±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: cgsimpson
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6645

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 638
Total: 638
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Community Forums
02: Downloads
03: Member Screenshots
04: Downloads
05: Community Forums
06: Home
07: Photo Gallery
08: Community Forums
09: Community Forums
10: Community Forums
11: Community Forums
12: Community Forums
13: Community Forums
14: Photo Gallery
15: Photo Gallery
16: Community Forums
17: Community Forums
18: Community Forums
19: Member Screenshots
20: Community Forums
21: Community Forums
22: Photo Gallery
23: Community Forums
24: Home
25: CPGlang
26: Downloads
27: Community Forums
28: Community Forums
29: Community Forums
30: Community Forums
31: Downloads
32: Community Forums
33: Home
34: Community Forums
35: Community Forums
36: Community Forums
37: Home
38: Community Forums
39: Community Forums
40: Community Forums
41: Your Account
42: Your Account
43: Community Forums
44: Community Forums
45: Home
46: Community Forums
47: Downloads
48: Community Forums
49: Photo Gallery
50: Community Forums
51: Community Forums
52: Photo Gallery
53: Your Account
54: Photo Gallery
55: Community Forums
56: Community Forums
57: Downloads
58: Photo Gallery
59: Downloads
60: Community Forums
61: Community Forums
62: Community Forums
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Community Forums
66: Community Forums
67: CPGlang
68: Community Forums
69: Community Forums
70: Community Forums
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Community Forums
75: Community Forums
76: Downloads
77: Community Forums
78: CPGlang
79: Photo Gallery
80: Community Forums
81: Home
82: Downloads
83: Downloads
84: Photo Gallery
85: Community Forums
86: Community Forums
87: Community Forums
88: Community Forums
89: Community Forums
90: Community Forums
91: Community Forums
92: Community Forums
93: Community Forums
94: Community Forums
95: Photo Gallery
96: Photo Gallery
97: Community Forums
98: Community Forums
99: Community Forums
100: Community Forums
101: Photo Gallery
102: Photo Gallery
103: Member Screenshots
104: Community Forums
105: Community Forums
106: Your Account
107: Community Forums
108: Community Forums
109: Community Forums
110: Community Forums
111: Community Forums
112: Community Forums
113: Home
114: Statistics
115: Your Account
116: Community Forums
117: Community Forums
118: Downloads
119: Home
120: Community Forums
121: Community Forums
122: Home
123: Community Forums
124: Community Forums
125: Community Forums
126: Community Forums
127: Your Account
128: Community Forums
129: Downloads
130: Community Forums
131: Community Forums
132: Community Forums
133: Community Forums
134: Community Forums
135: Community Forums
136: Community Forums
137: CPGlang
138: Community Forums
139: Photo Gallery
140: Community Forums
141: Community Forums
142: Community Forums
143: Community Forums
144: Community Forums
145: Community Forums
146: Community Forums
147: Community Forums
148: Community Forums
149: Home
150: Home
151: Community Forums
152: Community Forums
153: Community Forums
154: Downloads
155: Photo Gallery
156: Community Forums
157: Home
158: Home
159: Photo Gallery
160: Community Forums
161: Community Forums
162: Community Forums
163: Community Forums
164: Community Forums
165: Community Forums
166: Home
167: Community Forums
168: Your Account
169: Community Forums
170: Statistics
171: Photo Gallery
172: Community Forums
173: Community Forums
174: Community Forums
175: Community Forums
176: Downloads
177: Member Screenshots
178: Community Forums
179: Community Forums
180: Community Forums
181: Home
182: Community Forums
183: Community Forums
184: Community Forums
185: Community Forums
186: Community Forums
187: Photo Gallery
188: Home
189: Home
190: Home
191: Community Forums
192: Photo Gallery
193: Community Forums
194: Community Forums
195: Photo Gallery
196: Community Forums
197: Community Forums
198: Photo Gallery
199: Community Forums
200: Community Forums
201: Community Forums
202: Community Forums
203: Community Forums
204: Community Forums
205: Home
206: Community Forums
207: Statistics
208: Community Forums
