Advice on computer configuration

[Indiana627]

I can get this Dell for under $800 with tax and free shipping. It's been awhile since I bought a computer (7 years - my current one has ME on it!) so I was wondering if the gurus here could review this for me and see what you think? Anything I should upgrade even more? Thanks for the help.

Dell Inspiron 530 Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E4400 (2MB L2 Cache,2.00GHz,800 FSB)
Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
Memory 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs
Keyboard and Mouse Bundles Dell USB Keyboard and Dell Optical USB Mouse
Monitor No Monitor
Video Cards 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT-DDR3
Hard Drives 320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
13 in 1 Media Card Reader
Mouse Mouse included in Wireless, Laser or Bluetooth Package
Network Interface Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
Modem & Wireless 56K PCI Data Fax Modem
Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.0
Optical Drive Dual Drives: 48X CDRW/DVD COMBO Drive + 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
Sound Cards Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
Speakers No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system)
Office Productivity Software (Pre-Installed) Microsoft Works 8. DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD
Security Software Norton Internet Security 2007: antivirus, antispyware, firewall, 15-month
Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options 1Yr In-Home Service, Parts + Labor, 24x7 Phone Support
Internet Access Service No ISP requested
Miscellaneous Award Winning Service and Support
Optional Ports IEEE 1394a Adapter
Dell Digital Entertainment No Entertainment software pre-installed
Labels Windows Vista™ Premium
DataSafe Online Backup Free 3GB DataSafe Online Backup for 1 Year

Thoughts?

Will I be able to connect my HR20 to this and play songs stored on the computer through my HR20?

[CoriBright]

A CDRW/DVD-ROM combo is somewhat outdated. Two DVD-RWs is more useful.
10/100 is definitely outdated, should be 10/100/1000 minimum.
Do you really need an analog modem? Vista Home Premium has no fax capability anyway (you need Vista Ultimate or Vista Business for that)
On my desktop, a 320gb drive is considered tiny. I have a 500gb SATA and IDE 120gb, 200gb and 300gb drives. Get the biggest you can.... Seagate's largest is currently 750gb.
Nothing Symantec goes on any of my systems. Get a decent antivirus like NOD32.
How many USB 2.0 ports?
Can't tell you about the D* stuff because we're E*.
Adobe Acrobat is now at v8. Don't let them ship you an outdated application, even if you can update it for free. You're paying, get them to ship the current version.
It's about the bottom of the range of the Intel Dual Core 2 CPUs. Don't expect miracles.

[Indiana627]

Wow, you sure dumped a lot of water on my fire...

This will be my home computer and I'm looking to balance performance and price.

[Ira Lacher]

Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium?
Would get Vista Small Business. Everything I've read about Home or Home Premium indicates it's less than the full Vista experience, and your system seems to have enough to run Business.

Video Cards 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT-DDR3
If you're a game player you might want a card with 512 MB

13 in 1 Media Card Reader
What are they charging you for this? You can pick up a USB card reader for about 20 bucks at BestBuy, CompUSA or similar.

Modem & Wireless 56K PCI Data Fax Modem
Good point was made about about fax capabilities.

Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.0This is a free download from Adobe -- don't you dare pay for it!
Security Software Norton Internet Security 2007I wonder if Norton has improved this; I had issues with my email not working, and dumped this in favor of NOD32, an antivirus system that includes periodic upgrades to add new malware to the database so it can recognize more. It's on the web, and I think it cost me $20; you might want to ask about this.

DataSafe Online Backup Free 3GB DataSafe Online Backup for 1 Year
This will amount to less data than you might put on an iPod. Before you commit to a paid service, see how much they charge you, whether they charge by the GB or what. There are other web-based backup services.

As far as the HR20 capabilities, I am an HD troglodyte; I won't buy an HDTV till they're perfected! Best of luck! :D

[Indiana627]

Ira: thanks for the feedback. To answer a few questions:

The 256MB video card is the highest I can select with this computer. I'm not a huge gamer. So since I'm not a huge gamer would 256MB be OK?

13 in 1 card reader was about $25. Since it would be built in I'm willing to pay the extra for it.

Modem: I left this on even though I won't need it since I have Roadrunner. I thought best to have it in case I ever did need it someday just as a backup. I'm not planning on faxing from the computer.

Acrobat: This is included free. I'll probably install the professional version anyways so I can make PDFs.

Norton: I've always been impressed with Norton. We use it at work and I have it on my current home PC (although an older version).

Datasafe online backup: again included free. I'll probably never use it.

RAM: will the 2GB be enough? Or should I upgrade to 4GB? It would probably be cheaper to buy aftermarket RAM if need be I guess.

[dmspen]

My 2 cents...

