runs like a dream! Solitaire shuffles the cards in mere seconds! Not to mention how fast my Excel spreadsheets calculate themselves. Amazing. I'm so glad I bought a quad core...
Ah well, the motherboard will probably blow up the day after the warranty expires. What does everybody think? Did I get a reasonably good deal? Thanks.
Last week, I committed heresy - I bought a pre-config'd desktop PC from Future Shop. Normally I'm the kind of guy who snickers at those jaunty flyer-advertised desktops because, as we know, they always highlight an impressive CPU and pair it with cheap-o components (integrated graphics / inadequate RAM / no OS / no monitor / etc.). Although I'm not a hardcore gamer by any means and I rarely upgrade, my innate nerdiness traditionally forces me to spec out my computer so I know I'm getting the best components, and have it slapped together by the local hole-in-the-wall computer shop. However, this looked like a sweet deal to me:
ACER ASE700-EQ662A
CPU: Quad core Q6600 2.4GHz
RAM: 2GB (don't know the speed - if someone can tell me how to determine, will post)
HDD: 500GB SATA (not SATA II)
Video: ATI Radeon X1650SE 256MB
Dual layer DVD burner
Power supply: ? you got me - probably cheap-o
Motherboard: ? you got me - probably even more cheap-o
OS: Vista Home Premium
...plus it came with a bundled LG 20" monitor
Cost was $1,099 Cdn + taxes. Given everything it includes, it looked like a good deal and I got so excited I just went ahead and bought the damn thing. I felt like I was watching my own infomercial. Anyhow, it seems to be a fast, quiet little machine and thus far I'm very pleased with it as well as Vista. Typing in Wordpad is just so amazingly responsive, and Minesweeper runs like a dream! Solitaire shuffles the cards in mere seconds! Not to mention how fast my Excel spreadsheets calculate themselves. Amazing. I'm so glad I bought a quad core...
Ah well, the motherboard will probably blow up the day after the warranty expires. What does everybody think? Did I get a reasonably good deal? Thanks.