209: Community Forums
210: Community Forums
211: Community Forums
212: Community Forums
213: Photo Gallery
214: Community Forums
215: Member Screenshots
216: Downloads
217: Community Forums
218: Community Forums
219: Community Forums
220: Community Forums
221: Community Forums
222: Community Forums
223: Community Forums
224: Your Account
225: Your Account
226: Community Forums
227: Downloads
228: Community Forums
229: Community Forums
230: Community Forums
231: Community Forums
232: Statistics
233: Home
234: Community Forums
235: Photo Gallery
236: Downloads
237: Community Forums
238: Community Forums
239: Photo Gallery
240: Photo Gallery
241: Community Forums
242: Photo Gallery
243: Community Forums
244: Community Forums
245: Photo Gallery
246: Photo Gallery
247: Community Forums
248: Community Forums
249: Community Forums
250: Home
251: Community Forums
252: Downloads
253: Home
254: Community Forums
255: News
256: Photo Gallery
257: Community Forums
258: Your Account
259: Community Forums
260: Home
261: Community Forums
262: Home
263: Community Forums
264: Community Forums
265: Photo Gallery
266: Community Forums
267: CPGlang
268: Community Forums
269: Home
270: Community Forums
271: Downloads
272: Community Forums
273: Photo Gallery
274: Photo Gallery
275: Community Forums
276: Photo Gallery
277: Community Forums
278: Downloads
279: Community Forums
280: Community Forums
281: Community Forums
282: Community Forums
283: Member Screenshots
284: Community Forums
285: Community Forums
286: Community Forums
287: Community Forums
288: Community Forums
289: Community Forums
290: Photo Gallery
291: Your Account
292: Community Forums
293: Community Forums
294: Photo Gallery
295: Photo Gallery
296: Downloads
297: Photo Gallery
298: Community Forums
299: Community Forums
300: Photo Gallery
301: Photo Gallery
302: Photo Gallery
303: Photo Gallery
304: Community Forums
305: Community Forums
306: Photo Gallery
307: Community Forums
308: Community Forums
309: Home
310: Community Forums
311: Home
312: Statistics
313: Community Forums
314: Photo Gallery
315: Community Forums
316: LinkToUs
317: Community Forums
318: Photo Gallery
319: Community Forums
320: Photo Gallery
321: Community Forums
322: Community Forums
323: Community Forums
324: CPGlang
325: Community Forums
326: Your Account
327: Photo Gallery
328: Community Forums
329: Community Forums
330: Community Forums
331: Photo Gallery
332: Home
333: Community Forums
334: Community Forums
335: Community Forums
336: Photo Gallery
337: Photo Gallery
338: Community Forums
339: Community Forums
340: Community Forums
341: Community Forums
342: Community Forums
343: Community Forums
344: Community Forums
345: Community Forums
346: Community Forums
347: Home
348: Community Forums
349: Downloads
350: Your Account
351: Photo Gallery
352: Community Forums
353: Community Forums
354: Your Account
355: Community Forums
356: Statistics
357: Community Forums
358: Photo Gallery
359: Photo Gallery
360: Community Forums
361: Downloads
362: Community Forums
363: Community Forums
364: Community Forums
365: Downloads
366: Community Forums
367: Home
368: Photo Gallery
369: Downloads
370: Community Forums
371: Downloads
372: Community Forums
373: Downloads
374: Community Forums
375: Community Forums
376: Downloads
377: Community Forums
378: Community Forums
379: Community Forums
380: Community Forums
381: Community Forums
382: Photo Gallery
383: Community Forums
384: Photo Gallery
385: Community Forums
386: Community Forums
387: Community Forums
388: Community Forums
389: Community Forums
390: Photo Gallery
391: Photo Gallery
392: Photo Gallery
393: Community Forums
394: Community Forums
395: Community Forums
396: Home
397: Home
398: Community Forums
399: Community Forums
400: Community Forums
401: Community Forums
402: Community Forums
403: Photo Gallery
404: Community Forums
405: Community Forums
406: Home
407: Home
408: Photo Gallery
409: Community Forums
410: CPGlang
411: Home
412: Community Forums
413: Community Forums
414: Home
415: Photo Gallery
416: Community Forums
417: Community Forums
418: Community Forums
419: Community Forums
420: Community Forums
421: Community Forums
422: Member Screenshots
423: Community Forums
424: Home
425: Community Forums
