Electronics

[LilacTree]

On 10/3/2014 chickenbutt said:

How do you download another processor? I didn't even know you could do that.

I sometimes wonder how they choose the numbers, too.

My next one will probably be an i7. I have some i5 computers now and they are plenty fast for me, though. I'm not a 'gamer' (unless you count solitaire - ha!).

I was wrong saying "download." I should have said "upgraded," and it really has to be done by a professional. However, it's a moot point because it's not true anyway. That processor is far from ready. I got bad info from YouTube. Sorry. Just ignore the post.

I have i7 on my new desktop, but I can't set it up because the monitor isn't here yet. I'm supposed to get it early next week. Can't wait to see how much faster that will be.

[chickenbutt]

Oh wow! I hope you get your monitor soon. I'd be climbing the walls if I got part of my toy but couldn't play with it because I don't have everything.

As you might deduce, I'm more of an electronic toy girl and not so much with the bags and shoes, etc. hehe

I bet the i7 will be really fast, assuming you have plenty of memory and I cannot imagine you wouldn't.

[gardenman]

You don't always see a significant increase in speed from moving to a faster processor. Commercially made PC's tend to use slower memory and slower hard drives, and those often become bottlenecks that slow down the processor. You can make a blindingly fast computer using solid state hard drives and the fastest memory with an older/slower CPU that will run circles around a much faster CPU combined with slow memory and a mechanical hard drive. Video cards also play a role in the perceived speed of a computer. A "standard" commercial computer using the latest and greatest CPU, can often be eclipsed by a custom made PC using an older/slower processor where everything else is optimized for the maximum possible speed.

I'm not a big fan of spending a lot of money on the latest and greatest CPU. They typically retail for around $1000 for the first few months. For a third or less of that you can get a perfectly competent CPU that will perform very similarly and give you hundreds of dollars extra to indulge in faster components. If you stay a year or two behind the "state-of-the-art" you're paying a fair price, getting excellent performance, and can spend the difference in money on the other components that you would likely have to compromise on to get the latest and greatest CPU. If you're willing to spend $3000-$5000 on a PC then you can build one without compromise that will put every other desktop computer to shame. Most sane people though don't spend that kind of money on a PC. (And truthfully, very, very few need to.)

[glb613]

If you are an intense gamer or do video editing, you will need a high end processor. Otherwise, a mid-range computer will meet your needs.

[Mayfayre]

I got the Dell laptop TSV last year with the i7 processor, 8GB RAM and 1TB HD. The difference is faster loading, quicker processing and the ability to handle a larger workload without heating up. With the same workload, my earlier laptop's fan would be blowing, trying to cool things off; I can probably count on one hand the number of times the fan has actually been noticeably blowing on this one since I got it.

[LilacTree]

On 10/3/2014 chickenbutt said:

Oh wow! I hope you get your monitor soon. I'd be climbing the walls if I got part of my toy but couldn't play with it because I don't have everything.

As you might deduce, I'm more of an electronic toy girl and not so much with the bags and shoes, etc. hehe

I bet the i7 will be really fast, assuming you have plenty of memory and I cannot imagine you wouldn't.

Believe me I am! The monitor came yesterday and I hooked everything up on the floor (because I can't lift anything). And guess what? Dell says the monitor is defective because I can't get it to show an identifiable image. I don't think it's defective but they are sending me a new one which I won't get until WEDNESDAY. My daughter is coming over today and she is very adept at computers as well, and I'm going to ask her to reconnect all the cables because my hands are just not strong enough to screw everything in tightly enough and I think that's the problem.

The computer came with i5, but I talked them into i7 with no increase in price. So the specs are Intel Core i7 processor, 8 mgs ram, windows 7, and 1 tb hard drive. The one thing I was disappointed with is that everything is so heavy. My last two computers were laptops with no strength or expertise necessary to set up.

Sooner or later I'll get there!! LOL

[chickenbutt]

Argh! Well, that's pretty fast service by Dell so, hopefully, all will work well.

That's lots of computer. Yeah, I stopped with desktops a number of years ago so I can imagine how heavy it would seem. I cannot lift much either. But I really don't miss them. Laptops are so much easier for me.

I even use one of my laptops as a desktop, in my home office. I have my old 19" Dell monitor (still going strong after all these years!), a regular keyboard, a mouse, and Bose speakers all hooked up to it. I just keep the laptop on a laptop stand (as I do with all of them to keep them cool) and it's the same as having a desktop without having the box on the floor and dealing with longer cables and the weight issue.

[LilacTree]

On 10/5/2014 chickenbutt said:

Argh! Well, that's pretty fast service by Dell so, hopefully, all will work well.

That's lots of computer. Yeah, I stopped with desktops a number of years ago so I can imagine how heavy it would seem. I cannot lift much either. But I really don't miss them. Laptops are so much easier for me.

I even use one of my laptops as a desktop, in my home office. I have my old 19" Dell monitor (still going strong after all these years!), a regular keyboard, a mouse, and Bose speakers all hooked up to it. I just keep the laptop on a laptop stand (as I do with all of them to keep them cool) and it's the same as having a desktop without having the box on the floor and dealing with longer cables and the weight issue.

The only reason I switched was because I couldn't downgrade to Windows 7. Otherwise, with a few exceptions, I was satisfied with the laptop. Had I been able to downgrade, I would have gladly kept the laptop. I never used the laptop other than on top of my desk anyway, so lack of portability isn't an issue either.

I should have tried your suggestion first, however, I had already ordered the desktop. I will say I love the bigger keyboard too. I am twice as fast on the standalone keyboard as I am on the smaller laptop keyboard, again because of my fingers, I guess.

Hopefully, I will have a few more years being able to use a computer, and I want to be comfortable with it if I can be.

[glb613]

You need to check the Sunday ads. Either Staples or Office Depot/Max has a bunch of Windows 7 computers for sale.

[LilacTree]

On 10/5/2014 glb613 said:

You need to check the Sunday ads. Either Staples or Office Depot/Max has a bunch of Windows 7 computers for sale.

For $800, with Windows 7, i7 processor, 80 mg ram, and 1 tb hard drive? I didn't see any others online and I don't get a newspaper. And my girls have been after me to get a desktop because of the larger keyboard when they see me struggling with the laptop-sized keyboard.

I would have still kept the laptop were it not for the OS.

Frankly, I hardly ever do the right thing practically. I am not smart that way. Not to mention that it's too late now. I already have the computer.

Thanks anyway.