Okay, where are my computer experts again?

[Quiet_Cool]

I mean the ones who were helping me decide what to look for in a new PC. I'm back to that old topic again, although I've reached the point where I'm definitely ready to buy, not just looking ahead and waiting.

I've got the basics of what I want in terms of memory and whatnot. What I'm wondering now, before I invest hundreds of dollars again, is if anyone can tell me the difference between the different types of processors.

Ex. Celeron and Pentium. The difference? If any?

Ex. Pentium 2 and Pentium 3. The difference? If any?

ANything of that sort. If I'm feeding importance into something unimportant, slap me upside the face and give me the only advice I'll ever really need in buying a PC: "DON'T BUY ANOTHER GATEWAY!!!!!"

Thanx in advance,

Q_C

 

[R. Richard]

I mean the ones who were helping me decide what to look for in a new PC. I'm back to that old topic again, although I've reached the point where I'm definitely ready to buy, not just looking ahead and waiting.

I've got the basics of what I want in terms of memory and whatnot. What I'm wondering now, before I invest hundreds of dollars again, is if anyone can tell me the difference between the different types of processors.

Ex. Celeron and Pentium. The difference? If any?

Ex. Pentium 2 and Pentium 3. The difference? If any?

ANything of that sort. If I'm feeding importance into something unimportant, slap me upside the face and give me the only advice I'll ever really need in buying a PC: "DON'T BUY ANOTHER GATEWAY!!!!!"

Thanx in advance,

Q_C

The Celeron is a low budget, lower performance Pentium. The higher the Pentiun number, the new and higher performance the series. [A higer clock speed older Pentiun may outperform a lower clock speed newer Pentium, however, you give up some features with the older Pentiums.

If I were buying a computer, I would definitely check out the AMD K series CPUs. They are generally cheaper for the same performance as a Pentium or higher performance for the same cost.

 

[Liar]

Ex. Celeron and Pentium. The difference? If any?

Ex. Pentium 2 and Pentium 3. The difference? If any?

Brace yourself.

Celeron beats Pentium 2 and probably most of the Pentium 3 (can you even buy those?)

Pentium 4 beats Celeron. Most of the time.

Unless it's a Celeron M. Then it depends on lots of different things. Like what you use it for.

Or a Pentium D. Same thing. Depends on what you're looking for.

Confusing? let's add the AMD processors then, where you have the Athlon 64, which is roughly similar to P4, but both better and worse. And Sempron, which is both better and worse than Celeron. And Opteron, which is just weird.

Phew, aren't you glad we could sort this out?

 

[3113]

iMac or Mac Mini

iMac

Pentium processer, can run Windows (if you really must), built-in camera for video chatting, tons of software already installed and ready to go right out of the box. All software works seamlessly together. Reasonable price, excellent support, good resale value. Not cheap but you tried cheap and you see what you get.

Most Macs last upward of 4-5 years as compared to the cheap computers which break down within a year or two. Less aggravation as well as it's not likely to get viruses as most viruses are for Windows machines.

Or, if you already have a computer monitor, then you can just get:
Mac Mini

A mere $600+ (U.S.) again, comes complete with a ton of software the you won't have to buy in addition to that cheapo computer which, in the end, will probably add up to around $600+

Predictable advice from the Apple Cult member

 

[ChilledVodkaIV]

Are they making mobile dual core 64s yet?

They'll probably ship them the day after you make make your purchase.

 

[Alex De Kok]

Or, if you already have a computer monitor, then you can just get:
Mac Mini

A mere $600+ (U.S.) again, comes complete with a ton of software the you won't have to buy in addition to that cheapo computer which, in the end, will probably add up to around $600+

Predictable advice from the Apple Cult member

£400 UK - do you know if it works with a KVM set-up? The idea of a dual installation appeals, but I only have room for one monitor/mouse/keyboard.

Alex

 

[3113]

£400 UK - do you know if it works with a KVM set-up? The idea of a dual installation appeals, but I only have room for one monitor/mouse/keyboard.

By KVM, do you mean a standard keyboard/video/mouse) set up? If so, then the Mini should able to accomidate it, as that's what it was meant to do. Connect up to just about any keyboard, mouse, monitor you like. If this is all you mean, than it should be fine. If you're referring to something special, then you might want to ask here:

Apple Discussions

Under the Mac Mini topic. There's usually someone there able to answer just about any Mac question you've got.

My brother has a Mini and loves it. It takes up almost no room on his desktop and if he needs to he can pack it up and carry it off to a friend's, hook it up to their set up. Very convenient.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Confusing? let's add the AMD processors then, where you have the Athlon 64, which is roughly similar to P4, but both better and worse. And Sempron, which is both better and worse than Celeron. And Opteron, which is just weird.

What about Duron?

