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10-01-2014, 05:07 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 73
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BUYING COMPUTER - Need Help
So, as stated I'm shopping for a home computer. Leaning towards a laptop, but would consider an all in one as well... Was looking to keep it under a thousand bucks... It will be mainly used for emailing, possibly some photo/video editing as we are interested in getting into that... Does anybody have any suggestions? I'm pretty much numb after reading various reviews for the last few hours...
Thanks so much for any help.
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10-01-2014, 05:23 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Westerose
Posts: 4,068
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That was discussed last week in this thread.
I wouldn't over think it. Unless you are after something special (high end gaming system or such) quality systems are readily available.
ARG
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In the immortal words of Jean Paul Sartre, 'Au revoir, gopher'.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sjemac
It has been scientifically proven that a 308 round will not leave your property -- they essentially fall dead at the fence line. But a 38 round, when fired from a handgun, will of its own accord leave your property and destroy any small schools nearby.
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10-01-2014, 05:45 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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MacBook if you want reliability. Once you go Mac, you never go back.
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There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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10-01-2014, 05:47 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 73
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Thanks
Thanks for the link, sounds like a lot of fans of Asus. Not really a Mac guy myself...
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10-01-2014, 06:19 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,368
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Toshiba's are great and well priced.
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10-01-2014, 08:47 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 392
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Just a heads up on the Asus thing,and almost everything I have is Asus or has Asus parts in it but the last year or 2 have become a really pain in the you know what if you need warrenty work done.That said i have not had lots of problems with asus parts and desktops there laptops hit or miss had 2 that where bought as barebones and got a few years out of them.The last 1 was a biss class with a 3 years from asus it and a new motherbored every year and last year the did not want to do it.Spend some time on goggle the warrenty has went to crap.Next 1 I buy looking really hard at MSI.
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10-01-2014, 09:20 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Alberta
Posts: 10,937
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Au revoir, Gopher
I wouldn't over think it.
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Yep, this is good advise.
Pick what you want in your budget if you're going for the laptop. Go for look and feel, size and weight, get what you need. VGA port or HDMI? How many USB ports would you like. Do you need a DVD? Media card reader (SD cards etc). I5 would definitely be in your budget, after that you pick and choose. Keyboard is important for me as I can type pretty quick, some keyboards suck.
I've seen laptops last for 10 years or more, others will fail in a week. Sometimes people pour a rye and coke in them or simply drop them on the floor. Remember, even Mercedes has a service shop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac
MacBook if you want reliability. Once you go Mac, you never go back.
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For under a grand?
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10-01-2014, 09:32 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silverdoctor
Yep, this is good advise.
Pick what you want in your budget if you're going for the laptop. Go for look and feel, size and weight, get what you need. VGA port or HDMI? How many USB ports would you like. Do you need a DVD? Media card reader (SD cards etc). I5 would definitely be in your budget, after that you pick and choose. Keyboard is important for me as I can type pretty quick, some keyboards suck.
I've seen laptops last for 10 years or more, others will fail in a week. Sometimes people pour a rye and coke in them or simply drop them on the floor. Remember, even Mercedes has a service shop.
For under a grand?
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Used?
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There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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10-01-2014, 09:44 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 391
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Video editing as in slideshow/cut paste work or heavy HD re-encoding stuff?? If the latter, go for an intel i7 quad/hex core desktop if you want performance. For a budget rig, maybe look at the AMD FX-series octa-cores which do well for the price in video encoding duties.
Those HP laptops look decent, but the i5-4210u they use is not a powerhouse. U designation = ultra low voltage = lower performance but better battery life.
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10-01-2014, 10:36 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Alberta
Posts: 2,997
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ren008
Video editing as in slideshow/cut paste work or heavy HD re-encoding stuff?? If the latter, go for an intel i7 quad/hex core desktop if you want performance. For a budget rig, maybe look at the AMD FX-series octa-cores which do well for the price in video encoding duties.
Those HP laptops look decent, but the i5-4210u they use is not a powerhouse. U designation = ultra low voltage = lower performance but better battery life.
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For this price range and if you want an HP with an Intel processor, you're not going to get much more than the i5 4210u. At 1.7 ghz with a Turbo Boost to 2.7ghz, it's still not bad for the money. The kid plays Steam games (Counter Strike) online with no problems. I've always had really good luck with HP laptops. I actually bought them onsale for $599.
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10-02-2014, 10:09 AM
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Calgary
Posts: 519
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Get a Toshiba from Costco. Anything goes wrong and your covered. Toshibas are workhorses. Currently using a toshiba laptop we bought over 7 years ago. still going strong.
Consumer reports might be a good way to look into this.
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10-02-2014, 10:17 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: On an agitated planet
Posts: 665
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac
MacBook if you want reliability. Once you go Mac, you never go back.
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Here comes our local Apple fanboy. ^^^^
I remember spending $2500 in 2005 on a really nice macbook pro. One day of 2010, Apple decided the CPU was not good enough to get updates for the OS.
Computer still works great as itself, but it is almost impossible to install new softwares. I can barely browse the net with it. Thanks Apple, for your infamous Planned obsolescence policy. Got caught once, but not twice.
Remember this when you buy any apple device... they are not here to last but to be replaced and to rip you off as much $$$ as possible.
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I like the smell of Retumbo in the morning.
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10-02-2014, 10:29 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West Edmonton
Posts: 5,174
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I like my Lenovo thinkpad. It is a few years old now and still a good computer.
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10-02-2014, 12:52 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Fan girl - get it right. 
I'm in publishing and writing, and I'm not good at fixing computers. I just need them to work, all the time.
