PC configuration - Vista ready necessary ?

[Bloekom]

We are looking at getting a PC for an assistant - I would appreciate some advice on this !

My thoughts are towards buying to "not have to upgrade for a while". Would it be wise, therefor, to have the PC spec'ed as Vista ready, with 64 bit processing /hyperthreading/ dual core etc. ? I am a novice in the IT world, but I do try to read as much as I can on these things.

The application is for e-mail, browsing, a lot of third-party applications, back-up to dual-layer DVD, internet-based CRM, inter-acting with all-in one printer (lots of scanning to e-mail), word-processing (hoping for speech-to-text if I can).

 

[Farquaon]

My Opinion,

You can never be futureproof, but you can try but it means $$$

Take your budget of R XXXX
Get prices for:
Dvd Writer,
Your ideal all in one printer (look for one with a document feeder if your going to scan alot)
At least 1GB RAM
A 7800 GFX Card
Then a AMD or Intel Motherboard

Then what money you have left, is to buy the biggest CPU you can afford.

Option2:

Speak to Person, and just tell him your needs and he shall take care of the rest (Best Option)

 

[Person]

The cheap 64Bit AMD pc's at the moment are a good buy either way, even if your not going to be using them for vista. You want to buy something of mid range that will last you for at lease 4 -5 years in an office environment. I would not buy to high spec as prices drop to fast if you are wanting to make a long term investment.

Only round the 6 to 8 k mark should get the job done for a few years to come.

 

[killadoob]

wtf do you need a 7800 gpu for an office computer?

 

[Person]

A 7800 GFX Card

In an office PC... i wonder what they will be doing when the boss is not around.

Option2:

Speak to Person, and just tell him your needs and he shall take care of the rest (Best Option)

I like the way this man thinks

 

[Bloekom]

Graphics card

wtf do you need a 7800 gpu for an office computer?

As I said - I'm an IT novice. Can comment on the graphics card, though. We use a lot of quotation packages with graphics, also a lot of product material presented in Macromedia Flash type setup.

 

[Bloekom]

Specs not too high fornow

The cheap 64Bit AMD pc's at the moment are a good buy either way, even if your not going to be using them for vista. You want to buy something of mid range that will last you for at lease 4 -5 years in an office environment. I would not buy to high spec as prices drop to fast if you are wanting to make a long term investment.

Only round the 6 to 8 k mark should get the job done for a few years to come.

I do not think we will invest more than R6000.00 on the PC for now. I haven't done the homework yet - a) which Vista opion and b) will the specs mentioned earlier service those demands ?

Btw, I am a fan of open source, but most the 3rd party software insists on Windows.

 

[willirob]

forget about VISTA - out in Jan, or probably later. Will then be unstable(ie unusable) for at least a year while vendors try catch up with drivers etc...

Stay with XP for another year at least - it is finally stable and I have to admit a good OS now.

For office use you only need a 'low spec' p4 system - shouldn't need to pay more than R3000.00

 

[Bloekom]

Agreed on XP, willirob. I use XP Pro SP2 and try to regularly update all the patches, etc. Also running Windows Defender, Ad-aware, Spybot etc. No spyware/virus/trojan problems the past two years, touch wood. Will consider the P4 spec as well.

 

[killadoob]

go for amd rather p4 sucks asssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

amd 3400+ 939 pin which is by fat cheaper than a 3.4 intel


amd for the price and performance win

 

[Bloekom]

AMD vs P4

Hallo killadoob ! Read the article on AMD gaining on Intel this morning ? I was wondering if there was justifcation from the other people out there, apart from the exec's marketing speak/boast ! Thanks for the response.

 

[MadAtter]

for an office PC that would last a while i'd recommend a 3800 64bit dual core from AMD. its fairly well priced. get a decent mobo aslwell

the gfx card and hdd and all should just fill up whats left over from ur R6000 after buying the cpu and mobo

 

[Bloekom]

Amd 3800

Thanks, MadAtter.

 

[hj2k_x]

my 2c...

Defintely go for AMD over Intel

And speak to person for the best prices. He'll hook u up!

 

[Person]

A 6 k Pc will be able to do all of the above without and problems, even when moving over to Vista with the correct amount of RAM you should not have a problem at all. To be able to put a Pc together i would need to know the following.

What you want the printer to do.
How much you are wanting to spend.
If you want to go AMD or Intel. (Intel allowing you to do more at once, where as AMD is more towards gaming)
I would say you need a min of 1GB RAM
Say away from cheap parts. (ie. cheap brands of RAM and Hdd's)

 

[killadoob]

i fully disagree with you there person

there is a slight difference in intel and amd when working with desktop application

my amd cpu runs corel draw way faster than intel does

the only time you should think about intel is maybe for heavy graphics programs

the dual core amd's are really getting cheap and will out perform anything in the same range from intel

amd is not just for gaming

i love amd so buy amd today for a faster performing computer

 

[Angellus]

A 6 k Pc will be able to do all of the above without and problems, even when moving over to Vista with the correct amount of RAM you should not have a problem at all. To be able to put a Pc together i would need to know the following.

What you want the printer to do.
How much you are wanting to spend.
If you want to go AMD or Intel. (Intel allowing you to do more at once, where as AMD is more towards gaming)
I would say you need a min of 1GB RAM
Say away from cheap parts. (ie. cheap brands of RAM and Hdd's)

Almost 100%

Intel can multitask better if compared to a Single Core Athlon but not the Dual Cores. The Dual COre AMD's multitask extremely well.

Also agree on the brands of the RAM/HD's. For an office PC the best option would be the biggest Seagate HD's your budget allows(dont go overkill here). For the RAM you can stick with Corsair Value Select.

 

[willirob]

don't get carried away a blow a wad of cash for an office PC.

If you go AMD - the 3200+ with 512MB of RAM is fine. Remember - this is for browsing the web and opening word/excel etc....

THese don't require an ALienware rig with 4 GFX cards and nitrogen cooling

 

[Bloekom]

AMD vs Intel

don't get carried away a blow a wad of cash for an office PC.

If you go AMD - the 3200+ with 512MB of RAM is fine. Remember - this is for browsing the web and opening word/excel etc....

THese don't require an ALienware rig with 4 GFX cards and nitrogen cooling

Maybe if I do spec it like that I can sell my Jetta and drive this PC to work !

Maybe a few points on the application :

In a typical scenario, I will have the following programs running/open at the same time on my laptop :

Lotus Organizer
Firefox - two to three tabs
Thunderbird, with one composition window as well
Windows Explorer
One or two 3rd party quotation programmes/analysis programmes

As the assistant will be doing much the same work, she will be doing more or less the same on the (new) PC

 

[Bloekom]

To put the PC together

What you want the printer to do.
How much you are wanting to spend.
If you want to go AMD or Intel. (Intel allowing you to do more at once, where as AMD is more towards gaming)
I would say you need a min of 1GB RAM
Say away from cheap parts. (ie. cheap brands of RAM and Hdd's)

1. See my thread http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=41631
2. Advice so far in this thread says spend R3000.00 and upgrade later, or spend R6000.00 and be Vista ready/do not upgrade for 3-4 years
3. I'm leaning towards AMD (advice so far on this thread). Gaming is not going to happen - I'll keep her busy, don't you worry ! Intel should help me do a lot at the same time - but looks like some believe AMD may do that as well ?
4. I agree with the 1 Gig RAM
5. I agree - Seagate etc., rather than cheap parts