new computer or upgrade?
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 336
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new computer or upgrade?
I agree w/ 1997RangerXLT. Just did a quick search at Sam's Club (Wally World Warehouse) and you can pick up an e-Machine for approx $487 without any monitor. Athalon 2000+, 256MB,CD RW, DVD, 80 GB hard drive, Ethernet, fax-modem, 6 USB ports, WinXP, MS Works, keyboard &mouse, Norton AV. That of course may not be your first choice, but if you shop around you can get a pretty good deal on a machine that will fit your needs.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
new computer or upgrade?
The Dell and e-machines have integrated and proprietary parts that will put you right back where you were with the HP machines. Usually what gets to you is an upgrade that requires updated drivers. These are difficult to get for the proprietary parts. You can download the drivers off of manufacturers websites for the generic parts. I try to get "retail" parts when I can instead of the "OEM pack" parts since they usually have the best support.
To check prices on parts go to: http://www.newegg.com/ they may not have the absolute lowest price for a part but overall they will be the lowest around. They have superb customer support also. I have just bought parts for a $1,200 high end system from them, just one of many. I used to shop around and buy a few parts here and a few there but it ended up more expensive due to shipping and hassles.
To check prices on parts go to: http://www.newegg.com/ they may not have the absolute lowest price for a part but overall they will be the lowest around. They have superb customer support also. I have just bought parts for a $1,200 high end system from them, just one of many. I used to shop around and buy a few parts here and a few there but it ended up more expensive due to shipping and hassles.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,359
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, SC
new computer or upgrade?
I have Dell's, Windows XP comes with an upgrade menu item. It's a real no brainer. The hardware drivers almost never gets upgraded, (Mine haven't yet) the Windows security patches and bug fixes are 24x7.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 2
From: WA
new computer or upgrade?
I hate dell's, the last experence i had with one was replacing a power suppily on one, which should be easy, but suprise! it's an integrated part from dell, so they charge you an arm and a leg for it AND sent me the wrong one the first time..
Get a case, or just use your old one, throw a new motherboard in and buy what ever upgrades you need.
Get a case, or just use your old one, throw a new motherboard in and buy what ever upgrades you need.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,388
Likes: 0
From: Live Oak, FL
new computer or upgrade?
As far as that case goes, it's probalby an old AT case with a 150wt power supply, max. Chuck it out the door and get an ATX case with a 350wt power supply. Your old keyboard won't fit the new mother boards either so add that to the pile. Your hard drive is going to be way to small and s l o w so trash that too. Your old 30 pin (or is it 32) memory is going to be slow and probalby won't fit the mother board, so trash that too. You can save about $9.00 by keeping your old floppy drive. Your CD Rom, if you have one is going to be a 2X or 4X read only. You can get a 52 read, 52 write for about $59.00. If you aren't hooked up to a DSL or cable modem internet you don't need a Network card - another $15.00 saved.
Last edited by Bubba Shrimp; Jul 22, 2003 at 09:10 PM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 2
From: WA
new computer or upgrade?
2 or 4X? 32 pin? Non PS/2 keyboard? It's not like he's upgrading from a 386..
My point was that you could still save a few bucks and build your own.
My point was that you could still save a few bucks and build your own.
Last edited by acerockola77; Jul 22, 2003 at 09:53 PM.
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
From: Alberta
new computer or upgrade?
Ok, first of all I'm in Canada (Calgary)so I'm not gonna get much of a package or system for $500 Can. Second, if I have my way I'll never set foot in 'Wally World' again. Now if it is relatively easy for a somewhat handy guy then I would be all for building my own system, I would just need some guidance from somebody more knowledgeable than I. As for what I would like-faster, more memory, able to scan and work with pics, word processing and spreadsheets(software) and I use telephone modem. There is one place in the paper here that has systems starting at like $600 canadian for an AMD 1700, 256 MB blah blah, looks like basically custom built units, I'm thinking about checking them out. They also sell all the parts there too. Show me the way!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 2
From: WA
new computer or upgrade?
If thats all you plan on doing than that sounds like a great system.. I'm not quite sure what the conversion rate from Can. to U.S. dollars is and what all the system has on it so I'm not quite sure if thats a good deal or not..
