Computer decisions! Desktop.

[Goldberry1]

I have a light & fast laptop, but I want a desktop to keep at home for more complex/heavy-duty work. I do quite a bit of big-array data analysis and multi-dimensional modeling, so, speed and power are definitely priorities. I know embarrassingly little about hardware - any advice for specific computers or what I should look for?

budget: ~1500 (it's a grant, not my money)

 

[Joseph99]

I know you've stated you do not have much knowledge about hardware so building your own PC is definitely not an option. There is a on online retailer called XOTIC PC and they resell most name brand computers and also make they're own PC's. This a particular model has an Intel® Core™ i5 4690K, which is not bad at all. But since its $1473, its a little under your budget, so you can try upgrading to a i7 4790K if your not feeling that i5:

http://www.xoticpc.com/kilian-stage-p-6593.html

Cheers!

 

[AntonyLovric]

I like stability. I'll suggest a corporate workstation (tower). HP Z440

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/mpc/workstations/product-detail.html?oid=7489993#!tab=specs

Intel® Xeon® E5-1603 v3

(I know it's a little slower http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Xeon-E5-1603-vs-Intel-Core-i5-4690K)

If you're not very technical, the on-site repair/warranty means less fiddling around and downtime.

3-year (3-3-3) limited warranty and service offering includes 3 years of parts, labor and on-site repair. Terms and conditions vary by country. Certain restrictions and exclusions apply.

There is usually a little wiggle room in the price. (Ask for 4 more GB of ram, the worst they can do is say no...)

...ok...one more option: Z230 (cheaper model with more options) tower

http://h71016.www7.hp.com/dstore/MiddleFrame.asp?page=config&ProductLineId=433&FamilyId=3716&BaseId=45384&oi=E9CED&BEID=19701&SBLID=

i7-4790
16GB ram
256GB SSD (need to add a 1/2 TB hard drive)

$1499

 

[C12Friedman]

I'm going to disagree with Joseph here and suggest building your own - if you can follow directions, plug in things and use a screwdriver, you have the skills necessary to build a PC. This video (although dated a bit, is still pertinent) shows what is involved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_56kyib-Ls
A build like the one below is cheaper and better than the XoticPC offering with more ram, an SSD for OS/boot, optical drive. With the 750W PSU it's ready for SLI if you choose to add another graphics cards (that particular XoticPC offering only has one PCIe slot making SLI impossible)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.98 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($27.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($135.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($96.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($73.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.67 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($324.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill Challenger-U3 ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($49.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($131.65 @ OutletPC)
Total: $1283.10
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-05-29 11:18 EDT-0400

 

[Joseph99]

Yes, your build looks a lot better. I would totally recommend building his own PC but I figured it might be difficult or intimidating. But your build I totally agree with.

 

[AntonyLovric]

I'm going to disagree with Joseph here and suggest building your own
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card ($324.99 @ Amazon)

Just curious, why are you including a GPU in the build? I don't think he's gaming. (unless he's using CUDA or something...)

 

[Joseph99]

He said something about multi-dimensional modeling, which assumingly you would need a pretty high-end GPU for that matter. Unless he does not require a high-end GPU and more CPU