still undecided about getting this win 8

[nancy361]

Hey there MVP MURF..... I hear ya when it comes to dell support.. PEOPLE from a different country who just have a booklet to search thru to find answers, they take sooo long just to even answer the 1st question.. i have verizon, and when i go on their chat i get the same thing from them too, although they seem to know the answers, but they take forever to answer too.....

as for the systems you have listed above, and the website links that show lots of comp. they all seem good BUT they have pentium dual cores....As you already know im looking for the most up to date processor thats out there that works for my use, and i3 3rd gener seems to be it, and speed as well

I too keep searching desktops and laptops and if they have win 7 its either PRO or if it is premium its not a 3rd gen processor or costs too much

SO that dell laptop i listed is a bit slow huh?? i figured that when i saw the speed....

The idea of a laptop for us or me, is to be able to get rid of all the cords and plugs and free up space on my desk here......thats it.. i dont plan to sit in another room with it, unless it was warranted to do so.....the mini tower from dell is small and has all im looking for, and im pretty much honing in on getting that, but again, the thought of all the wires and plugs again irks me...so if i can find a laptop thats in my budget range and is expandable with memory and has a big HD and an up to date processor and speed and win 7, ill probably get that....but i need to act soon

[IPR512]

Hey Nancy
What do you have against Windows 7 Pro?

[Murf]

Tiger Direct; They come with Windows 7 installed, they also give you a Windows 8 DVD which is an upgrade that once installed you have to purchase the license.

I just wish that Murf lived up the street from me ; Dump the hubbie I am on my way.... Actually spent 5 years in Tampa, 1976-1980, loved the area.

Actually building your own is fairly easy, but can be more expensive then purchasing a ready made one, and can be sometimes cheaper. Just depends on the components you chose. I have built probably a dozen systems for friends/family and resale. One of the biggest expense is the operating system, unless you already have a legit copy you can use.

[IPR512]

Hey Murf I never knew you were such a snake, haha. Just dumped hubby, he's out the door with a cardboard box with his two pairs of shoes and underwear.
Seriously though Murf, I would want to keep Win 7 Ultimate on this computer even though it's a Win 7 that can be transferred to a new one. It's not an OEM version.
If I decide to take the plunge into building my own would you mind helping me pick out parts if I have some sort of dollar figure in mind?
We moved down here from New York City back in 1984. We're between St. Pete and Clearwater.

[Murf]

Actually My Mother lived in Port Richey for several years, I was stationed at MacDill AFB during that time. Went back to Tampa a couple of times in the early 90's wow has it changed.

You bet a budget and we can go hunting. We could actually start a thread here during the build, make you famous, pictures and all help other folks.
Actually many years ago we did do that here I think, everyone was interested.

There are many places to get the various parts including EBAY, there are some cool sites out there that I have bought from such as;

FrozenCPU
3bTech
Xoxide


Back to nancy361

The Dell slim you chose is a pretty good buy and appears to fit your needs

Asus Slim at Newegg
Dell 620s (recertified) Would add more memory

[IPR512]

This whole area has changed since we first visited here back in the 70s. I know Port Richey pretty well.
Most of the parts for the computer I'm using now came from Newegg.
Nancy, sorry for hijacking your thread here, I hope you find something that suits your needs and works well for years to come.
Murf, I'll get back to you when I find out how much I can afford to spend.

[nancy361]

IPR512` i dont have any issues with ANY win 7...I dont even have nor ever used windows 7...I dont know the different versions of win 7 and which one would work for me.....I already have ms home student cd on my current comp so i can install it on the new one....what is the different versions anyways?? or win 7, i think i saw starter, is there a home version? and premium, ultimate and pro???

Murf you said a win 8 computer can have that taken off and win 7 installed to it?? did you see that link i put up from pcmag? is it easier then what they describe ??

[IPR512]

Hi Nancy
I guess I misunderstood one of your posts. I thought that maybe you didn't want Windows 7 Pro.
Here's where you can compare the different versions of Windows 7. There are also 32 bit and 64 bit versions of all three of those. 64 bit will allow you to use more than 3GBs of memory.
Take a look here at Ed Bott's explanation of the different Windows 7 editions.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/from-...7-edition/1031

[Murf]

I did read the link, and yes can be a pain to remove Win 8 and Install Win 7, but that depends on the system and how the manufacture installed Win 8.

Another option is just leave Win 8 on and install Win 7 on it's own partition, thus dual boot between them. It all comes down to the manufacture of the computer with Win 8, does it have Win 7 drivers available. -If you decide to get Win 8 and put Win 7 on it instead.

As IPR512 indicated, good link on the different versions. Basically for the home consumer you have;

Windows 7 Starter - Fewest features, only in 32 bit version
Windows 7 Basic - Some limited features such as Aero
Windows 7 Home Premium- Includes Media Center, Aero and multi-touch support
Windows 7 Professional- targeted for small business users
Windows 7 Ultimate

Yes there is also a Enterprise Edition, so don't say I missed one

Also a side by side comparison

I run Win 7 Professional 64bit and it has everything that I need.

