Computer selection - please advice

[Alan L.]

Consider a hybrid drive. SSD even faster, but I have had 40% failure rate on 5 Crucial SSDs. So far so good on 2 Intel SSDs. Both extremely fast and you will find that conventional hard drive a real bottleneck on that otherwise fast system.

 

[ArtMech]

\
Money well spent by "DAN" too For what you're doing, you may be glad you spent the extra vs wishing you'd done it.

Yes, I hope so. And it makes me optimistic.
BTW, Dan is a very good guy!

 

[ArtMech]

I'd start with an Intel i3 or i5. At those lower end cpu's I've heard those are the better choices. A laptop might be handy -- depends on what you are doing. But you can take it from the shop, to breakfast table, to bathroom if you need. An i3 will run sketchup, do email, run Excel, and browse the net ( I use Chrome). I don't like win8 -- hate it in fact. But if you get it, and don't like the wizbang user interface, you can download 'classic shell' and get your start menu back. I say this because you may find that win8 comes installed and you have no choice. I don't think one brand has a big advantage over another. I have heard good things about Asus. I bought my daughter a HP, which seems decent. I have a Toshiba and older Lenovo. My son has an Acer. The old Lenova has the best keyboard -- but the newer ones are probably not as good. We test drove an Asus. I liked the keyboard, but the HP had the i3 for just a bit more $. The HP's keyboard is better than the Acer.

I'd probably look for best price on an i3 or i5. Then shoot for the Asus, HP, Dell, Lenovo, and last Acer. Our i3 HP was $380 I think. 4GB RAM, 500 GB disk. I'd buy a cheap external disk also -- and then backup the important stuff. Try to get one that has space for 8GB RAM if possible. But that depends... I figure the i3 will last us at minimum 3 years -- more likely 5 -- and possibly 7.

If you are going to get a desktop -- those can be pretty cheap also. And you already have the keyboard, mouse, and display (or will have). Then you can just focus on the CPU really. The laptops are handy.. but more flimsy.. so if you are hard on things, consider that.

I look for where there is a big price drop-off. Right now that seems to be the i3 or i5. You go above that you and you are paying for the privilege to own newer technology. I let those who need it pay for it, and I take the sweepings that give me all I need at sub $500 prices. My 2 cents.

PS -- but I don't use Autocad. And I don't do anything graphics intense. I find sketchup is all I need -- and more -- and runs fast on the i3, or in fact, older CPUs.

Thanks for useful write up.
No, all three versions of computers presented here are not installed with any of OS, I can choose whatever I want and will have to pay separately. I took a look at Lynux desktops. These are good, some with i7 and cheaper ones, but already installed. However I'd like to stay with Windows. My most preferable version is W7.

The brand names you have mentioned are known here too, I've checked Dell and Lenovo. Agree, the deeper you're in, the wider vision opens to make correct decision. What I don't like is to walk around the shops looking for something. Well, you may choose internet search and/or phone calls, but for me it's better to talk eye-to-eye although you're burning lots of time and fuel to reach the shops. And I'd prefer to assemble all necessary fast and from nearly first attempt. In this case yes, I'm not looking for anything else except desktop. My display, keyboard and laser mouse are working perfectly for the time being, so why should I replace them. And I'm deliberately bypassing a laptop not because I hate them, I'm not, but just to avoid some specificity of use and work with them.
I'm hunting above i3 or i5 just because I want it to fit my present requirements having nothing to think about IT issues at my work today and to move next step of upgrade for the future as far as I can. Again, to avoid extra visits of the shops.

Next week I'll have to choose a desktop of two - newer version of the 3rd (i7-3770, 16 GB DDR3) and the 2nd (i7-3770, 8 GB DDR3) proposals described in the above replies. Both equipped with GeForce GTX660, 2GB VGA. The 3rd proposal's price is not known yet.
So I wouldn't like to hesitate anymore, unless any joker will come on.
And thank you again.

 

[troutsqueezer]

Just so you know, i3, i5 and i7 are all current technology. In fact, the way it works is, we design the i7 mask (for the silicon) and put in fuses along the way that get blown to disable some of the circuitry on the die. This brings the CPU performance down from an i7 to an i5 or i3 level. The silicon for all three is the same and by default, so is the technology. This saves having to manufacture three different CPU's/wafers and cuts down on mistakes. When the silicon is sawed from the wafer, all the substrates are i7's until the fuses get blown. When you buy an i3, all the circuitry for the i7 is there, you just can't access it. If the designs were broken down into three different wafers, the cost of manufacturing would not be any different among the three to any large degree. Actually, it would be higher as mask design and tooling costs would rise. Profit for the i7 is, of course, much higher than the i5, i3 since there is no difference in manufacturing costs.

BTW, when I say "we", I retired from Intel less than a year ago so officially, its now "they".

 

[dmccarty]

...
So you're really good my money spender... :muttering:

Just to give you even more to think about... :laughing::laughing::laughing:

You can always go for a cheaper CPU now, something that you think will work for you, and in the future put in a faster CPU.

I was going to do this with my desktop but I waited too long. :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing: By the time I needed to upgrade the CPU, the CPU technology had moved on and the old CPU were not being made to fit my mother board. Oh Well. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

That desktop is most likely going to be moved to the living room so we can more easily stream video from the Internet to the TV, and for that application, it has plenty of CPU HP.

Later,
Dan

 

[Western]

How long did you wait Dan?? a week!!:laughing: Technology changes so fast. I built my pc on a SandyBridge board, then 3 months later Iveybridge shows up....go figure.

 

[ArtMech]

Just so you know, i3, i5 and i7 are all current technology. In fact, the way it works is, we design the i7 mask (for the silicon) and put in fuses along the way that get blown to disable some of the circuitry on the die. This brings the CPU performance down from an i7 to an i5 or i3 level. The silicon for all three is the same and by default, so is the technology. This saves having to manufacture three different CPU's/wafers and cuts down on mistakes. When the silicon is sawed from the wafer, all the substrates are i7's until the fuses get blown. When you buy an i3, all the circuitry for the i7 is there, you just can't access it. If the designs were broken down into three different wafers, the cost of manufacturing would not be any different among the three to any large degree. Actually, it would be higher as mask design and tooling costs would rise. Profit for the i7 is, of course, much higher than the i5, i3 since there is no difference in manufacturing costs.

BTW, when I say "we", I retired from Intel less than a year ago so officially, its now "they".

Should I ask seller for greater discount if the manufacturing costs of all three processors are equal? :laughing:
Unfortunately all I can clearly understand is what are they made for: Intel Processor Comparison
But thanks, Dennis, for patience to train me :drink: .

 

[Western]

You could build your own, if you decide what you want and need and post it on Hard forums I referenced before. Those guys will have you ready to go in a day or two. You will get much more PC for the $$ and it isn't hard at all, picking the components that "play well together" is the tricky part and those guys will set you up great. I will never buy a "store brand" again after building my 1st one. After you get the parts, it takes about a day or two

 

[ArtMech]

Just to give you even more to think about... :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

Seems like I made a drama out of attempt to obtain nothing else but a ... desktop. :comedy: :laughing:

 

[ArtMech]

You could build your own, if you decide what you want and need and post it on Hard forums I referenced before. Those guys will have you ready to go in a day or two. You will get much more PC for the $$ and it isn't hard at all, picking the components that "play well together" is the tricky part and those guys will set you up great. I will never buy a "store brand" again after building my 1st one. After you get the parts, it takes about a day or two

:confused2::confused2::confused2:
How much time will you give me to decide?