Buying Equipment for a Computer Lab

[ignotiev]

I'm a sysadmin that runs a computer lab of 10 machines for a non-profit. A year and a half ago, I researched the specs for the computers and set everything up. I learned a lot about the whole process, but mostly I learned to ask questions.

It has come time to expand the lab. I intend to sell off the original 10 machines and get 14 new ones. Usually, I have to get the cheapest equipment I can, but I have a large grant to make use of, so I'm considering getting equipment that's higher end.

The issue that I'm trying figure out is how quickly the equipment I buy will depreciate in terms of performance over price. That is, is it worth it to buy higher end equipment now, since I won't have to upgrade as soon as I would if I bought something lower end.

I've tried to google around, but I'm having trouble, since I'm not exactly sure what to look for. So if you have any websites that might have the answer, feel free to share.

 

[mvbighead]

Probably wouldn't hurt to let us know the amount you'll have to spend per PC.

As for buying high tech, I don't think it'd be a bad idea to look into the Intel I-series of processors. Depending on your budget, those all should be decent enough to last for several years without having to be too worried about missing performance down the road.

I wouldn't recommend spending any more than $200 per CPU though, as once you get beyond that point, the return on investment isn't usually too good (IE - %5 performance increase for $50 to $100).

 

[DaveSimmons]

What programs are the PCs used to run?

It might make sense to buy midrange PCs with a longer warranty instead of higher-end PCs with the standard one-year.

It might also make sense to buy one or two spares instead of buying more expensive models.

I use a Dell Vostro for work (from Dell small business instead of home) and it's a decent PC that didn't ship with all of the junk that a home PC comes with.

 

[mfenn]

I agree with Dave, we really need to know the intended use. A normal web browsing + Office lab is going to have far different requirements than a CAD lab.

 

[Zap]

Yup, need to know intended use, budget and whether you want to build them yourself or want pointers on which name brand system to buy. Oh yeah, what the budget has to cover, such as monitors/keyboard/mouse/pad/speakers/headphones/networking equipment/etc.