Need everyone's help!

[Roseybud333]

Ok all. . . . . . I'm going to get rid on my computer tower and I'm getting a new one for x-mas. Right now I have a HP with windows ME. It's maxed on memory and barely has anything in it lol. I need advice on how much memory is enough without having to upgrade for awhile and what a fast processor is. I'm looking to spend about $400.00 and keep in mind that I'm used to having the minimum and I don't want that anymore LOL And I've realized windows ME is a bit outdated LMAO Any advice or help would be appreciated cause I don't understand what all the numbers I see mean. Thanks All!!!!!!!!!

[bobby]

how much memory did your cpu come with?

[Roseybud333]

Wow. . . . I never noticed how minimal my puter really is. . . It was a hand me down from my mother in law LOL I have an HP Pavillion 700 mhz processor 64 MB ram 20.0 gb hard drive. It says total physical memory is 62.45 mb and available physical memory 192.00 kb

Now I don't know if it's slow because of the processor or the memory  :o

[persistence]

I use to have a puter that was windows ME(before my son fried it) and what I did was delete everything that I was not using...like some of the programs that come on the puter....then added a memory card to it....in the end I had enuff memory to run windows XP if I had wanted.Another thing you can do is go on line to dell and get one from there...my friend just ordered one from on line and used her visa/check card and got it delivered within a few days and only spent around $465.00 and that included the printer/copier/scanner...I think...but don't quote me on that. Good Luck

[Roseybud333]

Thank you  :) Me and hubby have deleted pretty much everything that we don't use down to the backgrounds and screensavers that came with it. My dad is going to buy it for me for x-mas and I was looking on e-bay. He would rather buy a new one than upgrade this one.

[xxDragonGoddessxx]

I bought my computer from Walmart! Best suggestion is look online at dell their's are probly built better.  I payed $600.00 for mine.  It's got a pretty good processor from what I have been told casue all I know about comps is hook em up, look at instuctions and turn em on lol.  Good Luck.

[Roseybud333]

Thank You!! I had found a few on e-bay that where dell brand new sealed in the box. But I don't know if dell has a good rep or not.

[buck123]

hey the best thing to do is make a custom computer......... u can make an almost top of the line computer for cheap give me a day to find the site for the stuff..... my friend made a custom computer for around $350 and its better then some of the top lines computers........memory you would want about 1056mb last time i check its was a little over 50 bucks well worth it.....harddrive you can use ur old one doesnt make computer any faster or anything..... and u need to buy a motherboard and processer and thats about it also a case to fit the mother board dont cost that much......but let me get ths site and ill let you know  O0

[Roseybud333]

Thanks Buck I will take a look at it  O0

[buck123]

np  u asked for help  :)

[harland]

hey

look around where you live for a computer store, where i live there are a couple of great guys and they have deal on just about anything your looking for.
if you want to build your own, go to  http://newegg.com/. their prices are the best you'll find without searching the web for days on end. i build computers for people as a side thing. try to get at least an amd 64 bit and 1gig of memory. and the better the video card you get the better. a better video card uses it own gpu (graphic processor) and will not hog your computer resources when playing games or viewing graphic files.

[ClingFree]

My first pc was one someone built for me - and it lasted about 3 years before I started having issues with it (That probably could have been dealt with but I'm not the most literate when it comes to the technical stuff) .. I can tell you I went to Best Buy this summer, got a great deal - with rebates - only spent 425.  I dont know all the specs of it (Not the most technical here) but I can tell you its handled anything I've thrown at it plus what my girls can throw at it .. So I think the advice from Harland of checking out local computer stores is a pretty good idea.

[Fluffy756]

What you want is a dell computer you can go online and check it out they are pretty good. I would get it with 512MB and Window XP.

Fluffy

[AdDn8187]

I also would go with Dell... we purchased a computer for our daughter 2 yrs ago for Christmas and got it from Dell.. the customer service with them is fantastic, and you can specify to them when ordering what you use your computer for and how much memory etc you wish and what type of programs you would like to have.  They will also be happy to recommend certain programs to you for your spacific needs. Also, when first calling tell them what price range you are looking at and they will keep within that range to best suit your needs.   We have had no trouble at all with her computer and its been a great investment.