I hate Norton - bloated and slows your processes

You probably don't need 4 GB of ram. Consider maybe buying and extra gig aftermarket (as low as $59)

256mb card is fine. You can even play some video games, just not the latest and greatest. (try titan quest. Fun, and will run on your system. Kind of a Diablo clone)

Check with your ISP about security suites if you decide against Norton. Comcast has free McAfee. Not the best but fairly good. Also ask Dell if they have TrendMicro security suite. That's what came on my Dell laptop.

All in all it's a nice little family PC. It will play your music, burn CDs, play many video games. Check for coupons online at places like www.tweak3d.net, www.techbargains.com, etc.

[HIPAR]

Indy,

Have you considered building it yourself?

You might not be a gamer, but when I ran the Vista 'experience' benchmark on my somewhat outdated desktop, it became obvious that, as minimum a requirement, an entry level gaming class machine is what's required to generate a satisfying Vista experience.

Most important .. Get a good Vista capable video card. You're sound and network can be part of the motherboard. Most motherboards have multiple USB ports. The hard drive size is your decision but get a 7200 RPM version.

I have bought several Motherboard/CPU/Memory bundles from Tigerdirect without problems. I buy lot's of things from Newegg with consistently good service.

You can get an OEM version of VISTA but understand there is no telephone support for it and, I believe, Microsoft will marry it permanently to your machine. But, you will not have to uninstall all of the 'value added' and trial software that expires if you don't pay.

Unless you really need Microsoft, download Open Office from Sun for free. It provides decent compatibility with Microsoft Office.

TOooo many options. :confused:

Off course, the downside of doing it yourself is resolving issues about things that don't work but this isn't the problem that it used to be.

As an aside, I still have a computer in service running Windows 98Se on a 900 MHz AMD Athlon processor. It handles Web Sufffing and Email just fine and has a 'snappier' feel than any of my XP computers. It's at my brother's house and he uses it successfully.

--- CHAS

[Kevin Dupuy]

Looks nice and perfectly adequate...
I'm not all that familiar with what Vista needs, but if that isn't good enough for a seamless experience, what kind of sludge does Vista run?

Of course, my recommendations would be to maximize your computer's potential and get SUSE Linux 10.2 from Novell (http://www.novell.com/products/opensuse/)....
but barring that... For anti-virus go with AVG Free. Lightweight, easy to use, free. FOr office suite, don't waste a dime on Microsoft Office, instead download OpenOffice.org at openoffice.org for free. Excellent compatibility with MS Office.

Otherwise, I like that configuration, and it should serve you well.

[Cholly]

A few thoughts: I looked at the Inspiron listings on the Dell web site and was not impressed. None of them as listed had all the features you mentioned in your post.Not being familiar with Dell's website, I couldn't figure how to configure and price out a system.
If I were to go with Dell, I'd probably choose the XPS line rather than Inspiron -- you have more future upgrade potential. I'd definitely want a system with DirectX 10 graphics capability (and definitely not integrated graphics. I also agree with others about software choices: Vista Home Premium would be absolute minimum OS. Although I've used Norton products for many years, I'd prefer Kaspersky's System Suite (or at least Trend Micro). As to productivity software, I agree with others: get OpenOffice.org from Sun, or at least BUY Microsoft Works Suite (which does include Word).
A modem in today's world is useless unless you don't have broadband available.
Although you say you aren't an avid gamer, gaming computers generally have far better performance than low end products.
You made no mention of monitor. If you're thinking Dell computer, I'd definitely include a Dell LCD monitor 1 inch minmum).
Over the years, I've built over a half dozen computers myself. That being said, if I were to get a new computer today, I might be inclined to buy one in the marketplace.

[Indiana627]

Open Office - good idea by all. I hadn't thought of that but would use it I think. At least give it a try.

Monitor - I will be reusing my existing CRT for now.

Directx 10 - the video card I picked supports Directx 10 and is not built in to the motherboard.

Anti-virus - after reading all the comments here I think I would pass on the Norton and try either Road Runner's free antivirus or the AVG or other free antiviruses available. I could always buy Norton later. Thanks for all the advice on this one.

The computer I listed in OP is custom built on Dell's site. The base Inspiron doesn't have the same specs.

A question on the processor: my work PC has a P4 3.00GHz processor (2 years old). How would the Core 2 Duo Processor E4400 (2MB L2 Cache,2.00GHz,800 FSB) compare? Someone said it was basement level as far as dual core goes.

[Kevin Dupuy]

Open Office - good idea by all. I hadn't thought of that but would use it I think. At least give it a try.

Monitor - I will be reusing my existing CRT for now.