[renegade600]

the following is about downgrade rights for win8. This is if you have, can beg, borrow or whatever a win7 copy.

http://lifehacker.com/5974318/downgr...ows-7-for-free

[nancy361]

Hey Murf its me again...im leaning towards getting a laptop.. some of the ex. you listed, had pentium dual core processors... thought pentiums were older, not as multitasking and fast as the 3rd gen i3-i5? and in your opinion, what would you suggest is better, faster as far as GHz for a laptop , for my use that is...you did say 5400Rpm for HD is good due to laptops get hot, but a lot i see have 7200...if they get hot wonder why they would have them? I do see a lot of laptops out there, but a lot have dual core pentiums, i dont want that, you said the dell i saw at 1.9GHz was slow, for a laptop, what would be an ideal speed to look at for my use??

also im seeing a lot of 2nd gen. i3 or i5s, is there really THAT much difference between 2nd and 3rd gen proc??? i know there is a big difference between them and pentium dual cores....my system is an AMD

i see a lot of refurbished laptops too on tiger direct and other sites....thoughts on them?? the prices on some are up there with new ones, which doesnt make sense

[Murf]

The biggest difference between AMD and Intel processors, at least what I have read and also have run some AMD, is a true gamer will tell your to go with AMD.

Most of the newer lappy's do have 7200RPM drives, this is due in part to cooler processors and better ventilation on newer laptops. Obviously access speed to a hard drive would be quicker with a 7200RPM vice 5400RPM.

Processors: The difference between a single, dual quad core processors, is not so much the speed (GHZ)it runs at but the capability to read instructions at the same time. Remember a processor basically reads and executes program instructions., The instructions tell it to move data, add data. A multiple core processor can run multiple instructions at the same time, increasing overall speed for programs. The performance gained by a multi-core processor depends very much on the software used and their implementation.

Think of the multiple cores as more workers; more workers are almost faster than fewer faster workers.

Pretty much everything that is processed on a computer goes through the Processor, exception of Video processing. Generally speaking, the faster your CPU can process the data, the faster your system responds and the less time you spend twiddling your thumbs and watching the hourglass.

Just because you have a dual core processor say 3.0GHz does not mean it is running at 6Ghz, that is because less than 1% of the software applications can not handle the second core, Some like Adobe Photoshop can and will fly with a multi-core processor.

The average consumer cannot tell the difference between the performance of a dual-core vs a quad core on their desktop (individual core speeds being equal), this is due to the software which really hasn't caught up to the hardware yet.

Anyways, I believe a dual-core processor will be well suited, everyone obviously has an opinion. Whether its a AMD or Intel, unless your a die-hard gamer you should not notice any difference.

Difference between i3,i5,i7 processors Here is some good reading on it.

Back to your "New Computer" refurbished means Customer Returns-I don't like it, possibly a defective part then returned, they replace the part test it then warranty the laptop. I have bought refurbished before, never had a problem. Just need to compare prices to a new unit.

I would be looking for at least a Dual-Core with at least say a 2.8Ghz or higher. Have at least 6GB memory (or if 4GB) additional memory capacity up to at least 8GB, Windows 64bit system a must.

[renegade600]

be sure to check the warranty on refurbish, they do not always have the same as a brand new one.

[nancy361]

I dont plan to get refurbished, just wondered what people thought....thanks though...
I know the difference and all with amd and intel, i chose the amd that i have, it runs cooler and even though im not a gamer, it works for me....and i already read about the differences with processors, seems newer chips run a bit faster and more power efficient.....i was just really wondering , for a laptop, whats an ideal speed

i went to staples today to get an actual hands on look of windows 8....and saw a decent HP laptop and a toshiba.....most of what i saw was nothing higher then say 2.6 for 3rd gen i3, the toshiba was 8gb ram and expanded to 16gb had a 500gb HD the speed was around what i just said give or take....

i just dont want to go backwards and get a pentium.....i told my 20yr old son about win 8 and he said, lets try it, its just like everything else, you will figure it out and get used to it....plus if i buy from staples, they give you a 30 minute tutorial and will help you with any issues.... didnt look complicated, its just figuring out all the ins and outs and how to get where you want to be.....i dont know if im sold though....ill keep cking things out

[Murf]

http://www.staples.com/HP-Pavilion-g...product_132506

If that is one you were looking at what I like about it is:

1664MB Video Graphics Memory
Dual Core processor at 2.4Ghz
3MB L3 Cache
USB 3.0
17.3" LED Screen
6GB memory expandable to 8GB

Also they have the Toshiba L875D-S7332, same size screen but upgradeable to 16GB memory

AMD A6-4400M 2.7Ghz which is also a dual core but no level 3 cache and has shared video memory

Tough choice