I'm buying a new computer, but I need advice.

[zanana1]

I want a desktop with a wide (24&quot screen, good memory and an HD picture. I'm willing to pay more because I'm tired of having to buy a computer every other year. I also want to stream some programs.
I don't want a Dell as I've had problems with that brand in the past. Any suggestions?

[Voltaire2]

1. I personally really like intel nuc devices.

They are small form factor fully equipped mid to high end systems that you can mount right on the back of your monitor. You can buy them as either kits or fully assembled.

[PJMcK]

2. Consider an Apple iMac

The 27-inch model starts at $1,800 which is pricey but Apple products last a long time. My PowerBook is 8 years old and going strong. With that kind of longevity, and considering the daily use I put the equipment through, the machine is essentially free.

Good luck with whatever you buy!

[zanana1]

4. I'd rather not buy a Mac.

I'm technically challenged and it took me long enough to learn how to open a computer!

[Me.]

28. If I Can Use One, Anyone Can

Easy/Peasy...the thing just about operates itself

[NewJeffCT]

31. I made that decision years back - chose a Mac over a PC

and it was a big mistake. So many PC processes were ingrained with me that it took me a while to get used to how to do things with the Mac - and, it basically died a month after the 1 year warranty expired. $900 to fix - No thanks Apple - I could buy TWO PCs for that much.

I'm a heavy Excel user in the office, but would often use Excel at home as well, and MS Office for Apple was sold to me as being great, but it was not as robust as MS Excel in terms of advanced feature.

[Generic Brad]

35. My last Mac lasted me ten years

In the 1980's I bought an Apple Iic and used it for 15 years before it became obsolete. In 1995 I made the decision to join the internet age and bought a Windows PC. Every two years my PC would stop working and I would have to buy a new one. And I also had to buy virus protection. Then there were the untold hours I spent defragging.

In 2009 I went back to Apple and bought an iMac with a large screen. Last summer it started losing functionality on some programs and realized it was time to replace it. I am very happy with my purchase. It cost a little more but I don't have to get virus protection, I have free ad blockers, it integrates with my iPad and iPhone seamlessly. I like Excel, but Microsoft sells a Mac version, so no problem there.

I understand personal preference and how comfortable a PC is. I use a PC all day at work. But from my perspective I prefer Mac because the thing just works.

[rickford66]

3. Use a flat screen TV as a monitor

You stream to it and also have a TV.

[zanana1]

5. Yeah, but I'd have to buy a flat screen TV.

Iknow I'm being picky, but there are so many things involved.

[rickford66]

7. Weigh the cost of an expensive computer with a large monitor

with a cheaper laptop and a cheap flat screen TV. We don't have cable in my area so our flat screen TV picks up our local digital channels (about 13) and with a cheap laptop we have internet (HULU, NETFLIX etc). We just got updated from DSL (3 MBPS) to fiber optic (100 MBPS). Now we're finally in the 21st Century.

edit:

A few years ago my CRT monitor on another laptop died so I bought a small flat screen TV on sale which was actually cheaper than a standard flat screen monitor.

[Ferrets are Cool]

6. Well, you eliminated my choice in your OP. I've been using

Dell outlet for years and have had great luck with them. I bought ONE HP and it sucked.
Hope you find what you need.

[Wounded Bear]

8. You might try the computer help group...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1095

There are actually several groups in that area of the site for tech help.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1092

Good luck.

[abqtommy]

9. Early last year I bought my son an HP Slim (new, 300 bucks, no monitor) , running Win 10.

It works well. I've owned two Dell machines and both had to have the power supplies replaced. I bought my son a 20" flat tv a few years ago for 100 bucks. It's used as a monitor. I also have two AOC monitors, 17" and 19"that cost 100 bucks each, new. My favorite computer is running Win 7 and with the protection I'm running (Malwarebytes) I'll just keep using it. I don't get too excited when Microsoft ends their support. (One of my machines is running XP, another Vista.) Take your time figuring it all out, you'll be glad you did.

[zanana1]

20. Thanks for your advice. nt

[getagrip_already]

10. I build my own....

It's not that hard, and you can save a bundle. It gets cheaper if you can re-use a case, power supply, etc.

Or start with a bare bones system, add a good video card, some memory, and an ssd. Use a linux operating system and you won't have to pay microsoft.

Is this a gaming system or just a general purpose machine?

