Computer Nerds! Halp!

The time has come- my 2006 Dell laptop has served me well, but it's time to retire it to garage only use. I need a laptop to replace it, preferably for years to come, and preferably cheap. And I don't know what I'm doing.

This is currently tempting me. It would be my only home PC, to be used for internet, gaming (doesn't need to be ultra high graphics fancypants mode), movies, editing GoPro footage, and SolidWorks. Good enough? Do I need to budget more? Is there a compelling reason to buy new/buy a desktop?

Thanks in advance. Since I don't know E36 M3 about computers, I owe whoever helps me some solid mechanical advice.

Desktops are much better for gaming because they're much more upgradeable...if it doesn't need to be portable, get a desktop. They're also much cheaper for long-term ownership because every part can be upgraded or replaced.

That laptop you're looking at is a bit short on various types of memory for gaming use, especially if you want it to last a while. 4GB is the bare minimum you should have for a 64bit OS, I'd recommend 6-8GB. 1GB of video RAM is OK right now, but it won't be for long, see if you can get something with 2GB.

And yes you should increase your budget, that laptop is a good deal overall, but $500 is office laptop money and you probably won't find anything well-suited for gaming in that bracket.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

Well, let's say we either drop gaming as a requirement, or keep the same budget and go desktop. I don't want to upgrade it in the future no matter what it is.

OK well if you drop gaming as a requirement, that laptop with a RAM upgrade will be fine and should come in under $500. 6-8GB of RAM should be good for a while. Even 4GB isn't painful yet.

For keeping the same budget and going with a desktop, do you have any parts that can be reused (like case/monitor/peripherals) or are you starting from scratch?

GameboyRMH wrote: Desktops are much better for gaming because they're much more upgradeable...if it doesn't need to be portable, get a desktop. They're also much cheaper for long-term ownership because every part can be upgraded or replaced. That laptop you're looking at is a bit short on various types of memory for gaming use, especially if you want it to last a while. 4GB is the bare minimum you should have for a 64bit OS, I'd recommend 6-8GB. 1GB of video RAM is OK right now, but it won't be for long, see if you can get something with 2GB. And yes you should increase your budget, that laptop is a good deal overall, but $500 is office laptop money and you probably won't find anything well-suited for gaming in that bracket.

Agreed! I honestly can't stand using laptops in general. They make a very poor substitute for a desktop system and I would NEVER, in 17 million years, ever consider one unless portability was the primary criteria for selection.

Newer laptops aren't as bad, usually you pop off a single bottom plate and you can access everything that's upgradeable, which even extends to the NIC and sometimes the video card these days. Still, if something on the mobo fails (which sometimes includes part of the RAM!) you're berkeleyed.

I have an ancient desktop, I'm not sure what would be useful from it. Crappy monitor, keyboard, case, power supply?

Monitor can be reused if you think it's good enough, same is true of the case if it's a standard form factor.

Keyboard and mouse are definitely new enough if they have USB connectors.

The PSU might need upgrading if it's coming up on a decade of age.

What year is it? Can you post pics, including one of inside the case?

Currently at work, I can check it out when I go home. It's a 2002ish Dell desktop, and while my laptop was top of the line in its' day, the desktop is E36 M3.

Being a Dell you probably can't reuse the case or PSU, they love them some proprietary cases. Not a big problem though, the monitor is the biggest money saver you want to reuse.

Additional question- is this the sort of thing I should just learn the basics of so I can judge for myself? Or is it an endless rabbit hole like cars and motorcycles?

Example: I'll do an hour or so of research before buying something like a welder, but I won't spend whole days "bench building" like I will with a car or bike. Can I get away with the same sort of investment, or will I berkeley myself?

You don't have to go down the endless rabbit hole, but it's there

Last time I did a total overhaul on my gaming PC I spent a good few days bench-building it.

For solid works, you want 8gb ram, minimum and a decent graphics card. Probably not gonna happen in your budget, unless you ditch the laptop requirement. You'll be able to upgrade mem/graphics later w/ a desktop, too. You could handle building your own if you found a decent priced kit on new-egg. Takes some of the research out of the equations (mobo match proc/memory/good enough PSU, etc..).

