Venusaur Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I was thinking about getting this computer: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103228 I want a cheap Windows machine so I can learn Windows before I go to college, would this be a good deal? I'm not going to get it immediately, so I've got time to think about it. I'd also like to know if I could upgrade the RAM easily and cheaply (HD size is not a problem). Again, if you answer no, tell me why, and recommend an alternate choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inactive Account Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Well, it's certainly cheap, and it looks like it's not too bad for its price. Personally I'd recommend getting a better machine that will last you longer, but that might be the CS major in me talking. If you definitely just want a cheap Windows machine, this looks like the way to go. Another thing-- you said you just wanted to learn Windows, right? In that case, you could just buy a copy of Windows and use it on what you've got now (I'm assuming you have a Mac, rather than Linux?). Macs come with Boot Camp so you could install it and then boot it in either Windows or Mac OS, or you could get VMWare which would let you run Windows and Mac programs at the same time. Is there a particular reason you need Windows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Tarrasque Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 (edited) It's alright for that price. Go for it if all you want is a cheap machine. As for the RAM, the capacity's 2GB and the 1GB models of its type look fairly cheap (seeing some at $25-$35) though you should use something like the Crucial scanner with it to get more precise specifications of the RAM before purchasing any. Edited February 22, 2010 by Speedwagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hero Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 (edited) This seems like a nice enough computer. With it you won't be able to play modern high-end video games and some really technical software might give you problems, but how much of that do you need? The hard drive is more than good enough, I operate on 111GB and have never had any serious problems. More RAM is always nice though. But my question is why you want a 200 dollar computer. Unless you're planning to also buy a car or something in the next year you can probably set your sights a bit higher. Windows won't take you more than a week to "learn", so you might as well save up for a nice one. Edited February 22, 2010 by Hero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venusaur Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 All we've got at home is a PowerBook G4. PowerPC=No Windows. Any recommendations would be welcome, but I wouldn't want something too expensive. I've still got a year of school left, so I can still save some money up, but I've still got Lunar: Silver Star Harmony and HeartGold to get recently, along with Golden Sun DS and Mario Galaxy 2 in the future, along with Mass Effect 2. Plus some of the Windows games would be great to pick up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inactive Account Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 The other things I'm noting are lack of an optical drive, no wireless network capability, and the Windows XP. XP's better than Vista IMO, but Windows 7 is really starting to take over. No optical drive means you'd have to buy a separate one in order to read CDs-- important for installing some programs. The wireless issue isn't so bad; it just means it'll need to be plugged into the network all the time-- more of an aesthetic thing really, with the cables sticking out of it. It'll also be a little slow. I would warn that this machine is not strong enough for most games. Some of the more powerful media editors might take it out as well. This doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't get it; you'll need to decide whether or not you want those capabilities. In the past when looking for computers, I've generally found CNet to be pretty helpful in terms of reviews and comparison. Here's the review for the machine you were looking for: http://reviews.cnet.com/laptop-reviews/?filter=100021_10446692_1101502_8660184&tag=mncol;srt&sort=lowPrice9+asc You can also browse by price and features you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venusaur Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 (edited) The other things I'm noting are lack of an optical drive, no wireless network capability, and the Windows XP. XP's better than Vista IMO, but Windows 7 is really starting to take over. No optical drive means you'd have to buy a separate one in order to read CDs-- important for installing some programs. The wireless issue isn't so bad; it just means it'll need to be plugged into the network all the time-- more of an aesthetic thing really, with the cables sticking out of it. It'll also be a little slow. I would warn that this machine is not strong enough for most games. Some of the more powerful media editors might take it out as well. This doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't get it; you'll need to decide whether or not you want those capabilities. In the past when looking for computers, I've generally found CNet to be pretty helpful in terms of reviews and comparison. Here's the review for the machine you were looking for: http://reviews.cnet.com/laptop-reviews/?filter=100021_10446692_1101502_8660184&tag=mncol;srt&sort=lowPrice9+asc You can also browse by price and features you want. Didn't notice the no optical drive. Or the no wireless. I'm definitely not getting it now... Guess I'm going to have to keep looking around. EDIT: I found one that might be good. This is it Going through the customization and only adding a wireless card makes it come out to $309. Adding Windows 7 would cost $30. I'm really not interested in most of the other options. What do you guys think? Edited February 23, 2010 by ultimateluigi987 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inactive Account Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 That looks fairly decent, and Inspirons have generally been all right. I'd definitely recommend the Windows 7 upgrade; $30 is the best you'll get if you want to get that at any time, and it's much better than Vista. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ike-Mike Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Many recent PC games should run on it too, though the framerate will be rather choppy but not unplayable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEST TRYNDAMERE PLAYER Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Many recent PC games should run on it too, though the framerate will be rather choppy but not unplayable. If by decent framrate you mean 10-15 FPS. Or play on near-minimum settings. To be honest, I don't think it's worth it. I understand you want a budget computer just to "learn" windows but really, learning the OS is a no-brainer. Eventually you're going to want a better computer if you plan to game. There are plenty of decent computers out there that are only in the 700-900$ range which is fairly cheap. I purchased one for about 900$ a couple of months back and the specs are really nice. The only thing that needs some improvement is the graphics card and the power supply, which I plan to upgrade sometime in the future but even now I can run every game just fine at a smooth fps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venusaur Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share Posted February 24, 2010 If by decent framrate you mean 10-15 FPS. Or play on near-minimum settings. To be honest, I don't think it's worth it. I understand you want a budget computer just to "learn" windows but really, learning the OS is a no-brainer. Eventually you're going to want a better computer if you plan to game. There are plenty of decent computers out there that are only in the 700-900$ range which is fairly cheap. I purchased one for about 900$ a couple of months back and the specs are really nice. The only thing that needs some improvement is the graphics card and the power supply, which I plan to upgrade sometime in the future but even now I can run every game just fine at a smooth fps. I'm probably not using this to play modern games, especially since I don't have $700-$900 to spend on a gaming computer. So I most likely won't need something too fast. Probably I'd just use emulators, or play I Wanna be the Guy, Civilization III or something like that. I would be getting Mass Effect 2 for 360 rather than PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ike-Mike Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 (edited) If by decent framrate you mean 10-15 FPS. Or play on near-minimum settings. I meant 30-40 at default settings. Also get The Orange Box for PC alongside ME2 360, it's superior to the console versions in every way. Edited February 25, 2010 by Ike-Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Media Junkie Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 (edited) Wow that thing's pretty cool. I think I might get it myself. Edited February 25, 2010 by Media Junkie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts