Need Computer

[CT209]

My old Dell desktop is gone. It was about eight years old and the processor kept going down- the thing keeps crashing. Then it got hit with a virus of some sort and now it's toast.

So new computer time. I currently down to using my ancient Sony laptop and it's way outdated. Dells appear to have gone up- I ran a custom set-up through them and it came to about $1800. What's a good computer for a reasonable price these days?

Also, this is the second time something got through my Mcafee? Is there a better anti-virus program?

[jmur5074]

I use Trend Micro Antivirus. I've had my HP laptop for going on 4 years now and haven't had it crap out from a virus yet. It's still pretty fast and is good for everything I use it for.

[pac201]

I have a gateway that is 6+ years old, use spybot search and destroy(free) and superantispyware(also free) no problems so far...

[Buttercup]

I'm in the market for a new laptop as well. For what I need, I've been seeing a price range of $1300-$1600 (the highest quote included a netbook along with the laptop).

[Twan007]

I build my own desktops, so I couldn't tell you about a good company or price for those - I never go for the top of the line, about middle grade, they last me about 4 years, and run me about $800...

I just priced laptops for my wifey and for a friend, I like Toshiba laptops, I hear that Asus isn't too shabby - the Toshiba that my friend picked up ran about $450 - but then it all depends on need, she only needed it for school work and to get on the internet and goof off

if you game, have high res programs, or other intense stuff that you're running, of course you're going to need more high end stuff - but my desktop that I built can pretty much handle whatever, it's almost a year old and the components were top of the line a year and a half ago

[Second Chance]

Both my desktop and laptop are Gateways'..........no real preference for me, just got good deals on them.........;-)

[lewisipso]

I run Avast antivirus and have yet to have had a problem with mine. My son recently had a an issue with his but I'm not exactly sure how. I think it was a voluntary click on an unknown pop up instead of closing it. That's how it got past the Avast on his. Zapped him good. Mac helped out bunches on that.
My wife purchased an Asus in the $600 dollar range and it is working pretty damn good.

[Second Chance]

Mac hooked me up with Spybot......a really good program and free............;-)

[APB]

(Disclaimer: personal opinion, based upon years of doing computer stuff).

Laptops: buy Lenovo. Hands-down the best quality materials and build, and their service is insane. Must be ordered online. If you need to go and buy one in a store, generally ASUS and Sony Vaio are good.

Desktops: if you can, build your own. Not as hard as you'd think. PM me if you need info on good components. Advantage of upgrade-ability without having to replace entire system, and you get WAY more for your money... I recently built a system for a friend for $1,200 which would have cost $3,500 if comparably spec'ed from Dell.

If not, then Gateway is actually making decent desktops right now. Also look at Lenovo's desktops. I personally think that Dell = crap. They break down completely after 3-5 years, and they use awful-quality components.

Anti-virus: Norton Security Suite, the newest version. Set it and forget it. Either that or NOD32, IMHO.

[Victor]

(Disclaimer: personal opinion, based upon years of doing computer stuff).

Laptops: buy Lenovo. Hands-down the best quality materials and build, and their service is insane. Must be ordered online. If you need to go and buy one in a store, generally ASUS and Sony Vaio are good.

Desktops: if you can, build your own. Not as hard as you'd think. PM me if you need info on good components. Advantage of upgrade-ability without having to replace entire system, and you get WAY more for your money... I recently built a system for a friend for $1,200 which would have cost $3,500 if comparably spec'ed from Dell.

If not, then Gateway is actually making decent desktops right now. Also look at Lenovo's desktops. I personally think that Dell = crap. They break down completely after 3-5 years, and they use awful-quality components.

Anti-virus: Norton Security Suite, the newest version. Set it and forget it. Either that or NOD32, IMHO.

You can get Lenovo Laptops at your local Best Buy. Don't remember the pricing but I have never heard anything bad about them. They are definitely one of the sturdiest laptops I have seen. If the OP is going to lug it around work or on trips I would definitely go with Lenovo.

In any other case, when it comes to laptops, I would recommend Toshiba. In my experience, they have the best "bang for the buck."

As far as antivirus programs go, you don't need more than AVG. You can download it for free. Norton uses a lot of computer resources and will slow down the system. In reality, it's overkill.

[TXCharlie]

I would think about getting a refurbished Dell desktop or laptop off eBay or Property Room or something (one with at least a 90-day warranty) from a vendor who is highly rated and has sold a lot of refurb systems.

