spec recommendation please

[sharynj]

I've been asked to help some family members to buy several new computers (2 laptops and a desktop). It's been a while since I've shopped for a computer, but a P4 2Ghz, 512MB RAM, 30GB HD sounds like a decent machine to me. They're not gamers, and they'll mainly use the computers for Internet and basic Word, Excel type of things. They're very budget-minded (i.e. cheap), and think the prices I've found for these type of computers (from Dell) are too high .

Is Celeron nowadays a good alternative to P4? What's the minimum amount of RAM for Win XP?

 

[dhlucke]

If you don't want a P4 I would get an AMD system. Both are comparable and good. Celerons are really really slow.

Minimum memory is pretty much 256MB although 512MB is ideal and much better.

<font color=red>GOD</font color=red> <font color=blue>BLESS</font color=blue> <font color=red>AMERICA</font color=red>

 

[vk2amv]

For the sory of use you recommend I strongly recommend AMD. Also Dell is the worst choice you could possibily make. A recommended config is

AMD Athlon XP 1700+
One of the Asus A7N266 motherboards. One of the models has inbult video and sound I think. Someone else check me on that please if I am wrong.
512Meg PC2100 Memory
Seagate 60gig Baracuda 4
17" Monitor
Lite-On CDRW or Lite-On DVD Drive or Both.

Thats for starters. Someone should be able to price that for you. But it will be good performing and cheap. Also another thing to avoid is the new Celerons. They are absolute garbage. Slower than molassas.
AREA_51

'It's only when you look at an ant through a magnifying glass on a sunny day that you realise how often they burst into flames'

 

[sharynj]

Thanks for the warning against the Celeron. I didn't have a high opinion of them before and I guess that's still true now.

I didn't want to spend the time to build a system. And I can't build laptops anyway. Any recommendations on what are good brands if Dell's not so great? I hate Compaq/HP.

 

[six]

check out flems.com also look on e-bay every once in a while you find something good on there.

 

[camieabz]

Celerons with a 256k cache aren't too bad. FSB of 100, so really only for mobos who's max is that though.

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