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Great forum and I need the expertise of the wiz on CD . I didn't have a need to purchase a new computer since about early 2008. I have company-provided laptop which I use for everything. I also have a couple of 5 y.o HP laptops, which are in rather sad state of affairs, with a little help from my kids. I'm now enrolled in a graduate program which I do online, and it requires a lot of hours aside from my main work on company's computer. I'm really leaning towards desktop vs laptop. I'd like to have a dual monitor hook-up and it's just easier with desktop. If I need to travel I still can use my work laptop and have some other files with me on flash drive. Since mt last desktop Dell was from late 1990s (gone with the wind a while ago)....I have to admit that I have no idea what I really am looking for, and what is the fair price for it? My work computer has Windows 7, but b/c some of the older programs I have to work with my employer won't even allow to update the browser, or to install Google chrome, which is a requirement for my online graduate program. I wanted to get something that is more or less a modern version of the desktop, for basic duties, and most importantly without breaking a bank for it. I also need to get dual monitiors, and probably a stand for monitors. Please give your advise on what you think is reasonable, and if there are bundle deals I'd love to take a look at those too.
Desktops are all around, and I always look at Dell Outlet first. I keep up with them on Twitter for discounts and coupons: https://twitter.com/delloutlet Dell Factory Outlet
Of course, there are other buying opportunities.
Well, what does "breaking the bank" mean specifically? What's your budget and what will you be using the computer for?
I've said this in my initial post that I need this mostly for my graduate online degree. It's very basic, but I don't want to limit myself either. My wife may need to do some trading at home as well since it hopufully is going to be hooked up to 2 or 3 monitors. And that's another thing, I need recommendation on video card as well. As far as budget I'm flexible to a certain point. But I can't give you a specific $ number b/c I don't know what is reasonable price for a model with certain features. That's why I really would appreciate some help, may be links like in a post above.
Desktops are all around, and I always look at Dell Outlet first. I keep up with them on Twitter for discounts and coupons: https://twitter.com/delloutlet Dell Factory Outlet
Of course, there are other buying opportunities.
Thank You, MikeJaquish. I checked out Dell outlet link. I think for my purposes anything above $500 for just a deskop is a bit too steep. I'm beginning to think may be I should get a laptop around $350 or under? Is it possible to get something relatively of a good quality in this price range? And just hook it up to a dual monitor with VGA adapter? Anyway, I'd appreciate everyone's advice on it since it's been a while that I had to make make this decision desktop vs laptop, and then what model, features etc?
You will get your best bang for your buck with a desktop.
I picked up two of these this year, and they are all over Craigslist routinely: Dell Optiplex 980 i7 Windows 7
$300 with a Core I7 and dual monitor support should do you well.
You might check your local Craigslist and see what surfaces.
I am in an area of 1.5 million plus population, with many large corporations and universities, so maybe they are more available here.
Generally, these are off-lease from a corporate account and sold by guys who buy several of them and clean them up for resale to make a few bucks.
I will never again keep the installation-disk-software installed on the computer I buy.
I strongly suspect that the Frakenware installation-disks, at best, hurt computer performance. At worst, you get BSOD and other mishaps. In theory, removing all of the Cr@pware off of your new computer should not cause problems.....but I suspect this is not the case.
From now on....I bite the bullet, wipe my drive clean, and install a clean version of windows......my PC will thank me.
My current PC, a Toshibajunk computer, takes the cake for having the worst installation-disk I have ever used........do they even debug/test the software before shipping this junk out?????
So that is my advice, do a clean install of whatever OS you are using.....ditch the junk installation disk.
What bothers me is the on chip video. I have an i3 2105 and an i5-3570 that I built and I don't like these videos as they're just not clear enough especially the text. A video card is like night and day and my i3 have a Radeon HD6670 and my i5 have the Radeon HD7770.
I used my i3 system for a few months while building my i5 system and put the i3 away for safekeeping. Yep, the dual core Intels works very well, even the Celeron G540 I had before the i3.
You can't go wrong with Intel CPUs.
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. I didn't have a need to purchase a new computer since about early 2008. I have company-provided laptop which I use for everything. I also have a couple of 5 y.o HP laptops, which are in rather sad state of affairs, with a little help from my kids. I'm now enrolled in a graduate program which I do online, and it requires a lot of hours aside from my main work on company's computer. I'm really leaning towards desktop vs laptop. I'd like to have a dual monitor hook-up and it's just easier with desktop. If I need to travel I still can use my work laptop and have some other files with me on flash drive. Since mt last desktop Dell was from late 1990s (gone with the wind a while ago)....I have to admit that I have no idea what I really am looking for, and what is the fair price for it? My work computer has Windows 7, but b/c some of the older programs I have to work with my employer won't even allow to update the browser, or to install Google chrome, which is a requirement for my online graduate program. I wanted to get something that is more or less a modern version of the desktop, for basic duties, and most importantly without breaking a bank for it. I also need to get dual monitiors, and probably a stand for monitors. Please give your advise on what you think is reasonable, and if there are bundle deals I'd love to take a look at those too.
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Initial post
