*takes a deep breath* This is going to be a lengthy post, but I want to give as much information as possible so as to receive the best help.
ALL and ANY thoughts are GREATLY appreciated, as I am a complete noob when it comes to hardware and I need help!
Detailed responses will receive my eternal gratitude. (Like, if you live nearby I'll buy you something from Quiznos.
)
So, I may be moving out on my own soon, and I don't have my own computer. I'm not exactly overflowing with monehs, so basically I want to know what computer would be the best value for my dollar.
Currently, I use my mom's computer as more or less a glorified MP3 player, along with browsing the internet, organizing my ideas in word processors, and occasionally dicking around in The Sims 2 and Photoshop CS2. Oh, photography is also a bit of a hobby of mine, and I need to be able to install the appropriate software for my digital camera if I want to do anything with my work.
Also, I need a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers. They don't have to be fancy- durability is what I'm most interested in. No LCD monitors that spontaneously break or anything. (I don't care about CRT v. LCD either, so.) I can't afford to constantly replace computer parts.
ALSO, in the ten minutes I used Vista (when I was showing a friend of mine how to use her laptop), I wanted to gouge my eyes out. I'm sure everyone has heard horror stories about Vista, and I have no intention of using it. I've also heard horror stories about uninstalling Vista and installing XP, but I'm under the impression that unless I get a Mac I won't have a choice.
I might even get a Mac if it happens to be a better dollar value (I get the impression they're overpriced, though). I'm not trying to start a Mac v. PC flamewar either, I just want to know which one would be better on a budget. (I know it's kinda silly to look for an objective comparison of the two on the internet, of all places, but I can try.)
These are the specs of the computer I currently use:
Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.26GHz
Speed: 2.27 GHz
RAM: 511 mb
OS: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Video card: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 100/200 (GeForce2 MX 100/200)
Sound card: SoundMAX Digital Audio
I find this computer runs quite well with maintenance and if I could find something similar to it that would make me happy.
So, to summarize, what I'm looking for is:-a
desktop system (unless a desktop that meets my requirements is too expensive and a laptop happens to be cheaper. I don't like laptops, though)
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NOT using Vista (I like windows XP, it's what I've used for a long time and it seems pretty decent)
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DURABILITY, I can't have it breaking on me
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not exceedingly slow, I.e. I should be able to run firefox, photoshop, msn, and Windows Media Player all at the same time.
-this is a minor point, but
upgradability would be preferred, as this computer will probably be sticking around with me for awhile
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$400 - $500 range for the actual computer itself. I simply cannot afford to spend $1000 on a computer, even if it is a better value. I don't even know how much $400 - $500 is nowadays, but it's what I have available.
Now, if it's cheaper to build my own computer, any ideas on what parts to buy and how to go about it would be great too. I would have to enlist the help of a certain sibling for this (ehehe), and it sounds like a pain in the ass, but if I were able to save a substantial amount of money this way (and said third party would be willing to help me), I'd jump on it.
These are the three cheapest (non-refurbished) desktops systems on Futureshop.ca:
Compaq Pavilion AMD Athlon LE-1640 2.7GHz Computer (SR5413WM), $299Acer AMD Athlon LE-1640 2.7GHz Computer (AM1200-E1520B), $299Acer AMD Athlon X2 4400+ 2.3GHz Computer (AM1200-E1521A) - Bilingual, $379The first one sounds good. What do you guys think?
Feel free to ask me for any additional information! And again, thanks in advance!