I got a refurbished D600 Dell laptop several years ago off of PropertyRoom.com for $250 which had a one year warranty and was pre-loaded with Windows XP. Still going strong, except that the hard drive was too small so I got a 250GB one (it won't support over 160 GB partition, however - It'll run for a while, then as soon as it writes outside the 160GB boundary the disk will go corrupt). Once I read the support articles I partitioned my drive into two halfs and it's never given me a problem since.

My desktop was also a refurb off eBay - For only $200 - it's a Dell GX285 or something like that, 2.4GHz, 80 GB SATA hard drive, pre-loaded with Windows XP.

If you've ever priced Windows XP by itself, you see that's worth $100 by itself.

Be sure to get a drive imager program and a usb backup drive and occasionally take a drive image of the entire system in case the drive flakes out. then you can reinstall the whole shebang in one step, instead of having to reload XP and all your software and user files from scratch. Reloading from scratch is hard to do, since the refurbs often don't come with Windows XP install CD's.

The image software is also good propection from viruses if you keep old images and know when the virus first hit. With a 1-TB USB backup drive for about $100, you can keep a good number of disk image backups before it fills up. C/NET has some good reviews on shareware imaging software, but of course the best-known one is Norton Ghost, thus the term "Ghosting a disk"..

[ChesCopPodz]

I'm in the market for a new laptop as well. For what I need, I've been seeing a price range of $1300-$1600 (the highest quote included a netbook along with the laptop).

Look at Acers. My father in law (who is a frickin computer genius) will only buy them for laptops. On his reccommendation, we bought one when our old laptop died. I love the thing.

[MacLean]

I'm still a Dell fan. I've never cooked one, and all the components are brand name. They sell at government rate to government employees, and if you buy it that way you get an American for tech support.

Toshiba makes a nice machine, too.

I'm generally anti-Lenovo. Try getting it fixed, and why buy Chinese computers?

I know nothing about Acer good or bad.

AVG, Avast - some of the best anti-virus programs are free. Spybot is also free, but it's a tool to kill spyware not virii.

[CTR man]

I'm still a Dell fan. I've never cooked one, and all the components are brand name. They sell at government rate to government employees, and if you buy it that way you get an American for tech support.

AVG, Avast - some of the best anti-virus programs are free. Spybot is also free, but it's a tool to kill spyware not virii.

Two Dell Desktops here. Never a bit of trouble. The wife has hers set up for gaming.

AVG here too, Avast is good as well.

BTW, if you ever have to uninstall Norton it is a royal PITA. At least in my experience.

[Xiphos]

I love my Dell. This past January I started having some hardware problems with it and it was still under warranty. Within a couple days I had a guy show up at my door to fix it. It was disassembled and I got a new motherboard and it was put back together in my living room. I had to have this twice and Dell was awesome helping me out.

I use Avast free antivirus and Comodo free firewall. Slick as shit and fast.

When I get the computer I reinstall the OS from scratch and keep all the BS like Norton and McAfee from installing. That crap will slow your computer down and good luck ever getting rid of it.

[MacLean]

Comodo is a decent softwall. So is ZoneAlarm.

I no longer run a softwall and rely on a hardware firewall instead.

[Buttercup]

My current laptop is a Sony Vaio and I use Avast. I'm leaning toward one of the Dell Studio laptops.

[CT209]

I checked with the IT guy that does the work at my wife's office. He priced up a Dell that fits my needs for $782. For another $50 I can up-grade the monitor to a 22"WS. I'm all over that!

He also pointed out that he didn't include Microsoft Office in the price. The package I need has most of the business programs and would have added another $350 to the price. I asked him how I'd get that. He laughed and told me to get it from work. It seems my parent organization will provide us with that free as we work on work-related projects at home. I didn't know that!

So I emailed University Computing to see what I have to do to get that.

[CT209]

My current laptop is a Sony Vaio and I use Avast. I'm leaning toward one of the Dell Studio laptops.

My laptop is a VAIO also. The problem is it's about 8 years old. It's so outdated, it doesn't do anything anymore. Watching a video on YouTube is like watching a slide show.

I don't know how fast the processor is, but it defines the word "slow".

[Buttercup]

My laptop is a VAIO also. The problem is it's about 8 years old. It's so outdated, it doesn't do anything anymore. Watching a video on YouTube is like watching a slide show.

I don't know how fast the processor is, but it defines the word "slow".

I've had mine for maybe 4-5 years or so and it's a bit slow and it's heavy. That's one of the reasons I'm thinking of getting a lower-priced laptop and a netbook that I can take when I travel - or spend a little more and just get an ultralight laptop.