426: Community Forums
427: Downloads
428: Member Screenshots
429: Community Forums
430: Photo Gallery
431: Community Forums
432: Photo Gallery
433: Photo Gallery
434: Community Forums
435: Community Forums
436: Community Forums
437: Home
438: Community Forums
439: Photo Gallery
440: Community Forums
441: Photo Gallery
442: Community Forums
443: Photo Gallery
444: Community Forums
445: Community Forums
446: Community Forums
447: Community Forums
448: Community Forums
449: Photo Gallery
450: Community Forums
451: Community Forums
452: Community Forums
453: Photo Gallery
454: News
455: Community Forums
456: Downloads
457: Your Account
458: Community Forums
459: Home
460: Community Forums
461: Community Forums
462: Photo Gallery
463: Your Account
464: Photo Gallery
465: Your Account
466: Statistics
467: Photo Gallery
468: Photo Gallery
469: Photo Gallery
470: Community Forums
471: Community Forums
472: Community Forums
473: Community Forums
474: Photo Gallery
475: Community Forums
476: Community Forums
477: Community Forums
478: Your Account
479: Community Forums
480: Community Forums
481: Downloads
482: Photo Gallery
483: Community Forums
484: Community Forums
485: Community Forums
486: Home
487: Downloads
488: Community Forums
489: Your Account
490: Member Screenshots
491: Community Forums
492: Community Forums
493: Community Forums
494: Community Forums
495: Community Forums
496: Community Forums
497: Community Forums
498: News Archive
499: Photo Gallery
500: Community Forums
501: Home
502: Photo Gallery
503: Home
504: Community Forums
505: Community Forums
506: Photo Gallery
507: Community Forums
508: Community Forums
509: Community Forums
510: Community Forums
511: Community Forums
512: Community Forums
513: Your Account
514: Home
515: Community Forums
516: Community Forums
517: Photo Gallery
518: Community Forums
519: Home
520: Community Forums
521: Home
522: Community Forums
523: Community Forums
524: Photo Gallery
525: Community Forums
526: Home
527: Community Forums
528: Downloads
529: Community Forums
530: Community Forums
531: Community Forums
532: Photo Gallery
533: Community Forums
534: Photo Gallery
535: Community Forums
536: Photo Gallery
537: Photo Gallery
538: Community Forums
539: Photo Gallery
540: Photo Gallery
541: Community Forums
542: Community Forums
543: Community Forums
544: Downloads
545: Home
546: Community Forums
547: Community Forums
548: Downloads
549: Community Forums
550: Community Forums
551: Community Forums
552: Community Forums
553: Community Forums
554: Community Forums
555: Photo Gallery
556: Community Forums
557: Community Forums
558: Community Forums
559: Community Forums
560: Community Forums
561: Photo Gallery
562: Downloads
563: Photo Gallery
564: Community Forums
565: Community Forums
566: Photo Gallery
567: Community Forums
568: Community Forums
569: Photo Gallery
570: Photo Gallery
571: Community Forums
572: Downloads
573: Community Forums
574: Community Forums
575: Photo Gallery
576: Community Forums
577: Community Forums
578: Community Forums
579: Community Forums
580: Community Forums
581: Community Forums
582: Community Forums
583: Home
584: Community Forums
585: Community Forums
586: Community Forums
587: Community Forums
588: Community Forums
589: Community Forums
590: Community Forums
591: Community Forums
592: Photo Gallery
593: Photo Gallery
594: Home
595: Photo Gallery
596: Community Forums
597: Community Forums
598: Community Forums
599: Community Forums
600: Home
601: Community Forums
602: Community Forums
603: Community Forums
604: Community Forums
605: Community Forums
606: Community Forums
607: Photo Gallery
608: Community Forums
609: Home
610: Community Forums
611: Community Forums
612: Home
613: Community Forums
614: Community Forums
615: Photo Gallery
616: Community Forums
617: Community Forums
618: Home
619: Community Forums
620: Your Account
621: Community Forums
622: Community Forums
623: Community Forums
624: Downloads
625: Home
626: Community Forums
627: Community Forums
628: Community Forums
629: Community Forums
630: Community Forums
631: Photo Gallery
632: Community Forums
633: Photo Gallery
634: Photo Gallery
635: Community Forums
636: Community Forums
637: Photo Gallery
638: Photo Gallery

