Archived CalgaryPuck Computer Help Thread

[Sled]

I'm looking for a new computer. Something basic with room to upgrade later. It's been a long time since I bought a new desktop and I have to say I'm a little out of the loop as far as what is the best product for what your looking to do

My wife has a digital SLR and is looking for media applications for photos. I'm not a major gamer but I do play some, I might get back into gaming if my machine allows.

The two computers i own now are Dell's but I have maxed out the limited upgrades I can do with them. Not sure if it is the same now but one of the big drawbacks of Dell was the limited upgrades you could do.

This is the unit I was looking at let me know what you guys think or if there is simular unit around.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...51&catid=24014

or

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...09&catid=20215

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by Sled

I'm looking for a new computer. Something basic with room to upgrade later. It's been a long time since I bought a new desktop and I have to say I'm a little out of the loop as far as what is the best product for what your looking to do

My wife has a digital SLR and is looking for media applications for photos. I'm not a major gamer but I do play some, I might get back into gaming if my machine allows.

The two computers i own now are Dell's but I have maxed out the limited upgrades I can do with them. Not sure if it is the same now but one of the big drawbacks of Dell was the limited upgrades you could do.

This is the unit I was looking at let me know what you guys think or if there is simular unit around.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...51&catid=24014

or

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/prodde...09&catid=20215

You may want to look into a computer specific shop, rather then a big box store. You can usually get some good deals and the its your choice in upgrades. If you're looking at gaming make sure you get a mobo that has PCI-Express rather than AGP for video card slots. If your wife does photo editing you probably will want to look in to getting like 2GB of RAM for the machine just so it can run the photo editing at a decent speed.



As for Dells themselves, the are still pretty restricted in what you can upgrade to. If you really want flexability go with a custom built one from a shop like Memory express or something.

[MoneyGuy]

Simple question, but where do I go to look at system information such as the amount of my hard drive that I've used, the amount of RAM I have, etc.?

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Simple question, but where do I go to look at system information such as the amount of my hard drive that I've used, the amount of RAM I have, etc.?

For HDD go into My Computer, right click on your C: drive or whatever drive letter the HDD in question you want to know about, go to properties, it will tell you there.

For RAM and processor info, right click on My Computer go to properties, it tells you there.

[eazyduzzit]

not sure if this should go here but i don't think it deserves it's own thread.

Anyways....any people good at photoshop here?

Could you cut crosby with all that white fire stuff in the background from the rest of the pic? I tryed but couldnt get it right...

TIA!!

[MoneyGuy]

I don't do this but I do know someone who would do this for you. If you want to know, PM me with your email address and I'll set you up. Nice photo, by the way. The only thing that would make it better is if Sid the Kid was wearing Oiler colours. :-)

Gee, this is a first. I've asked lots of questions in this great thread, but this is the first time I may actually be able to help someone out with a tech issue.

[LockedOut]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

For HDD go into My Computer, right click on your C: drive or whatever drive letter the HDD in question you want to know about, go to properties, it will tell you there.

For RAM and processor info, right click on My Computer go to properties, it tells you there.

You can also get more information doing this. Click Start->Run and type 'dxdiag' w/o the quotes.

[MoneyGuy]

A friend is looking at buying a new Dell computer that has a Intel Core 2 duo processor (not sure what kind of card comes with it as the flyer doesn't say). She needs to be able to download photos from her digital camera onto the computer and wants to know if this computer (Dell Inspiron 6400 notebook) will run her photos without distortion or if she has to upgrade to the 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon x1400 hyper memory graphics card.

Why she thinks I know this I don't know, but I know the good folks here will know. Can someone tell me if she needs to upgrade the card???

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

A friend is looking at buying a new Dell computer that has a Intel Core 2 duo processor (not sure what kind of card comes with it as the flyer doesn't say). She needs to be able to download photos from her digital camera onto the computer and wants to know if this computer (Dell Inspiron 6400 notebook) will run her photos without distortion or if she has to upgrade to the 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon x1400 hyper memory graphics card.

Why she thinks I know this I don't know, but I know the good folks here will know. Can someone tell me if she needs to upgrade the card???

the card doesn't really do anything other then gaming. Make sure she gets 2GBs of ram if shes going to any photo editing.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

A friend is looking at buying a new Dell computer that has a Intel Core 2 duo processor (not sure what kind of card comes with it as the flyer doesn't say). She needs to be able to download photos from her digital camera onto the computer and wants to know if this computer (Dell Inspiron 6400 notebook) will run her photos without distortion or if she has to upgrade to the 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon x1400 hyper memory graphics card.

