Solved Looking to buy a new computer

[dakota37]

My wife needs a new computer. They are now showing 2 types of desktops, a small one and then the standard towers. She wants to run windows7. Looking at refurbished as she doesn't need a power house. She likes to watch videos, surf, email and work with photos. Which one would be the better type. We have DSL but it is not a great one as it places about 10th in the tests. CenturyLink is what it is. Supposed to be 10mb download but not sure if that is right as it uses a site close to the server which is about 400 miles from me. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[bigmck]

Hi -- Whether it is a tower or not does not matter. It is what is inside that makes a computer. I did a Google search for "Refurbished PC" and found several. You did not say what your budget is. That makes a difference as far as getting help. Do you know anything about computer CPU's or Memory? That will tell us how to explain things. Thanks,

 

[dakota37]

Probably need 6gig memory, have not kept up on Cpu's or memory boards.. Would like an upgradable one. On set income so cannot go very high on price. Like I said running Windows 7. I used to know a lot about these but have not kept up on them.

 

[whs]

For your wife's use you are best off with a laptop for $350 or less. But the good deals are all Windows 8 which is actually good. Example: ASUS 15.6-Inch Laptop (X551MAV-RCLN06) | Staples®

 

[Jacee]

You might want to look at Staples Windows 7 Desktop Computers | All-In-One Desktop Computers | Staples®

You might also be interested in Windows 10, which will be a free upgrade. Please read this 'blog' The next generation of Windows: Windows 10

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Probably need 6gig memory, have not kept up on Cpu's or memory boards.. Would like an upgradable one. On set income so cannot go very high on price. Like I said running Windows 7. I used to know a lot about these but have not kept up on them.

You haven't said if wife needs portability. If yes, get a laptop. If no, get a desktop. Laptops have the portability advantage, but are inferior in other areas: price, fragility, ability to upgrade, "bang for buck", etc.

Regardless, one of the least expensive Intel i3 processors should be about all she needs. Not likely you'd need more than 4 GB of memory.

I doubt if you'd have to spend over $400 unless you needed a new monitor, printer, etc.

Here's a pile of refurbs:

Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more - Newegg.com

I'd desperately try to avoid the very lowest tier, say 250 and under (if new). Some of the stuff I've seen in that area from major suppliers like HP is outright embarrassing.

Here's a list of 82 Dell refurbs from Newegg. You might want to look at the Dell Factory Store at Dell also.

Computer Parts, Laptops, Electronics, and More - Newegg.com

If you can spend 400 or more, I'd probably look at new as well as refurb.

 

[whs]

Ignatz, this is a damn good deal from one of your links. What can you lose for $140. Add a $60 SSD and the thing will fly.

I still have one of those with a 1.8GHz CPU and 3GB of RAM - plus a recent Crucial SSD. Works very well.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

WHS:

I'm guessing that thing has an E6550 processor? There's several Core 2 Duo CPUs that run at 2.33.

I used to have a very similar E6600 machine. Yeah, it's snappy enough as a basic Internet/email/watch videos machine and would be more so with an SSD.

My only question would be what does "refurb" imply in this case? How many hours on the hardware? I know some refurbs are effectively unused, but I imagine others have 15,000 hours on them and would be more accurately described as "used". I dunno how you sort that out as I've never owned a refurb. I don't have the slightest idea what "Microsoft Authorized Recertified" means.

But the OS alone is worth most of the cost if it's got a sticker and Product Key.

 

[whs]

Yeah, with refurb you never know what you are buying. But your point on the OS is a very good one.

 

[bigmck]

Through the years, I have had three refurbished computers, two laptops and a desktop. I have never had any problems with them. You can get some good deals on those. You just need to make sure that the CPU is fast enough for what you need.

 

[jc836]

There are still many Windows 7 laptops available, new in the box. Check Amazon for Lenovo and HP. Both have units either direct or from resellers. My wife just got a Lenovo E545 with Windows 7 64Bit Professional preinstalled. Priced about $400. It does come with a Windows 8 disc (we ditched that one). You will find all sorts of setups that will have 4-8 gigs of RAM and hard drives of various sizes. YTour budget will determine what you wind up with.
As to your connection via DSL, don't feel badly. My buddy in central Wisconsin (CenturyTel) gets under 1 meg and has a powerhouse of a laptop. He connects to the router with WiFi, btw.

