Is the HP P6-2100 Desktop any good?

[mmitsch]

We can get an HP P6-2100 with a free Windows 8 updgrade (no $14,95) for $265. It is a new machine. Do you think it is a pretty good computer?

Mike

 

[bigshootr8]

Well component wise its going to be only good for turning on watching a movie or emailing and maybe some light internet gaming what were you intending on doing with it? For those curious of the internal parts there is what I dug up on amazon.


HP P6-2100

Processor 2.8 GHz A-Series Dual-Core A4-3420
RAM 4 GB DDR3
Hard Drive 1000.0 GB Serial ATA
Graphics Coprocessor AMD Radeon HD 6410D

 

[jay2tall]

As mentioned it depends what you mean by "good". Remember you always get what you pay for. This PC is pretty much an Internet surfboard. It's good for browsing, word processing, maybe watching some movies and very general non-multitasking stuff. If that is all you intend to do with it, it would do you just fine for the price. Just make sure you make the recovery disks when you first get it and save them aside. My experience with machines like this is that as they get junked up with your general Windows, Office, application updates and downloads they start to slow down to a crawl because they just can't handle a lot of "stuff". Simply saving your data off and reloading to the factory default, reinstalling your main applications, and updating them to current updates will do wonders.

This is one of those PC's that is good for the purpose of "hey my parents, or grand parents, just want to get email and surf the web, but don't want to pay that much."

 

[mmitsch]

Well component wise its going to be only good for turning on watching a movie or emailing and maybe some light internet gaming what were you intending on doing with it? For those curious of the internal parts there is what I dug up on amazon.


HP P6-2100

Processor 2.8 GHz A-Series Dual-Core A4-3420
RAM 4 GB DDR3
Hard Drive 1000.0 GB Serial ATA
Graphics Coprocessor AMD Radeon HD 6410D

It's a general use PC (mostly email and some word processiong use, working with pictures, etc.. It'd be replacing a Compaq Presario SR5413WM Desktop PC. I had upgraded the processor in this one to an Athlon 64 X2 5600+ and brought it up to 4gb of ram. The compaq has 250gb hard drive. Do you think the one HP P6-2100 is going to seem better to us? I am thinking of giving up on it now. Seemed like an inexpensive way to get some newer techonology, faster processor and bus speed and some additonal hard drive space.

Really appreciate your response -- thanks!!!

 

[mmitsch]

As mentioned it depends what you mean by "good". Remember you always get what you pay for. This PC is pretty much an Internet surfboard. It's good for browsing, word processing, maybe watching some movies and very general non-multitasking stuff. If that is all you intend to do with it, it would do you just fine for the price. Just make sure you make the recovery disks when you first get it and save them aside. My experience with machines like this is that as they get junked up with your general Windows, Office, application updates and downloads they start to slow down to a crawl because they just can't handle a lot of "stuff". Simply saving your data off and reloading to the factory default, reinstalling your main applications, and updating them to current updates will do wonders.

This is one of those PC's that is good for the purpose of "hey my parents, or grand parents, just want to get email and surf the web, but don't want to pay that much."

Thanks for your response! We were planning on usign this for general purpose stuff (mostly email and some word processiong use, working with pictures, etc.. It'd be replacing a Compaq Presario SR5413WM Desktop PC. I had upgraded the processor in this one to an Athlon 64 X2 5600+ and brought it up to 4gb of ram. The compaq has 250gb hard drive. Do you think the one HP P6-2100 is going to seem better to us? I am thinking of giving up on it now. Seemed like an inexpensive way to get some newer techonology, faster processor and bus speed and some additonal hard drive space and Windows 8.

I think maybe I'm making a bad choice after reading what you wrote. Let me know if you think it's better than what we have now (the Compaq).

Really appreciate your response too!

 

[Wolfshadw]

To be perfectly honest, I don't see any need to replace your current system. With the upgrades you've already made, it's more than enough to run your selected applications.

The only real down side to your current system is the lack of additional SATA ports and integrated graphics. If you wanted to add a larger hard drive for more storage space, you'd also have to add a SATA controller card (or go IDE). I don't see that the processor upgrade with the new system provides you with any significant processing boost.

I'd probably keep your current system and make the following additions:

1) Kotech 2-SATA PCI-Ex1 Controller Card - $20
2) Sapphire Radeon HD6570 graphics card - $60
3) Western Digital WD Green 1TB SATA III Hard Drive - $80

So a $160 upgrade to your current system gives you a better overall system than the $265 system you're looking at. Additionally, you don't need to transfer over any saved data or re-install and programs you use.

Just my $0.02

-Wolf sends

 

[mmitsch]

To be perfectly honest, I don't see any need to replace your current system. With the upgrades you've already made, it's more than enough to run your selected applications.

The only real down side to your current system is the lack of additional SATA ports and integrated graphics. If you wanted to add a larger hard drive for more storage space, you'd also have to add a SATA controller card (or go IDE). I don't see that the processor upgrade with the new system provides you with any significant processing boost.

