Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question

Build for Small Business

Tags:
  • Monitors
  • Business Computing
Last response: in Business Computing
Share
March 14, 2014 7:48:15 PM

Approximate Purchase Date: now

Budget Range: $600 - $800 After Rebates

System Usage - all Important: Office programs, Financial software, internet, cloud usage, photo viewing

Parts Not Required: video cards, keyboard, mouse, monitors, speakers

Preferred Website(s) for parts: none, please advise

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: I would like an SSHD, 8gb memory expandable to 16 gb

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: no

Monitor Resolution: Not exactly sure but I have (2) Dell 23" units and I didn't buy the cheaper of what was being offered.

Additional Comments: Currently have (2) monitors and will be moving to (3) or (4) monitors.
I need to see multiple applications at the same time and go between them constantly due to business environment.
Must use Windows 7 Pro. Quiet PC would be good. Mini tower.
i want something that is very strong, fast and reliable.
We will be installing a NAS in a few months so storage is not an issue. Currently working from a server.
If not my own build than an OptiPlex 3020 Mini Tower would be in order. However I want something better than that.



More about : build small business

March 15, 2014 3:49:49 AM

Thanks for that. I'll check it out.
March 19, 2014 6:18:31 AM

You know, if this is really for a business, then the main choice that you have is whether you feel comfortable doing your own support. So if your computer won't boot, what do you want/feel comfortable doing? Also, if this is a business, then having a computer go down usually means that you're losing money. So that raises the issue of support level even higher.

If you don't want to fix problems yourself, then you're better off going with a business computer from the usual suspects, like the Dell Optiplex that you previously mentioned. You can buy support contracts from all major vendors for 4-hr response times, Next-Day response, and similar options.

You could also source a computer from a local computer support company, and then you could have a more "personal" type of service from someone local.

If you feel comfortable working on your own problems, then you likely wouldn't be asking such a general question as recommending a PC to buy. So I would recommend going with a business solution as outlined above.

The only thing I would recommend for performance on your business PC would be to get a SSD for it. A SSD will save you time through-out the year, and that means more time you can spend being productive on your computer. Hopefully that also means more $ in your pocket.
Related resources
March 19, 2014 10:17:05 AM

2Be_or_Not2Be said:
You know, if this is really for a business, then the main choice that you have is whether you feel comfortable doing your own support. So if your computer won't boot, what do you want/feel comfortable doing? Also, if this is a business, then having a computer go down usually means that you're losing money. So that raises the issue of support level even higher.

If you don't want to fix problems yourself, then you're better off going with a business computer from the usual suspects, like the Dell Optiplex that you previously mentioned. You can buy support contracts from all major vendors for 4-hr response times, Next-Day response, and similar options.

You could also source a computer from a local computer support company, and then you could have a more "personal" type of service from someone local.

If you feel comfortable working on your own problems, then you likely wouldn't be asking such a general question as recommending a PC to buy. So I would recommend going with a business solution as outlined above.

The only thing I would recommend for performance on your business PC would be to get a SSD for it. A SSD will save you time through-out the year, and that means more time you can spend being productive on your computer. Hopefully that also means more $ in your pocket.


March 19, 2014 10:27:40 AM

Great reply 2Be_or_Not2Be. Thank you.

I am very fortunate to have a local network IT guy that I can call at anytime. We help each other bartering services so I've never actually paid cash to him nor he to I in the last 5 years.

So we do have that part covered easily and I also am not a total novice.

When I talked to Dell they were having conniptions about the SSD card in the Optiplex. With the XPS I believe that I can order it with a hybrid card. Do you know if there is a difference with either using a hybrid card or separate SSD to the normal HD?

In response to your "If you feel comfortable working on your own problems, then you likely wouldn't be asking such a general question as recommending a PC to buy. So I would recommend going with a business solution as outlined above."

I merely put this out there to learn for myself and get other opinions other than my IT guy. Nothing wrong with his opinions, just doing my homework.

Thanks.

March 19, 2014 12:01:44 PM

Always good to have a 2nd opinion; for that, you've come to the right place. People on the Internet are full of it! :) 

I still would go with a business computer; you never know when your local resource might have to move because of a job change, etc. So at least you still have someone to replace the PC if it goes down.

When you say "hybrid" card, I assume you're talking about a "hybrid" hard drive. These are spinning disk hard drives that have flash memory added to supposedly give the best of both worlds - the storage capacity of a spinning hard drive and the response time of a SSD. These types of drives can get close at times to the performance of a SSD, but they don't do it ALL of the time. That's why I recommend a SSD as your base "system" drive; you can always add a 2-4TB hard drive if you think you need the extra space.

With Dell, it seems like they have a decent upgrade option in the Optiplex 9020 series - a 128GB SSD for $142. That costs more than a normal 128GB hard drive, but it does fall under the warranty of the system you buy. So if it fails, Dell has to replace it. So that might be worth it as a way to get the performance you want, but make sure that Dell can't blame something else if it fails. In pricing a 9020 out, it went down to $750 with rebates and a 128GB SSD.
March 20, 2014 12:12:49 AM

SDA-ACU said:
Approximate Purchase Date: now

Budget Range: $600 - $800 After Rebates

System Usage - all Important: Office programs, Financial software, internet, cloud usage, photo viewing

Parts Not Required: video cards, keyboard, mouse, monitors, speakers

Preferred Website(s) for parts: none, please advise

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: I would like an SSHD, 8gb memory expandable to 16 gb

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: no

Monitor Resolution: Not exactly sure but I have (2) Dell 23" units and I didn't buy the cheaper of what was being offered.

Additional Comments: Currently have (2) monitors and will be moving to (3) or (4) monitors.
I need to see multiple applications at the same time and go between them constantly due to business environment.
Must use Windows 7 Pro. Quiet PC would be good. Mini tower.
i want something that is very strong, fast and reliable.
We will be installing a NAS in a few months so storage is not an issue. Currently working from a server.
If not my own build than an OptiPlex 3020 Mini Tower would be in order. However I want something better than that.





!