Minimum performer for cheap computer

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jeffnc

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Jan 1, 2009
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I'm looking for a second computer for email, web surfing, paying bills, etc. I'm assuming I'll be getting Vista. Is there some performance threshold I'll want to get over just in terms of running Vista and other minor office apps? Will I shoot myself in the foot if I go too cheap? I'd like a slimline model such as the 530s model in the left hand column, a Celeron machine.

http://tinyurl.com/5l998v
 
IMO the hurdle to jump at this price will be to get a system which will run (and comes with) Vista Home Premium. The ones that come with Vista Basic will not run the Aero 3D desktop that makes Vista pretty. These cheapo's are built with obsolete parts and I would avoid them.
 
...a system which will run (and comes with) Vista Home Premium.
 
Dual-core Intel or AMD, and at least 2GB of RAM. We have a 2-year old Dell C521 with a 2GHz Athlon X2, 2GB RAM, and Radeon X1300, and it runs Vista Home Premium very nicely.
 

Yes it will. The NEW systems the OP is looking at are not even that powerful. Hence the hurdle of getting one that comes with Home Premium.
Dell won't sell you a box that can't run the OS they include with it.
 


You, sir, are a tough nut to crack. The minimum system I mentioned from Dell comes with Premium. Presumably it will run it, or presumably they wouldn't sell it with it installed.
 
Sorry. Happy New Year.
All the activities you want to do can be done with a 6 year old Pentium4 2GHz system EXCEPT for running Vista Home Premium.
This is what we use at home running Windows XP to do the same tasks. Office apps take little power, even Macs can run them...
So unless you want to stream video or run games on it, just about anything will do.
 
I have built my own computer before, but it's been awhile and I'm out of the loop and just to avoid hassles and get something quick. I do want the slimline case, as mentioned. I think I'll go with the Inspiron 530s, with Pentium dual-core E5200 (whatever that is!). With shipping and tax it comes to $495.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the processor. My 3.0 ghz P4 handles vista ultimate no problem. I get a slight lag sometimes with Aero because I upgraded to the bare minimum gfx card at the time of the upgrade.

with 2 gb of ram -- the system seems a lot snappier than xp for the most part although I do get some long lags when back ground programs try to get updates --- like when acrobat reader or java wants to tell me there is an update available --- very sluggish. But I was impressed that my 5 year old hardware handled it well.

My other computer is a laptop with a T5500 core 2 duo and it flat out blows my other system away and it has integrated graphics.

anyway - I hope this helps a little.
 
That does look pretty good. No slimline case (I have an issue with desktop space and it has to fit under a little 5" shelf space) but otherwise a real nice looking deal.
 
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