Help pick the right computer for my parents.

[Slacker]

My parents are looking for a new computer again, their sony vaio with windows ME is crapping out and they need something to play windows games and AOL for email. Both systems are about the same price.


The HP A1740N
Processor type Intel® Core 2 Duo 1.9GHz
RAM 2GB 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-4200)
Hard drive size 320GB 7200RPM
DVD Burner w/Lightscribe
Video Card: intel GMA 950 224MB Partially Shared
Operating system Windows® Vista Home Premium

The Dell C521 edits in bold are QVC spec parts
Processor type AMD Athlon? 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ 3500+ not x2 dual-core
RAM 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz only one gig ram
Hard drive size 320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) 250gb drive
DVD Burner 16x DVD+/-RW Drive cdrw only, no DVD burner
Video Card: 256MB ATI Radeon X1300 Pro 128mb x1300 not pro
Operating system Windows® Vista Home Premium

 

[lobbyone]

Originally posted by: Slacker
My parents are looking for a new computer again, their sony vaio with windows ME is crapping out and they need something to play windows games and AOL for email. Both systems are about the same price.


The HP A1740N
Processor type Intel® Core 2 Duo 1.9GHz
RAM 2GB 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-4200)
Hard drive size 320GB 7200RPM
DVD Burner w/Lightscribe
Video Card: intel GMA 950 224MB Partially Shared
Operating system Windows® Vista Home Premium

The Dell C521
Processor type AMD Athlon? 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+
RAM 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
Hard drive size 320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
DVD Burner 16x DVD+/-RW Drive
Video Card: 256MB ATI Radeon X1300 Pro
Operating system Windows® Vista Home Premium

I'd go for the Dell, just for its video card alone...

 

[Alone]

Dude, they're getting a Dell!

 

[Slacker]

The dell does have a better video card, if it was for my own computer that would be important, for my parents computer it isnt as important, they do no 3d stuff, vista is as close to 3d as they will get.

 

[Alone]

For what they do, the processor isn't terribly important. That's the only thing that the HP has that's better than the Dell.

 

[polypterus]

Both ridiculously overkill imho.

 

[Slacker]

Apparently they already bought a Dell, they asked me to set it up for them and it was nothing but trouble and is packed up and on the way back to QVC

I went over to set it up, should have taken 10 minutes, a couple of hours later I said fck this and set their old Sony back up, even that was a waste of time as it wasnt working right.

The Dell had at least two problems...

First, the monitor or video card was flaking out and the Dell LCD kept going through a color cycle test over and over before eventually showing the vista desktop, then after a few restarts it wouldnt show the desktop, after the color cycling thing it just went to a black screen, I heard vista startup sounds so it was a monitor or vid card issue.

Then the modem was just useless, it would initialize and I could hear the dial tone but it would give an error saying there was no dial tone, when it actually did dial out it gave a different error about windows firewall, disabled it, then it gave an error about Norton Internet Security 2007, uninstalled that because I couldnt see how to disable it or change it to allow stuff, after uninstalling Norton the p.o.s. wouldnt boot to windows anymore, that was it, I was done fcking around.

This Dell reminded me painfully so, of the worst computer I ever had the misfortune to use, a Packard Bell Legend 204cd both in design and execution, huge pile o crap.

QVC sold this c521 spec'd down from what I thought it was, it was a 3500+ 1gig ram 128MB ATI Radeon X1300 (not pro) and no DVD burner and a smaller hard drive and a 19" lcd for $1200.00 :|

For less $$$ I sent them to Circuit City to get the HP as spec'd in o.p. for <edit>$1000.00 with 20" widescreen lcd after 2 $50 rebates

I havent seen it yet, I guess CC was doing an in store setup for them so all they have to do is plug it all in, I plan on checking it out this weekend as well as networking their old sony to it so they can transfer stuff over to the HP.

I dont know if QVC crapped on the Dell or if the c521 is a P.O.S. to begin with but that thing was useless.

 

[Arcex]

IMHO HP > Dell any day.

I'm not gonna say you'll never have trouble with an HP but they are better overall.

 

[KeithTalent]

HP is absolute crap AFAIC! I have had 3 different products of theirs over my lifetime and have had major problems with all of them. I will never, ever, ever buy anything from HP. I also have family members who have owned different HP products and feel the same way.

OTOH everything I have purchased from Dell has worked pretty much perfectly and any minor issues I did have were reolved very quickly.

Do yourself and your parents a favour and get the Dell.

KT

Edit: just saw your post above. From what I have read, the QVC Dell's are not only complete ripoffs, but are plagued with problems as well. Not exactly sure why that is, but I will try and find a link.

 

[TD77077]

I have always had pretty good luck with Dell comps here at work (we ahve about 8 of them. We've not had very good luck with HP, although I hear they are getting better. Maybe the problem with the Dell was because it was a QVC special. I bet if you configured and ordered one from the Dell website it would be fine.

That said, good luck with the HP and let us know how things go with that one.

 

[lobbyone]

YMMV, how about an eMachine! lol