I'd probably keep your current system and make the following additions:

1) Kotech 2-SATA PCI-Ex1 Controller Card - $20
2) Sapphire Radeon HD6570 graphics card - $60
3) Western Digital WD Green 1TB SATA III Hard Drive - $80

So a $160 upgrade to your current system gives you a better overall system than the $265 system you're looking at. Additionally, you don't need to transfer over any saved data or re-install and programs you use.

Just my $0.02

-Wolf sends

Thank you for the detailed response! If you think my current system will run a little better I think your advice sounds great -- and saves me $100! I appreciate your help! Will let you know how we handle all this.

 

[mmitsch]

To be perfectly honest, I don't see any need to replace your current system. With the upgrades you've already made, it's more than enough to run your selected applications.

The only real down side to your current system is the lack of additional SATA ports and integrated graphics. If you wanted to add a larger hard drive for more storage space, you'd also have to add a SATA controller card (or go IDE). I don't see that the processor upgrade with the new system provides you with any significant processing boost.

I'd probably keep your current system and make the following additions:

1) Kotech 2-SATA PCI-Ex1 Controller Card - $20
2) Sapphire Radeon HD6570 graphics card - $60
3) Western Digital WD Green 1TB SATA III Hard Drive - $80

So a $160 upgrade to your current system gives you a better overall system than the $265 system you're looking at. Additionally, you don't need to transfer over any saved data or re-install and programs you use.

Just my $0.02

-Wolf sends

I took your advice and kept my current system. So far I have gotten a new hard drive, a Seagate ST500DM002 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5".

I also have installed Windows 8 and all is running well.

Next I need to decide on a video card. I have a ATI Raedon 4300/450 Series card with 512mb or memory. If I the card you recommend do you think I will see a difference?

And, lastly, if I get the controller card, will that boost performance noticeably?

Let me know and I appreciated your $0.02 worth and want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

[Wolfshadw]

For the work that you do on this system (in particular, working with pictures), you should notice a bit of performance improvement with the graphics card I suggested.

The SATA controller card was only required if you wanted to ADD a second hard drive. It would not boost performance at all only allow you to have two hard drives installed, since your motherboard only has two SATA ports (one for your hard drive and one for your DVD drive). It sounds like you installed Windows 8 onto the new 500GB drive which replaced the old 250GB drive. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Here are the specifications I'm going off of.

-Wolf sends

 

[mmitsch]

For the work that you do on this system (in particular, working with pictures), you should notice a bit of performance improvement with the graphics card I suggested.

The SATA controller card was only required if you wanted to ADD a second hard drive. It would not boost performance at all only allow you to have two hard drives installed, since your motherboard only has two SATA ports (one for your hard drive and one for your DVD drive). It sounds like you installed Windows 8 onto the new 500GB drive which replaced the old 250GB drive. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Here are the specifications I'm going off of.

-Wolf sends

The specs you sent are for the machine as I bought it. I have added memory (it now has 4gb, though it reports 3.5gb in Windows 8) and I upgraded the processor to an AMD Athlon 64X2 Dual Core Processor 5600+ along with the video card I added - an ATI Radeon HD 4300/4500 with 512mb of memory.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks!

 

[Wolfshadw]

I'd say, with the graphics card upgrade I previously mentioned, your system is good to go.

-Wolf sends

 

[mmitsch]

I'd say, with the graphics card upgrade I previously mentioned, your system is good to go.

-Wolf sends

Thanks! I have gotten the graphics card in my basket to buy at Newegg. I may get a SATA expansion card as well and saw they had this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124045

You think it's any good? I am thinking of putting the old hard drive in the case to move files, etc..

And, one last question, do you know if I can make the system recognize my 4gb of ram? It's reporting back 3.5gb available now.

Most importantly, thank you for your help and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mike

 

[Wolfshadw]

The SATA expansion card you have linked should be sufficient for adding a hard drive or two to your system for moving files around. Obviously, I cannot speak to it's performance from first hand, but I do not see any issues that might arise.

As for your memory question, it's your computer's operating system. Your computer does recognize the full 4GB of RAM you have installed, but it can only address a total of 4GB of RAM. Some of that address space is taken up by your system BIOS and some is taken by the memory allocated to your graphics card. This is a limitation of 32-bit operating systems. It is not limiting you an any way other than you cannot install more than 4GB or RAM into your system.

-Wolf sends

P.S. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well!

 

[mmitsch]

The SATA expansion card you have linked should be sufficient for adding a hard drive or two to your system for moving files around. Obviously, I cannot speak to it's performance from first hand, but I do not see any issues that might arise.

As for your memory question, it's your computer's operating system. Your computer does recognize the full 4GB of RAM you have installed, but it can only address a total of 4GB of RAM. Some of that address space is taken up by your system BIOS and some is taken by the memory allocated to your graphics card. This is a limitation of 32-bit operating systems. It is not limiting you an any way other than you cannot install more than 4GB or RAM into your system.

-Wolf sends

P.S. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well!

All came, all is installed and all is working -- with 2 hard drives on board. The benchmark test showed I doubled me performance and the PC works great.

Thanks for all your help and I wish you a Happy New Year!!!

Mike

 

[Wolfshadw]

Congrats on the upgrade and Happy New Year to you as well!

-Wolf sends