Which computer is better? UPDATED

[usahellyes]

I'm planning on getting a new computer for my first year in high school all the way through college. I would like your advice on which of these laptops I should get.

 

#1

 

http://www.dell.com/content/products/fe ... l=en&s=dhs

 

#2:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6834115392

 

I have replaced the other two computers with these two because of negative feedback.

 

Which one do you advise?

 

ALSO: If you go with the dell laptop, will you also please post which components I should use?

 

[hide=Which Way I'm leaning]I am currently thinking that I will get one of the dell laptops because it uses XP. Also, it is easily customizable.[/hide]

[highlanders]

Do you really need a laptop? The screen of the one you showed us is tiny, that would be a problem for me, but it depends if you mind or not.

[Brandon_7]

Well this really should be in the Tech & Computers section (don't worry, someone should move it).

 

 

 

If you're going to college, just get a laptop. You can take it to class, etc. and it'll be a lot more convenient and useful than a huge desktop. I believe that the laptop has a slightly better processor and a better video card. However, the hard drive in the desktop is twice as big as the one in the laptop. I would still get the laptop though. I only know like 2 people that actually brought entire desktops to college with them...kinda weird. I suppose you could get the desktop though, since you're still in high school now. You won't really need to take it anywhere with you.

[Jordanweb]

I'm sure you could get a much better pc for your money, But i'd choose the laptop out of those 2.

[reaper88888]

Go desktop, preferably with windows XP. Vista is crap, laptops are worthless. And whatever you do, do NOT buy a HP product of any kind, they are horrible.

[Nadril]

Go desktop, preferably with windows XP. Vista is crap, laptops are worthless. And whatever you do, do NOT buy a HP product of any kind, they are horrible.

 

 

 

And you're a fool.

 

 

 

I would personally go with a desktop, but what exactly are you doing on it?

[Errdoth]

Ffs, stop with the vista bashing. We may not all like it right away, because it's new and it's different, but eventually, it will eventually supersede xp, and all of you who refused to get used to it will be even more pissed off.

 

 

 

On topic: do you really want to be wheeling a desktop pc to your lectures? :wall:

[adam_ross0]

I say go with the Laptop. If you're heading into college with that, then this one should meet all of your needs (besides gaming). If you want to play games, this is a maybe. If you just want it for school stuff and the internet, then this should be alright. After all, why would you haul around a huge desktop to class every day :-s

 

 

 

You can do whatever you want, but I'd go for the laptop.

 

 

 

[hide=Vista]If you get the Laptop, and you REALLY don't like Vista..I THINK you might be able to buy XP and install it over Vista. Not real sure though. Or you could go with Linux :) [/hide]

[blade995]

The laptop is better on everything besides the hard drive.

 

 

 

If your trying to use this computer for highschool and college (a total of 8 years) then don't plan on it. Any computer you buy now will be totally out dated in 8 years time and possibly unusable for most work by then. Think of 1999 computers now.

 

 

 

The monitor has an awful response time. This one is a bigger screen size and better response time for $10 more.

[adam_ross0]

If he's using it for school, blade, and maybe internet, then he'll be fine. On the computer in my room (Windows 98, 160 MB RAM, 4 GB HD, 433mhz processor speed, 8MB VCard), I'm running Firefox 2.0.0.7, browsing the tip.it forums, and doing just about everything I need it to do besides gaming.

[stan18]

I'm not too good with comps, but isn't a 64-bit processor bad unless you specifically want one?

 

 

 

Anyways, i'd go for a pc unless you're heading to college soon. In which case, get a laptop. Or get a pc, leave it for siblings, and get a laptop when you head out

 

 

 

As for the vista debate, try it out first. If its no good, get a recovery CD with XP and reformat+install XP on the comp you have

[blade995]

I'm not too good with comps, but isn't a 64-bit processor bad unless you specifically want one?

 

 

 

Anyways, i'd go for a pc unless you're heading to college soon. In which case, get a laptop. Or get a pc, leave it for siblings, and get a laptop when you head out

 

 

 

As for the vista debate, try it out first. If its no good, get a recovery CD with XP and reformat+install XP on the comp you have

 

 

 

Almost (if not) all processors out now are 64bit. A 64bit processor can run in 32bit or 64bit depending on the operating system. Most likely the operating system that comes pre-installed will be 32bit for compatibility.

[Cruiser]

I would be going for the desktop. There's little to no use for a laptop in highschool and by the time you hit college you will be able to get your hands on much better hardware for the same price if not lower. You aren't going to want to be stuck with a slow machine that just does homework when you go off to college. The fact it's 're-certified' throws up warning flags in my eyes too. It's been used in some form or another and you have no idea what has actually been checked out or fixed on the machine.

