Resolved [Advice on replacement computer - factory built with Win 7]

I am looking to buy a new puter instead of building one this time. Don't need a power house. Which is the best choice, full tower or the new small thinnner ones. Want win7. I know this is not a great post but the older I get the more confused I am..

 

I prefer the full tower over the mini tower. More room for air to circulate.

 

budget is low as set income. Is for my wife, would probably want 6gig ram. She will be using it to browse, email, pictures and videos.. Would like it to be upgrade-able.

 

Go to the Dell outlet. I and friends have got several from there and they have all been good ones.

 

Dakota,

I agree with Bill. As long a you have the room, the larger tower is much better for air circulation and cooling. I helped install a new Dell thin line tower the other day and I was about to have them return it because I thought Dell had neglected to put a power supply in at the factory. When I looked bit closer, I discovered the power supply was an in line brick similar to what you get with a laptop - not installed in the tower itself.

The unit Evan identified looks pretty good to me as well if it's in your budget. Looks like it would save you upgrading the memory later. I checked comparable prices at Best Buy and Micro Center and they were both $100 or so more. Couldn't find anything comparable at the Dell Factory Outlet. I too have bought a couple of computers through the Dell outlet and they were fine.

 

There were a couple of good ones at the Dell outlet but they are gone. If you pick one, you have 15 minutes to do something with it or it will be removed from your list. They come and go on their website pretty fast.
They have a couple of NEW ones in their regular place that are priced good.

 

"Full" tower cases are MONSTROUS and typically support up to 10 hard drive and 4 optical drives, EATX motherboards and they weigh a ton. Full size cases are typically around 6 inches taller, a couple inches wider and 4 - 5 inches deeper too than mid towers. They typically are used for busy servers and are costly.

A nice mid tower can still support a full ATX motherboard (as well as smaller µATX board), 4 - 6 hard drives and 2 - 3 opticals while still giving you plenty of space for lots of fans, enough room to put your hands inside and still see what you are doing.

I would not want a mini-tower or µATX SFF (small form factor) case (except maybe as a HTPC) as they are too small. But full towers are just too big for the vast majority of people. And it is highly unlikely you need a full tower case either.

I recommend a mid-tower.



The full Corsair in that image is 24 inches tall, 9.24 inches wide and 24 inches deep! That's huge! While, for example, my Corsair 300R Mid Tower is 19 inch tall, 17.5 deep and 8.25 wide. And my mid-tower will still support an EATX motherboard, 7 drives, 7 120mm or larger fans, and even water cooling.

 

Not to crazy about mini's simply because of space and harder to repair/replace components. Of course, they don't need to be repaired every day but I dont like having to take other things out in order to replace something.

clif

 

Another problem with mini's or SFF cases is they often require a low-profile PSU and, if not integrated, a low profile graphics card. And there are fewer options available for both.

By far mid-towers are the most popular cases so there are many options, and sizes within that range, to choose from.

When buying a factory built, you get what Dell, HP, etc. offer, and that's it.

@Dakota - you might consider having a local shop custom build one for you. They will work with you to build a machine specifically for your needs, and not what Dell or HP thinks you and millions of people just like you rolleyes: ) need.

Locally or self-built system typically provide many options for future upgrades to extend the potential life of the computer.

Because a local builder can't go to Western Digital or ASUS and promise to buy 1,000,000 drives and motherboards over the next year, a locally built system will cost a little more, but it will surely be a better system and with the better upgrade options, can actually save you money down the road by allowing you to upgrade parts instead of buying a whole new system again.

And for sure, there is comfort in knowing you have someone local responsible for any tech support, should that be needed - or if you just have questions.

Plus, with a custom build, you will not get all the extra junk the big makers will install on your system you definitely don't need, and that tends to be nearly impossible to uninstall. And with a local custom build, you can opt to get a original Windows installation disk. A very good thing, IMO.

But speaking of Windows, I would recommend you get Windows 8.x and not Windows 7. For sure, W7 is an excellent operating system but it is already approaching 6 years old!!! Windows 8 is faster and more secure right out of the box. If the complaint with Windows 8/8.1 is primarily the Windows 8 "metro" style "Start Screen" and user interface (UI), then I recommend you check out Start8. Start8 brings back the familiar W7 Start Orb and Start Menu and lets you boot directly to the Windows Desktop instead of the Windows 8 Start Screen that so many people dislike (though you can do that now with W8.1). With Start8, W8.x works and looks and feels almost exactly like the familiar W7. It cost $5 (after a 30-day trial period), but it is well worth it IMO. And, even at just $5, it has the "polished feel" I expect from a paid product that may not be seen in some free alternatives.

There is also Classic Shell. This product also brings back the Start Orb and menu, is free and very popular too. StartIsBack and Pokki are two more popular start screen alternatives. StartIsBack is not free, but pretty close at $3.

 

Bill In Dakota's OP he stated he doesn't want to build one this time. He wants to purchase a Dell or HP etc. for his wife.

 

Used to be that some of these store bought computers were not upgrade-able, does that still hold true?

 

I have upgraded store bought PC's for years. Hardware and Windows versions. Never had a problem.

 

??? Ummm, I know. I didn't suggest he build one. I suggested he visit a local shop to have one built that has only what his wife needs or wants, and not what Dell or HP thinks she needs or should have. And certainly without all the extra junk they will pre-install it - like nearly impossible to uninstall anti-malware "trial" programs like Norton or McAfee that will soon bug her for a lot of money to keep it working.

If she likes pink, she can have a pink case. If she wants it to be super quiet, she can opt for silent fans. And for sure, if someone locally builds it, you can insist on a quality 80 PLUS PSU instead of who-knows-what the factory system has, and a PSU that will support the demands of hardware upgrades in 2 or 3 years instead of maybe needing a new PSU just to upgrade the graphics.

As far as upgrading factory built systems, I was talking more about slim models because they are not always fully ATX compliant. I should have been more clear. If a mid-tower case, it typically is not a problem - at least not with any made in recent years.

 

I have used Norton 360 Premier Edition for a long time. I know how to get rid of everything associated with it manually and by use of the Norton Removal Tool but I've been retired since 1993 so if I hunt around the registry for hours it's not a big deal. It sure beats clicking the TV remote through a ton of channels of nothing to watch. I guess that would be a great idea having a shop build a custom rig. It depends on what kind of a budget he has to work with.

 

The reason I am not excited about win8 is the touch screen system. I already have a beautiful Samsung screen not touch.

 

The majority of Win 8 are NOT touch screen. I know about 100 people and none of them have the touch screen.