topic Re: Is 500GB enough? in Electronics

Is 500GB enough?

NickNack — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 03:15:50 GMT

I need a new laptop. I don't download movies or play games. I mostly do e-mail and web searches. I also list on Ebay. I'm looking at a Dell Intel Core i5 processor, 6 GB memory and 500 GB Hard Drive. They have it at a very good price right now on Dell's website. I'm also looking at a couple of computers from QVC that are more expensive but have more memory and hard drive. Will I be happy with this one from Dell's website or sorry that I didn't go with something more?

Re: Is 500GB enough?

ariane — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 03:30:14 GMT

Cloud storage is getting very cheap or even free so hard drive storage isn't much of an issue but do buy as much RAM as you can afford. The more the better for both performance now and the ability to power future applications.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

feline groovy — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:01:16 GMT

It's fine; 500 is a good minimum.

750 is even better, though, so check on Amazon and other vendors for the best price.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

ChillyTulip — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:17:00 GMT

500GB is more than enough especially if you don't game or download movies!! You will probably not use a fraction of it but better have too much than not enough.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Nuttmeg — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:18:38 GMT

I like a laptop to have 1TB of HD space, 8GB of RAM, and a i5 processor. You are going to be listing on eBay and can use the space.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

NickNack — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:32:30 GMT

Thank you everyone. You've given me a lot to think about. I'll keep checking other places before I decide. The two computers on QVC I'm considering are these two. They're both dual core i5 processors. What's the difference between a dual core and a quad core. Is the quad core considerably better?

http://www.qvc.com/Dell-15-Touchscreen-Laptop---2GHz-Intel-i7,-8GB-RAM,-1TB-HDD.product.E279922.html?itemtId=221251415&sc=E279922-SHPL

http://www.qvc.com/Dell-15-Touch-Laptop---1.7GHz-Intel-i5,-8GB-RAM,-1TB-HDD.product.E279930.html?itemtId=221251421&sc=E279930-SHPL

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Lynnj — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:37:52 GMT

500GB is more than enough for your needs. In fact, you could even buy something with 250GB, which would be more than enough for you. I recommend you put your money towards RAM and get at least 8GB, the 6 you list above is not that much with all the demands that windows 8 operating system uses, along with many websites. So I recommend 8GB RAM and 250 GB hard drive for you. See what kind of prices you see with those specs, probably better. Go to Dell, or HP,,or whatever manufactor and select the build your own. Use the specs above.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Lynnj — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:40:48 GMT

The best description for dual and quad core I heard on HSN once. Imagine individual lanes (like checkout lanes at the store) dual core is like having two lanes open, quad core is like having 4 lanes open. Processors in your computer process information. So imagine, more lanes allow more information through at the same time faster. Quad core is obviously better than dual.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Lynnj — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:44:17 GMT

On 11/6/2014 NickNack said:
Thank you everyone. You've given me a lot to think about. I'll keep checking other places before I decide. The two computers on QVC I'm considering are these two. They're both dual core i5 processors. What's the difference between a dual core and a quad core. Is the quad core considerably better?

http://www.qvc.com/Dell-15-Touchscreen-Laptop---2GHz-Intel-i7,-8GB-RAM,-1TB-HDD.product.E279922.html?itemtId=221251415&sc=E279922-SHPL

http://www.qvc.com/Dell-15-Touch-Laptop---1.7GHz-Intel-i5,-8GB-RAM,-1TB-HDD.product.E279930.html?itemtId=221251421&sc=E279930-SHPL

Personally, I think you can get better prices if you go directly to Dell website and buy from them. The Q throws additional junk in and raises the prices. Make you think your getting a deal. Computer to computer, spec to spec, it will be cheaper directly from the manufacturer - Dell, HP, Toshiba,,etc.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

NickNack — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:06:39 GMT

On 11/6/2014 Lynnj said:
On 11/6/2014 NickNack said:
Thank you everyone. You've given me a lot to think about. I'll keep checking other places before I decide. The two computers on QVC I'm considering are these two. They're both dual core i5 processors. What's the difference between a dual core and a quad core. Is the quad core considerably better?

http://www.qvc.com/Dell-15-Touchscreen-Laptop---2GHz-Intel-i7,-8GB-RAM,-1TB-HDD.product.E279922.html?itemtId=221251415&sc=E279922-SHPL

http://www.qvc.com/Dell-15-Touch-Laptop---1.7GHz-Intel-i5,-8GB-RAM,-1TB-HDD.product.E279930.html?itemtId=221251421&sc=E279930-SHPL

Personally, I think you can get better prices if you go directly to Dell website and buy from them. The Q throws additional junk in and raises the prices. Make you think your getting a deal. Computer to computer, spec to spec, it will be cheaper directly from the manufacturer - Dell, HP, Toshiba,,etc.

