looking for a good deal on a computer

[Melissa G]

Mostly, I just do a little word processing and spend too much time on DU. My needs are fairly simple. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Melissa

edit to say I have a samsung notebook I got for free from Clear a couple of years back. I need something that i can run a wireless system for the house. That is why I am shopping.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

1. Recommendations:

PC: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Compaq-15.6-Presario-CQ57-439WM-Laptop-PC-with-AMD-Dual-Core-E-300-Accelerated-Processor-and-Windows-7-Home-Premium-bundled-w-case-and-USB-Drive/20510725

Wireless router: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Belkin-N-150-Wireless-Router/11060711

[Melissa G]

2. Thanks, I prefer to not have a laptop

They are bad on your back which I am already messing up with my notebook. Any other suggestions?

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

6. Other ideas:

PC: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883108660

What is your budget?
Do you need a monitor?

[Melissa G]

8. Hobbit has built me a decent computer

for about 300 bucks in the past. I was just checking for other suggestions.

I have a monitor and keyboard.

[ChromeFoundry]

3. Gateway DX4320-17 Desktop PC - $99.00

Source: http://www.frys.com/product/6292170

Processor
AMD
Phenom™ II X4 Quad-Core Processor 945 (3.0GHz, 6MB L3 Cache)Operating System
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

Memory
8GB DDR3 Dual Channel 1333MHz Memory (4 x 2048MB)

Memory Capacity
Maximum 8GB

Hard Drive
1TB SATA hard drive (Green Product - variable RPM)

Video
ATI Radeon™ HD5570 Graphics card with 1024MB of Dedicated DDR3 VRAM

Optical Drive
Blu-ray Disc™ 4X BD-ROM / DVD-SuperMulti Drive and 16X DVD+/-R/RW
SuperMulti Drive

Power Supply
300W Power Supply

Application Software
Microsoft® Works & Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007
(60-daycomplimentary trial period)

Audio
High Definition Audio with 5.1-channel Surround Support

Available Expansion Slots
Available: 0 - PCI-E x16, 1 - PCI-E x1, 1 - PCI

Chassis
Designed for power and productivity, sleek and stylish mini-tower PC

Digital Media Software
Nero® 9 Essentials and Cyberlink® PowerDVD™

Dimensions (Box)
11" (H) x 18" (W) x 23" (D) or 279.4mm (H) x 457.2mm (W) x 584.2mm (D)

Dimensions(System)
16.23" (H) x 7.09" (W) x 16.27" (D) or 412.4mm (H) x 180mm (W) x 413.2mm (D)

External Ports
(10) USB 2.0 ports (4 Front, 6 Rear), VGA, DVI, (2) PS/2 Ports, HDMI™, (3) Audio Ports

Keyboard
Multimedia Keyboard

Media Card Reader
Multi-in-One Digital Media Card Reader with Photo Frame Button

Motherboard
Systemboard with AMD® 880G Chipset

Mouse
Optical Mouse

Network
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port)

Security Software
Norton™ Internet Security 2009 (60-day trial)

Warranty
1 Year Parts and Labor Limited Warranty with Toll-Free Tech Support

Weight
25 lbs.(11.3 kg) system unit only / Approximately 30 lbs. (13.6 kg.) box

Wireless Network
802.11b/g/n Wireless

[Melissa G]

4. Well the price is certainly right!

Last edited Sun Feb 26, 2012, 07:57 PM - Edit history (1)

I don't know enough to say much more. What modem should I put with it or is that included in the wireless network?

edit This item is discontinued.

[ChromeFoundry]

10. Sorry, they sell out quickly...

You may want to check out Frys.com on Thursdays; They usually start advertizing their weekend deals Thurs. afternoon.

You said you need a modem, yet want wireless... I'm a little bit confused on that.

Do you already have internet access via a wireless router and DSL, Cable or 3G (ClearWire) bridge-modem?
Or do you want to share a dial-up connection to the Internet via a local wireless network?

All things are possible, we just need a clearer understanding of what type of connectivity you are looking to get from a desktop system and the current notebook.

Thanks,
-CF

[Melissa G]

11. Daughter is pestering me for whole house wireless

so she can use her laptop in her room. Husband has DSL. He can't hook up the router because his computer needs something called service pac 3 that his computer does not like or want.
Ball kicked to my court. I gave husband a spare computer that I had which he then tried to set up. Spouse reports that it needs a modem to hook up to the DSL, so then we can hook up the router that I bought.

He may be reporting inaccurately or I may be inadvertently doing so.

edit to say my notebook is on Clear so I have wireless and am not very motivated. Husband has DSL. Daughter is who is frustrated with computer challenged, unmotivated parents who have yet to deliver her wireless service.

[ChromeFoundry]

13. Ok....

If you already have DSL, you must have a ADSL Modem. If you put your modem in Bridging-Mode (usually the default), you should be able to use the wireless router.