[PizzaMan94]

if your going to get a laptop, get one of these:

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.panasonic.com/business/tough ... puters.asp

 

 

 

but thats just my opinion. if you really like the one you chose go for it, its not a bad deal for its capabilities. and if you want a good desktop, go with gateway, they make some nice desktops for starters, and anytime you want, you can tick it out. and if you want then you can go to your local target, wal mart, or best buy and buy a 25+ inch high def LCD screen.

[usahellyes]

First, thanks for all the input.

 

 

 

if your going to get a laptop, get one of these:

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.panasonic.com/business/tough ... puters.asp

 

...

 

I can't figure out how to find the prices on those-help please?

 

I want to get a laptop that costs $600 or less and is good enough to last me through high school. I'm starting ninth grade next year.

[das1330]

hehe you don't need a toughbook. Those are used by the military for field commanders and soldiers essentially, and they are EXTREMELY expensive for the hardware you get. Expect one of those to cost you upwards of 3k+. As far as the choice between the two computers you posted, I would definitely go for the dell. The 600$ one you posted is significantly faster then the acer. As far as xp vs vista, think of it this way - it would be like buying a computer with windows 98 instead of xp in 2002 and using that computer now. While xp is still supported well today, its on its way out and you WILL wish that you had gotten Vista later on in a year or two.

[usahellyes]

hehe you don't need a toughbook. Those are used by the military for field commanders and soldiers essentially, and they are EXTREMELY expensive for the hardware you get. Expect one of those to cost you upwards of 3k+. As far as the choice between the two computers you posted, I would definitely go for the dell. The 600$ one you posted is significantly faster then the acer. As far as xp vs vista, think of it this way - it would be like buying a computer with windows 98 instead of xp in 2002 and using that computer now. While xp is still supported well today, its on its way out and you WILL wish that you had gotten Vista later on in a year or two.

 

I understand that XP will not be supported by microsoft soon, but I do know that there will be multiple computer service companies that will still offer support because they know that it will be a good money generator due to the wide support of XP. I understand what you're trying to get at with the win98 analogy, but I don't agree with it. Maybe-if microsoft has updated vista by the time I'm ready to get a laptop, I might buy a computer with vista. However, I have heard way too much negative feedback about vista.

[das1330]

hehe you don't need a toughbook. Those are used by the military for field commanders and soldiers essentially, and they are EXTREMELY expensive for the hardware you get. Expect one of those to cost you upwards of 3k+. As far as the choice between the two computers you posted, I would definitely go for the dell. The 600$ one you posted is significantly faster then the acer. As far as xp vs vista, think of it this way - it would be like buying a computer with windows 98 instead of xp in 2002 and using that computer now. While xp is still supported well today, its on its way out and you WILL wish that you had gotten Vista later on in a year or two.

 

I understand that XP will not be supported by microsoft soon, but I do know that there will be multiple computer service companies that will still offer support because they know that it will be a good money generator due to the wide support of XP. I understand what you're trying to get at with the win98 analogy, but I don't agree with it. Maybe-if microsoft has updated vista by the time I'm ready to get a laptop, I might buy a computer with vista. However, I have heard way too much negative feedback about vista.

 

 

 

Sure other companies might support it for longer then microsoft, but I am talking about Critical bug fixes security holes in the software, things that you NEED to keep your computer from being mutilated by viruses, things that a virus scanner cannot protect you against. If I remember right, the support period on windows XP ends in april 2009 - less then two years from now. Really, vista is quite a bit better then XP in pretty much every way, aside from the higher hardware requirements, which themselves can be turned down by reverting to an XP-like interface.

[Cruiser]

Sure other companies might support it for longer then microsoft, but I am talking about Critical bug fixes security holes in the software, things that you NEED to keep your computer from being mutilated by viruses, things that a virus scanner cannot protect you against. If I remember right, the support period on windows XP ends in april 2009 - less then two years from now.

 

2009 is the end of mainstream update support, which is non-critical updates. The OS is still way past usable after that. Extended support, which includes critical bugs, doesn't end untill 2014 for both XP Home and XP Pro.

[usahellyes]

Sure other companies might support it for longer then microsoft, but I am talking about Critical bug fixes security holes in the software, things that you NEED to keep your computer from being mutilated by viruses, things that a virus scanner cannot protect you against. If I remember right, the support period on windows XP ends in april 2009 - less then two years from now.

 

2009 is the end of mainstream update support, which is non-critical updates. The OS is still way past usable after that. Extended support, which includes critical bugs, doesn't end untill 2014 for both XP Home and XP Pro.

 

 

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Do you know of any detailed reviews of vista or comparisons between vista and xp?