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this? :: Archived
Resolve issues with your computer problems here or read about the latest computer parts and information.
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  Hardware

Topic Archived View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
JG300-Ascout
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 6257
Location: Cyberspace
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:41 pm
Post subject: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

Just put this together on the Dell site. Would this be a good setup for the price for now and the future? XP, lots of HD space, 2 Gig mem, decent vid card. Nicer monitor than I have now...
And what the hell is "RAID"? And why would I need a drive controller? An' stuff.....?

This would be my replacement desktop.

I don't see where they spec the number of USB ports...and experience says you can never have enuff of 'em....

Whaddya' think?


_________________
"All facts go to clearly prove that Shades is a thrice-cursed traitor & mentally deranged person steeped in inveterate enmity toward mankind"
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:07 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

I would say - and I'm qualifying this with the knowledge you're not interested in building your own - that these Dells may do the job but having had one, they are not capable of many upgrades since they use some unique parts. Dell makes a good laptop, an excellent one, actually, but I would not go to them as the first choice of a Desktop.

The slower processor in that one is a killer as far as I'm concerned. In the other thread here, for $200 less than this total price, there's a Gateway spec'd out that's a full Gigaherz faster (2.66 Ghz), twice the video ram (512MB), and bigger hard drive (500GB). And that price is a month old or so. Thing is, there's some careful parts-swapping but it's easy.

Oh...on USB ports, don't worry they usually have lots (4 to 6) and you can buy a USB hub for cheapo that plugs into one USB port and gives you 4 more USB ports that sits on your desk.

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Ascout
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 6257
Location: Cyberspace
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:15 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

Yo! Just what I was lookin' for...if they'll do with XP, I may just do it...

AND, I may just ask you to spec it out to a budget and post it so I can call 'em and order. No consultant fee, though, unless you work for strawberries.

MAYBE I'll do this before I leave, what could you put together for $2K or just under with ONLY a bigger monitor than I have now (17")? I have a good printer. Not even sure I want a new monitor but they're so cheap now.

_________________
"All facts go to clearly prove that Shades is a thrice-cursed traitor & mentally deranged person steeped in inveterate enmity toward mankind"
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:22 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

Uh-oh.......

Well okay I put this together befire coming back here and seeing your request - this is an exmaple based on similar pricing and NEEDS to be tweaked, but take a rough look here:



Note the faster CPU, bigger disk, and better vid card. Oh. sorry the HD don't show, but it's 500GB. My 250GB is gettin' full!!!!

Don't order it tho! I couldn't stand the responsibility!

I DID yank out the service stuff, so it's one year, you swap the parts. And I'm not settled yet on that exact CPU.

You need to know that Intel is on the verge of coming out with their next CPU which will drive current Core 2 Duo processor prices down further......I'd urge ya to wait until ya get back and get the new ;atpop all dialed in. Two new 'puters at a time makes for some busy and harried evenings at home when the new babies are settling down and need to be "burped" for this-thing or that-thing!

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:27 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

And I think it would be GREAT if someone here commented on those NVidia 7950GT cards. Don't know much about 'em, and have become an ATI owner (and satisifed).