This is what you probably have now:
Phone Line==>ADSL Modem==>Ethernet Cable==>Husband's Computer.

This is the order everything should fit together:
Phone Line==>ADSL Modem ==>Ethernet Cable==>Router WAN Port==>Router Wireless & LAN Ports==>All Computers in your home.

Your Husbands PC is probably running a software package to talk to the ADSL Modem via a PPPOE Link.
Usually something called "EtherLink" but will depend on your ISP.

[Melissa G]

16. Okay, Thanks!

Hobbit PMed me that the service pac three is just ATT being pushy and that it is not needed for the router. I may just hire him to set up the router and blow off the new computer for now, since the router was what was driving the purchase.

I'll try the bridging mode thing first and see if I even need to hire Hobbit the Great.

Thanks for your help!

[Melissa G]

5. That was discontinued

Any other ideas?

[EvolveOrConvolve]

7. I find good deals at Geeks.com

(NOTE: if you buy from there, make sure that the computer you're buying has an Operating System. Otherwise, you'll have to purchase a license for one yourself, and that's not cheap. Or, you can install Linux, if you have the technical skill to do so.)

Most of their really cheap stuff is refurbished, but my wife has gotten along for years with cheap Geeks.com PCs. For example, here's one for $155.99 that comes with XP Pro: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=DC7800SFF-DC20-MAR-2R&cat=SYS. If you're only using it for email, word processing and basic internet usage, there's really no reason to spend a huge amount of cash on the latest and greatest.

If you want to run a wireless network, you'll need to purchase either a modem or router that has wireless capabilities. My suggestions are, if you aren't all that tech savvy, to buy something like that from a local computer company. You'll pay more money for the product, but those types of companies are usually pretty good about explaining how it all works and how to set it up.

[Melissa G]

9. Thanks, I will check this out

I have a used computer that seems to be missing some software and a modem. It's not all that good. I bought a router, but by the time I bought a modem and the missing software I figured I could buy a new tower.

[steve2470]

12. Lenovo ThinkCentre M58 (7244A37) Desktop PC

$339.99

General Spec

Brand
ThinkCentre
Model
M58 (7244A37)
Type
Business Desktops & Workstations
Colors
Black
Processor
Intel Pentium E6600 3.06GHz
Processor Main Features
64 bit Dual Core Processor
Memory
4GB
Hard Drive
250GB
Optical Drive 1
DVD+/-RW
Graphics
Intel GMA 4500
Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet
Power Supply
280W
Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-Bit
CPU
CPU Type
Pentium
CPU Speed
E6600(3.06GHz)
CPU Socket Type
LGA 775
CPU Main Features
64 bit Dual Core Processor
Graphics
GPU/VPU Type
Intel GMA 4500
Graphics Interface
Integrated video
Memory
Memory Capacity
4GB DDR3
Memory Speed
DDR3 1066
Memory Spec
2GB x 2
Maximum Memory Supported
16GB
Hard Drive
HDD Capacity
250GB
HDD RPM
7200rpm
Optical Drive
Optical Drive Type
DVD±RW
Communications
LAN Speed
10/100/1000Mbps
Front Panel Ports
Front USB
2
Front Audio Ports
Microphone, Headphone
Back Panel Ports
Video Ports
1 VGA
Rear USB
6
RJ45
1 port
Rear Audio Ports
Line In (3.5mm), line-out(3.5mm)
Expansion
PCI Slots (Available/Total)
Slot 1: half length PCIe 2.0 x16 (75W)
Slot 2: half length PCIe x1
Slot 3: half length 32 bit PCI 2.3
Slot 4: half length 32 bit PCI 2.3
Mouse
Mouse Type
USB Optical Mouse
Keyboard
Keyboard Type
Pro USB Keyboard (104 key)
Physical Spec
Dimensions
17.3" x 15.8" x 6.9"
Weight
24.2 lbs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883108660

Comes well rated so far. Good luck to you !

[Melissa G]

17. Thanks! My daughter's laptop is Lenovo

and she is quite happy with it.

[Fumesucker]

14. If you are in a metro area try Craigslist..

I've bought and sold computers for very cheap on Craigslist, got one a few years back with an LCD monitor, tower, keyboard, mouse and everything for $25..

For what you do Windows XP on a Pentium 4 with at most 1 gig of RAM should be fine, computers are a disposable commodity item now and have been for a while.

[HopeHoops]

15. Build one on the HP web site. Get the "M$ Office Student and Home Edition".

You can probably score one for $500 or so and the shipping is free. I just put together a machine for my step father. I tried the local stores and none of them had machines that included M$ Office (just the "restricted" edition that only works for a short while). If you don't care what office software you get, buy pretty much anything from OfficeMax and install OpenOffice. It works WAY better than the M$ Office products and it is free. It's also better at opening old M$ files than the M$ software itself.