Directx 10 - the video card I picked supports Directx 10 and is not built in to the motherboard.

Anti-virus - after reading all the comments here I think I would pass on the Norton and try either Road Runner's free antivirus or the AVG or other free antiviruses available. I could always buy Norton later. Thanks for all the advice on this one.

The computer I listed in OP is custom built on Dell's site. The base Inspiron doesn't have the same specs.

A question on the processor: my work PC has a P4 3.00GHz processor (2 years old). How would the Core 2 Duo Processor E4400 (2MB L2 Cache,2.00GHz,800 FSB) compare? Someone said it was basement level as far as dual core goes.

By the way, OpenOffice can make PDFs out of documents for you, so unless Acrobat Reader Pro has other functionality you need, you can check that off your list.

[Indiana627]

I went back and reconfigured. If I take out the Norton that saves me $79, then I can upgrade the processor to the Intel® Core 2 Duo Processor E6420 (4MB L2 Cache,2.13GHz,1066 FSB) for $100 for a net increase of $21 to the overall cost. Does that sound like a good trade off?

[LR308er]

Sounds good to me.
I wouldn't run Vista on it, but I undertsand your choices are limited by your abilities.
I'm still blowing away Vista loading a fresh install of XP on my systems.
Dumping the Norton's was a good move. Vista sucks down enough resources as it is. With Norton's riding along it's like a rowboat with a battleship anchor tied to it.

How much extra is a 19" LCD?

I got an e-mail from dell this AM on a one day sale on the 531 with 19" LCD for $499 - free shipping.
If you don't do gaming, it would make a really nice setup for you.

Click here (http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?cs=19&kc=111&oc=DDDEED2&x=4&y=6)

Not sure how you'll come out with all of your upgrades, but it may be a better base from which to start.

[Kevin Dupuy]

Sounds good to me.
I wouldn't run Vista on it, but I undertsand your choices are limited by your abilities.
I'm still blowing away Vista loading a fresh install of XP on my systems.
Dumping the Norton's was a good move. Vista sucks down enough resources as it is. With Norton's riding along it's like a rowboat with a battleship anchor tied to it.

How much extra is a 19" LCD?

I got an e-mail from dell this AM on a one day sale on the 531 with 19" LCD for $499 - free shipping.
If you don't do gaming, it would make a really nice setup for you.

Click here (http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?cs=19&kc=111&oc=DDDEED2&x=4&y=6)

Not sure how you'll come out with all of your upgrades, but it may be a better base from which to start.

If the OP wants Vista features that is faster overall, again I'd recommend openSUSE 10.2... unless there is a specific program keeping you tied down to Windows.

[SoCool]

Didn't see ViiV mentioned. You could still connect your HR-20 with a wired connection and use WMP-11 to share content. You could also connect wirelessly with an adaptor.

[LR308er]

If the OP wants Vista features that is faster overall, again I'd recommend openSUSE 10.2... unless there is a specific program keeping you tied down to Windows.

He can add Google gadgets and get all the cutesy stuff without having to learn a whole new way of doing things.

[Indiana627]

One last question: my original configuration included only a wired network card and no wireless card since where it would go is feet from my router and can be easily plugged in and I prefer a wired connection when possible. BUT, for future flexibility, I was thinking of adding a wireless too even though I would use the wired card to connect to my router. So, would having both cards cause any problems? Could I disable the wireless card if need be? Thanks again.

[HIPAR]

One last question: my original configuration included only a wired network card and no wireless card since where it would go is feet from my router and can be easily plugged in and I prefer a wired connection when possible. BUT, for future flexibility, I was thinking of adding a wireless too even though I would use the wired card to connect to my router. So, would having both cards cause any problems? Could I disable the wireless card if need be? Thanks again.

You shouldn't have problems with multiple network cards. With XP, you can go to the Network Connections screen and right click on a connection .. there's an option to disable that connection. It's probably the same for VISTA.

--- CHAS

[Indiana627]

You shouldn't have problems with multiple network cards. With XP, you can go to the Network Connections screen and right click on a connection .. there's an option to disable that connection. It's probably the same for VISTA.

--- CHAS
That's what I thought. Thanks.

[Ira Lacher]

A question on the processor: my work PC has a P4 3.00GHz processor (2 years old). How would the Core 2 Duo Processor E4400 (2MB L2 Cache,2.00GHz,800 FSB) compare? Someone said it was basement level as far as dual core goes.Indiana, i fyou're using your PC for typical usage, you probably won't notice a difference in the faster clock speed; don't waste the additional $200 or $300 or so on anything faster.

[Indiana627]

I pulled the trigger last night my new PC is now being built. Thanks for all the advice. Time to finally run a network cable to my HR20.