I do hear that the ATi's are working better with that New-O/S-Which-Shall-Not-Be-Named (or installed on this system). That's about it.

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Ascout
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 6257
Location: Cyberspace
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:34 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

Well, think it over....I don't wanna' swap the parts though...I want it delivered ready to rock. I travel too much now and I'm not as patient as I used to be...don't want to fiddle about. It doesn't have to scream, I'll settle for wail. Laughing If it has to be dialed back a notch to do that, I'm OK with that. In some ways, a "too large" monitor is a liabilty too, 22" is max.

Sharpen your pencil, Mr. Stoopy! Laughing

_________________
"All facts go to clearly prove that Shades is a thrice-cursed traitor & mentally deranged person steeped in inveterate enmity toward mankind"
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:09 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

Hmmm. Well, in trying again a time or two, it looks like my pencil wasn't too dull - can't seem to do too much better. A few caveats:

- One thing I like about those options is the sound card. I just finished putting that VERY SAME ONE in my son's PC because there's a very EVIL thing going on nowadays and it's called "Intel VIIV technology". You can't get away from it innewer off-the-shelf systems it seems, it's a build-in sound card on the motherboard and comes with it's own drivers. But, get this - the speakers are USB (ewww!!) and also, Microsoft XP Media Center Edition managed to drop the drivers 4 times in as many weeks, resulting in no sound and annoying pop-ups on bootup about "No Windows Mixer Device Available". The solution? Get a real sound card, that uses real speakers with real cables, and real drivers. Disable the on-board audio, and THEN also rename the folder for the Intel Audio Studio software (that strangely CANNOT be Uninstalled or removed!) so that Windows can't even TRY to load it and then give annoying pop-ups. The LAST STRAW was when I had them all working together but Intel Audio Studio complained when we switched his screen to very hi-res with large (120 dpi) fonts - "Intel Audio Studio requires a font size of 96 dpi"....oh for the love of......SCROO'T!

- The CPU is "Non-HT" or, non-Hyperthreading. I chose it because it was fast and cheap.....clock cycles are the Holy Grail in flight simming! But non-HT means it'll stumble somewhat when tasked with running other thnigs in the background. However the HT-capable 2.40 Ghz CPU is another 600 bones or so, so I'm queasy on this choice right now. Ideally I've got my eye on the 2.66 Core 2 Duo CPU's which are HOT STUFF and coming down slowly but surely.

- You're going with XP Pro, right? Or maybe XP Home (which I have, and is fine). Not XP Media Edition.....please. Did Dell give you any price breaks for NOT going with VISTA? I know it's not likely.

- I chopped the extended warranty stuff out since I was focusing on parts. I don't know how much you're married to it so you'll need to add that in. Might put me over budget.

I think, subject to good feedback about the non-HT-capable CPU, that system should cook....it wont SCREAM like a $3000 system, but it shouldn't be any slouch at'all! 300HP Mustang GT as opposed to the 400HP GTO with higher price tag. Wink

I'll keep trying to tweak the pencil tho....

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Ascout
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 6257
Location: Cyberspace
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:22 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

- JG300-Stoopy
Hmmm. Well, in trying again a time or two, it looks like my pencil wasn't too dull - can't seem to do too much better. A few caveats:

- One thing I like about those options is the sound card. I just finished putting that VERY SAME ONE in my son's PC because there's a very EVIL thing going on nowadays and it's called "Intel VIIV technology". You can't get away from it innewer off-the-shelf systems it seems, it's a build-in sound card on the motherboard and comes with it's own drivers. But, get this - the speakers are USB (ewww!!) and also, Microsoft XP Media Center Edition managed to drop the drivers 4 times in as many weeks, resulting in no sound and annoying pop-ups on bootup about "No Windows Mixer Device Available". The solution? Get a real sound card, that uses real speakers with real cables, and real drivers. Disable the on-board audio, and THEN also rename the folder for the Intel Audio Studio software (that strangely CANNOT be Uninstalled or removed!) so that Windows can't even TRY to load it and then give annoying pop-ups. The LAST STRAW was when I had them all working together but Intel Audio Studio complained when we switched his screen to very hi-res with large (120 dpi) fonts - "Intel Audio Studio requires a font size of 96 dpi"....oh for the love of......SCROO'T!