[Melissa G]

18. I think I have a Solution!

Hobbit says he is coming to my house to fix up the router. He says that is all we need.
He has some computers around if I need to purchase one.

Thanks, Everyone! This group Rocks!!!

[sofa king]

19. Consider building for yourself!

I will never buy a desktop again, because even in times like these when a pre-built system is often cheaper than I what can build myself, bottom-end computers are useless and always have been.

If you ask me, the place where pre-built computers always fail is in graphics. "Integrated" graphics, whether they're integrated on the motherboard or on the CPU die, are for shit and will continue to be so for years (and yes, that does include Sandy Bridge). Current integrated graphics cannot reliably show video at 720p, which is now the lower end of high-definition video.

If you have a fast internet connection, the problem is even worse, because many services (ahem, Netflix), stream video according to the available bandwidth, not the actual capability of the system. The result is a hitching, pausing, unwatchable slide-show. This is the main reason why nobody video-conferences, by the way, even though that tech has been available for fifteen years. It's because someone in the mix always has a Dell that won't do it.

System-makers simply don't give a shit that your "HD-capable" system is only "capable" if you add a discrete graphics card that costs an extra $150 (to $1000). They know the vast majority of their customers have no idea what I'm talking about, and expect them to trash their wheezy bottom-feeders in a year or two for something more expensive, adding the cost of both to the user.

Note for example that many box-sellers will offer an "upgraded experience" version that boasts "up to 3X better graphics performance" from the base model. (See e.g. the Dell Inspiron series.) That's with the very cheapest, shittiest discrete graphics option available, and you're expected to pay a premium for that horrible option.

I recommend simply tacking $150 to any low-end pre-built system you look at, and make sure that at the very least it has a PCI slot for a drop-in graphics replacement. You're better off buying the card separately and doing it yourself, because the card your manufacturer will offer will--again--be the worst possible option for you, because it's cheap to them.

Or, if you want someone to build a much, much more capable computer that may be worth having five years from now (instead of five years ago, which is where the bottom-feeders are now), the Tech Report has been offering reliable system building guides that rarely disappoint.

http://techreport.com/articles.x/22513

"The Econobox" sounds like it's right up your alley, about $700 if you already have the monitor, keyboard, and so on. It is their lowest-end suggestion, and even though it has a slower CPU it will still blow a comparably priced Dell Inspiron out of the water because the Inspiron relies on terrible graphics, while The Econobox wisely aims for the best it can afford within its price range.

[Melissa G]

20. Sounds like a plan!

I will bookmark your info, in case I have Hobbit build me a new computer. Right now he thinks he can get me up with our existing stuff. My personal needs are minimal. If I do netflix, I run it on the TV with surround sound.

Thanks,
Melissa

[jrandom421]

21. Try the Dell Outlet

If you don't want to build it yourself.

Http://www.dell.com/outlet

Newly refurbished systems with full factory warranties, free shipping and often discount coupoun codes.

[Melissa G]

22. I forgot to mention how crappy I think Dell is.

I bought a bunch of office computers on a special business 'deal' there.

They never delivered my 'free' monitors. I complained forever. Each time I was in transfer hell and had to wait 30 minutes to do the complaining which went to India. I never got the free monitors which they delivered to a different address. Somehow their mistaken delivery was my fault.

Dell Customer service stinks.

Also when your Dell dies your data does not transfer easily to other computers. I have some techs that can shift it and some that can't.

Not. Giving. Dell. Money. Again. Ever.

Thanks for the thought though; I'm sure others have had better experiences. I just won't risk the hassle of Dell again.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

23. personally...

...I would call Karen H. Quintos Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at [phone] at the Round Rock HQ and leave a message recounting your awful experience. It might be fruitless but look at it as a shot at something.

[Melissa G]

24. Well, somehow I got on a survey list

for about 3 times where they paid me $25 bucks to say what I thought of major computer companies. Needless to say I repeated my tale and gave Dell low marks on all three surveys.

I usually never waste time on those, but this made me feel better.

Thanks for the Dell info, but I am 'over' talking to them. Enough of my life has been wasted in that pursuit.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

25. For the future...just as a rule of thumb...

when I have problems with a supplier and end up on the "support-go-round" I give them about 5 - 10 minutes to get me to the right person. If it appears no one has an interest in my problem, I can generally find names, addresses and phone numbers for corporate offices through yahoo-finance or similar sites.

If you ordered and paid for a product you never received I would call the Attorney General's office in your state, if the company refuses to make good, to determine if you have a case for criminal charges. If the USPS is involved this may be federal crime.

Have a nice day.

[Melissa G]

26. Good approach.

You are right I should have gone to the corporate offices. I thought I had. I demanded to talk to a supervisor in the US. Still got an unacceptable response from as high up as they seemed to let me go.

Their ridiculous excuse was because the monitors were "free" in the deal they were not obligated to actually give them to me. This from the supervisor.