[csziggy]

11. I used to build my own but now have someone do it for me

It's not that expensive - $100 to $150 for their work. I talk over the components with them, order the parts (usually from NewEgg.com), and they assemble it for me. Since the technology has changed in the twenty years since I was building my own, this is easier. I have not kept up with the newest form factors, power connections, etc., so having someone who is doing it every day do the actually assembly is safer.

I get a new computer about every six to seven years - the only one that was replaced sooner had swollen capacitors both on the motherboard and in the power supply.

[getagrip_already]

22. yeah, I hear you...

I may get there now that I'm approaching retirement. Then again, I may build a kick ass vr gaming system and retreat into my own reality.

I usually start with which processor I want to use. Generally not the latest, but 1 or 2 gens back, and multi=processor. Then I find a compatible MB with good specs it will run on, then figure out connectors and peripherals from there.

Now that that whole bitcoin mining thing is quieting down, gpu's are affordable again.

[csziggy]

24. I've just go too much going on to research the technology

The computer I am on now was built just after my Dad died. With all his estate stuff, I just couldn't take the time to deal with it so I went to a computer guy I've known for twenty five years, we settled on the parts, I ordered them, and he built it.

Now he's retired so I'm going to use the son of a friend who does computer work. We're adding onto the house so there is way too much going on, plus my mother's estate is in probate. I'm going to wait until the messy parts of the house construction are done, then get with the guy to finalize the components. That way I will not chance filling the new computer with dust.

I do a lot of Photoshop work so a multi-processor is not as important as in gaming. I will have a boat load of RAM - the current computer has 32 GB - and storage - the current one has about 10 TB which is filling up, so I will have a 10 TB drive, migrate my 6 TB drive and copy whatever else I need from the C: drive (which is 1TB). I'm thinking a 2 TB SSD for C:.

I've got to have lots of USB ports - with external drive backups, a laser printer, dedicated photo/slide/negative scanner, and wide format scanner/printer, I keep running out of ports and some of the devices will not work properly with a hub.

The graphic card is actually not as demanding as in gaming - I'm looking at GeForce RTX 2060 or GTX 1660, but my info is from article written a year ago so I probably will change that.

Most of my other builds have used AMD CPUs, but from what I read Intel might be better for my needs. And I still need an optical drive - I have twenty years of photos and data backup up on CDRs and DVDRs I need to access every so often. If I get the time, I really should transfer everything to an external drive and sort it out!

There is never enough time...

[zanana1]

21. You lost me at "case, power supply". nt

[getagrip_already]

23. ahhh, it happens.. ;)

Then use the google and read what you can find. Buying a computer is a lot like buying a car. How fast, how many passengers, what features, what will you use it for.

Speed, Reliability, Cost. Pick 2.



There are buying guides on line. They can reduce the stress.

[jmowreader]

12. This won't be much help, but...

Last week I bought a 16” MacBook Pro and a 42” 4K TV. I print banners on a 126” printer, and the big screen is a real help.

[hunter]

13. If you have "to buy a computer every other year" blame Microsoft Windows.

It's too easy to add useless crap to Windows that slows it down. Many new computers come with a lot of useless crap already installed.

Unfortunately there's no simple way to remove all the crap that slows down Windows. Many of the utilities you can buy that claim to do this are themselves useless crap.

I consider most anti-virus programs useless crap. Microsoft's own security products work fine for anyone who avoids obvious scams and uses Firefox or Chrome with some level of ad-blocking enabled. Chrome will warn you if it thinks an internet site is dangerous to your machine.

A $100 Chromebook will stream Netflix without any problems. Of all my computers my Chromebook is the one I use most often.

Personally, I prefer a Linux desktop. My computers are diverted from the e-waste stream. A computer that was discarded because Windows got too slow will be fast running Linux. My current desktop computer is a tiny thing, 7 X 7.5 X 1.5 inches. Upgraded to 8 gigabytes of RAM it does everything I ask of it.

My wife uses Windows machines for her work. She started with a Windows 95 laptop. Eventually I installed more memory in her laptop and upgraded it to Windows 98. Later the screen was broken and my wife replaced that herself. We also had a family XP machine. Then my wife bought a Windows 7 laptop to replace her old laptop. The batteries in that machine failed recently, so she bought a Windows 10 laptop. I think that's a pretty typical replacement schedule.

If I was a hard core computer gamer or movie maker I might be buying a new computer every other year, but I'm not.

