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Hardwrkr13

Hardwrkr13

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Need a new Desktop and monitor. Mine is about 8yrs old and with only a 1GB RAM, 160GB Harddrive, 17" CRT monitor it's slow and streaming media is brutal.

I'm not computer savvy enough to build one. I just need one that can stream media (watch online movies and play my Contour video's well) and just general websurfing. No gaming or anything fancy.

I don't want a laptop. So where would you suggest I go and what sizing should I look for?
 
Not sure what "sizing" is in computer terms, but the reality these days is that you can get a good cheap computer anywhere. Best Buy, Future Shop, Costco, Tiger Direct, Canada Computers, PC Canada, Infonec, NCIX, blah blah blah.

Try the last 4 places I just mentioned and then compare their deals to the big box stores. I was at Costco the other day and they had PC packages starting at like $400 with a monitor and everything. Stuff is dirt cheap nowadays.
 
Roger that. I'm assuming you want something that comes with a monitor, so look for something that does at least 1920x1080, though 1920x1200 would be a little better. Also look for something that comes with a graphics card, pretty much ANY graphics card ... the new integrated graphics in the Intel Core i5 and i7 would probably be okay, but even something an system builder would tack on $30 for would still likely be an improvement. Pretty much those two items alone should keep you covered in the streaming media department.

Take a look at the retailers suggested, then if you see something you like post it up here - I guarantee you'll get feedback if it's any good or not.
 
If you do buy a brand name from a box store (or a Dell) be sure to seek out the option for having no preloaded software come on the PC. That's my single biggest gripe with PC manufacturers these days... laptops and computers come loaded with so much bloatware from the factory that they're almost unusable. You have to literally spend hours cleaning the crap off, and the best way to do so is to reload Windows from scratch.
 
Check out RedFlagDeals.com in the computer thread. Bargains change week to week but there's plenty to be had on desktop systems these days because people are moving to desktop replacement laptops.

Don't discount the laptops. Some of them rival desktops for screen size and power but you also get some portability too although the true desktop replacements weigh quite a bit.
 
mmmnaked said:
If you do buy a brand name from a box store (or a Dell) be sure to seek out the option for having no preloaded software come on the PC. That's my single biggest gripe with PC manufacturers these days... laptops and computers come loaded with so much bloatware from the factory that they're almost unusable. You have to literally spend hours cleaning the crap off, and the best way to do so is to reload Windows from scratch.
Click to expand...

That's the first thing that I do, whether or not I requested no additional software; reload from scratch.
 
You might want to consider an all-in-one computer...... I was pretty impressed with this one at Futureshop last week (23" touchscreen!) for $800. http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/prod...spx?path=3e7854f261308a29ae1720a4ae00026cen02

I wouldn't turn my back on a laptop either. You can add a wireless monitor, external wireless keyboard and mouse and there ya go! You get everything your big desktop will give you plus portability. With the extra monitor, you can have a 2 screen setup by using the monitor and the laptop screen. Very much more efficient for getting work done!
 
Build it yourself or pay me $50 to build it for you. I can provide a part list for the type of computer you want i.e. streaming, gaming etc...
 
Well I was looking at this one for a desktop. Haven't really found a better deal anywhere.

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/-/b9001965.aspx?path=4d28373ae71934d4b451bd0677f97b36en02


http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/acer-acer-17-3-laptop-featuring-intel-core-i5-2410m-processor-as7750g-6634-black-as7750g-6634/10172578.aspx?path=246f0ae6b23c25432777a456bfb5216fen02

and I didn't consider adding a monitor/keyboard/mouse to a laptop but I suppose that could work for the one above. I could find a deal on a monitor for ~125 and then use the keyboard and mouse I'm using now correct?
 
I would be wary of buying HP product, given that they seem to be getting out of the computer/pad business.
 
Could always go Apple dude. Buy an iMac. High quality computer, with no crap programs slowing it down, plus it has great video editing software that comes straight with it, such as iMovie, iPhoto and iDVD. They are a little pricey, but well worth it. Has a great LCD panel built in, comes with a great mouse and keyboard setup. Considering I worked with the engineers during the design of them, I can guarantee they are great machines that will last several years down the line, not to mention they are pretty much virus and spam free.
 
Dr.Manhattan said:
Could always go Apple dude. Buy an iMac. High quality computer, with no crap programs slowing it down, plus it has great video editing software that comes straight with it, such as iMovie, iPhoto and iDVD. They are a little pricey, but well worth it. Has a great LCD panel built in, comes with a great mouse and keyboard setup. Considering I worked with the engineers during the design of them, I can guarantee they are great machines that will last several years down the line, not to mention they are pretty much virus and spam free.
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I don't think he wants to pay an arm and leg for something that costs only a finger. To each their own.
 
