PDA

View Full Version : What Kind of Home Computer Do You Have??



xubrew
10-14-2014, 11:36 AM
So, I bought a Dell back in 2003 and had it for nine years before it crapped out. I thought that was a pretty good run, so I bought another Dell. It was an Inspiron all in one model that was pretty reliable until the screen crapped out last night. Fortunately it is still under warranty. Unfortunately, after doing a little research, this has happened to lots of people who bought this model, and even when they fix it, it doesn't stay fixed for long.

So, I'm thinking that unfortunately it may be time for a new computer, and I need to be much smarter about it than just saying "well, this first one worked alright, so I'll buy another."

Obviously, I like watching live streams of sporting events. I've never owned a Mac, but have an iPhone and iPad that I use and I like both of those. I know Macs cost more, but if they're better and last longer, then it may be worth it.

I'm somewhere around a C-/D+ when it comes to computers. I pass, but barely. I know how to use google, so when something goes wrong, I type what's wrong into google, and can generally find out how to fix it. Beyond that, I really don't know that much. So, two things that I want are user friendly (ie, easy enough for a dumb person to use), and reliability. I also want something that's compatible with all kinds of video streaming and downloads.

So, in short, for those that do know, what kind of computer do you have, and do you like it??

thanks in advance.

STL_XUfan
10-14-2014, 11:44 AM
After I got my ipad, I decided to downgrade to the Mac mini rather than getting another MacBook. It has been great so far. It is fast enough to handle streaming video and photoshop wihtiut a problem. It is also relatively cheap ($600), but keep in mind it doesn't come with anything but the computer.

Mel Cooley XU'81
10-14-2014, 11:46 AM
I've never owned a Mac, but have an iPhone and iPad that I use and I like both of those. I know Macs cost more, but if they're better and last longer, then it may be worth it.

Two Macs have replaced various PCs in Cooleyville over the past few years.

My Air is outstanding and a pleasure.

Calls to "Mel's Tech Desk" by heavy using, non-technical wife and kids have practically ceased.

Do yourself a favor Brew: make the switch.

nuts4xu
10-14-2014, 12:14 PM
I find my computer is just an interface at this point in my life. I need a PC to interface with I Tunes, I use my laptop to help feed music into my external hard drive. I purchased a new Anus....I mean Asus earlier this year and it is fine. I have Apple TV, I have an IPad, and an IPhone. I could see adding to the Apple family with a Mac Book of some kind. But I don't spend much time on a personal computer/laptop. I use my work computer for work, and use the IPad for personal use. If I need to do anything else, I have the Asus to fill in the gaps. It has an ok processor, not much memory, and does everything I need it to do...and cost about $400.

I enjoy my Asus, it has served me well so far.

xudash
10-14-2014, 12:23 PM
Two Macs have replaced various PCs in Cooleyville over the past few years.

My Air is outstanding and a pleasure.

Calls to "Mel's Tech Desk" by heavy using, non-technical wife and kids have practically ceased.

Do yourself a favor Brew: make the switch.

This.

In my case, the following:

MacBook Pro (tied to a large Apple Display Monitor, which is fantastic). Keyboard and Mouse to go along, so the MB Pro serves as a desktop/laptop.

The first time you turn it on, especially after having been tethered to Microsoft's operating system for so long, it almost blows you away with its ease of use.

All of that is coupled up with an iPad, iPhone, AppleTV and an Apple 2TB AirPort Time Capsule.

Yes, it's more money, but make the switch.

Porkopolis
10-14-2014, 12:54 PM
Right now I have a Samsung Series 7 all-in-one. The touchscreen is nice but I can't stand Windows 8 in general. I'd been a Mac user for years and will be again as soon as I decide to buy a new computer. The cost is higher but the experience is just flat out better.

blobfan
10-14-2014, 01:11 PM
Stay away from Dell. In 2003 it was still good but they've had recurring production issues and don't seem to have turned the corner yet. My top geek resource has been telling me for years to stay away from them.

I'm from a long-time Apple family and own the stock because I love their products. If you can afford it, go for the Mac. Get apple care. Unlike other electronics products my apple items don't tend to punk out within days of the warranty expiring. I've banged up my Macs over the years and aside from the casing getting dented, they hold up well. I truly believe the Mac is a better computing experience. I think coming from a Mac environment at home makes me better at work, even though we use Microsoft. Mostly I notice that people with a Microsoft background give up too damned easily whereas Mac users tend to believe there's a solution out there somewhere if we just look hard enough.