- The CPU is "Non-HT" or, non-Hyperthreading. I chose it because it was fast and cheap.....clock cycles are the Holy Grail in flight simming! But non-HT means it'll stumble somewhat when tasked with running other thnigs in the background. However the HT-capable 2.40 Ghz CPU is another 600 bones or so, so I'm queasy on this choice right now. Ideally I've got my eye on the 2.66 Core 2 Duo CPU's which are HOT STUFF and coming down slowly but surely.

- You're going with XP Pro, right? Or maybe XP Home (which I have, and is fine). Not XP Media Edition.....please. Did Dell give you any price breaks for NOT going with VISTA? I know it's not likely.

- I chopped the extended warranty stuff out since I was focusing on parts. I don't know how much you're married to it so you'll need to add that in. Might put me over budget.

I think, subject to good feedback about the non-HT-capable CPU, that system should cook....it wont SCREAM like a $3000 system, but it shouldn't be any slouch at'all! 300HP Mustang GT as opposed to the 400HP GTO with higher price tag. Wink

I'll keep trying to tweak the pencil tho....


Laughing I didn't get one word of all that sound / H-T stuff Rolling Eyes Give me something where I don't have to understand or even deal with it. I have decent sound on my two lil' speakers and one subwoofer thingy now on my old system. Don't need anything mo' betta'.

No, I spec'ed XP Pro....have XP Home on my current system. Pro is the only option at Dell I think.

We got the three year warranty with on-site service for wifey notebook..$100...I think I want that...24hours call time, plus parts delivery time...worth it if the cost is comparable with Gateway.

Oh, my boss bought a silver lefover GTO last week for $25K, one of three left, less than my Mooostang cost. So sharpen than pencil! Mr. Green

_________________
"All facts go to clearly prove that Shades is a thrice-cursed traitor & mentally deranged person steeped in inveterate enmity toward mankind"
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:17 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

EXACTLY my point on the sound-card thingy. You don't wanna know about or deal with it - it's gotten ugly and I'm disappointed that such a simple, inexpensive part of any system has now been screwed up for people. Getchya a proper built-in sound card like that one, with the system and properly integrated, and you'll happily plug in the cables and hear stuff the way it's s'posed to work.

Gateway is like 200 bones on the on-site 3-year warranty stuff, probably becuase it's a desktop and not a laptop...kind of comparing apples & oranges there.

The 22" LCD monitor at $160 is optional, but I'll tell ya this came with my son's rig and it is a SWEET monitor! Very nice. Something to think about is how you're gonna transfer all your old stuff from the old machine to the new. You could either get an external USB hard drive with that money and transfer everythign via it (plus, have it all backed up when you're done) or go with the new monitor and keep the old rig set up with the old monitor while you move stuff over via thumb drive or whatever - that's kinda like moving all the water from one bucket to another with a ladle, though.

Going down to a less-expensive model and building it up to the same specs makes it more expensive and I note the disclaimer about "give us a call about WIndows XP" is missing on those systems. So I have to say I think I got it pretty much right with that first stab - the one change I'm making is specify ONE 500GB hard drive, as opposed to a RAID setup which is two 250MB drives paired together. Helps keep heat and power draw down, against the arguable advantages of a RAID setup.

So......here she blows, WITH 3-year on-site: Yanked the speakers too, since the ones you have now seem to be making perfectly adequate bleeping, blooping and crashing noises. Also, added one more item there at the end, don't know if you've heard of it but it's kinda neat Laughing



Quote is saved under fake email name of "[email protected]" so you can call it back up - for some reason, an earlier system I'd been playing with is saved there too, just ignore it (it's from the other thread).