[janet]

Figure out what you want.  Then wait until the day after Thanksgiving and be at WalMart to stand in line around 5:00am before it opens, I think at 6:00am.  That is where you will get your best deal.  There electronics department has super deals the morning after Thanksgiving.  Good luck

[bubblegum]

hubby works as store security at walmart...he tells me all the time that thanksgiving day ppl pull up in their campers at like mindinight thanksgiving day and start stading in line at 3 and 4 am day after thanksgiving to get in..

[Snarechick]

I bought my computer from Walmart! Best suggestion is look online at dell their's are probly built better.  I payed $600.00 for mine.  It's got a pretty good processor from what I have been told casue all I know about comps is hook em up, look at instuctions and turn em on lol.  Good Luck.

That's where I bought my current computer, and let me tell you...it puts my Dell to shame.  I paid 575.00 for mine, and emachines, and it came with 3000+AMD Sempron Processor, 120 GB hard drive, 512mb DDR SDRAM, a solid modem, a solid ethernet card, and a pretty decent NVIDIA graphics card.  Considering I paid 1300.00 for my Dell Dimensions 8200 desktop that was just about equal except for the hard drive and RAM...that thing gave me problems after a year.  Yes Dell's customer service is great, but when you can hardly understand them when they talk...I don't know.  Dell (and a lot of other companies) have sent their customer and tech service jobs to India.  You can go to their website, find a computer in the price range you want, and then customize it (if you need a bit more RAM, or maybe you don't need a DVR, etc).

If I had the money to buy a new computer again, I'd either buy another emachines or I would go back to IBM.  IBM is a bit more pricey, but my laptop lasted from 1995-2002 and ran faster than my desktops. 

As for eBay- I have done a lot of buying and selling on there...but be careful of buying big ticket items.  90% of the time people are great and you don't have any problems, but there are those who try to take advantage of you.  I purchased a new drum for the program I work with, 500.00 purchase, and I had to threaten the guy with legal action three months after I paid for it befoer he sent it.  I had another similiar experience a few years back.  Ask for lots of pictures, ask all the questions you think you need to ask, and check the specs against all computers to find out whether or not it's a good deal.  Also remember that what might have two or three days left of auction time can significantly go up within the last few hours.

As mentioned, having a computer built for you can also be a very good idea.  I had one built back in 94, and that lasted for five years.  Dealing with a local store that can do this for you will save you money, and save you from having things on your computer that you don't need or want to pay for.  Certainly look around at different company websites, electonics stores, department stores, local computer stores, and eBay. 

If I'm not mistaken, Dell currently offers a desktop for 399.99.  It's not going to have all of the bells and whistles, but you'll have a better computer and upgrading it at a later time shouldn't hurt too bad.

[Snarechick]

Forgot to mention a good tip-

Dell and IBM often have deals worked out with colleges and universities to give the students and faculty a deep discount on select computers.  In addition to that, if you work for certain companies you may also be eligible for a discount.  Teachers K-12, College students and faculty, military, health care, and companies.

I know we get a discounted price at the colleges I have attended.  My uncle works for Consumers Energy and they too get a discounted price.  My other uncle is in the military and he too got a discounted price through their program. 

Keep that in mind and do a little research ;)

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/desktops?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

"Desktops starting at 399.99"  "Ends today- Double your memory for free & get 100.00 of instantly on select desktops"

Also- If you have good credit, the payments on a computer at Dell are very low.  A 449.00 computer runs payments around 14.00 a month.

[winterangel]

I love my Dell.   Have never had a problem with tech support.  I have a 19" Sony Trinitron monitor that crashed twice and both times they FedEx'd me new monitors within days.  I'm going to buy hubby a new Dell for Christmas.  He's using my old Gateway which is around 7 years old.  I would buy either one but think Dell's prices are better.

[Roseybud333]

Thank you everyone. So is 512mb a safe amount of memory without having to upgrade? I don't really do anything on the puter but play games and listen to music so I don't have that many programs to worry about.