Comments on: Give Me Techo Advice IV: multi-question edition http://blogfreespringfield.com/give-me-techo-advice-iv-multi-question-edition Con maldad hacias sombreros rojo. Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:07:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Russ http://blogfreespringfield.com/give-me-techo-advice-iv-multi-question-edition/comment-page-1#comment-3002 Russ Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:34:26 +0000 http://blogfreespringfield.com/?p=427#comment-3002 Opt out of the tuner. It's not something you'll use now, and it's just a card you pop in a slot, so if you feel the urge down the road you can always pick one up at Best Buy. I would bet you'll see sub $100 Flips on Black Friday. Set your alarm. Opt out of the tuner. It’s not something you’ll use now, and it’s just a card you pop in a slot, so if you feel the urge down the road you can always pick one up at Best Buy.

I would bet you’ll see sub $100 Flips on Black Friday. Set your alarm.

]]> By: EJ http://blogfreespringfield.com/give-me-techo-advice-iv-multi-question-edition/comment-page-1#comment-2996 EJ Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:04:59 +0000 http://blogfreespringfield.com/?p=427#comment-2996 I'll let someone else answer the Flip question - just hit Google Shopping and didn't see any for under $100. If you don't have a need for the TV tuner now, I really doubt you're going to wake up one day and think "I need TV on that thing." And even if that happens, you can always go purchase an add-on card at that time. So I'd just skip it. Re: Dell - Those basic computers look like they'll be fine. I would go with the $329 Inspiron 518 that come with 2GB of RAM and a Pentium chip (avoid those that have a Celeron). The one I'm seeing (http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/desktop-inspiron-518?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs far left) doesn't include a monitor though, don't know if that's important or not. The other thing I like about this one is that its 2GB is only using 2 memory slots, leaving you room (typically two more slots) to expand later. I see they have some models that come with 3GB of RAM but are using all 4 memory slots, which will cause you to purchase 2GB in the future to upgrade to 4GB (because you'll have to toss out two of the pre-installed ones). So, in summary - avoid Celeron, avoid less than 2GB of memory, and if you have the choice get one that isn't using all 4 memory slots. I’ll let someone else answer the Flip question – just hit Google Shopping and didn’t see any for under $100.

If you don’t have a need for the TV tuner now, I really doubt you’re going to wake up one day and think “I need TV on that thing.” And even if that happens, you can always go purchase an add-on card at that time. So I’d just skip it.

Re: Dell – Those basic computers look like they’ll be fine. I would go with the $329 Inspiron 518 that come with 2GB of RAM and a Pentium chip (avoid those that have a Celeron). The one I’m seeing (http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/desktop-inspiron-518?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs far left) doesn’t include a monitor though, don’t know if that’s important or not.

The other thing I like about this one is that its 2GB is only using 2 memory slots, leaving you room (typically two more slots) to expand later. I see they have some models that come with 3GB of RAM but are using all 4 memory slots, which will cause you to purchase 2GB in the future to upgrade to 4GB (because you’ll have to toss out two of the pre-installed ones).

So, in summary – avoid Celeron, avoid less than 2GB of memory, and if you have the choice get one that isn’t using all 4 memory slots.

]]> By: Gish http://blogfreespringfield.com/give-me-techo-advice-iv-multi-question-edition/comment-page-1#comment-2995 Gish Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:02:02 +0000 http://blogfreespringfield.com/?p=427#comment-2995 The TV tuner would essentially let you turn your PC into a TV set and DVR. If the monitor isn't sexy enough to be better than your current TVs and you already have DVR capabilities then skip it. The hassle of doing that isn't worth it. I recently got a new Dell and got way more than the basic but I play a bunch of graphics intensive games. Go Fallout 3! I got my wife the basic model and it was great for internet browsing, ripping music, running Office apps. You'll be fine with the basic. Hers still does everything she needs 3 years later and I don't plan to upgrade anything for a while. Maybe up memory at the start and get a larger hard drive and you'll be happy untilyou or the kids want to play any 'real' games on it. The TV tuner would essentially let you turn your PC into a TV set and DVR. If the monitor isn’t sexy enough to be better than your current TVs and you already have DVR capabilities then skip it. The hassle of doing that isn’t worth it.

I recently got a new Dell and got way more than the basic but I play a bunch of graphics intensive games. Go Fallout 3! I got my wife the basic model and it was great for internet browsing, ripping music, running Office apps. You’ll be fine with the basic. Hers still does everything she needs 3 years later and I don’t plan to upgrade anything for a while. Maybe up memory at the start and get a larger hard drive and you’ll be happy untilyou or the kids want to play any ‘real’ games on it.

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