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  #1  
Old 02-14-2015, 08:30 AM
gcextreme gcextreme is offline
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Default Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

Hopefully i will have enough of a vacation payout check to buy a new desktop computer. Looking at between $800 and $1200.
Looking at an Alienware..need something powerful enough to handle graphics and my video editing software, as well as the occasional gaming. But mostly its going to be for work for my business.
My old desktop from college, 2004, Dell Dimension 8300 is old just barely gets me by, but my video editing software wont work on it and neither will alot of new games. It has the older AGP Graphics port, ive got like an nvidia geforce 7600 agp card in it...the best i can get for it. And i only have a 40G hard drive and a 120G secondary drive. It has Windows XP Pro on it.

So im wanting to upgrade. Not really wanting the newer windows crap operating system tho, would love to be able to keep XP lol.

Anyway im open to suggestions.
Currently looking at an Alienware X51 with either the i5 or i7.
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  #2  
Old 02-14-2015, 08:44 AM
jsz20102 jsz20102 is offline
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Your best bet for your money is custom built, not knowing your software but anything new will not run at full capacity on windows xp and windows 7,8 and the upcoming 10 all have an option for the same general layout as xp. As far as processor you may want to look into amd, some of there comparable processors to the i7 I have seen at 1/2 the cost
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  #3  
Old 02-14-2015, 08:44 AM
foxracer85 foxracer85 is offline
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Of course we all have our own opinions but I love my Apple
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  #4  
Old 02-14-2015, 08:54 AM
GLH GLH is offline
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I built one in 2010 that is just as fast now with dual Nvidia video graphics cards, 4 processors, 500 GB 10000 rom hard drive, etc. It will play any game. I'm connected to the fastest cable modem speed.
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  #5  
Old 02-14-2015, 09:19 AM
DatRanger DatRanger is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GLH View Post
I built one in 2010 that is just as fast now with dual Nvidia video graphics cards, 4 processors, 500 GB 10000 rom hard drive, etc. It will play any game. I'm connected to the fastest cable modem speed.
I've got a great gaming PC. Ran about 1500 but I need to get better internet speeds lol 11 down and 1 up sucks
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  #6  
Old 02-14-2015, 11:15 AM
Tom Tom is offline
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Default Re: Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

Alienware systems are usually pretty decent, but very over priced.

I would strongly recommend you look at building your own computer. It's very easy to do and theirs lots of information online if you have any concerns.

I remember seeing stuff a couple years ago where folks had priced out Alienware systems vs building it themselves. It was about a 50% difference, building a $1,500 alienware system for about $750. Quick glance at their prices and that definitely still looks to be true.

Build your own. It's not hard at all, there's not many different ways you can plug in a hard drive, or screw in a motherboard, so it's not difficult... just takes a little time. Also, if you build your own, you can keep using Windows XP if you really truly wanted to. Although I would install at least Windows 7 if I were you.

If you have time, you can wait for sales to pop up and buy parts one by one when it comes on sale.

Also just an example, newegg sells a packaged deal kit that pretty much matches the $1000 Alienware system... Newseggs price? $600.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboB...=Combo.2086636

They have a bunch of other combos as well.

Or another comparison, Lenovo was selling a system that seems a little beefier than the $1300 alienware system for only $700. See: http://www.ebay.com/itm/151455308896

Cliff notes: Alienware is over priced.
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  #7  
Old 02-14-2015, 11:42 AM
gcextreme gcextreme is offline
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Default Re: Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

Yep, but does that include an Operating System?
If i built one, yes i could save money, but then i would have to drop $200-300 just for an operating system.
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  #8  
Old 02-14-2015, 11:45 AM
WNH WNH is offline
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Default Re: Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

X2 on what Tom said ^^^
Custom building a pc is going to be the best way to go.
tons of useful info from sites such as http://pcpartpicker.com/ or subreddits such as http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc
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  #9  
Old 02-14-2015, 12:01 PM
Tom Tom is offline
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Default Re: Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gcextreme View Post
Yep, but does that include an Operating System?
If i built one, yes i could save money, but then i would have to drop $200-300 just for an operating system.
If you shop around you can buy Windows 7 for like $50. Probably closer to $30 if you're buying it from a place that has a mail in rebate offer.
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  #10  
Old 02-14-2015, 01:57 PM
GLH GLH is offline
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I was a diehard XP user. Hated Vista. Windows 7 64 bit is great. Has the best of XP and only the good stuff from Vista (not much lol).
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  #11  
Old 02-14-2015, 02:43 PM
gcextreme gcextreme is offline
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Default Re: Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

Im not in a hurry, looking to get something by June for sure.
Plus its primary use will be for my business, so i can write it off next year.
So far ive got me 3 flat screen monitors, all like 22" i think..and a nice 3 monitor stand for them, so now im just gonna shop for a desktop tower...or build my own.

My big issue is time, not sure i will have the time to devote to building it myself, would rather just maybe buy a complete one.
I may check with my local custom computer store and see what they can build me
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  #12  
Old 02-15-2015, 12:49 AM
ripsta1981 ripsta1981 is offline
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Default Re: Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

Gcextreme xp is outdated and not supported therefore no updates and no browser support. Windows 7 ya can get for about 119.99 sometimes and windows 8 same price. 8.1 no longer boots into the metro (tile screen) straight to desktop. I build computers and am a computer/network engineer
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  #13  
Old 02-15-2015, 01:17 AM
cowboybilly9mile cowboybilly9mile is offline
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Default Re: Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

X7 or so on building your own. The work is not in assembling it but rather, researching what components to buy, in particular the MoBo, processor and memory. As for the OS, I'm running a dual boot system (actually triple boot but that's another conversation) with W7Ult 64 bit and XPPro for a few old things. Last I read MS is claiming that they will release W10 at no cost.

Benefits of building your own are many, like for starters you understand exactly what you have. There is no bloatware. There is no customer support which is great because if were to contact then, it would either be a kid that knows less than you or some guy called Mark with a towel on his head in a foreign country. The only downside, I guess, is that you will have to commit to some time to load software/drivers and tweak/dial it all in. Small price to pay. When that is done, do a backup and you're golden.
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  #14  
Old 02-15-2015, 02:57 AM
sole sole is offline
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You could always run apples operating system it's much cheaper and IMO a better cleaner running system. About a year ago my buddy built a bad ass gaming desktop he could run the most demanding games on the ultra high settings and any other game for that matter and he spent around $1000 not including monitors, keyboard and mouse's
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  #15  
Old 02-15-2015, 06:55 AM
gcextreme gcextreme is offline
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Default Re: Looking to buy a new desktop computer.

Why do people say windows xp is out dated and no longer supported? Hell i just did another update the other night on my XP. Lol and all my games and software still run on it..the only issue i have is a hardware issue, my Adobe video production software wont run on the graphics card i have lol.

Anyway, not gonna run Apple either, all my software i have is for Windows. And i just hate Apple anyways lol

My current desktop has an intel pentium 4 processor, 3ghz, with 1G Ram. Im not familiar with these new i5/i7 processors. I know how to build a computer, ive just been out of the loop on the new tech.
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