[mad_skillz]

hello,

i am thinking about buying this laptop.can anyone tell me from what you see how this would be.and also would there be room for upgrades in the near future?i will be using this for browsing,watching videos online and light gaming.

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Did you forget something in your post above?

Understand that NO notebook offers many, if any, upgrade options. Notebooks are notorious for heat related issues which is why notebooks do not make good gaming machines.

[Digerati]

Did you forget something in your post above?

Understand that NO notebook offers many, if any, upgrade options. Notebooks are notorious for heat related issues which is why notebooks do not make good gaming machines.

[mad_skillz]

sorry forgot the link.

http://www.qvc.com/H...6560&SC_Id=User

[Digerati]

Thanks. It looks like a nice notebook. As noted, upgrade options are limited.

[mad_skillz]

in the specs it says
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 switchable graphics with 512MB DDR3 RAM, up to 3197MB total memory.what exactly does that mean.does it mean i can upgrade the graphic memory.if so what is the benefit of that?

[Digerati]

It means the integrated graphics uses up to 512Mb of your system RAM for graphics. You cannot directly increase the graphics RAM, but you can increase system RAM, which will improve over all performance.

[mad_skillz]

what desktop computer or tower would you recommend in the price range of up to $800?

[Digerati]

There's too many constantly changing options to be able to recommend any. And there are too many unknowns. Is a keyboard, mouse, and monitor included in that $800?

I build my own. I personally would avoid eMachines. I am not saying they are bad computers, but they are typically very budget oriented, and thus often have limited capabilities, especially for upgrading down the road.

It would be better to look and see what's out there, then ask questions about specific ones.

[mad_skillz]

is it cheaper to build a comp or buy a pre-built one.

[mad_skillz]

what about any of these?

http://www.staples.c.../product_329408

http://www.staples.c.../product_329412

[Digerati]

what about any of these?

I don't like to express an opinion with questions like that. I started building my own because there's something I don't like with EVERY factory made. The big makers always cut corners to cut costs. But they often cut corners in the wrong place - and that is often in places they don't talk about.

The power supply is one of the most critical components requiring critical homework and research to properly size and buy. Yet big companies and hasty newbies trying to save money in the budget will frequently use a PSU of questionable quality and lineage, and barely adequate to support the existing hardware, let alone a couple more sticks of RAM or a better (and more power hungry) graphics solution next year. I note the PSU is not listed with either of those PCs.

The case is another critical component as it has the job of protecting the components from knocks and heat. It must provide flexible fan support, preferably with 120mm or larger fans. Washable, removable filters means you don't have to clean the interior near as often. Screwless access is really nice. But we know nothing of the cases or their cooling capabilities either.

HP is a big company and has a decent record. They are not some fly-by-night company slapping parts together. Both are likely to be very reliable, if you keep the interior clean, and the system updated and properly secured.

I won't pretend I can build a computer with competitive prices. But I can build a better PC in any category because I know the best place to shift the budget around for the specific, unique intended user - not for 1,000,000 buyers "just like you". Of course those 1 million buyers are what allows HP and Dell to got to ASUS or Western Digital and get super discounted wholesale prices on 1,000,000 motherboards and HDs.

You need to determine your needs, and prioritize them. If "light gaming" is all you will do for gaming, one of the better current motherboards that support i3/i5/i7 CPUs or AMD equivalents with integrated graphics is all you will need. You then won't have to budget for a graphics card and that will greatly reduce your power supply demands too. That leaves more in the budget for enough RAM. I recommend "bare" minimum 3Gb for triple channel motherboards and 4Gb for dual channel. But the preferred minimums are 6Gb for triple and 8Gb for dual. And of course, 64-bit Windows.

[mad_skillz]

if i got this one, would i be able to upgrade after a little while?also how is the processor and memory in this one?and if the power supply is a low watt one. could i buy a higher watt one or is it one of things that cant be replaced.also with this tower what could i upgrade in the near future.and the graphics card how can i tell if i it can be upgraded.

[Digerati]

8Gb of RAM is my preferred amount with dual-channel motherboards and 64-bit operating systems.

Both CPUs are fine CPUs.

Years ago, Dell and the other big makers used many proprietary parts and construction/assembly techniques that made upgrading difficult at best, often impossible, and often only using Dell supplied (read: expensive and limited options) parts.

As far as I know, today, they only use ATX Form Factor compliant PSUs and cases. That is good. That means you can use any ATX PSU (if it has adequate power) and it will mount in the case and connect electrically with all standard screw placements and connector sizes and shapes. So upgrading the PSU "should" not be a problem.

If the motherboard has PCIe expansion slots, you can upgrade the graphics.

[mad_skillz]

forgot to post link again.same questions to this one.

http://www.staples.c.../product_329410

[Digerati]

I have nothing more to say that I have not already said, except now your select a less expensive model with fewer features and weaker specs. So I don't know what answer you are looking for - you pay less, the odds are you get less, and in this case, that is true.