Your boss is a smart cookie.....not that I'd ever say anything bad about those weird Aussie cars either, even with that fine LS2 motor and excellent rolling hardware. Hopefully the price isn't gonna be balanced out by family chiropractor visits from trying to get in & out of the back seats...

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Ascout
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 6257
Location: Cyberspace
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:28 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

- JG300-Stoopy
EXACTLY my point on the sound-card thingy. You don't wanna know about or deal with it - it's gotten ugly and I'm disappointed that such a simple, inexpensive part of any system has now been screwed up for people. Getchya a proper built-in sound card like that one, with the system and properly integrated, and you'll happily plug in the cables and hear stuff the way it's s'posed to work.

Gateway is like 200 bones on the on-site 3-year warranty stuff, probably becuase it's a desktop and not a laptop...kind of comparing apples & oranges there.

The 22" LCD monitor at $160 is optional, but I'll tell ya this came with my son's rig and it is a SWEET monitor! Very nice. Something to think about is how you're gonna transfer all your old stuff from the old machine to the new. You could either get an external USB hard drive with that money and transfer everythign via it (plus, have it all backed up when you're done) or go with the new monitor and keep the old rig set up with the old monitor while you move stuff over via thumb drive or whatever - that's kinda like moving all the water from one bucket to another with a ladle, though.

Going down to a less-expensive model and building it up to the same specs makes it more expensive and I note the disclaimer about "give us a call about WIndows XP" is missing on those systems. So I have to say I think I got it pretty much right with that first stab - the one change I'm making is specify ONE 500GB hard drive, as opposed to a RAID setup which is two 250MB drives paired together. Helps keep heat and power draw down, against the arguable advantages of a RAID setup.

So......here she blows, WITH 3-year on-site: Yanked the speakers too, since the ones you have now seem to be making perfectly adequate bleeping, blooping and crashing noises. Also, added one more item there at the end, don't know if you've heard of it but it's kinda neat Laughing



Quote is saved under fake email name of "[email protected]" so you can call it back up - for some reason, an earlier system I'd been playing with is saved there too, just ignore it (it's from the other thread).

Your boss is a smart cookie.....not that I'd ever say anything bad about those weird Aussie cars either, even with that fine LS2 motor and excellent rolling hardware. Hopefully the price isn't gonna be balanced out by family chiropractor visits from trying to get in & out of the back seats...


Interesting....
Now, does this include XP Pro for sure? And, I already have CFS3...can I not install that on my new system? Why is that in there? Would I need another one?

If I call 'em, can they find this quote if I have trouble?

_________________
"All facts go to clearly prove that Shades is a thrice-cursed traitor & mentally deranged person steeped in inveterate enmity toward mankind"
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:45 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

Yup - the quote can be retrieved using the link at the top-right of their website and entering the fake email I made for ya, or tell 'em it's quote #26734

One thing tho - that quote has a price of $3,439.95 because it has TWO different computers spec'ed out, it includes that other system I was playing with about a month ago. Just tell 'em it s for the Gateway FX530XM computer which is sub-listed at $1,836.98, and all the details are nested underneath it

Apart from cost, it doesn't includes WIndows XP because it sayz you gotta call 'em to "discuss" (I believe they mean, just ask for it instead, like your Dell dudes handled it). Thats for you to specify but I doubt they'll argue, since Dell can't be alone in getting a LOT of requests for same. However, this price DOES include Vista (which was the only option on the choice list), so XP should not cost you one PENNY more.

So I'd specify they KNOW it and repeat it three times while spinning around in their cubicle chairs before processing that order!!!!!! Actually the quote isn't so much for them, in that respect, it's for you to reference. Let 'em know the quote # only after it's clearly understood it needs to be modified for the Vista/XP thing, or otherwise used as the basis for a new order specifying XP right up front.

I was kiddin' about CFS3. A'course you can install yours.....if the disks haven't petrified by now. J/K!!!!! Laughing Had to have some fun with ya while I was there, everything else is legit.


_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Shades
Forum Tree-Rat

Offline Offline
Joined: Mar 07, 2005
Posts: 6473
Location: 3rd Branch up, 'Ye Olde Oak', Green Wood.
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:19 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

THIS may help you with the graphic card bit.
That 7950 is quite a high spec gaming card.

_________________
Skwerl's place.

Com-Central's cutest, fluffiest, twitchiest, tail.
CPU > Intel i9-9900k (o/c 4.9GHz); COOLING > BeQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 4;
MOBO > ASUS PRIME Z390-A; RAM > 2x32GB Corsair LPX 2666MHz;
GPU > Gigabyte GEFORCE GTX650Ti PCI-e 3.0 2Gb GDDR5;
AUDIO > Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music (plus - Universal Audio UAD2 Quad Custom accelerator);
HDD > 3x1TB+ M.2. SSDs; LCD > DELL - S2419HGF (1920x1080);
PSU > 650W be quiet Straight Power 11 - 80+ Gold;
CASE > BeQuiet! SILENT BASE 601; OS > Windows 11 Home Advanced (64-bit).
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website ICQ Number
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:26 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

Thanks Shades! Had heard good thigns about it but no personal input....for about $200 it's got as much RAM as my ATI 1650 PRO card but is even faster....and cost about the same as I paid.

Oh hey Ascout.....be sure that, although you do need MS Office Home and Student 2007, do NOT buy it from either Dell or Gateway with a computer....because you don't usually REALLY get the install media - they pre-install it for ya and that's that.....so installing it PER the license agreement on another system can be, of course, impossible.

Get that when you make your side-trip to Best Buy or CompUSA for that Linksys Wireless router,,,,and FSX Deluxe...

It's one other thing I'm not crazy about how things have transpired these days......used to be, you got software bundled with the system, you got the install media too.

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Ascout
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 6257
Location: Cyberspace
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:32 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

- Shades
THIS may help you with the graphic card bit.
That 7950 is quite a high spec gaming card.


Well, that's because this is Stoopy's idea of a tidy little Mustang engine:

Stoopy's "small" V8 idea

_________________
"All facts go to clearly prove that Shades is a thrice-cursed traitor & mentally deranged person steeped in inveterate enmity toward mankind"
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
JG300-Ascout
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 6257
Location: Cyberspace
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:37 pm
Post subject: Re: So, while I'm shopping, what sayeth the forum to this?

- JG300-Stoopy
Thanks Shades! Had heard good thigns about it but no personal input....for about $200 it's got as much RAM as my ATI 1650 PRO card but is even faster....and cost about the same as I paid.

Oh hey Ascout.....be sure that, although you do need MS Office Home and Student 2007, do NOT buy it from either Dell or Gateway with a computer....because you don't usually REALLY get the install media - they pre-install it for ya and that's that.....so installing it PER the license agreement on another system can be, of course, impossible.

Get that when you make your side-trip to Best Buy or CompUSA for that Linksys Wireless router,,,,and FSX Deluxe...

It's one other thing I'm not crazy about how things have transpired these days......used to be, you got software bundled with the system, you got the install media too.


No problemo, already planned on that for both the Office software AND the wireless router...in fact, the Dell guy was even pretty much down with that plan without actually sayin' as much...
I'm a "Continuing Medical Education Program Coordinator" so I qualify as a "teacher", among my many hats, and have the certificate to back it up, so I can breeze in to buy on that basis and install on all our systems since the wifey is a biochemist. I'm not sure who's the student here, come to think of it, her credentials are better than mine. Rolling Eyes

_________________
"All facts go to clearly prove that Shades is a thrice-cursed traitor & mentally deranged person steeped in inveterate enmity toward mankind"
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  Hardware
Page 1 of 2
All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Go to page 1, 2  Next

Archive Revive
Username:
This is an archived topic - your reply will not be appended here.
Instead, a new topic will be generated in the active forum.
The new topic will provide a reference link to this archived topic.