Why she thinks I know this I don't know, but I know the good folks here will know. Can someone tell me if she needs to upgrade the card???

She doesn't need to spend the extra $$$ for the vid card unless she is into gaming, or any type of 3D applications.

Otherwise it should be fine, honestly, I doubt she'd even need 2GB of RAM to edit her pics; I have only 1GB and have no problem with photoshop and all of my pics.

[LockedOut]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

She doesn't need to spend the extra $$$ for the vid card unless she is into gaming, or any type of 3D applications.

Otherwise it should be fine, honestly, I doubt she'd even need 2GB of RAM to edit her pics; I have only 1GB and have no problem with photoshop and all of my pics.

I would get 2 GB if the person is eventually gonna put Vista on the computer.

[STeeLy]

What are people saying about vista right now?? I know some people have tried it and most people say it is horrible.

What are CPers' verdict on it?

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

What are people saying about vista right now?? I know some people have tried it and most people say it is horrible.

What are CPers' verdict on it?

It is a waste of money to get atm. Don't bother with it for at least 6 months maybe even a year.

[Burninator]

I am thinking of getting a new computer. I currently have a Dell XPS that is 2.8GHZ with 1G ram. I bought it about 3 years ago. I am looking to replace it will the new Dell XPS a 2G of ram, but I'm not sure what speed. Since I've last looked at computers it seems they have gotten slower (the new Dell XPS starts at 1.8 GHZ). I am sure their is an explaination behind this, one that I don't see. So what speed should I be looking at? It will be used for gaming. Thanks.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I am thinking of getting a new computer. I currently have a Dell XPS that is 2.8GHZ with 1G ram. I bought it about 3 years ago. I am looking to replace it will the new Dell XPS a 2G of ram, but I'm not sure what speed. Since I've last looked at computers it seems they have gotten slower (the new Dell XPS starts at 1.8 GHZ). I am sure their is an explaination behind this, one that I don't see. So what speed should I be looking at? It will be used for gaming. Thanks.

If it is laptop gaming you want, figure out how much you are willing to spend and spend it. Put minimum 2 GB ram, go for a high end video option (although I'm not sure if there are any DirectX 10 options available for laptops yet, and this is a major step ahead), then use the rest of your budget for the processor.

(and with regard to why you can't just use speed to measure anymore, chip architecture, number of cores, memory addressing, number and size of memory caches, power requirements, heat generation have all muddied the "faster is better" relationship)

[Burninator]

/\

I wasn't looking for a laptop, I was looking at the XPS desktop computer.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Burninator

/\

I wasn't looking for a laptop, I was looking at the XPS desktop computer.

Sorry, I've seem way too many Dell laptop commercials where they show the XPS.


Then you want a machine that has a Core 2 Duo processor. Intel holds the consumer crown right now. (You can get better gaming performance right now from a high end AMD, but Intel is back in the driver's seat)

Intell C2D E6400 or E6600 is right around the sweet spot for desktop processors. Although looking at their website it doesn't appear Dell offers the NVidia Geforce 8800 which holds the gaming videocard benchmark right now.

[Burninator]

Thanks, I think I'll be back here when it's time to buy and after I do some more research and saving.

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Sorry, I've seem way too many Dell laptop commercials where they show the XPS.


Then you want a machine that has a Core 2 Duo processor. Intel holds the consumer crown right now. (You can get better gaming performance right now from a high end AMD, but Intel is back in the driver's seat)

Intell C2D E6400 or E6600 is right around the sweet spot for desktop processors. Although looking at their website it doesn't appear Dell offers the NVidia Geforce 8800 which holds the gaming videocard benchmark right now.

The new 65nm chips from AMD that are coming out this year are apparently better then the intels. I think they're the same speed and everything but they have less heat dissipation. As for a video card you may want to buy a lower end one and hold off until the 2nd generation of DX10 cards come out. If history is any indication, the frist gen cards usually blow.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by cSpooge

The new 65nm chips from AMD that are coming out this year are apparently better then the intels. I think they're the same speed and everything but they have less heat dissipation. As for a video card you may want to buy a lower end one and hold off until the 2nd generation of DX10 cards come out. If history is any indication, the frist gen cards usually blow.

Yeah. I would have said personally I'd wait but with computers there is always something coming down the pipe.

I'm curious to see the first ATI/AMD video card with DX10. Since they were the first (in the XBox360) their next card should theoretically be 2nd gen.