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What should I buy XP1700 or a P4 1.7?

N

nubomb

Member
MY sister is buying a computer and one she found a Compaq for around $1000.

It's between the Athlon XP 1700 and the Pentium 4 1.7. The Pentium is a $100 more, specs are pretty much the same except for the graphic card.
The P4 has a 64MB SDR nVIDIA? GeForce2 MX with TV-Out. CDRW is 12X

The XP has 8MB Integrated Savage4 AGP Graphics. CDRW is 16X

I would rather build her an AMD system but I just don't have the time right now. I personaly like AMD better but the graphic card seems really crappy. Any help is apreciated.

And she won't be gaming.....just office applications, internet and DVD.
 
Personally..........I'd look elsewhere!😉 Why exactly are those the "only" choices??? Is it the cost or what I mean???? The XP would "possibley be OK.....but I'd have to wonder about the DVD quality. Office apps. should be OK. There isn't by chance an available AGP slot on the XP system is there????? Or, you could get a Matrox PCI card I suppose...........but why not check a few more systems first?????😉
 
One more point, there are very few options in stores when it comes to buying a system with an AMD chip. Pentiums on the other hand have dozens.
 
Well, if those are the two you've narrowed it to.........get the XP and immeadiately try a DVD......if you don't like the way it performs.........take it back for the Intel!😉
 
Personally I would avoid Compaq. Don't you have a local computer shop in town that could piece an AMD system together for you???
 
Hmm, that is a crappy video solution, but I wouldn't be concerned with DVD quality. The Savage4 has very good(near ATI quality) DVD playback. I still wouldn't get a system with that crappy of a video card though.

Ok, just re-read original post, that vidcard will probably be fine for what she wants it for. Perhaps, before making a final decision, ask if you could try playing a DVD in it.

[re-read #2] Do either of those systems have DVD drives?
 


<< The only computers with AMD selling at stores are Compaq and my first preference is to get an AMD system... there are very few options in stores when it comes to buying a system with an AMD chip. Pentiums on the other hand have dozens. >>

but why limit yourself to only a couple of options? just for some brand loyalty to a cpu? if your sister were to buy an intel based computer, how would she be unhappy with it? what would the advantage to her be, to avoid intel?

just buy the best pc that she can afford. intel, amd, ati, nvidia... whatever!


you aren't doing her any favors by being so biased.


 
if these are your only two choices, i'd rather take the p4 1.7. integrated cards are horrible, and because you guys wouldn't have an AGP slot available,, the AMD deal would be worse in the long run.
 
Tell us what you want and how much you can spend.

I see she will be using office, but what else. I am building a machine for $400 for someone and I can go way lower. It is very easy to find a reliable online builder.

Tell us more and we'll be glad to help


Byt hte way, I can name a lot of places that will do better for less with AMDs or INTEL..actually Dell isn't a bad choice now that they have a $799 PC and they come with tthe best support too..only P4 though if that is a problem.
 


<< She could get the AMD system and take the $100 difference and buy a good video card. >>


Most integrated video mobo's also have an AGP slot for expansion. But if she isn't gaming, the onboard Savage will be just fine. If she wants good DVD playback, I recommend adding an ATI vid card, they have pretty good DVD support on their video cards.
 
And she won't be gaming.....just office applications, internet and DVD.

IMO, any currently available Celeron or Duron would *easily* do.

Better spend the money on a good display (TFT?) and perhaps two printers, a laser for documents and a cheap inkjet for the occasional colour chart or picture...



 
you can probably build her a rocking system for $1000, and go the AMD route, Intel is just too expensive for no performance gains, but DO NOT BUY A COMPAQ, they are the worst computers ever
 
For what she will be doing either one would do. I would just worry about whether compaq provides support or not.
 
Hey guys/gals thanks for all the input and suggestions. I told her to get a Dell online with a P4, we found one for around $900.

Goosemaster thanks for the offer, if I had more time I would build one for her.


 
tell her to get the Dell TODAY.

Today is the last day for free shipping and great deals at Dell Small Business.

Get the 4100S (or whatever it is) with P4-1.6g, CD, 128mb SDRAM for $609 (remove the warranty).

Then, if you spend $800, you get another $50 off, so add a CDRW w/ DVD and another 128mb of RAM. This will be $750 total, shipped, after the additional $50 off.

This is the best deal you are going to get for a big-name P4. $750 shipped rocks. Today only, though.
If you have trouble finding or configuring it, PM me.

_Dave
 


<< you can probably build her a rocking system for $1000, and go the AMD route, Intel is just too expensive for no performance gains, but DO NOT BUY A COMPAQ, they are the worst computers ever >>



Good lord, this is almost exactly the same thing that goes on with Microsoft and Intel. Bash them because they are successful, bash them because they're a well known company. If any of you have actually used a Compaq computer you would know that they are very high quality machines that come in at a very reasonable price. I doubt most (if any) of the people in this thread that are bashing Compaq have actually ever used one.

Back to the topic at hand...nubomb here's what I suggest. Since Compaq has a very good customer support service as well as cheaply price AMD machines, I'd go with Compaq.

First, go to compaq.com and click on the desktop icon located under the "Products" hyperlink in the left half of the screen. Choose the "Home/Home Office" hyperlink and then click the Compaq Presario 8000 series desktop icon. After that, click the "Built for Me" link. Choose whatever AMD processor you want (I'd suggest the Athlon XP 1500+) and then choose the "Microsoft Home Suite" link for your software bundle. Here's what Compaq gives you:

Presario 8000 Series:
- AMD Athlon? XP Processor Model 1500 - 1.33 GHz
- 256MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM (1 DIMM)
- 40.0GB UltraDMA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
- 16X DVD-ROM Drive
- 17" - Compaq CV735 Monitor - Quartz White (15.9" VIA)
- Microsoft Home Suite
- Microsoft XP Home Edition
- JBL Platinum Speakers with Digital Audio Port
- 56K ITU v.90 Modem
- Creative Labs Sounds 1373 w/128 voices
- 64MB DDR nVidia GeForce3 Titanium 200 w/ TV-Out
- Compaq USB Internet Keyboard
- Compaq Scroll Mouse
- 3.5" 1.44 MB diskette drive
- 1yr parts/ 1yr labor/ 1yr on-site
- 90-day Software Technical Support
- Digital Video Center (1 IEEE-1394 and 2 USB ports), StudioDV and DVDit! Software
- Lexmark Z33 Color Ink Jet Printer Promotion

Grand Total = $1,087.01 (excluding shipping and tax)

This system is WAY too much for someone who's just gonna be surfing the web and listening to music. Here's a more budget oriented system:

Presario 5000 Series:
- Intel® Celeron? Processor - 1.3 GHz
- 128MB SyncDRAM PC 133
- 20.0GB UltraDMA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
- 48X CD ROM Drive
- 15" - Compaq CV535 Monitor - Quartz White (13.8" VIA)
- Microsoft Home Suite
- Microsoft XP Home Edition
- JBL Platinum Speakers with Digital Audio Port
- 56K ITU v.90 Modem
- Soundmax II Digital Audio
- AGP Graphics with Direct 3D - 8MB Shared Memory
- Compaq USB Internet Keyboard
- Compaq Scroll Mouse
- 3.5" 1.44 MB diskette drive
- 1yr parts/ 1yr labor/ 1yr on-site
- 90-day Software Technical Support

Grand total = $729 (excluding shipping and tax)

IMO, this is the perfect system for your sister if all she's going to do is surf the web, listen to music, play DVD's, etc.

Good luck. 🙂

EDIT: Whoops, you choose Dell, too late. Lalalala....Doh! 😱
 
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