Building your own isn't that tough really, it's a lot easier than you think once you read a couple things and just generally know where everything does/goes.
Building your own isn't that tough really, it's a lot easier than you think once you read a couple things and just generally know where everything does/goes.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,388
Likes: 0
From: Live Oak, FL
new computer or upgrade?
ace, the computer is seven years old. The CD might be a little faster than 4x, but unless he's updated it, it's sure not going to burn cd's. The memory is for a PII 266 Mhz, how's that going to work at 1.8Ghz? Even if the keyboard is PS2, and I doubt it, after 7 years it's wore out. for $9.00 he can buy a nice shinny new one. Granted, if he was trying to cut corners and save money some of these things might work and he could replace them later.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 2
From: WA
new computer or upgrade?
7? they made the pentium IIs in 97-98.. i still have one running as a server, but that wasnt my original point anyways, all i was saying is you can save a few dollars if you are cheap like me and do it yourself..
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,682
Likes: 12
From: Saskatoon SK Canada
new computer or upgrade?
I second building your own. I built a complete system for $800 can. The most important part is to buy a good motherboard and skimp a little on the cpu. I have a Athlon 1700+ (Overclocked at 166 mhz x 10 multiplyer 1666 mhz which equals about an Athlon 2100+), Asus A7N8X which can handle the fastest Athlon available, 256 mb PC2700, Aopen Geforce 4MX 440SE, Maxtor 40 gb. Also the big brands like dell, HP and compaq come with annoying restore cds. It isn't a full version of windows just basically a backup of windows that is just copied to your hard drive. I build, fix computers and install high speed internet conections.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 491
Likes: 0
From: Walterboro, SC
new computer or upgrade?
You should build your own. It's not very hard. I like AMD's so here's what I would do for a mid-range computer:
Motherboard.....Epox, Abit, or Asus 333Mhz - $70.00
Processor..........AMD Athlon XP2200 (1.8Ghz) - $62.00
RAM.................Micron or Samsung 512 MB DDR266 - $65.00
Hard Disk..........Western Digital 40GB, 7200RPM - $55.00
Video Card........ATI Radeon 9000, 64MB DDR - $50.00
CD-RW............Samsung 40X12X40 - $40.00
Case..................400W ATX - <$30.00
Monitor(if needed) 15in. $100-$150
That's around $500 for a system that is only about eight months out of date. Without the monitor it would be about $375. And then you can add keyboard and mouse if you need to for a MAX of $20 more unless you want fancy stuff. And you also have to buy Window XP Pro.
Motherboard.....Epox, Abit, or Asus 333Mhz - $70.00
Processor..........AMD Athlon XP2200 (1.8Ghz) - $62.00
RAM.................Micron or Samsung 512 MB DDR266 - $65.00
Hard Disk..........Western Digital 40GB, 7200RPM - $55.00
Video Card........ATI Radeon 9000, 64MB DDR - $50.00
CD-RW............Samsung 40X12X40 - $40.00
Case..................400W ATX - <$30.00
Monitor(if needed) 15in. $100-$150
That's around $500 for a system that is only about eight months out of date. Without the monitor it would be about $375. And then you can add keyboard and mouse if you need to for a MAX of $20 more unless you want fancy stuff. And you also have to buy Window XP Pro.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,027
Likes: 0
From: Canada
new computer or upgrade?
Those prices are US$. In canada they are considerably higher.
I'd go for 256M PC266 ram. (I hate DDR I use rambus myself but for cost savings)
I'd go with a 300w PS. 400 your wasting $.
I'd go with a radeon 7500 video card, dont waste the $ on a 9000. they are junk anyway.
Or ask around work/friends see if anyone is a game junkie and upgrading you could pick up something really good really cheap.
Chado
I'd go for 256M PC266 ram. (I hate DDR I use rambus myself but for cost savings)
I'd go with a 300w PS. 400 your wasting $.
I'd go with a radeon 7500 video card, dont waste the $ on a 9000. they are junk anyway.
Or ask around work/friends see if anyone is a game junkie and upgrading you could pick up something really good really cheap.
Chado