Looking to buy a new computer

[Patrukas777]

I've owned PC's for 15 years, which consisted of 2 hp's (desktop), Gateway (desktop), Sony Vaio and Toshiba (most recent - laptop). All of these computers ran on different variations of windows. My point in bringing this up is every single one of my computers have had nothing but problems.

My most recent computer (toshiba satellite laptop- windows Vista OS), has been nothing but problems. I've had to wipe out the system and re-installed everything twice...and now the problems start up again. My computer has crashed 3 times today (blue screen). It reboots, and checks for solution. Sometimes unable to find solutions, while other times find them and I make corrections. Long story short......I'm sick of windows and its problems.

My application will be for some gaming (maybe WOW, and a few others), photo's, internet browsing, and downloading music/video.

So Ive been looking at alternatives. Here's what I'm looking at. Here's the question: What do you guys think, and should I wait a few months for a possible upgraded version, since the specs haven't changed in 6 months (roughly)???

Apple iMac 27-inch
Processor: 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
Memory: 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB (I will upgrade on my own)
Hardrive: 1TB Serial ATA Drive

 

[emorphien]

I can't possibly imagine how you're having all those problems but regardless, if you're set to switch from Windows there's nothing wrong with a Mac. AFAIK WOW works on Macs and so do some other games. Your options will be limited compared to a Windows system, not to mention possible performance disadvantages due to things including Apple's vid card offerings, but that should run WOW fine I imagine (don't play it myself).

That said my experience with Mac reliability is about on par with my experience with most Windows system manufacturers (although I DIY my desktop workstations).

Regarding the buy now or wait situation, if you need a system now there's no time like the present. Of course I would assume the iMac will get the new Sandy Bridge chips before long but I don't know how long that will take to happen. I'd personally recommend a straightforward Mac desktop if they made one other than the MacPro... I've never been a fan of an all-in-one unless it's a laptop and definitely don't care for the glossy monitors the iMacs use.

 

[jp_over]

It sounds like you're buying a new PC every 5 years or so. I use a PC to support my work and I decided a number of years ago to simply purchase new every 2-3 years and to run 2 systems (desktop & laptop). When there's a problem, I can hot-swap and work on whatever system has not failed.

I find that after year 2 troubles start to go up significantly on the PCs I've used. I've been a Dell owner almost all this time but recently, I purchased an ASUS laptop when has run OK. There was a reliability report that came out (might post later if I can find it) which indicated Sony and Asus are pretty high up there in reliability (laptops). For desktops, I think Apple and Sony were very close for reliability.

In short, I purchase less expensive models more frequently than "maxed out" versions every 3-4 years to decrease time spent working on it/reinstallations. As a long time PC user, you know there are no guarantees of course and you might get a brand new bad apple (Absolutely no pun as a bad apple could be a PC! ). Here is where warranty comes into play.

I don't plan on using a MAC until I retire and it's only used for "fun" since most of my programs are PC. I figure why add the complexity of boot-camp or another MAC/PC interface.

Lastly, I found that since I quit gaming (Delta Force all versions, Duke Nukem’, Quake all versions, to name a few.) my PC reliability increased exponentially.

Just my take and experience; YMMV.

 

[GranteedEV]

Forgive me if any information I give is way out of date. I haven`t bothered with a new computer in a ridiculously long time and i`ve been running my laptop in the meantime. with that said when i was like 13 and working at McDonalds i was buying computer parts and assembling them like crazy and selling "Gaming Rigs" for profit until i basically got disinterested.

For starters you should want full control over this PC. Forget buying from a company that has to cut corners somewhere or another. Build it yourself. It's very simple. The most difficult thing you might have to do is spread thermal paste. The tradeoff is low temperatures, low fan noise levels, a level of control over driver compatibilities, and the best bang for buck. More importantly, if you run into specific issues, you yourself can swap out parts that aren't working for you. It could mean never having to replace the desktop again... although if you don't keep up you end up like me lol!

Regarding operating systems, I've always been a proponent of Triple-Booting.

Now I've tried some other OSes like BeOS, Redhat Linux and Mac but forw whatever reasons they've driven me nuts. I stick to the mainstream stuff these days:

An up to date version of Windows 7 64-bit for gaming, as well as modern drivers compatibility.
An up to date version of Ubuntu Linux 64-bit for resource efficiency and everyday usage.
A classic version of Windows 2000 for reliability/throwback programs. Sometimes you don't need everything in a modern OS.

Vista and later versions of XP were rather flawed but I've been pretty thoroughly satisfied with 7. Linux in general can have a bit of a learning curve as you use the terminal a lot more than you would in a purely GUI based OS but in turn the flexibility and control you get makes it worthwhile.

