Which chip and video card is better for watching TV

zzreader

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Sep 23, 2009
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I am looking for a new computer to use for general email, surfing etcetera plus watching a few TV programs. Are an Intel E7500 chip, 6gb RAM and Radeon 3450 video card good choices?
 

Leafy

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Aug 24, 2009
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Why do you pick those parts out the spot? I assume you are buying from am manufacturer or you even'd it out to be in your budget.
Well and e7500 is alright, but if all you tell me is the general email and some videos online, you don't need much so yes it would work, i dont know about that video card though, onboard graphics would be fine as well if your not doing anything else, i used a compaq computer with i dont even know what onboard graphics but a pentium 4, 70gb hdd, 512 mb, and i browsed the internet, email, GAMING, watched anime/videos and i was fine, of course it was slow but it was decent. So i guess its the speed now you want to ask yourself, upgrade a little more and it'll run a little faster? (without including your internet prvoider & speed of course, since primarily how fast things would run off internet is also more on your internet.
 

someguy7

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Not good choices. Not unless you plan on watching your few tv programs in 1080p.

That machine is overkill. You can get the celeron 1500 from Intel. Or a Any dual core AMD chip. The new PII dual cores. An old x2 dont matter.

6gb of ram is way more than you need. 2 would do fine. As far as the GPU goes. Get a AMD board with on board graphics. 785G would be nice. CHEAP dual core. 2gb of ram..

 


I can go along with that.

Processor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103688

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128398&cm_re=gigabyte_amd_motherboard-_-13-128-398-_-Product

There are cheaper motherboards but this one is solid and will omit the need for a video card.

TV tuner card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815293002&cm_re=tv_capture_card-_-15-293-002-_-Product

Or the ATI 650 (a few more bucks)

 

zzreader

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Sep 23, 2009
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WOW! I had no idea I was so far off. Thank you for the suggestions.
I was looking on the Dell site and thought it would be better to take the recommended items with the thought that I would be better equipped for future changes.
 
Personally my media center is overkill for a media center but I game as well and see myself wanting to occasionally load a game and play on my 10' fixed projection screen. You never mentioned gaming so I can agree that if internet, email and general tv is all you are going to do and never use it for anything higher than that you don't even really need the processor I suggested. I just recommended it due to the price - performance ratio.

If doing other things with this system is lurking in the back of your mind then beefing it up now is the time to do so. That's something you need to decide for yourself so you don't get disappointed in the future when you want to do something different and your system can't handle it.

Building around an upgradable platform will allow you future upgrades much easier so be sure to get the latest AMD/Intel platform with a lower end cpu now to keep the cost down and upgrade options open for later if you ever need it...
 

loneninja

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Well personally I would take the advice and go with an AMD build with onboard graphics for now. Main reason I say this is that Intel's socket 775(the socket that supports the C2D, C2Q, Pentium Duel Core, Celeron Dual Core, Celeron, Pentium 4, Pentium D) is at the end of its life. Processors available for it will become scarce over time and nothing better than whats currently out will be released for it. However with AMD and their AM3 socket, you've got at least another year of new processor releases.