Got a New Computer, Woot!

[RPI-Fan]

Got a Dell Dimension 8600.

2.6 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 15 in. Flat Panel Monitor, DVD+RW 4x Drive, ATI All-in-Wonder Video Card...

Shipping date: July 10.

Reason I'm so exicited about this is because the fastest computer I'd owned prior to this was a 233 Mhz IMac, and a 233 Mhz IBM Thinkpad Laptop. Both having 64 MB RAM.

Can't wait for it to get here!

[sachmo71]

How much did it cost?

[RPI-Fan]

$1,442, with shipping.

[sachmo71]

Yow! But congrats!

[RPI-Fan]

Thanks!

But as I said, this is probably cooler to me than most people since I've never had a top-end machine (or anything even close to top-end)!

[FrogMan]

oh no dude, I completely understand your feeling. I switched from my 4 year old AMD K6-2 300 (64 ram too) to a nice and cheap Compaq with an Athlon 2000 about three months ago.

Not the fastest of machine, but amazingly nice change in speed... That was all I could afford (cost only 1100 canadian) but I love it :)

Have fun!

FM

[mckerney]

I'm getting a Dell system that is very similar to yours (2.66 GHz, 512 MB RAM)that should ship soon, though I got a 17 inch monitor (not a flat panel) and the Radeon 9800 instead of the All-In-Wonder. I may get a new computer before to long that would have features similar to the All-In-Wonder, possibly a Mac though from using Macs in my schools video editing lab I found them too difficult to use and they crashed more than PCs do.

It was ordered last wednesday, the day that their promo ended for the free CD-RW drive, though the system doesn't have a DVD-RW, just 16x DVD drive.

[Draft Dodger]

cool - I'm building my own this summer, which has been fun so far.

[Craptacular]

Stop. Tempting. Me.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm also waiting for my new Dell to arrive. It is a laptop for my new office at work so I can be productive, and check my forums at work ;). I getting a Labtop inspiron 8500 2.2 GHZ with 512 MB of ram and a Ge4 Force 4200 video card. Least those are the stats that I remember. I can't wait to have a computer at work :)

[sachmo71]

Originally posted by Craptacular
Stop. Tempting. Me.

Seconded.

A holes.

[mckerney]

Come on, you know you want to. Everyone else is doing it.

[sachmo71]

I'd love to. Peer pressure rules.

However, the wife is 8 months pregnant, and is now on maternity leave. Without short term disability.

So 3 months without half of our income = no new computer for Sachmo.

:(

[RPI-Fan]

Just an addendum here.

Got my computer (4 business days after ordering, mind you), and it's excellent!

The ATI All-in-Wonder Video Card was a _great_ choice, I've found. Nothing like watching Family Guy transparantly in the background of my FOFC screen.:)

If anybody has any questions feel free to ask...

~rpi-fan

[Logan]

Originally posted by sachmo71
I'd love to. Peer pressure rules.

However, the wife is 8 months pregnant, and is now on maternity leave. Without short term disability.

So 3 months without half of our income = no new computer for Sachmo.

:(

...a couple years of baby toys, clothes, supplies, and a head start on the college fund, plus new clothes for the wife = no new computer for Sachmo

:)

[RPI-Fan]

Hmm - gonna' have to ask a question myself, here...

For my ATI All-in-Wonder, how do I go about playing my X-Box on it? There's some software I'm yet to install for the card, but figure I'll check if there's a way around it, and I'm just totally missing something.

Right now I've hooked up the video/audio-in device to the computer, and plugged my X-Box into that. From here, what do I do?

[tucker342]

Congrats on your new computer:)

[Eaglesfan27]

I also received my Dell, 4 days after ordering. They follow a smart business principle: They promised it for 10 days after I ordered it and therefore made me feel really impressed when it arrived only 4 days after ordering. I can't wait to start playing FOF 4 at work :)

[Sharpieman]

I'm getting my new computer on the 15th from cyberpowerpc....2.8Ghz P4 1024MB RAM GeForce 5600

[Blackadar]

Sounds great, Sharpieman. How much did that run you?

[Sharpieman]

I also got CD-RW, 3 fans and some other cool features...it was about $1500...damn California tax bumped it up from 1400

[Blackadar]

Not bad at all.

[Anrhydeddu]

Originally posted by RPI-Fan
15 in. Flat Panel Monitor, ... ATI All-in-Wonder Video Card...


I like to hear about new PCs (congrats!) but I hope you are not planning on playing video-type games on this. It is still my dream to have a 20" flat panel monitor but with a refresh rate equal to current CRT monitors.

Incidentally, this is another example of why I really love going build-your-own. It took me several years to get there but the return I get is an annual state-of-the-art PC for much less money (i.e., I only need to upgrade the critical components - MB, CPU, RAM - and not have to pay for all of the extra stuff or assembly-line installation or ad campaigns). For example, I can install an AMD 2600+ CPU on my existing MB and upgrade to 1gb PC2700 RAM for under $500. Fwiw.

[Sharpieman]

I dont think so either....considering my old computer was a Dell 2600, the oldest dell still on the market...i got it for free from one of my friends who was about to smash it Office Space style.

[RPI-Fan]

Bucc: I'm not a big gamer at all, so that shouldn't be a problem.

I was looking into futzing around with playing my X-Box on here, but I'm not certain that I even have the software to do so. No big deal there - I wasn't going to bring the X-Box with me to Atlanta anyways.

What I'll really use it for is watching TV, along with all the other various things an FOFC'er does (some dabbling into school stuff, along with work, and, of course, CM).

~rpi-fan

[Cringer]

Judging from the "brand name" that keeps poping up on this thread, and also what my first time computer buying co-driver just got (a Dell), i'm gonna guess that add campaigns work on people more then i thought.....atleast more then they do on me.

[RPI-Fan]

Wasn't the ad campaign that did it for me - was friends' recommendations combined with checking the good deals and service on the Dell website, and also the full service that GaTech provides for Dells...

[oykib]

I always just go to a local upgrade/repair place and have them do it. They'll give you free parts and labor if anything goes wrong. And, since they're local, it's a lot easier to get the computer to them.

Also you can have any option that you want on the system. It'll turn out to be cheaper than any superstore or big company too.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by Cringer
Judging from the "brand name" that keeps poping up on this thread, and also what my first time computer buying co-driver just got (a Dell), i'm gonna guess that add campaigns work on people more then i thought.....atleast more then they do on me.


There's another factor I think may have lead people on this board to buy Dell's, but I'm not going to say what it is.

[Eaglesfan27]

It wasn't the ad campaign for me. It was the superior service that several of my friends had on their computers when repairs were needed, while CompUSA totally messed up my computer and then wouldn't admit they messed it up.