Next for hardware I would look into

-a ton of low latency ram(I don't know about these days, but in the past I've always been a fan of the Kingston hyperX stuff. It's got quality heatsinking to keep it cool and it's very fast). There's really no such thing as too much ram if you can

-a quality motherboard with lots of bios options (I would look into EVGA... they have the old Epox staff on board and that matters.. to me. I feel really out of the times. The fact that epox isn't around anymore makes me want to cry... they had the most underated mobos in the world back then... i guess too underated lol)

-a great CPU. It's the heart and soul of any computer so you want to make sure it's fast, it's stable, and it runs cool. Thus you want a very heavy heatsink and a great, but quiet CPU Fan. There used to be a site that sold raw, but extremely reliable watercooling parts and I used to buy from them but now not only can I not remember the company, but I don't know if it's even still around. I don't trust a lot of the water cooling kits out there because all water cooling is simply not the same. That site I used to buy from when I was a kid was so damn good though. I think your i7 choice looks absolutely wonderful and worthwhile. I would probably go for an i5 though just to save some money. whether upu wish to overclock or not i highly reccommend researching the best current stepping code cpus. finding a stepping that ocs really well can end up giving you identical performance to a much more expensive cpu

-I can't tell you a thing abotu modern graphics cards. Last time I looked into a graphics card was a Hercules. That used to be my favorite company but nowadays they don't even make video cards lol. If you can get water cooling I highly recommend pairing it with the cheapest OEM card you can. The more you're spending on a card with fancy cooling the less you're maximizing your money... ideally you cool the GPU with you own water blocks.

-the appropriate power supply is rather important as are other things. like i said, make it a custom computer if you have the desire to get the most out of it.

Remember OEM OEM OEM. Buy as many parts OEM as possible. You simply don't need non-OEM "extras". Ever. It's literally the iron rule of saving money.

To conclude: Don't buy a ready made desktop if you can avoid it. Building it yourself is always the way to go regardless of your end goal. ESPECIALLY to avoid the dreaded "proprietary". Any time anything has something proprietary you end up royally screwed. Whether it's a proprietary PSU, case, motherboard, or what-have you, anything that limits upgrade-ability and control is going to hold you back.

With laptops it's unfortunate though.

 

[jp_over]

Here's that info on reliability:

http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/187407/reliability_and_service_technologys_most_and_least_reliable_brands.html

Excellent post by GranteedEV. I debated on this route but decided I didn't want to give up the "whole package" warranty, deal with/figure out the latest hardware compatibility, and spend the time building it. For me, paying a little extra is worth it to avoid the hassle.

Of course, I am still kicking around the idea of building a system for non-work use. I just can't afford the time and research investment on doing so now.

GranteedEV - I thought I was the only one who despises proprietary gear so thoroughly! I quit ranting about it years ago because no one seemed to "get" it!

 

[emorphien]

I should have gone in to this earlier but I think the bloatware a lot of manufacturers include with their Windows systems is a huge part of the problems many people have. Whenever I buy a new laptop (I've owned only Thinkpads for the last 6 or so years) the first thing I did was wipe and reinstalled Windows from scratch. That improves not only performance but IMO reliability because it eliminates the OEM crap which tends to cause more trouble than good. That's true of just about every Windows PC manufacturer out there that I've seen.

On the flip side the reliability of my homebuilt desktops has been excellent. Other than a couple failed hard drives (which I replace at the first sign of trouble, before big issues pop up) they're exceptional. I've run Win XP, Vista and 7 on homebuilt systems and enjoyed them all (yes, even Vista!).

 

[Patrukas777]

I can't possibly imagine how you're having all those problems .

Either can I....from the first week with this comp, i've had nothing but problems.
I'm very careful with opening things, and what sites I go to. I keep my Anti virus/malware updated and run sweeps almost daily. On this comp, all I do is browse the net, play click it games (Murder City), and pay bills....and this comp can't even handle that.

Some of problem reports:

Windows Modules Installer
Toshiba Flash Cards not responding
MP Telemetry in Windows Defender
hpqddsvc
Host Process for Windows Services
Windows shutdown unexpectedly

9 crashes in the last week I believe.

 

[Patrukas777]

Unfortunately, I don't have the time or experience to build my own computer. So at this point in my life, this isn't an option. Wish I knew more about computers..I guess you can say I'm pretty ignorant on the subject.

 

[emorphien]

Unfortunately, I don't have the time or experience to build my own computer. So at this point in my life, this isn't an option. Wish I knew more about computers..I guess you can say I'm pretty ignorant on the subject.

Certainly I can understand this. Building your own system is surprisingly easy, all things considered, but it's a hurdle that's not for everyone.

 

[its phillip]

You can find tutorials online or video tutorials on youtube on how to assemble a computer. It's pretty simple - only connect things that fit

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Unfortunately they don't build PCs like they used to (IBM PC-XT
However typically rule of thumb is more expensive machines from big brand and typically more reliable. Especially ThinkPad laptops - these are built like tanks and they are truly survivors. Yea, ***** to service - but that shouldn't be concern. Dell really f'up recently with huge issue with bad caps and they didn't issued a recall. Last thing you should do it get dells.