I have no idea what's in my trusty laptop, but I have always been amazed it can run solidworks. I'm quite confident I can put a computer together if need be- does it save me that much vs. buying used from eBay?

You might get a cheaper computer on eBay but it won't be brand new, it probably costs about the same for a brand new built computer vs. a used one of similar specs, but when you build it yourself you get some peace of mind about the condition of the thing and you'll get some warranty coverage on the parts.

The main issue is finding a copy of Windows that doesn't cost $100+ dollars. Have any techie friends? If they work for some place that does PC work, they will have a mass keyed copy that you can "borrow." Not saying I know anything about this...

Newer versions of Windows are more permissive with moving licenses from one computer to another, if you have an old retail copy (as in, bought separately from the PC) on a computer you're not using, you could transfer that.

Or if you dump gaming as a requirement, Linux should work great for you!

Yeah, I have installed Ubuntu once or twice. I wouldn't recommend switching to someone who isn't interested in trying a new system.

I built my last system with an AMD APU system (A10-6800K I think) it worked alright for what it was. A friend sold me a GTX570 and that pretty much took care of that. If you can work on cars, you can build a desk top. Buy a bare bones kit, install parts and windows, have a decent system for $500 bucks that will blow the doors off that laptop. Also, if you have a flat screen TV, you can use that for a monitor for a while. It will be great except for on fine details like Text. Craiglist is probably full of CRT and older flat panel monitors for cheap.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=30000007%2031001489%204019%204020%20600090099%20600084356%20600084354%20600090157%204018%204021&IsNodeId=1&page=1&bop=And&Order=PRICED&PageSize=90

some very good options there in the $5-600 range. you'd be ok for a good 4+ years.

A modern HD flat screen won't have a problem displaying text, but you might want to crank the size up.

This is pretty much what I did.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Asus-A68HM-PLUS-Motherboard-AMD-Quad-Core-CPU-Model-A10-7850K-8G-Combo-set-/281572953090?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item418f0e4c02

You add a power supply, a hard drive (under 50), an old case, disk drive(25), and windows(90) and you are ready to roll. If you can find a friend with an old PC (assuming your Dell isn't viable) and there is the case and maybe the power supply. This is pretty easy to get for under $500.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

Totally, my 4 year old Plasma is a bit twitchy but it works.

Having read this thread with some interest, some of you need to stop assuming that people are willing to work on their computer.

While I can open the case and change components, I have zero interest in doing it. I will never assemble a computer, or trade parts from an old one to a new one. Other than the screen, since it's generally not included in desktops.

When my laptop starts to go away, I just get another one.

So assume that.

When my last computer started to have memory problems- I got it working by taking the memory in and out. But at the same time, I already ordered a whole new desktop computer to replace it. I had no interest in replacing or rebuilding what I had.

So what would be good for the "just buy the damn think" buyers?

singleslammer wrote: This is pretty much what I did. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Asus-A68HM-PLUS-Motherboard-AMD-Quad-Core-CPU-Model-A10-7850K-8G-Combo-set-/281572953090?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item418f0e4c02 You add a power supply, a hard drive (under 50), an old case, disk drive(25), and windows(90) and you are ready to roll. If you can find a friend with an old PC (assuming your Dell isn't viable) and there is the case and maybe the power supply. This is pretty easy to get for under $500.

Do you use it for gaming? If so I want to pick your brain. I know a CPU with seperate video card will outperform an APU but the buy in is so much cheaper I'm curious if it won't suffice for what I want it to do.

In reply to alfadriver:

Given the OP (I don't know how to type his screen "name") wants to run certain software and possibly games AND stay under $500, building is pretty well his best option.

For those that want to straight out buy (which I totally get) and do the same E36 M3 the OP does, I recommend a Lenovo Y50 Laptop. It will game pretty well, is made of nice materials and other than a E36 M3ty screen has awesome specs for the money. It is at least $900 however. I bought one over christmas and love it. It does whatever I ask of it and I have only had a couple minor glitches which are almost certainly Win 8's fault.

Moral here - Build Desktops, buy laptops.