If you are at all mechanically inclined, then building a desktop BUDGET machine would be an option. You would have to either have or buy a new Monitor and keyboard+mouse. Total cost in the range of $500.

Hope this helps you.

 

[dakota37]

Definetly want desktop as we have a laptop and she isn't crazy about it.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

Both my desktop (8 years and running) and a laptop (4 + years and running) are Refurbished.
One was from Costco and the LT got at Sam's Club. Saved big bucks doing this.
Either I am one of the lucky ones or I don't download/open from unknown sites.
CCleaner, SAS, and MBAM have been helpful in keeping both safe and sound. IMHO
Dennis

 

[jc836]

AS I said you can do a desktop with your choice of components. I do build budget machines and they hold up very well long-term. The largest single expense you will have is a copy of Windows 7 Pro (~$139). Considering how it will be used, you can go with any number of possibilities from places like Tiger Direct. They offer a bundle that you can easily assemble and over time upgrade as you please. My personal machines use GigaByte motherboards and AMD processors. I strongly urge everyone running Win7 64 to install 8 Gigs of RAM. You can use the onboard audio for most things. I do install a separate video card that is capable of HDMI, DVI and VGA but not a gaming one.
Many here have their preferences and experience level. I have been doing this for a very long time and am comfy offering these suggestions based on the fact that my machines run 24/7 without fault. Do your research and come back with a list of either assembled or kit systems for all of us to review for you. Keep in mind that both Costco and Sam's do have open box/refurb types of machines. Also, look at OffceDepot/OfficeMax for what they offer - you never know. I cannot recommend BestBuy for refurb/display or open box based on the fact I have had to reinstall Windows too many times to remove store bloatware.

Good luck

 

[dakota37]

What about the ability to upgrade HP and Dell computers?

 

[whs]

In my experience, HPs are easy. Dells are a dog. Hard to get at anything. Here is the last HP I took apart.

 

[dakota37]

jc836, why not the gaming video card? Just curious as I had never heard anyone saying that before. Believe it or not, I have built a few computers, the one I am running I built, several years ago.. I have just not kept up on info for which boards to what CPUs and memory to match.. The peripherals are a snap except don't know anything about SSDs. Anyway, just curious.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What about the ability to upgrade HP and Dell computers?

To the extent that you are likely to upgrade beyond replacing hard drives in the future, I wouldn't "buy a computer" now. I'd build one.

"Upgrading" is a matter of degree, so it's unclear what you may mean by the term or how often you might intend to do it. Personally, I wouldn't want to be locked into a Dell or HP case and power supply over the longer term if I had intentions of replacing motherboards, CPUs, fans, video cards, etc....total rebuilds. Let alone something like overclocking.

But if this is just intended to be a modest PC and used for simple tasks, buy it and run it into the ground over 5 plus years, then buy another one and repeat the process. Don't upgrade anything that doesn't break, other than perhaps hard drives if storage requirements grow or if you want to try an SSD.

 

[jc836]

Dakota: I was trying to keep you at a basic price point. The on-board video is actually fine for many people. I use a Radeon HD 5000 (MSI R5450) in my 3 desktops. These work well for games such as those on Facebook and the ones within Windows. If you have any intention of playing the more advanced/graphics intensive ones like WOW then a higher end card is the way to go. Machines for my clients use what they need for their situations.
If you go with a refurb-get an HP. As noted by others they are easier to upgrade. I too have worked on Dell machines and they can be a real pain.

 

[bigmck]

A lot of years ago, I stopped buying "Name Brand" computers. I had a Compaq that was a good computer when the power supply went out. I had to replace the PS with a Compaq PS which cost $300. I just junked the Compaq and built a new PC for not much more than $300. I have never had a Name Brand since. What I describe can be a real problem with Name Brands.