I'm not huge Apple fan, but if you are not very tech person and all of your application will guaranteed to work on OSX AND you can pay the premium - sure go ahead and switch, but bear in mind this little tidbit from my experience:
So many people who switched from pc to mac, sooner or later install virtual pc -mostly Parallels to work with familiar Windows apps.
So - getting Mac, just to install Windows - it'd be a waste of money

 

[GranteedEV]

Unfortunately, I don't have the time or experience to build my own computer. So at this point in my life, this isn't an option. Wish I knew more about computers..I guess you can say I'm pretty ignorant on the subject.

no experience necessary. it's literally the equivalent of putting together lego or making a lasagna out of a cookbook... nothing to be intimidated by and nothing time consuming either. the hard part is buying the parts without letting yourself go overboard.

with that said, besides antivirus (i use avira) i hope you run spybot, windows update, and adaware on a regulae basis, as well as cleaning the inside of the case with compressed aor every mpnth or two

 

[ragged]

Get a bunch of these!

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/tiny-150-pc-fits-in-a-power-plug/

 

[Patrukas777]

the hard part is buying the parts without letting yourself go overboard.

That would definitely be my problem I would keep extending my budget.

 

[emorphien]

That would definitely be my problem I would keep extending my budget.

It would take effort to extend your budget in to Apple territory though!

You could build quite a beastly system for what that iMac goes for.

 

[armaraas]

Hi...I'd agree with the others, that if you can make some time to do a little research on building a pc yourself, that would be the best in the long run. The flexibility is endless- do you want a quiet pc, a power house, cheap, etc- you can tailor it to your requirements. I built a recent AMD 3.3Ghz quad core, 8GB of memory, ATI 5770 video card, SSD hard drive, for around $1100 for a htpc. I went overboard there a bit, but I do use it for gaming too.

I also built another pc with left over parts (dvd drive, hard drives case for a few months) for my office for about $600, another AMD quad with 8GB of memory. This pc is not done yet, later this year I'll replace the hard drives and add an external video card. But in the mean time it's serving it's purpose (I'm going to install Lord of the Rings Online tonight to see how the onboard video works). So you also have the ability to build over time, get something workable now, and add/upgrade later down the road. This ability also pays dividends as the pc ages and you want to upgrade. Sell the old video card online, get a new one, etc. You may not have that ability or be more limited with a name brand pc.

If you don't have the time for research, there's enough people here that have the knowledge they would probably be willing to make recommendations on components. Then if you like the specs and price and feel up to it, place the order and assemble. Most things only connect one way, and the motherboards instructions will cover most of it. Good luck with whichever way you decide to go.

 

[jinjuku]

I've owned PC's for 15 years, which consisted of 2 hp's (desktop), Gateway (desktop), Sony Vaio and Toshiba (most recent - laptop). All of these computers ran on different variations of windows. My point in bringing this up is every single one of my computers have had nothing but problems.

Sounds like the ubiquitous PICNIC error

 

[Patrukas777]

Sounds like the ubiquitous PICNIC error

haha..must be

 

[jeffsg4mac]

I am not so much of an Apple fan but an OS X fan. Mac hardware is just hardware. It is nicely designed and will last, but it is the OS that makes it. OS X is hands down superior to any version of windows. It's fast, stable and there is more software available then you will ever use and a lot of free stuff. If your into photo, music, video editing then even better. If you have some software that only runs on windows, you can use VMWare, Parallels or just make a dual boot system.

I have windows 7 on mine because of one software title only and that is ColorHCFR. If I get a new meter that has mac software, then i won't need it anymore. The more I use windows 7 the more I hate it. It is a poor attempt at OS X in my opinion. If your not a gamer then by all means get yourself a mac and be done with the windows issues. If your a gamer then build yourself a nice game machine. There are a lot more games for OS X than used to be, but windows still has the edge there.

If your unsure about switching then just go to an apple store and play around with OS X for a while. Have someone there show you how it works and what it can do.

 

[emorphien]

I am not so much of an Apple fan but an OS X fan. Mac hardware is just hardware. It is nicely designed and will last, but it is the OS that makes it. OS X is hands down superior to any version of windows. It's fast, stable and there is more software available then you will ever use and a lot of free stuff. If your into photo, music, video editing then even better. If you have some software that only runs on windows, you can use VMWare, Parallels or just make a dual boot system.

I have windows 7 on mine because of one software title only and that is ColorHCFR. If I get a new meter that has mac software, then i won't need it anymore. The more I use windows 7 the more I hate it. It is a poor attempt at OS X in my opinion. If your not a gamer then by all means get yourself a mac and be done with the windows issues. If your a gamer then build yourself a nice game machine. There are a lot more games for OS X than used to be, but windows still has the edge there.

If your unsure about switching then just go to an apple store and play around with OS X for a while. Have someone there show you how it works and what it can do.

You're mixing up a lot of opinions and passing them off as facts there, careful. This post will serve more to incite flame wars than actually provide anyone with meaningful information about the pros and cons of OSX vs "any version of windows" or any other OS.