Hardwrkr13 said:


http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/acer-acer-17-3-laptop-featuring-intel-core-i5-2410m-processor-as7750g-6634-black-as7750g-6634/10172578.aspx?path=246f0ae6b23c25432777a456bfb5216fen02

and I didn't consider adding a monitor/keyboard/mouse to a laptop but I suppose that could work for the one above. I could find a deal on a monitor for ~125 and then use the keyboard and mouse I'm using now correct?
Click to expand...

Your current keyboard/mouse will work just fine. That computer looks pretty decent and I think that acer puts HDMI ports on almost all of their computers. This will make it much easier to hook up a second monitor (digital signal... automatic setup, great picture.) Also, the 17" screen on the laptop will make it much better for working on two screens. I'm not sure you need the i5 processor though.... you could probably save yourself a couple of hundred bucks by buying a lower model (FS had an Acer on sale last week for less than $400 with a dual core processor, 500 GB hd, and 17.3" screen.) If you want to expand into more demanding computing (gaming or video editing) then by all means, buy the computer with the better, faster processor and more memory.

I have been working with a 2 monitor setup for a number of years and I can tell you that it is definitely the way to go! At home I have 2x24" monitors and at work 2x22" monitors and they definitely make life a LOT easier when you are cutting and pasting from one document into another, doing video editing, etc. My wife does tons of work on the computer and she loves the laptop/second 22" screen setup that I got for her. Futureshop has a Samsung 20" monitor on sale now for $99.99 http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/prod...spx?path=7eeec933293f27c8f4bec060037b0cd7en02 I would go for a bigger monitor but its your money. Also, if you are doing a lot of document editing, it would be beneficial to have a monitor that pivots to portrait orientation (instead of the usual landscape orientation) so you can see the entire document at once with no scrolling. You could then use the laptop screen on the side to browse the web, display Powerpoint presentations,etc., and the bigger monitor in front of you for document editing. As you might guess, these kind of monitors cost slightly more $$.

If your budget can stretch this far, you might want to consider this 27" HP for only $269 (an amazing deal!!!) http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=8f3428143bdf946a715fa586ac6e6d7een02 then you can use it for watching Netflix and whatnot (sale on until Sept 1). The bigger monitor will add more versatility to your setup.

Bottom line, if you buy the Acer computer you saw, plus the 27" monitor, you will be spending about $1k (which I bet is about one third of what you paid for your current computer) and it will really enrich your computing experience.

Let me know how you make out... if you want any more info, feel free to send me a PM. I buy a lot of computer stuff at my local Future Shop and I deal with one specific fellow who usually gets me decent deals.
 
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Now is the best time to buy a computer because of Back To School Sales. Since you're not a power user, maybe you could consider a laptop? The freedom to go anywhere in the house or even when traveling is pretty handy. It doesn't sound like you'll be upgrading a lot so a laptop might be the way to go. You can even buy an external monitor with higher resolution or plug it into an LCD TV.
 
Will this laptop have an audio-output like regular desktops? (I keep my computer hooked up to a seperate home audio stereo receiver for listening to music/movies). It'll sit on a desk 99% of the time but I suppose having the portability to take on some trips would be nice. To be honest I don't know what I'd need to be able to use it around the house.
 
Almost all (99.999%) laptops today come with at least one headphone jack for audio out (which you can use to hook into your home stereo) and microphone input (which you can use to record your old cassettes and LPs onto the computer and convert them to MP3s.) I believe most also come with webcams built in. To be able to use your laptop around the house in any location, you will need a wireless router which are inexpensive ($40 - $150.) I believe that wireless networking is built in to nearly every laptop these days so there is nothing to plug in to the computer.

A lot of laptops today have Bluetooth built in as well - this can come in handy because it has a 30' range. You can have your laptop across the room connected to your tv (for watching Netflix, or viewing photo slideshows, or just surfing the web from your favourite chair) and still be able to use the keyboard and mouse to control it. It can also be used to connect with your cell phone for address book maintenance, downloading any photos you have taken, etc. Bluetooth keyboards and mice are not that plentiful, and the cost a little more than regular wireless.

I always recommend that people get an external keyboard and mouse for their laptops because the kb is larger and will be more familiar, and it saves the wear and tear on the laptop keyboard AND It is much easier (and cheaper) to replace an external keyboard if it breaks than to replace the keyboard on the laptop. Separate mice are more egonomically friendly than the touchpad on the laptop.

For true ease of connecting/disconnecting, laptop "docks" are available for about $100. The dock will remain on your desk with all the connections to your peripherals plugged into it and all you have to do when you return the computer to your desk is to plug the dock in with one USB connection. Here is just one example of a docking station... there are others that might be better... http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...spx?path=c947bb59e0280aa9ddd1edba10df2952en02
 
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