I bought my MacBookPro in 2009 and haven't had a single issue with it, other than when I left it next to an open window and it was sitting in an inch of water. And it even recovered from that. I have never had an issue yet updating an iOS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredo
Here comes our local Apple fanboy. ^^^^
I remember spending $2500 in 2005 on a really nice macbook pro. One day of 2010, Apple decided the CPU was not good enough to get updates for the OS.
Computer still works great as itself, but it is almost impossible to install new softwares. I can barely browse the net with it. Thanks Apple, for your infamous Planned obsolescence policy. Got caught once, but not twice.
Remember this when you buy any apple device... they are not here to last but to be replaced and to rip you off as much $$$ as possible.
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__________________
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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10-02-2014, 12:58 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: On an agitated planet
Posts: 665
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac
Fan girl - get it right.
I'm in publishing and writing, and I'm not good at fixing computers. I just need them to work, all the time.
I bought my MacBookPro in 2009 and haven't had a single issue with it, other than when I left it next to an open window and it was sitting in an inch of water. And it even recovered from that. I have never had an issue yet updating an iOS. |
All apologies for the gender mistake.
Apple have quality components for sure and they work great... until the day Apple decide you have to upgrade.
Windows 7 and 8 are behemoth to run, but if you got appropriate power and tweak it a bit, they work great. And yes I feel weird to say such a thing 
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I like the smell of Retumbo in the morning.
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10-02-2014, 01:14 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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That's the thing – I don't tweak. And when I do, I make it worse. I need very few tools to do my job, and that's the most important one.
So, for people like me, the reliability issue definitely makes me suggest Mac. My sister bought a laptop (Windows) at the same time I bought my MacBook. She was a student then and was concerned about money as well. But she ended up having to take hers in a bunch of times for work, and it's sooooo slow these days, I don't even think she really uses it anymore, and hasn't much for a couple of years. Add to the fact that she was writing a thesis on that thing and has the same computer skill set I have, and she would definitely have chosen a Mac in retrospect.
But for people like you that can spend the time and have the knowledge to make them run correctly, and can afford some down time, I can totally see why you would suggest PC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredo
All apologies for the gender mistake.
Apple have quality components for sure and they work great... until the day Apple decide you have to upgrade.
Windows 7 and 8 are behemoth to run, but if you got appropriate power and tweak it a bit, they work great. And yes I feel weird to say such a thing |
__________________
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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10-02-2014, 02:06 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Outside Airdrie
Posts: 1,290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac
MacBook if you want reliability. Once you go Mac, you never go back.
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Agreed!
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverdoctor
For under a grand?
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MacBook Air $999
http://store.apple.com/ca/buy-mac/macbook-air
That's all you need.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredo
Here comes our local Apple fanboy. ^^^^
I remember spending $2500 in 2005 on a really nice macbook pro. One day of 2010, Apple decided the CPU was not good enough to get updates for the OS.
Computer still works great as itself, but it is almost impossible to install new softwares. I can barely browse the net with it. Thanks Apple, for your infamous Planned obsolescence policy. Got caught once, but not twice.
Remember this when you buy any apple device... they are not here to last but to be replaced and to rip you off as much $$$ as possible.
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Upgrading does have limits and that's not only Apple. At least the upgrade are FREE and they do go back years now. If your Mac is too old to upgrade, that doesn't mean it won't work any longer.
A Mac is the most stable system out there. I still have one of the first iMacs running the original OS and it WORKS!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredo
Apple have quality components for sure and they work great... until the day Apple decide you have to upgrade.
Windows 7 and 8 are behemoth to run, but if you got appropriate power and tweak it a bit, they work great. And yes I feel weird to say such a thing |
Again, see above. The latest (last year's Mavericks) update is running on 2007 Macs. I would say that's decent. And did I mention FREE???
http://www.apple.com/ca/osx/how-to-upgrade/
__________________
There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can't. What you have got to do is turn around and say "watch me". - unknown
"If life is tough, it's time to get stronger!" - Joel Runyon (reminder to myself)
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10-02-2014, 02:10 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Outside Airdrie
Posts: 1,290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arachnodisiac
Fan girl - get it right.
I'm in publishing and writing, and I'm not good at fixing computers. I just need them to work, all the time.
I bought my MacBookPro in 2009 and haven't had a single issue with it, other than when I left it next to an open window and it was sitting in an inch of water. And it even recovered from that. I have never had an issue yet updating an iOS. |
Totally with you!
I am using Macs for almost 15 years now and never had a issue. Never had a failed upgrade or anything.
Never used a computer that's easier and more intuitive.
I am not saying they are perfect but reliable, stable and no headache work horses.
__________________
There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can't. What you have got to do is turn around and say "watch me". - unknown
"If life is tough, it's time to get stronger!" - Joel Runyon (reminder to myself)
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10-02-2014, 05:51 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 933
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Not sure if it's been said but go to memory express and tell them what you wanna do with the computer and they will set you up and they have excellent customer service!
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10-02-2014, 06:41 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 938
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After getting my Parents a laptop about 5 months ago and all the problems they have with it, and the problems I have had with my computers the past couple years Mac looks pretty inviting despite the stupid price for them. My daughter got a Mac a couple years ago and it's been problem free sailing for her, when her previous 2 laptops were continual issues.
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10-02-2014, 06:43 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Calgary, Ab
Posts: 2,835
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my wife and I have a samsung. Be careful with new laptops... windows 8 can be very frustrating if its not touch screen... until you get to know it well, it seems like junk.
stay away from dell & hp IMO
mac is by far the best quality, reliability, and very durable as well. will also hold its resale value for the most part.
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