- Aug 4, 2009
- 5
- 0
- 18,510
Hi Everyone,
I need some help on my next PC purchase. I was thinking if I should build it myself (for the first time) or go with a pre-built computer from one of the major brands.
I currently have an emachines T6520 which I've used for the past 3 or 4 years and its been wonderful. Now it is very outdated and I'm looking for some more speed.
I was looking at the HP website, and I built a computer with windows vista business, 3.0Ghz AMD quad core processor, with 8GB DDR2 memory, 640GB HD, 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTS250 ... and it came out to be like $812 before tax, $868 total shipped- I was hoping to get it for a little less money, and I could probably get more if I built it myself???
My computer usage is internet browsing, music, movies. Specifically, itunes, downloading movies, watching them on the computer, streaming them to my PS3 (watching through the projector). My projector is capable of 1080P and has a DVI input... I think it'd be nice to have a direct output from my computer to the projector, although that isn't really a major concern. It would certainly make my PS3 useless though, since I only use it to stream movies.
As the title says, I don't play games, but I do have need a few things out of my computer, which is fast access to compression/decompression of movies/rar files, multitasking (internet, microsoft office, movie, music, etc), big hard drive (1-2TB, i already have a 500GB in my current computer which I plan to move into the new one) and efficient+quiet cooling of the system.
I'm trying to see if it'd be more cost effective to get a prebuilt system with the OS already installed, or to build my own.
Thanks for your help!
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: sometime in August 2009
BUDGET RANGE: $600-800 with the windows OS (I'd like windows 7 if possible)
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: watching movies (both streaming to ps3 and directly on the copmuter), internet, music, microsoft office processing, no gaming.
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: i might want a wireless keyboard, or i can use my current keyboard that came with my computer, it still works fine, i do NOT need a mouse. i'd like bluetooth since that would allow me to use my mouse without the usb wireless connection, but its not a big deal since i'm using it now on my current computer. i also have a monitor, samsung syncmaster 226bw which is working great.
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: whatever is the lowest cost for the best quality in my price range
PARTS PREFERENCES: whatever is the lowest cost for the best quality in my price range
OVERCLOCKING: don't know how to do it
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: don't know what this is
MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1680x1050
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I would like a relatively quiet PC - my current emachines, when under load, is pretty loud - and while it doesn't bother me that much, if it could be quieter that would be nice.
edit: 1 last thing, is that I'd like this computer to last me 3-4 years.
thanks!
I need some help on my next PC purchase. I was thinking if I should build it myself (for the first time) or go with a pre-built computer from one of the major brands.
I currently have an emachines T6520 which I've used for the past 3 or 4 years and its been wonderful. Now it is very outdated and I'm looking for some more speed.
I was looking at the HP website, and I built a computer with windows vista business, 3.0Ghz AMD quad core processor, with 8GB DDR2 memory, 640GB HD, 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTS250 ... and it came out to be like $812 before tax, $868 total shipped- I was hoping to get it for a little less money, and I could probably get more if I built it myself???
My computer usage is internet browsing, music, movies. Specifically, itunes, downloading movies, watching them on the computer, streaming them to my PS3 (watching through the projector). My projector is capable of 1080P and has a DVI input... I think it'd be nice to have a direct output from my computer to the projector, although that isn't really a major concern. It would certainly make my PS3 useless though, since I only use it to stream movies.
As the title says, I don't play games, but I do have need a few things out of my computer, which is fast access to compression/decompression of movies/rar files, multitasking (internet, microsoft office, movie, music, etc), big hard drive (1-2TB, i already have a 500GB in my current computer which I plan to move into the new one) and efficient+quiet cooling of the system.
I'm trying to see if it'd be more cost effective to get a prebuilt system with the OS already installed, or to build my own.
Thanks for your help!
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: sometime in August 2009
BUDGET RANGE: $600-800 with the windows OS (I'd like windows 7 if possible)
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: watching movies (both streaming to ps3 and directly on the copmuter), internet, music, microsoft office processing, no gaming.
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: i might want a wireless keyboard, or i can use my current keyboard that came with my computer, it still works fine, i do NOT need a mouse. i'd like bluetooth since that would allow me to use my mouse without the usb wireless connection, but its not a big deal since i'm using it now on my current computer. i also have a monitor, samsung syncmaster 226bw which is working great.
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: whatever is the lowest cost for the best quality in my price range
PARTS PREFERENCES: whatever is the lowest cost for the best quality in my price range
OVERCLOCKING: don't know how to do it
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: don't know what this is
MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1680x1050
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I would like a relatively quiet PC - my current emachines, when under load, is pretty loud - and while it doesn't bother me that much, if it could be quieter that would be nice.
edit: 1 last thing, is that I'd like this computer to last me 3-4 years.
thanks!
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