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Good computer for home??

Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 1:55 pm
by AlpineKid
I am looking at this Gateway computer @ http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668613.php for $559.99.
Any opinions? The one thing I am nervous about is the motherboard. What is meant by Systemboard?
This computer will be used for home use, internet surfing, a little home business stuff. NO gameing.
Gateway® DX4831-01e
Processor-Intel® Core™ i3-530 (2.93GHz, 4MB L2 Cache) with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
Motherboard-Systemboard with Intel® H57 Express Chipset

Thank you for the help.

Re: Good computer for home??

Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:57 pm
by Major_A
Seems fine to me. Hell 6GB of DDR3 RAM these days will cost almost 1/3 of the price of the entire system you have listed there.

If you are in the market for a decent machine that will not be gaming my buddy picked his mom up a HP Phenom II Quad Core, 8GB RAM, and a semi-real video card for a pretty good deal off the newegg.

Link added: Here is what I believe he purchased.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6883147196

Re: Good computer for home??

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:29 am
by AlpineKid
How old is the Phenom II Quad Core compared to the Intel® Core™ i3-530 which is new this year?
Is it just as fast and do the multi-tasking that I will be doing?
Did you know that the Manufacturer Limited Warranty period (parts & labor) is for 90 days?
I think the Gateway is for a year.
I am going to be replacing these computers, Intel® Celeron® 2.66GHz Intel® Pentium®4 2.66GHz, that are slow and can only do maybe 3 things at a time. And will not handle Windows 7.
I would like something that is going to last awhile. I know that technology keeps getting better every day, but I need to move up today.

If I may also ask, should I get upgrade my router? I am using a Linksys 2.4 GHz wireless-B.
And how hard of a change is it from using Windows XP to go to Windows 7?
Thanks for the help.

Major_A wrote:Seems fine to me. Hell 6GB of DDR3 RAM these days will cost almost 1/3 of the price of the entire system you have listed there.

If you are in the market for a decent machine that will not be gaming my buddy picked his mom up a HP Phenom II Quad Core, 8GB RAM, and a semi-real video card for a pretty good deal off the newegg.

Link added: Here is what I believe he purchased.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6883147196

Re: Good computer for home??

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:59 am
by JMMD
That should be more than enough PC for what you want to do with it.

I would definitely consider upgrading the router but if your current one suits your needs than don't worry about it.

Going from XP to Windows 7 shouldn't be too much of a shock but it may take a little while to find some things. It's definitely a good upgrade though.

Re: Good computer for home??

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:06 pm
by DaddyRabbit
AlpineKid wrote:I am looking at this Gateway computer @ http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668613.php for $559.99.
Any opinions? The one thing I am nervous about is the motherboard. What is meant by Systemboard?
This computer will be used for home use, internet surfing, a little home business stuff. NO gameing.
Gateway® DX4831-01e
Processor-Intel® Core™ i3-530 (2.93GHz, 4MB L2 Cache) with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
Motherboard-Systemboard with Intel® H57 Express Chipset

Thank you for the help.
Systemboard=Mainboard=Motherboard=Mobo. Gateway like any other manufacturer OEMs motherboards. They won't say in spec sheets the particular manufacturer (could be MSI, Foxcon, Asus, whoever) because the supplier can, and usually will, change in a given model batch to batch due to supply and cost. It's not a worry item. The H57 is a newer Intel chipset that takes advantage of the CPU integrated graphics.

If gaming isn't an issue then this system should more than fit the bill for everything else a home user might want to do.

As to the router, as was stated before if it does what you need it to do then why upgrade?

Re: Good computer for home??

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:52 pm
by kylepaddock
My input. For my family they use a Amd 4000+ Dual core 2.0Ghz, 2GB RAM, @00GB HDD, and a Nvidia 6400 and works find for them. Bought it 3 years ago.