[Coventina]

14. I love my Chromebook (writing from it now)

It's quick, its battery lasts a long time, it's small enough to carry in my purse, and like you said, it streams almost flawlessly.
Great little machine for the price!

[mr_lebowski]

16. I just finally moved off the first gen I7 platform (comp built in 2010) and I'm a gamer ...

Video card was replaced like 10 times lol but the cpu/mobo/memory platform is still viable even NOW for gaming believe it or not.

Unless MAYBE when you're an e-sports person looking to get 200fps+ in your games.

OTOH, if your looking for a more normal 60-75fps and want to run higher resolutions and graphics settings (which helps moves the bottleneck off CPU over to the GPU, in simple terms, vs lower resolution screens and settings), even a 10 year Intel-based machine is still viable (as long as it was high-end at the time, as mine was) as a Windows 10 gaming machine believe it or not, even paired with a relatively high-end GPU (I have a Vega 56).

OP I can't really help as I've never owned a non-laptop I didn't build myself. I can tell you that the new AMD Ryzen CPU's are the best bang for buck right now. Something with a 3400G chip is going to serve you well for quite a while.

Unless you're getting certain types of all-in-one computers (like many Apples are) or of course a lappie, the monitor is a totally separate purchase. Computers don't 'come with' monitors these days.

[IcyPeas]

15. HP for me too

I really like my HP Pavilion Slimline desktop. I've had no problems. No problems with all the Windows updates either. I can't complain. I can't remember how many years ago I got it..... it *only* have a 19 inch monitor (measured horizontally). 24" would be awesome.

I have a tablet and smartphone too, but some things are just better with a desktop.

good luck computer shopping. so many opinions LOL

[zanana1]

19. Thanks for that. nt

[sinkingfeeling]

17. I'm still using my 2009 Leveno Thinkpad (lap top though).

[getagrip_already]

26. I have a few older laptops...

I was able to juice them up with ssd's, maxing out the mem, and switching to linux (ubuntu desktop).

They are like new machines when you do that. As long as you aren't gaming, they are bright and peppy.

[Midnight Writer]

18. Last year I got a Cyberpower Gaming Desktop at Best Buy for $750.

Solid State (256 G) hard drive, which is where I keep Windows, Norton and utilities. 2 terrabyte mechanical drive for files.

Processor and video card are AMD, and they are holding up fine a year later.

I do a lot of gaming, and haven't run into anything that doesn't run just fine.

Not a prestigious choice, but I am happy with it.

[NightWatcher]

25. My last MacBook lasted me 11 years. I'll be getting a new one this Spring

If this one lasts me ten years, it will average under $200 a year in cost. How much do you spend every other year?

Plus once you learn a very few changes, they are super intuitive. Plus if you get an Apple TV, watch or iPad, you can easily share info across devices.

[janterry]

27. Buy the screen and the tower separately

I buy most of my equipment from Newegg

[d_r]

29. Check out

System 76

https://system76.com/desktops

[zanana1]

37. WHOA!

I wouldn't know where to start. (And I'd have to pull a bank job).

[MicaelS]

30. Buy a laptop.

Get the extended warranty. The buy a monitor, mouse and external keyboard. That way you can take it with you.

[NewJeffCT]

32. I have a Lenovo desktop at Home

the PC/laptop division of IBM was bought out by Lenovo and my Lenovo has been chugging away since 2011 or so. I need to replace it, but 8 1/2 to 9 years is a pretty good life for a PC.

[MuseRider]

33. I got tired of laptops

so about 5 years ago I bought a Samsung with a curved screen desktop and of all the computers I have ever used this is the best. I have always had problems, worst with Apple. This computer has been as easy as I need and does everything I need and has been without problems all this time. I have always been fond of Samsung products. I bought it from NewEgg, I have no idea if that is good or not but I waited until it was not the newest thing out there and got it for a pretty great price.

Try looking for one of them if you can, I would never have imagined I would have a computer that actually worked without any problems at all.

[zanana1]

38. I'll look for it. Thanks.

[Archae]

34. I have two computers...

Gateway desktop with 16" monitor, and an Acer laptop.

Both are several years old, both have 4 gigs memory, 500gig HD, and both still work fine.

Both I bought for under $250.

[Baltimike]

36. My iMac is from late 2013 and still going strong. It's WEP

WEP = Worth Every Penny