Best Computer?

Question

Having to replace my computer, I was wondering what is a good brand out there. I have Compaq now.. and it was so so.
I need one that is good with pictures. music and games.

Answer 1

Really, it doesn't matter which "brand" you get. You just need to make sure you have right specs on the machine. Dell is often, however, the cheapest. Here is what you need for pictures, music, and games...

Proccessor: 1.8Ghz (or more) Dual Core (can either be AMD Athlon X2 or Intel Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Duo costs more but is faster)
Memory: 1Gb (this is where most people fall short, you need at least 1Gb of memory to do about anything in todays computer world, go for 2Gb even if you are willing to put out the cash, it will pay off, I promise)
Hard Drive: 160Gb Minimum
Optical Drive: CD-RW/DVD+-RW (Burns both CD's and DVD's you may not need it now, but you will probably use it eventually, and it s commonly standard now).
OS: Windows XP or Windows Vista Premium (XP is more stable, but Vista Premium comes with a cool new look, its up to you on this one)

I hope that helps. With the above configuration a desktop would cost you no more that $700 at Dell.com, I know that can sound a bit pricey, BUT, that PC will last you at least half a decade.

Answer 2

Just to add on to what Kyle mentioned above..

RAM RAM and more RAM. If buying RAM, check how many RAM slots your PC has, and how much maximum RAM can go into each slot, and buy your RAM in anticipation of upgrading.

For example, I bought my Dell that has 4 RAM slots, with each taking a maximum single strip of 1Gb RAM. I got 2 x 1Gb RAM to put into it, leaving 2 slots empty for future expansion. (Take note that some machines require RAM slots to be occupied in pairs).

For pictures and games, then you'd want to consider getting a machine with a good graphics card. Dell's basic specs often come with their onboard graphics card which is ok for general use, but if you anticipate playing some really cool games and wanting a really good visual experience, then I'd recommend you go for the best or at least 2nd best graphics card upgrade that you can get for that machine.

Operating System... I've got Vista Home Premium now and though its been fun playing around with it (especially since its the new OS), there are still lots of applications and devices out there that still do not fully support or are compatible with it. This causes some problems for me in the short run but in the long run when those devices are supported and more compatible, and when Microsoft sends out its patches and fixes, then I guess it'll be alright. That's the problem with being the "first" to try Microsoft products.. you end up being the guinea pig for some time. But if I had gone for Windows XP Media Center Edition, then I'd be paying for an OS that I know will eventually be replaced with Vista.

For music.. I don't really bother much about getting a "good" sound card cos I read in the past that sound cards have already evolved to the point that they cannot evolve any more. And whatever new 'hype' there is for a particular 'high-end' sound card is actually a manipulation performed by software rather than the actual physical hardware. So, I go for the basic built-in sound card, but I invest in speakers. Good speakers make a HUGE difference to your listening experience.

Processor speed.. The latest in technology and the current leader in processor speed technology is Intel's Core 2 Duo processors. They are expensive though, and mainly because they're the leader right now. I couldn't wait for AMD to come up with a competitive processor and help bring the price down so I went with the highest end AMD processor instead (which is still a good 30% less than if I'd gotten a new Intel Core 2 Duo processor).

With all said, I guess the other things to consider in getting a new PC is the reputation of not just the brand, but the after sales service. I chose Dell because I've used them (and many other brands) before, and found that Dell does come to the home, and they do come within 3 buiness days. So many others fall short of this simple user requirement.

One more thing.. assembling your own PC doesn't necessarily make it less expensive especially if you factor in the cost of the OS and the after-sales support. Assembling your own, if any part fails, you'd have to know which and you'd then have to bring it back to the shop yourself. Also, the warranty on such self assemblies is usally variable depending upon the component (1 month to 1 year).

Answer 3

All the name brand computers are just OEM Chinese maker. They use the cheapest parts and everything is built on the main board itself to reduce the cost of parts and labor.

The best computer would be a computer with every component built with independent hardware.

You see over the past 20 years, the computer's processors have gotten really powerful. The Moore's law state that the processing power dubles every 2 years. Lot of the PC component makers jumped on the CPU band wagon and started to produce cheap component that uses the CPU's processing power instead of putting circuit of its own to lessen the burden on CPU.

In fact the best computer would probably have all component mostly independent of CPU and the BUS.

I usually recommend server hardware to friends who are looking for top performance becuase server hardware are often times fit the bill of what the best computer should be.

Answer 4

The best will be to go in for an assembled PC. If you are going in for a branded PC, it will cost you more.

The following will be spec. of your computer (hope you are convinced)

1) Processer - Pentium dual core
2) Mother Board - Intel
3) Graphics card - NVIDIA
4) Monitor - LCD (17" minimum)
5) Speaker - Creative 5.1
6) RAM - 1 GB

Within the above configuration, there are options for you to select various types of NVIDIA Graphics cards.

On the minimum configuration, the whole price will be around Indian Rupees 28,000/-

Answer 5

If your looking for desktop I'd go with another Compaq, but if your looking for a laptop then I'd defiantly go with a Sony Vaio