 

[Alex De Kok]

By KVM, do you mean a standard keyboard/video/mouse) set up? If so, then the Mini should able to accomidate it, as that's what it was meant to do. Connect up to just about any keyboard, mouse, monitor you like. If this is all you mean, than it should be fine. If you're referring to something special, then you might want to ask here:

Apple Discussions

Under the Mac Mini topic. There's usually someone there able to answer just about any Mac question you've got.

My brother has a Mini and loves it. It takes up almost no room on his desktop and if he needs to he can pack it up and carry it off to a friend's, hook it up to their set up. Very convenient.

I was actually referring to the switchable gizmo which connects a single keyboard, monitor and mouse to two computers at once, allowing the user to switch between them. If the mini has standard PS/2 and VGA connectors, it will work okay. Point taken about the Apple forum. If/when I have the moola spare I may just ask.

Thanks,

Alex

 

[jason_jenn]

Well, hoping to NOT add to the confusion, here are my two cents...

PII and PIII - Inexpensive used systems, no doubt. However, as they age, parts get harder to find and newer software starts to take a toll on performance.

Celeron - Has been out for awhile, but if you plan on heavy usage of multimedia (photoediting/video), you'll likely find the performance lacklustre at best.

AMD - Offer similar performance to the P4 line for lower costs, however with some of them, cooling can be an issue (I currently run an AthlonXP 2800 which runs at 2.2GHz. I had cooling issues which were cheaply resolved by adding two more fans for a total of four) AMD and P4 are great multimedia choices as well as working in conjunction with a good graphics card for upper level 3D driven gaming.

P4 - Seems to be the standard workhorse for most number crunching, document editing and moderate multimedia applications. It runs cooler on average than the AMD lines, and is quite stable.

64bit Processors, such as the Athlon 64x2 and the Intel Pentium PD, are the newest upcoming standard for computing for the next few years. This is of great value if you are looking at future upgrades as the P4 and Athlon XP lines are winding down to make room for the new 64 bit motherboards.

With all this in mind and knowing thast the archetecture that has been a staple in the industry for over 5 years is coming to a close, the question remains... Are you looking for a stable tried and true machine which may be more difficult to find replacement parts for (Albeit at a lower initial investment) or will you want a PC which will be in the mainstream for many years to come?

 

[R. Richard]

A couple of other items.

Memory: At least a GB if you want to be functional in the next few years.

Storage: Try 160 GB or 180GB if you can find a sale.

If you have any amount of stuff to back up, I would get a dual layer DVD writer.

 

[Liar]

What about Duron?

Old, busted and out of print, i thnk.

AMD - Offer similar performance to the P4 line for lower costs, however with some of them, cooling can be an issue (I currently run an AthlonXP 2800 which runs at 2.2GHz. I had cooling issues which were cheaply resolved by adding two more fans for a total of four) AMD and P4 are great multimedia choices as well as working in conjunction with a good graphics card for upper level 3D driven gaming.

That was weird. My computer is built to be as noiseless as possible. I was told to go with AMD because of less need for cooling. And I have exactly the same processor, an Athlon XP 2800, a fanless heatsink cpu cooler and a low speed case fan. And no heat problem at all.

 

[S-Des]

I have an AMD 1.6 Ghz and love it. More RAM would be good (my video stuff sucks ass). You need at least an 80 GB hard drive, but more is better. Bells and whistles are good, DVD burner, scanner, good printer, etc... I save a few bucks by running my computer to my stereo system (better sound and let me spend more on the actual computer). From what I've seen, most systems sold have virtually everything you would want. I get mine built by a computer guy. It's cheaper, I can taylor it to exactly what I want (including software) and he backs the work pretty much forever.

People I know who've bought Gateway haven't had a problem, although if you have, I wouldn't expect you to want to try them again (kind of like a bad car, you just lose trust in the manufacturer). I think the most interesting suggestion is 3113's. I haven't used Apple since 1985, but always wanted to (I was quite the programmer on it in high school). It's a laziness factor for me, everyone I know uses MS, so that's what I went with. To go back to Apple, I'd have to do a lot of research and learn all the software. But from what I hear, it's superior.

 

[Huckleman2000]

AMIGA! Buy an AMIGA!

Sorry, I just had a flashback....


Seriously, I built my own with an AMD Athlon 64 3000 a year and a half ago, and I like it a lot! very speedy, although I've had some configuration issues from time to time - mostly because I like to tinker with it. If you're building your own, the Athlon's have some rep for being finicky with power supplies - you need to have one with a little extra oomph than you might expect.

I depends mostly on what type of applications you plan to use it for. If you're a big gamer, that's a much different requirement than just normal household use like Internet, word processing, digital camera and TurboTax.

 

[NoJo]

Are they making mobile dual core 64s yet?

