Which is the best PC for this guy's uses?

[gregrocker]

Friend called from Tiger Direct saying he went in to buy a Core I3 desktop on clearance but the salesman is telling him that for his light web browsing and office multi-tasking with Office Word, Spreadsheets, Messenger, Skydrive, Quickbooks, etc he is better off with Dual Core or Quad Core than Core I3 or I5 which would mainly benefit gaming or intense video uses.

Here are the two PC's he's weighing based on this advice:

Gateway SX2865-UR338 DT.GDPAA.004 Desktop PC - Intel Dual-Core G530 2.40GHz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, DVDRW, Windows 8 64-bit, Keyboard & Mouse at TigerDirect.com

Gateway DX4870-UR348 DT.GDDAA.016 Desktop PC - 2nd Gen. Intel Core i3-2130 3.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, DVDRW, Windows 8 64-bit, Keyboard & Mouse at TigerDirect.com

Do you agree with this advice? Which do you think is the better PC overall and for his specific uses?

Thanks.

 

[AddRAM]

I would tell him to get the best he could afford, no telling what you may use the computer for in the future.

 

[indianacarnie]

Well, personally I'm a fan of i series processors these days. Not sure how many of his needs would require or even use a quad core. Most of the spec.'s seem to be about even so if I was buying...... I'd go for the DX-4870.

 

[Alejandro85]

I may agree with the seller in that the Dual Core will suffice most normal home activities like web browsing and some office programs and chats without too much problems. If he keeps mostly at those programs, the computer would not have any problems.
However, that PC these days may be considered as the base one, the "bare minimum". I would consider seriously the i3 just for the sake of future compatibility, or if he just wants to run something more advanced in thereafter, so he's not forced to immediately change again so early.
Of course, the pocket has the last word , but if he can afford the extra power, I would go for the higher end one.

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks. He can afford more but doesn't want to buy more than he needs for his uses. I had a hard time explaining to him the difference between Dual/Quad core and Core I3 or I5.

His office PC has Core I5 and doesn't seem any faster except when cloning in boot mode than a Dual Core for his uses. So he feels he may not need even that much for his home PC although he can afford it.

 

[bobkn]

The I3 machine is only $30 more, so I'd suggest that. Faster is faster.

I wonder about it, though. It's a Gen2 I3, not the current Gen3. New old stock? It's not listed as a refurb.

He could get a similar machine at the Dell outlet store. Definitely a refurb there, of course.

 

[gregrocker]

No, it's just another great Tiger clearance deal. Thanks for the advice. I still am not clear the point the salesman was trying to make that Dual or Quad core is better for light web and office multi-tasking than I3 or I5 which are more for heavier games and video uses.

 

[indianacarnie]

I know... that had me scratching my head too. I'm a huge Tiger Direct fan myself but have only used their online stores.

 

[mitchell65]

The salesman is probably on a better commisssion on the recommended machine (but then I'm an old sceptic!)

 

[logicearth]

I personally would go with the i3 in this case. It is a Dual Core (includes HyperThreading) just the same with a higher clock and more features. Along with better integrated graphics as well. The only real difference between the i3 and the Celeron machines are the physical sizes, the price difference is hardly anything.