Looking to buy new desktop & laptop. What brand?

[Compman55]

Looking to grab up a brand new pair with windows 7 before the OEMs completely switch over to 8.

HP, Compaq, Toshiba, and Gateway are out. Never ever......

Suggest something that is very well supported, as in, frequent bios updates, good hardware build quality, good specs for the price.

Take a OptiPlex workstation for example, dell is constantly updating the bios keeping up with the times, and supplying stable drivers releasing new ones when needed. This is just an example, and I am not swaying 100% toward dell. HP, hum I don't recall very frequent updates.

On a side note, building a computer from the ground up is a VERY FUN and ADDICTING thing to do, but motherboard companies suck in terms of support, and I would like to not have to hassle with some kind of problem that cannot be diagnosed.

[dmoney1980]

depending on your budget, it may make a lot more sense to build your own desktop. Dell HP and the like typically buy their motherboards from the same companies that you could buy on newegg (but much lower quality). Also, you shouldn't judge a motherboard by the number of BIOS updates alone. Brands like ASUS, Gigabyte, Intel, and Asrock make quality boards. But before we get into tha, please answer the questions below.


1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

*

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

8. What resolution will you be using?

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it.

*

X. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software?

[Compman55]

Will not be building my system. It will be used for all around media, web surfing, photo editing, and light gaming.

I do not have ANY up to date parts to build with. My gigabyte board has lots of issues and a few bios updates, but only for 1.5 years, then they stopped. Asus is kinda the same way. Hard core support for for 2 yrs, then stop as it is "obsolete".

[dmoney1980]

Originally Posted by Compman55

Will not be building my system. It will be used for all around media, web surfing, photo editing, and light gaming.

I do not have ANY up to date parts to build with. My gigabyte board has lots of issues and a few bios updates, but only for 1.5 years, then they stopped. Asus is kinda the same way. Hard core support for for 2 yrs, then stop as it is "obsolete".

BIOS updates are only necessary when companies like intel introduce new CPU models for their socket design (or other motherboard revisions such as network or sound devices). It's not a bad thing if a motherboard stops getting BIOS updates after being on the market for two years. I guess I don't understand why you're worried about BIOS.

Regardless, do you have a budget in mind for the desktop?

[Compman55]

1000 for laptop

700-900 desktop

[dmoney1980]

Originally Posted by Compman55

1000 for laptop

700-900 desktop

are you 100% sold on buying an assembled desktop? For that kind of money, you could build a killer rig that will be much faster AND use higher quality parts than anything you can buy from the box pushers

[Compman55]

And for that matter will that include a legal OS and proper software. Thats were it really wrecks the price. OS+Office 2010+optional crappy cd/dvd/blueray burning software adds a killer amount to the price.

Dell, Lenovo, buy in such massive qty's they offer it lower than I can buy it at newegg.

[dmoney1980]

they all come preloaded with a trial of MS office (I just purchased a lenovo laptop for my father), but you can buy the full product when ordering the desktop and the prices look about the same. You can get that software cheap if you can get a student discount too. If you're dead set on a tower, look at the Lenovo H series or a Dell Inspiron 660s series, both are pretty good.

[Insert_Nickname]

Originally Posted by Compman55

And for that matter will that include a legal OS and proper software. Thats were it really wrecks the price. OS+Office 2010+optional crappy cd/dvd/blueray burning software adds a killer amount to the price.

Dell, Lenovo, buy in such massive qty's they offer it lower than I can buy it at newegg.

Unfortunately most of that kind of pre-installed software are crippled OEM versions. Not comparable to full retail versions. F.x. MS Office is a trial version, that only includes Word and Excel. If you want the full version, you have to pay for the upgrade. Not to mention that if you get Office retail, the licence allows you to use it on 3 different computers...

A windows OEM licence is non-transferable to a new machine. That's actually why I ran out and bought a Windows 8 Pro licence. The new personal use EULA, allows you to transfer the licence to a new machine that you own. And the Pro includes downgrade rights, so it allows me to run all versions of windows back to XP...

