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Tech Help

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by Mr Bojangles, Mar 28, 2009.

  1. Mr Bojangles

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    I need a new computer soonish, but I'm not sure what to get:

    I use mine for lots of media type stuff, BUT i'm also a Sims Fanatic.

    What would you reccomend?
     
  2. NeSiGaXe

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    Get a Mac :slight_smile:
     
  3. Greggers

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    I would get a Toshiba Satalite brand.

    Dont listen to anyone, PC's can do just fine in media. I do all my video editing, graphic design, AND animation on my Toshiba Satalite and it also plays every video game you can think of because its not a boring Mac :slight_smile: And yes, im doing quite high level media not just basic stuff.
     
  4. Miles D

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    GET A MAC. The new macbooks can run windows too!!
    best of both worlds :grin:
     
  5. Myke

    Myke Guest

    HP is my brand, I've always had HP computers/laptops but we also have Toshiba ones and my school laptop is an Toshiba, they aren't bad.

    Are you looking into buying a desktop or laptop? I would suggest getting a laptop since they are more mobile.

    With Windows Vista, you would need at least 2GB of memory for use, I suggest 3GB or 4 if you really want to. Around 160GB - 250GB is plenty of hard-drive depending on what you're using the computer for and around 2GHz of processing speed is fine. Most laptop these days come with a built in webcam and microphone. A card reader if you want to put pictures from your camera onto your laptop but a lot of cameras come with cords to connect to your laptop, most laptops have one anyway. Wi-Fi, almost all laptops have them. Most laptops come with a 6-cell battery which will last about 2-3 hours, you can upgrade to a 12-cell battery that will last around 6 hours if you want. A cool feature that some laptops have is the fingerprint reader that enables you to log-in to your laptop by just swiping your finger.

    For the size of the laptop, I have a 12" and a 15", I find the 15" big and heavy while I find the 12" a nice size and weight but with the 12" the fan runs more often since it is so small. This is all up to you, find the right size and weight.

    You will need a wireless router for your internet if you don't already have one.
     
  6. Apocalypte

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    I used to work tech support for HP. :bang::bang::bang::bang::bang:

    I'm a Mac person, I've been using them for about 5 years now and I *love* my Macbook Pro. However they're not necessarily for everyone.
     
  7. Kenko

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    I have an HP laptop. This model is known to have nVidia chipsets that blow up (Some Macbook pros have blown up because of the same chip). I also have two HP LCDs, known to have inverter boards that blow up. I used to have an HP Deskjet, but a cheap plastic gear blew up rendering the printer useless. In the case of the printer and the laptop HP admits the issue exists and extended the warranty on the parts.

    I have a Toshiba laptop that barely ever starts, and will freeze randomly if it starts. I know two people with Toshiba laptops that had the screen fritz out on them, and I know someone with a Toshiba laptop that stopped working just outside warranty, for no apparent reason.

    I have a 9 year old $500 eMachine that still works great.

    I have an Asus Eee that works great. Asus is a good brand, but I know of someone that had to send their Asus notebook back because the same nVidia chipset that blew up Macs and HPs blew up in his notebook.

    For all the Dells I know of, not much has actually gone wrong. I have an 8 year old Dell that still putters along, and a number of people in my family have Dells. Plus I've seen a number of Dells at school / work.

    Anyways, I think it's fairly safe to say "It really doesn't matter". Probably any computer on the market would satisfy your requirements. Every single make and models has known issues, including the almighty Apple. So reliability wise it's always a crapshoot.

    Laptops are really handy in their portability, but more expensive, and more likely to break (due to how they're handled, and constructed).

    The ideal thing would be to have a low cost Netbook for actual laptop use, and a desktop for desktop use. For a desktop the best thing is to buy through a small local shop that will assemble the computer. The computer will use standard parts, so if something fails it's a lot easier and cheaper to get it repaired.

    If a netbook meets your needs, you could also get an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse to use it as a desktop as well.
     
  8. Greggers

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    Lol thats weird...

    My Sister has had two Dell's crap out. One randomly, then the other (seriously) the WEEK after the Dell Warenty ran out. I swear there is a chip that blows up after the Warenty runs out in all Dells. And thats JUST my sister, i have many horror stories of friends with Dells that refuse to work for them....So basically my family wont touch a Dell now.

    However, Toshiba has worked PERFECTLY for me and my family and my friends :slight_smile: four of my friends have the same Toshiba Satalite as me, all work perfectly and we have has them since high school. I even have my 1998 Toshiba Satalite laptop and IT STILL WORKS PERFECTLY xD Toshiba's are like tanks in my experience. They get dropped, they get wet, they still work.
     
  9. Kenko

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    As I said "Every single make and models has known issues"

    These blown up Dells, did they have nVidia chipsets by chance?

    I can give you a circa 1998 Toshiba that barely starts and randomly freezes if you want. :slight_smile:
     
  10. Myke

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    I have had 2 HP desktops and 1 HP laptop that all work fine still, some of them slow since they're out dated and what not but still fine.

    That's why you have warranty.
     
  11. Colly

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    I second this. We sell quiet a few of them, and most have no issues. The worst we've seen is a Hard Disk fail, but that was during the warranty period, so it was all OK. Toshiba even copied her data off the failing drive to the new one for us, which was great.

    Toshiba Support is awesome. Considering how little you have to use them, it's worth knowing that they're good at what they do.

    Avoid Acer at all costs. It'll give you nothing but problems, and die shortly after your warranty expires. I've seen this happen way too many times.
     
  12. Greggers

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    Oh, agree agree agree

    Acer = THE DEVIL! *cross*
     
  13. Stuie

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    I got an Acer for school in year 7. It stopped working at the end of year 8. I don't think throwing it across the room a number of times helped, but it should still work after that. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: Well, I threw it across the room because it wasn't working in the first place. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  14. L|L

    L|L
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    Why don't you build your own??
     
  15. Miles D

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    MACINTOSH.
    'nuff said.

    [P.S. yes, i will be stopping by this thread and restating my opinions.] :grin: :grin:

    MACS WIN!!
     
  16. MusicIsLife

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    Get a Mac!

    I have a Macbook, and its my baby <3
     
  17. PurpleTomato

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    build your own (it's fun). and use Linux!!!!!!!! customize everything how you want it.
     
  18. Dave

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    Apple Mac - no contest, you can get the sims native for it, or you can put windows on (via one of many alternatives) and Play through that. Apples were designed for media stuff, and bench tests show that they run windows faster than any equivalent windows native pc. and media editing too.


    AND whatever you do do NOT buy a Dell, I got one from my parents for my birthday a few years back and it has been nothing but trouble since the day I got it.
     
    #18 Dave, Apr 6, 2009
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2009
  19. NeSiGaXe

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    And Macs are less prone to viruses. I've never needed to worry about opening emails or clicking links infecting my Mac. I've even watched as many a malicious website tried to infect my Mac with a virus. Result - EPIC FAIL. No virus!

    Oh, the truth about windows: It's not an operating system, it's a very sophisticated trojan horse.
     
  20. Lychee

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