They'll probably ship them the day after you make make your purchase.

I have a dual-core AMD 64 PC. It glows in the dark, and I call it "Thalia".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalia

 

[3113]

IIt's a laziness factor for me, everyone I know uses MS, so that's what I went with. To go back to Apple, I'd have to do a lot of research and learn all the software. But from what I hear, it's superior.

Apple computers can now run Windows. Though I still haven't figured out why you'd want to...but you can start up the computer in MS if you like instead of Apple's OS.

 

[NoJo]

If what you want to do is read, write, use the web and email, listen to/create music and watch/make videos you should have got an Apple.

I wish I didn't have to use a PC, but unfortunately, I develop PC software.

I've been using the Beta of Microsoft's new OS Vista on my 64-bit PC, (and Microsoft's development kit for it), and I'm underwhelmed.

Apple's based on Intel's processor can run Windows XP natively (i.e. at full speed), but the harware support isn't that good -- yet.

One of the main reasons to get a PC is becuase of the large amount of "free" (often illegal) software available through BitTorrent and other peer-to-peer networks.

 

[Liar]

If what you want to do is read, write, use the web and email, listen to/create music and watch/make videos you should have got an Apple.

Yes, that's what I thought. But I couldn't afford a Mac machine with enough performance to make music on the way I want to.

That was 2 years ago. Minght have changed. But now, the software i've learned how to use is XP only.

/Liar, ex mac man.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Thanx, guys. SOrry to take so long, but I posted this...

...And forgot about it.



Q_C

 

[Guest]

Thanx, guys. SOrry to take so long, but I posted this...

...And forgot about it.



Q_C

Let the punishment commence!

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Let the punishment commence!

Please, let it be a flogging. Please, please, please!!!



Q_C

 

[FallingToFly]

I don't know if you're still looking but...

I bought an e-machines system from Circuit City. Model T6420- I have NO complaints. It is incredibly fast, came with Windows XP Home Edition, great sound and video capability, etc, etc.

I use mine for writing, web browsing, graphics and video creation, spreadsheets, bookkeeping, makign business cards and flyers, keeping track of breeding and barn functions, on and on... it's fast as hell, utterly reliable, and I can run upwards of a dozen windows at once with no issues. It cost around a grand, but that was because we bought extra hardware, warranties, a printer/scanner/fax combo, some extra software, etc. I think the retail on it was just about $700.

And it has a 200 GB hard drive, plus the CD/DVD+RW drive if I need to save files to an external, or I can plug in a datastick and go with that. And it's guaranteed for a few years, so if anything goes wrong, they fix it free of charge or replace the system, and retrieve all my files (if possible).

I also have an Averatec laptop that I fucking adore. It got damaged in an electrical storm a while back, and I haven't had the funds to repair it yet, but it is a sweet little machine- and it ran like a dream. Lightweight, and extremely durable (got kicked by a horse one day and fired up just fine when I checked it) and it has a great big screen and great graphics. I'm going to have my buddy Nukem fix it for me as soon as I can get together with him.

ETA: My brother has an Alienware PC and laptop, and he SWEARS by them.

 

[Guest]

Please, let it be a flogging. Please, please, please!!!



Q_C

Ooooh, I think I can manage that.

Muahahahahaaaa!!

 

[Quiet_Cool]

I don't know if you're still looking but...

I bought an e-machines system from Circuit City. Model T6420- I have NO complaints. It is incredibly fast, came with Windows XP Home Edition, great sound and video capability, etc, etc.

I use mine for writing, web browsing, graphics and video creation, spreadsheets, bookkeeping, makign business cards and flyers, keeping track of breeding and barn functions, on and on... it's fast as hell, utterly reliable, and I can run upwards of a dozen windows at once with no issues. It cost around a grand, but that was because we bought extra hardware, warranties, a printer/scanner/fax combo, some extra software, etc. I think the retail on it was just about $700.

And it has a 200 GB hard drive, plus the CD/DVD+RW drive if I need to save files to an external, or I can plug in a datastick and go with that. And it's guaranteed for a few years, so if anything goes wrong, they fix it free of charge or replace the system, and retrieve all my files (if possible).

I also have an Averatec laptop that I fucking adore. It got damaged in an electrical storm a while back, and I haven't had the funds to repair it yet, but it is a sweet little machine- and it ran like a dream. Lightweight, and extremely durable (got kicked by a horse one day and fired up just fine when I checked it) and it has a great big screen and great graphics. I'm going to have my buddy Nukem fix it for me as soon as I can get together with him.

ETA: My brother has an Alienware PC and laptop, and he SWEARS by them.

Yeah, I was looking at a few e-machines, but wanted to make sure I was getting the best system for the money before I bought.

Thanx, FF

Q_C