I am not trying to knock anybody here, just pointing out a few things...

[mfenn]

+1 on buying a retail version of Office and taking advantage of the 3 machine license.

OP, what does "light gaming" mean? Specific titles would be helpful. I can tell you right now that you're not going to be able to get something capable of running most "real" 3D games from a bit OEM for $700.

Also, what about monitor? Are you going to be reusing an existing one or do you need a new one factored into the budget?

[frozentundra123456]

Originally Posted by mfenn

+1 on buying a retail version of Office and taking advantage of the 3 machine license.

OP, what does "light gaming" mean? Specific titles would be helpful. I can tell you right now that you're not going to be able to get something capable of running most "real" 3D games from a bit OEM for $700.

Also, what about monitor? Are you going to be reusing an existing one or do you need a new one factored into the budget?

If you watch carefully, you might. I bought a Dell XPS on close out at Microcenter for 599.00 and added a HD7770 for 90.00 after rebate. Granted, not a powerhouse, but on my 900p monitor I can play almost anything. The power supply would probably even handle a HD7850, which would be better for 1080p, but I did not want to pay that much for the graphics card.

You could also get an i5 off the shelf for less with a weak power supply. You could then upgrade the power supply and add a HD7850.

The weakness to this obviously is that you have less flexibility and cant overclock the CPU.

[Ken g6]

Two things.

First, you can buy Windows 7 if you want and wait to install it until you have put together the desktop you want.

Second, Windows 8 has "downgrade" rights to 7. You need the Win7 media, but you can download that from the Microsoft-hosted DigitalRiver site.

[mfenn]

Originally Posted by frozentundra123456

If you watch carefully, you might. I bought a Dell XPS on close out at Microcenter for 599.00 and added a HD7770 for 90.00 after rebate. Granted, not a powerhouse, but on my 900p monitor I can play almost anything. The power supply would probably even handle a HD7850, which would be better for 1080p, but I did not want to pay that much for the graphics card.

You could also get an i5 off the shelf for less with a weak power supply. You could then upgrade the power supply and add a HD7850.

The weakness to this obviously is that you have less flexibility and cant overclock the CPU.

The bolded is my point exactly. The impression I got from the OP is that he was looking for a completely OTS macine.

[frozentundra123456]

Originally Posted by mfenn

The bolded is my point exactly. The impression I got from the OP is that he was looking for a completely OTS macine.

What do you mean OTS??

Anyway, the rebate was only 20.00, so even without it you would have been very close to the 700.00 price point. I seriously considered building, but was concerned that I would run into problems and I have no one around to help me. I am familiar with the hardware, but not confident about assembling it correctly.

[ketchup79]

Personally, I have turned into a big fan of Lenovo. Something like this would be pretty nice:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883108961

[frozentundra123456]

Originally Posted by ketchup79

Personally, I have turned into a big fan of Lenovo. Something like this would be pretty nice:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883108961

That is nice, if a bit pricey. I have seen Levano desktops in Costco and they look like they are good quality relative to some others. As are most off the shelf systems, that one has a great cpu and a weak graphics card. If the OP in primarily interested in gaming, he might be better off to get a cheaper system with a lower end i5 and upgrade the power supply and graphics card, or even just add a HD7750 which should run on an OEM power supply.

[ketchup79]

Originally Posted by frozentundra123456

That is nice, if a bit pricey. I have seen Levano desktops in Costco and they look like they are good quality relative to some others. As are most off the shelf systems, that one has a great cpu and a weak graphics card. If the OP in primarily interested in gaming, he might be better off to get a cheaper system with a lower end i5 and upgrade the power supply and graphics card, or even just add a HD7750 which should run on an OEM power supply.

I agree, that would be the way to go. Of course, being in the AT forums, most are just going to tell him to build from scratch. The manufacturers put so little software on the PC's that isn't a trail version nowadays, the cost benefit for a mid to high range system keeps getting lower and lower.

The time benefit is still there though.

[mfenn]

Originally Posted by frozentundra123456

What do you mean OTS?? .

Off The Shelf?