Help from the computer guys on here.

[exitspeed]

I'm attending ITT this fall and I want to buy a computer. I get a discount on Dells through school so I'm probably gonna get a Dell. My question is what exactly should I look for. I'm going into there Multimedia program. Learning PS, Illustrator, Audio/Visual technics etc. So I need something that can run mutliple programs at the same time. What should I be looking for?

I know what you must be thinking. This guys going to ITT and he doesn't know shit about computers? It's not that I don't know shit, just not about the internals YET.

[HyperTek]

stay away from celeron powered computers.

look for at least 128 or 256mb video
over 2gigs at least, amd or p4 i think.
over 40gig hd
712 or more mb i think is pretty standard now? I dont know

[Andrew Bohan]

just get the most badass one you can... you'll max it out easy doing all that multimedia stuff :)

[GlacierFreeze]

Tomshardware.com is a great site that tests different brands of hardware. Good stuffs.

Edit...

PS: If you know someone with the knowledge to piece together a computer and start it up, I'd hit up pricewatch.com and buy the top stuff (or close to the best), individually, that is out. You'll save a lot of money doing it that way than buying a pre-built computer from a company. Or you could switch to Geico and save on your auto insurance. :D

[Andrew Bohan]

^ werd to that
i bought a premade computer once. it was meh. built every one after that.
and if you need customer service, dell's is in india. have fun.

[exitspeed]

Well the thing is I need a laptop...cause my GF needs to use it too for work. And I don't think you can build a laptop like a desktop???

[exitspeed]

Hows this one http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/featured_notebook2?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs the second one in for $1279. looks pretty good to me.

[GlacierFreeze]

Doesn't seem too bad. I'd see about getting the step up on the hard drive and video card. But that's just me.

[AAA240SX]

I think this one would be adequate: http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/featured_notebook3?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs.

Also, for convenience sakes, check out the accessories for the notebooks. Dell offers a hub adapter that allows you to connect the notebook to a regular keyboard and stationary monitor. It comes in handy when you want to study at home comfortably, as well as take your notebook with you to the library and such. With a regular desktop cpu, you don't have that advantage.

I got the hub adapter in black and it works awesome...just my 2 pennies...

[exitspeed]

thanx for all the help guys...I really appreciate it.

[exitspeed]

I think this one would be adequate: http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/featured_notebook3?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs.

Also, for convenience sakes, check out the accessories for the notebooks. Dell offers a hub adapter that allows you to connect the notebook to a regular keyboard and stationary monitor. It comes in handy when you want to study at home comfortably, as well as take your notebook with you to the library and such. With a regular desktop cpu, you don't have that advantage.

I got the hub adapter in black and it works awesome...just my 2 pennies...

Ok one more question though...how come that one has a smaller proccessor(1.5 vs 3.0)but is more money?

[aznpoopy]

for a pc, go to a discount website like techbargains... use the rebates and shit to buy the most barebones dell you can find. should be about 300-400 bucks shipped. then add this junk in yourself:

upgrade memory to 1gig ($100-150)
at least a 128MB video card (i suggest a radeon 9800 pro) ($150-200)
17" flatscreen monitor ($300)
spare 120GB+ HD ($80-150)


if you get a laptop, don't expect to get great performance for cheap. they are easily $500 - $1000 more expensive then a comparable PC. for a laptop you NEED one with a videocard. you can't add it in later. the only thing you can really upgrade on a laptop is the memory, and maybe add external drives and those little cards.

[Zoom8112]

if you are set on a laptop, i would choose either a very portable one (yet slightly underpowered) like the dell inspiron 300m. its powered by the pentium-M which is really good because it performs well but consumes little battery and dissipates less heat then desktop competitors. its small and lightweight but dell does offer a docking station so you can use your regular keyboard, mouse, and optical drive.

if not, the other suggestion is to go with its uberhigh end system the inspirion XPS. they use the same high end pentium 4 processors with hyperthreading technology as the desktop processors. lots of cache and the multithreading helps you in the multimedia processing apps. you can also get a very large 15.4" widescreen display - very beautiful. downside is that these systems use up a lot of battery and may get hot after prolong usage. they also cost quite a bit.

i personally like the 300m and if i were to get a laptop right now, it would be this one because its the epitomy of portable computing.

[old_s13]

build that shit yerself

[MakotoS13]

i got some advice:

don't go to ITT. it sucks and its WAAAAAAAAAAAAY more expensive than its worth. i'm a GRADUATE and i regret ever attending that crapfest of a school. seriously, BAIL NOW.

i'm dead serious dude, its a serious rippoff. go to a local college. don't listen to the ITT tech hype. it's bullcrap and you'll be payin prolly 8K more than i did. freaking RIP OFF.

okay, thats my one good act of 2004.