When I go to Dell's websites and put in my specs, 1000 GB (1TB) & up

the computer comes to $1,549.99. The only thing I would willingly change would be the hard drive size, and you can't change that with the other configurations that I have. I know I don't really need 100 GB (1TB) but that's my only choice after I've picked the other specs. I'm wanting to spend around $800 for a computer, or less of course.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Lynnj — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:13:02 GMT

Not sure what you are clicking on at their website. I see an Inspiron starting at $849 with pretty good specs.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Nuttmeg — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:18:34 GMT

I found this computer at Dell. http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-17r-5737/pd?oc=frtl17r1563h. 17R-5737.

Dell has discount coupons, and MPP Member Purchase Plan to save money.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

NickNack — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:26:09 GMT

I was obviously looking in the wrong place. I was putting my own specs in and getting very limited options. Now I know how to search the site. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Do you need a DVD/CD drive? This is probably a stupid question, but would that be only for watching movies? I've read that it makes the laptop a lot heavier.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Lynnj — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:33:55 GMT

No, you don't need a CD/DVD drive nowadays. In fact many computer companies are starting to make computers without them. If you really needed one, you could buy am external one that you plug into the USB port, and it would sit next to your computer. They don't cost a lot. Music. Movies are all downloaded online nowadays, so don't need drive for those. In the past, you would also use the drive to install some extra computer programs, but all of that can be done online by going trough a website. You just click download, no need for a CD to install programs anymore. So...if it comes down to price, and it would be cheaper to get a computer without a CD/DVD drive, you probably wouldn't miss it, and be better off because you paid less.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Lynnj — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:36:39 GMT

And it does make the laptop heavier. Also makes it thicker. Like I said above, they are starting to make computers without these anymore. (1) not really needed nowadays, (2) makes laptop lighter, (3) companies can design laptops to be thinner. Thinner and lighter are big sellers these days, since people take computers with them everywhere they go.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Nuttmeg — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:39:41 GMT

On 11/6/2014 NickNack said:
I was obviously looking in the wrong place. I was putting my own specs in and getting very limited options. Now I know how to search the site. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Do you need a DVD/CD drive? This is probably a stupid question, but would that be only for watching movies? I've read that it makes the laptop a lot heavier.

I still buy a DVD/CD drive for burning discs, and playing movies. LOL, I do not move my Alienware laptop around much. My desktop computers stay in one place. I move tablets.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

NickNack — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:40:24 GMT

On 11/6/2014 Lynnj said: No, you don't need a CD/DVD drive nowadays. In fact many computer companies are starting to make computers without them. If you really needed one, you could buy am external one that you plug into the USB port, and it would sit next to your computer. They don't cost a lot. Music. Movies are all downloaded online nowadays, so don't need drive for those. In the past, you would also use the drive to install some extra computer programs, but all of that can be done online by going trough a website. You just click download, no need for a CD to install programs anymore. So...if it comes down to price, and it would be cheaper to get a computer without a CD/DVD drive, you probably wouldn't miss it, and be better off because you paid less.

Thanks Lynnj. I think I've found a computer at Dell with $125 off + an extra $50 discount, making it $699. It's a TouchScreen with an Intel Core i7 Processor, 8GB Memory and 1TB Hard Drive. It does not have the CD/DVD drive. That does sound like a pretty good deal to me. Thank you everyone for all of your help! If anyone has any other suggestions I'm not going to order it for a couple of days.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

Lynnj — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 06:16:52 GMT

Good luck. Keep looking. Maybe you find something else, or somewhere else. For a better price. I think you learned a lot about different specs tonight. And learned how to search a website to put your own specs in. You should feel good and now empowered to find what you want for the best price.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

glb613 — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 13:34:51 GMT

On 11/6/2014 nutmeg3 said:
On 11/6/2014 NickNack said:
I was obviously looking in the wrong place. I was putting my own specs in and getting very limited options. Now I know how to search the site. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Do you need a DVD/CD drive? This is probably a stupid question, but would that be only for watching movies? I've read that it makes the laptop a lot heavier.

I still buy a DVD/CD drive for burning discs, and playing movies. LOL, I do not move my Alienware laptop around much. My desktop computers stay in one place. I move tablets.

None of my computers have a built-in DVD/CD drive and I bought a super drive. I found I really need one now and then so I spent the money. I wanted to install Quicken on my Dell. I transferred the contents of the CD to a USB drive and was able to install the software. I've done this with several programs I have.

I also make DVD copies of data I can't afford to lose. I have data back upped on external drives but also make DVDs.

I cringe when I hear hosts tout big hard drives and how much storage you have. You should never have anything you can't afford to lose stored in one place. With all of the options for backups, having a huge hard drive isn't needed. With that being said, I wouldn't go lower than 500 GB.

I agree with others who recommended a fast processor and at least 8 GB of RAM for better computer performance.

Re: Is 500GB enough?

jackthebear — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 13:46:30 GMT

I have a 500 gb and have used about 100 in 2 years

just checked it.

and probably most of that is junk. you should be fine with that or less

I am actually going to run disk cleanup now