In spite of being an Apple fangirl, I do recommend that gamers get PCs because they are always upgrading and it's generally cheaper to just buy a new computer every 2 years when they go on deep sale at Best Buy in the fall. You can usually find a decent HP or Toshiba in the $300 and under range that is sufficient. Same advice if all you are going to do us use the web and type the occasional e-mail. Or look into one of the google notebooks.

I can't speak to Lynix. Users speak of it favorably but they seem to be more tech oriented. I don't know any casual users.

xudash
10-14-2014, 01:42 PM
Stay away from Dell. In 2003 it was still good but they've had recurring production issues and don't seem to have turned the corner yet. My top geek resource has been telling me for years to stay away from them.

I'm from a long-time Apple family and own the stock because I love their products. If you can afford it, go for the Mac. Get apple care. Unlike other electronics products my apple items don't tend to punk out within days of the warranty expiring. I've banged up my Macs over the years and aside from the casing getting dented, they hold up well. I truly believe the Mac is a better computing experience. I think coming from a Mac environment at home makes me better at work, even though we use Microsoft. Mostly I notice that people with a Microsoft background give up too damned easily whereas Mac users tend to believe there's a solution out there somewhere if we just look hard enough.

In spite of being an Apple fangirl, I do recommend that gamers get PCs because they are always upgrading and it's generally cheaper to just buy a new computer every 2 years when they go on deep sale at Best Buy in the fall. You can usually find a decent HP or Toshiba in the $300 and under range that is sufficient. Same advice if all you are going to do us use the web and type the occasional e-mail. Or look into one of the google notebooks.

I can't speak to Lynix. Users speak of it favorably but they seem to be more tech oriented. I don't know any casual users.

Keep in mind that there is now a perfectly acceptable version of Microsoft Office for Mac. I use it on my MB Pro and have no issues with it.

muskiefan82
10-14-2014, 02:05 PM
I can't, with a clear conscience, recommend ANYTHING from Toshiba if it is a computing device.

xu82
10-14-2014, 02:39 PM
This.

In my case, the following:

MacBook Pro (tied to a large Apple Display Monitor, which is fantastic). Keyboard and Mouse to go along, so the MB Pro serves as a desktop/laptop.

The first time you turn it on, especially after having been tethered to Microsoft's operating system for so long, it almost blows you away with its ease of use.

All of that is coupled up with an iPad, iPhone, AppleTV and an Apple 2TB AirPort Time Capsule.

Yes, it's more money, but make the switch.


My wife got the best of both worlds - she got her Mac Book Pro on QuiBids for something crazy like $16.82 (seriously). It was her first Mac. After using it, she gladly would pay full freight and would have a hard time going back. I remain a dinosaur with my Dell (used only for work) and my iPad and iPhone used for everything else.

casualfan
10-14-2014, 02:42 PM
[/B]

My wife got the best of both worlds - she got her Mac Book Pro on QuiBids for something crazy like $16.82 (seriously). It was her first Mac. After using it, she gladly would pay full freight and would have a hard time going back. I remain a dinosaur with my Dell (used only for work) and my iPad and iPhone used for everything else.


That shit actually works? You're the first real person I've ever heard of winning something on one of those sites.

xu82
10-14-2014, 02:56 PM
That shit actually works? You're the first real person I've ever heard of winning something on one of those sites.

My son also got a 32" HD Samsung TV for under $20 with the extra bid points my wife had left over. There are strategies like having a backup take over for you if you have to go to the bathroom, playing late at night when people would drop out and letting people who auto bid waste all their bids against each other then jump in later when they're out. This was back when it was a new thing with fewer bidder, I think. It was a fun little game we played around the house. After a few wins we quit. I think it's like Vegas, eventually the house wins.

Remember, they don't get just the final price of $16.82. They keep every bid along the way. I think that's how it makes the math works for them.

sirthought
10-14-2014, 03:00 PM
Each of the major manufactures make good and bad models. The higher priced models not only have better components, but the quality of how they put it together is often better. So, if you're going with a PC you might just want to buy a custom build, as you might get a better performer for less money than an expensive one from the big guys.

That said, we tried an Asus laptop: the hardware was fine, except for the power jack kept coming loose and not wanting to connect. The bigger problem was Windows 8, which was a nightmare. I still have a computer with XP and will nurse that along if I can.

The Mac does have a nicer OS than the current Windows. (And I have no issue with Windows XP.) Mac has the best track pad on their laptops. All manufacturers have issues with screen, but Macs typically do well on those. Their graphics cards are frequently a complaint of not being the best or the latest, but they balance things out in other ways for a solid product.

I like the idea of a Mac Mini with a more affordable Dell monitor. Dell has some crap monitors, but they also make really good ones that perform as well as the expensive Mac stand alone monitors.

I think Lenovo is often giving you a lot of bang for you buck, and the Samsung Series 7 laptops get great reviews, but if you're going with a laptop, it has to be the Macbook Pro for the trackpad and Mac OS.

Muskie91
10-14-2014, 03:45 PM
We have the entry level iMac. It came in just under $1,000. Amazing screen and integrates with iPad, iPhone and AppleTV like a dream. My wife has a Macbook Pro that I just upgraded with an SSD. It was 4 years old and is now the fastest computer I've ever used. If you can find a used Macbook and spend the $200 on an SSD you can have one heck of a machine for under $1,000. That and the reliability/ease of use make it a no brainer.

If you want to go the PC root, I would build one from scratch using kits from MicroCenter. You can then add an SSD and fast processor and be upgrade worthy when you need it. I'd go small form factor to integrate as an entertainment hub as well. You can make something screaming for around $750.

X-band '01
10-14-2014, 03:51 PM
Stay away from Dell. In 2003 it was still good but they've had recurring production issues and don't seem to have turned the corner yet. My top geek resource has been telling me for years to stay away from them.


3 months ago, I would have disagreed with this statement. Unfortunately I doubled down recently on both a new desktop and a replacement laptop from Dell after my notebook went belly-up after about a year and a half. I did add a 1TB external hard drive to make it easier for backing up my files - I don't trust cloud backup at all (and no, I don't have anything Jennifer Lawrence-esque that would be low-hanging fruit for hackers).

Sure, I might cringe a little each month when I get my monthly statement from Dell, but my first desktop and lapper were very good for what I needed.

waggy
10-15-2014, 03:35 AM
If you want to go the PC root, I would build one from scratch using kits from MicroCenter. You can then add an SSD and fast processor and be upgrade worthy when you need it. I'd go small form factor to integrate as an entertainment hub as well. You can make something screaming for around $750.

Is 750 for hardware only? What about OS and software?

Xtemporaneous
10-15-2014, 06:36 AM
Apple plain and simple. Two macbooks, two ipads, two iphones, and apple tv. I think I'm a fanboy. Not to mention the macbook that work has assigned to me. The User Interface is easy to navigate for former PC people and of course the updates aren't nearly as often. It's worth the extra money. Trust me.

Xtemporaneous
10-15-2014, 06:40 AM
[/B]

My wife got the best of both worlds - she got her Mac Book Pro on QuiBids for something crazy like $16.82 (seriously). It was her first Mac. After using it, she gladly would pay full freight and would have a hard time going back. I remain a dinosaur with my Dell (used only for work) and my iPad and iPhone used for everything else.

You know... once you go mac...
you never go back.

Muskie91
10-15-2014, 07:34 AM
Is 750 for hardware only? What about OS and software?

Depends on what you're looking for. Linux is open source and solid as is open office. You can get windows and office for around $200 as well and cheaper if you have an .edu email. Google docs works well also.

Porkopolis
10-15-2014, 07:35 AM
You know... once you go mac...
you never go back.

I went mac, went back, regretted it and am going back to mac. As so many have said, the Mac experience is superior.

Muskie91
10-15-2014, 08:03 AM
Motherboard/Chip Bundle - $200
Case - $50
Power supply - $60
HD - $75 ($200 if using SSD)
Blueray Drive - $60
RAM - $100
Case Fan - $10
Monitor - $125
Windows 8 and Office - $200

I'd still recommend the MAC.

mohr5150
10-15-2014, 11:12 AM
I own an Asus laptop and the Asus T-100, which is a hybrid laptop/tablet. Both are solid machines that do everything I need. Windows 8 isn't great but isn't awful, either.

Muskie
10-15-2014, 11:20 AM
My degree from X is in IT. I've used many computers acquired through retail and those I built. Approaching my 14th year out of college, we have a Mac Book, Mac Book Air (which I take to work daily), and an Imac in the home office. With all of my other time commitments, I don't have the time to mess around with computers like I used to. Our Mac's simply work, and are fast. Yes they are pricey, but I've had no problems to speak of with any of them.

paulxu
10-15-2014, 11:30 AM
I thought everybody with Muskie in their board name was a lawyer.

Kahns Krazy
10-15-2014, 12:58 PM
We fully converted to Mac and have never looked back. If the price point isn't a problem, do it.

muskienick
10-15-2014, 01:27 PM
Each of the major manufactures make good and bad models. The higher priced models not only have better components, but the quality of how they put it together is often better. So, if you're going with a PC you might just want to buy a custom build, as you might get a better performer for less money than an expensive one from the big guys.

That said, we tried an Asus laptop: the hardware was fine, except for the power jack kept coming loose and not wanting to connect. The bigger problem was Windows 8, which was a nightmare. I still have a computer with XP and will nurse that along if I can.

The Mac does have a nicer OS than the current Windows. (And I have no issue with Windows XP.) Mac has the best track pad on their laptops. All manufacturers have issues with screen, but Macs typically do well on those. Their graphics cards are frequently a complaint of not being the best or the latest, but they balance things out in other ways for a solid product.

I like the idea of a Mac Mini with a more affordable Dell monitor. Dell has some crap monitors, but they also make really good ones that perform as well as the expensive Mac stand alone monitors.

I think Lenovo is often giving you a lot of bang for you buck, and the Samsung Series 7 laptops get great reviews, but if you're going with a laptop, it has to be the Macbook Pro for the trackpad and Mac OS.

I would recommend that you download Classic Shell. It is free and you can designate what you want your desktop to look like (I chose XP since that was what I had been using for years before I got new computers with Windows 8 which I agree is a nightmare). You still have windows 8 after Classic Shell is installed, but the only time you are aware of it is on the rare occasion when you try to move the cursor too fast from the right side of the screen to the left side. Then, you have to select the "Start" icon that appears as one of five such vertical icons on the right side of the screen and then scroll to the right at the next screen and click on the "Classic Start Menu Settings" in the top row of icons. That'll take you back to the XP look.

It has pretty much completely made the Windows 8 nightmare a thing of the past! At all other times you'll just be able to navigate as though you were in XP except you'll have a shell at the bottom right of the screen instead of a Start button.

sirthought
10-15-2014, 02:33 PM
I would recommend that you download Classic Shell. It is free and you can designate what you want your desktop to look like (I chose XP since that was what I had been using for years before I got new computers with Windows 8 which I agree is a nightmare). You still have windows 8 after Classic Shell is installed, but the only time you are aware of it is on the rare occasion when you try to move the cursor too fast from the right side of the screen to the left side. Then, you have to select the "Start" icon that appears as one of five such vertical icons on the right side of the screen and then scroll to the right at the next screen and click on the "Classic Start Menu Settings" in the top row of icons. That'll take you back to the XP look.

It has pretty much completely made the Windows 8 nightmare a thing of the past! At all other times you'll just be able to navigate as though you were in XP except you'll have a shell at the bottom right of the screen instead of a Start button.

Thanks for the tip. I'm happy using the Mac OS for now, but if I start using Windows again I'll have to remember that.

For what it's worth, I'm not really pleased with a lot of the changes Apple has made to the Mac OS either. Both companies' insistence that your computer OS operate exactly like your mobile device just seems to be narrowing what you want to your computer to able to do for you. It has impacted my work at times with regards to Adobe software. And the whole business of trying to make you get your software through an App store is too Big Brother.

Apple computers also used to be very much the computer for pro users of about anything (math software, graphic software, music software). Now it is much more consumer based, leaving the person who wants a pro-level computer searching or paying through the nose.

xubrew
10-16-2014, 10:00 AM
I am now a Mac owner. I am now with a Mac, and without a savings account.

Now that I've done it wrong, I know how to do it right. If you go to an Apple Store, you can actually make an appointment. They'll show you everything, then configure it for you, and even teach you how to use it. I got home and didn't even know how to scroll down. I literally had to google it. I'm sure if I give it time I'll learn to like it. If not, I've got some time to where I can return it.

sirthought
10-16-2014, 11:21 AM
I am now a Mac owner. I am now with a Mac, and without a savings account.

Now that I've done it wrong, I know how to do it right. If you go to an Apple Store, you can actually make an appointment. They'll show you everything, then configure it for you, and even teach you how to use it. I got home and didn't even know how to scroll down. I literally had to google it. I'm sure if I give it time I'll learn to like it. If not, I've got some time to where I can return it.

I think with Mavericks they put the scroll bars in a "hide" mode where they only show up when you hover over that right side. To change that, go to the top menu bar, select the Apple icon, then select System Preferences. When in System Preferences, select "General." About a quarter of the way down on that screen will be the options for when to show the scroll bar. I keep it set at "always."

People who are on a laptop will just scroll using two fingers on a track pad, but if you want to click with the curser, then showing the scroll bars is the clearest way to go.

I found that after using the Mac for a bit, it actually is much easier to use that Windows. The trick is learning key stroke commands that make everything faster.