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$700 To Build Decent CPU

C

cvfd1615

Gawd
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
669
Hello,

Our local fire department is looking to find a new computer either built by myself or one like Dell... Our budget is $700.00 for this project. I am needing your help here are specs that I have fitted thru dell which comes with a 19" LCD Monitor and 1 GB Ram. As this will be a record keeping / multi purpose computer we really don't need a gaming computer just a decent computer to fit our needs.

I advised them I was an AMD Fan and they said that it was my project and that it didn't matter to them just one that will be satisfactory for our needs.

Thanks

If you think you can build a better system and explain why it is please I'm looking for suggestions

PROCESSOR
Pentium® D Processor 820 with Dual Core Technology (2.80GHz, 800FSB)
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OPERATING SYSTEM
Genuine Windows® XP Media Center 2005 Edition
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UPGRADE TO WINDOWS VISTA
Express Upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium from XP Media Center Edition
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MEMORY
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz- 2DIMMs
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HARD DRIVE
160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
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OPTICAL DRIVE
16x DVD+/-RW Drive
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MONITOR
19 inch E197FP Analog Flat Panel
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VIDEO CARD
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3000
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SOUND
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
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My Accessories

SPEAKERS
No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system)
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KEYBOARD & MOUSE
Dell USB Keyboard and Dell Optical USB Mouse
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FLOPPY & MEDIA READER
3.5 in Floppy Drive
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MODEM
56K PCI Data Fax Modem
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If you are comfortable playing techie you can probably get something cheaper built yourself. However, for the support that Dell provides I would personally go for something like what you have parted out, maybe see if you can get something with the Core 2 in it.

Also I hate to say it...but your going to get flamed for calling the "computer" the CPU. The CPU is the actual processor...it is kind of hard to build one of those for 700$ ;)
 
Honestly, if it's really just a "strictly recordkeeping" machine, you need very very little processing power/ram/anything for that matter. Now, I'd be willing to assume that the guys probably want to load it up with MP3s and whatnot so they can have their own jukebox so the HDD will likely be important ;)

Basically what I'm saying is that for a very basic, general purpose office machine just about anything you can find that is still running will likely take care of you. It's the extra stuff that might be done on the machine that will up the requirements from out of the basement :p
 
Well,

Thats really what it will be used for is Word Processing/Digital Camera Picture uploading/ Internet/Labels

But of course we may do more stuff with it but thats yet to be seen.

I built my Opteron so I know how to build them I just feel for the FD sake buying a system from a computer like Dell would be better off than saying I build one w/ no warranty.

More suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
 
Like I said I have no preference just want a decent system that will do our needs and all that good stuff.

Its been budgeted $700 so you guys play w/ it alittle like you had $700 to buy one.
 
Definitely don't build one.
Get a Dell with warranty (personally, I would go with a laptop, but that's me).

Give yourself a few weeks as Dell is going to be having crazy deals. It is that time of the year. :)
 
how does one stay around long enough for Limp Gawd status and build their own system with an opteron in it yet call a computer a "CPU"?

just get a prebuilt. if anything goes wrong then it'll be on you to fix it. i've built computers for friends and everytime there's a problem they come to me, as they should. but i hate it when its a problem beyond my capability because its their hard earned money they trusted to me. make life easy.
 
i would go with dell too. It may seem cool to build it yourself, but when something goes wrong it'll be much easier to get a replacement.
 
I agree with the other folks, buy a Dell from Dell Small Business (better support imho).
 
Definitely go with the Dell. The machine you quoted will likely be fine. I agree with the other poster--if you can, upgrade to a Core 2 E6300 if you can--they're still cheap, but probably a bit more "future proof" than a Pentium D. If that upgrade puts you over the budget though, don't bother. It's probably not worth it.
 
Why waste $700 when something for half of that is more than sufficient for what it will be used for?
 
Parja said:
Why waste $700 when something for half of that is more than sufficient for what it will be used for?
Click to expand...

That system would be more than enough for most office PC's. Until you do the "Free Vista upgrade" (downgrade to performance) that comes with it.

Vista will upgrade you from having twice enough ram than need, to just barely enough. IE: XP runs great with 512Mb, Vista needs about 800Mb

It will also upgrade your graphics from sufficient to not really good enough for the quality settings. (Aeroglass)

etc. etc.

I'd probably upgrade it to the 6300, which if available as an upgrade should cost very little, BUT would really make a difference in performance, longivity and less power/heat!
 
chrisf6969 said:
That system would be more than enough for most office PC's. Until you do the "Free Vista upgrade" (downgrade to performance) that comes with it.

Vista will upgrade you from having twice enough ram than need, to just barely enough. IE: XP runs great with 512Mb, Vista needs about 800Mb

It will also upgrade your graphics from sufficient to not really good enough for the quality settings. (Aeroglass)

etc. etc.

I'd probably upgrade it to the 6300, which if available as an upgrade should cost very little, BUT would really make a difference in performance, longivity and less power/heat!
Click to expand...

Why upgrade to Vista? For what this machine is going to be used for, it would be fine with Win98. A C2D and Vista on a word processing, label making computer? That's like using a Corvette as a golf cart.
 
For record keeping, maybe you want to throw in an extra HD and raid it so the stuff is backed up incase one fails.

Definitely get a cheap dell .... warranty, OS included, cheap bundle, I remember dell having an Amd 3800 (dual core.. forgot name) system for cheap 400-500ish.
 
Sorry Guys about the CPU thing just was in a hurry on typing and all that and didn't notice I did that..

We're going with the Dell gunna wait til around Thanksgiving see what kind of deals they'll give us
 
i check this site for dell deals.. http://www.gotapex.com/
and honsetly,.. that $400 with a 19inch lcd would definitely suit their needs.. you could get 2 of them almost..

you can also get a c2d for that price one way or another.. velocitymicro had a "server" with a c2d for $500.. but i didn't se it last time i checked..

as far as that extra hard drive comment. . you can get a dell that mirrors all the data to a 2nd drive.. they call it "datasafe" or something,,,
 
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