[japanesedream72]

I have little to no idea what I am doing when it comes to the technical aspects of computers, & tend to get overwhelmed when reading specs, but I need to get a new PC (my old one died after 11 years) & would like some quick advice. A friend of a friend is selling a gently used but good condition computer at a very affordable price (they may not be able to hold it very long, as others are interested, which is why I need the advice quickly), but I don’t know if it will be powerful enough to use in the way I want. I'm told it’s a Dell with Windows XP, 75 GB hard drive, 2.79 GHz, 500 MB RAM with a DV-R & Pentium R Processor. I’m looking to do a lot of media (playing & working with audio & video files, CD’s, & DVD’s), internet/e-mail, & graphics (PhotoShop, Illustrator, PhotoStudio, etc., & scanning). Would this be a system that could handle all that, or should I save my money & put it toward something else?

Thanks in advance for your help! (And sorry if this is in the wrong category.)

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Put it towards something else cause if your doing all that you might want a better machine for it.

[BL00PER]

Put it towards something else cause if your doing all that you might want a better machine for it.

[fyrfyter33]

This machine will not do what you are talking about. It has XP, very little HDD space, and not enough RAM. It doesn't even have enough RAM to make the minimum for Photoshop CS6, or Illustrator. You are better off looking elsewhere for a computer. What is your budget for replacing your computer that has died and what stores are near you? Chances are, you can find something way better, for a fair price with the way computers are priced now.

[japanesedream72]

Thanks for the advice! That seems to be the general consensus. I will do that.

[japanesedream72]

Thanks for the advice! I'm trying to keep below $1,000, including software & peripherals (need a new printer, & also a scanner), but we only really have things like Walmart & Target & such around here. There's a Best Buy I can get to if I drive a ways, but I saw PhotoShop in there for somewhere around $700! Might have to scrape up some more cash for a good system if I'm paying that much just for PS.

[fyrfyter33]

Did you consider Photoshop Elements as opposed to full blown Photoshop? It might be worth your time to check it out, and it should cost a heck of a lot less!

[BL00PER]

Photo Shop Elements Amazon
This is a printer and scanner not sure if this is what you want but they have it at amazon for a good price and a fiar rating here.

[iammykyl]

If you or a member of your family are an enrolled student it is worth looking for Educational software. You can Google but this will give you some idea of the saving, listed on Newegg, conditions do apply, > http://www.newegg.co...Category/ID-369

For your build, I would advise buying the core components and building up as you can afford parts. i7 3770K, as much RAM as you can afford Asrock Exreme4 for the number of SATA headers, Full tower with very very cooling,
Do you have any parts you could port to a new build, like HDDs, Optical drive?
What OS do you have at the moment?

[japanesedream72]

"Did you consider Photoshop Elements as opposed to full blown Photoshop? It might be worth your time to check it out, and it should cost a heck of a lot less!"

Thanks for the suggestion. I've been looking into systems & some of the new HP's, like the Envy series, come with PS Elements; was hoping to do things with animation, like gif’s from video, etc. But learning Elements will get me started, at least.

Edited by japanesedream72, 26 January 2013 - 09:46 AM.

[japanesedream72]

Photo Shop Elements Amazon
This is a printer and scanner not sure if this is what you want but they have it at amazon for a good price and a fiar rating here.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll check it out.

[japanesedream72]

If you or a member of your family are an enrolled student it is worth looking for Educational software. You can Google but this will give you some idea of the saving, listed on Newegg, conditions do apply, > http://www.newegg.co...Category/ID-369

For your build, I would advise buying the core components and building up as you can afford parts. i7 3770K, as much RAM as you can afford Asrock Exreme4 for the number of SATA headers, Full tower with very very cooling,
Do you have any parts you could port to a new build, like HDDs, Optical drive?
What OS do you have at the moment?

Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, no enrolled students (self or family). May do Elements until PS is more affordable (some new systems, like the HP Envy series, come with it, I'm seeing); was hoping to do things with animation, like gif’s from video, etc. But learning Elements will get me started, at least. Actually, no PC whatsoever right now. The old one (bought in 2001 & upgraded a bit since) is pretty much dead. Doing everything on a small Netbook at the moment. Haven’t a clue about the bits & pieces, specs, or schematics, sadly...might try out one of those HP's. Thinking also maybe Cannon printers & scanners (I had a Cannon all-in-one previously; plus, I use ArcSoft PhotoStudio, the upgrade of which would come with the scanner), & either a Samsung or Dell monitor. Don’t know if keyboard/mouse is a major consideration, or if any kind will do.

Any not-terribly-expensive possibilities I should be investigating along those lines?

Edited by japanesedream72, 26 January 2013 - 09:52 AM.

[iammykyl]

Your first post.

but I need to get a new PC

Your last post you are thinking Laptop, HP envoy, starting price is about $1.000.

Do you need to be mobile, Laptop? Or can it be a desktop build?

[japanesedream72]

Your first post.

but I need to get a new PC

Your last post you are thinking Laptop, HP envoy, starting price is about $1.000.

Do you need to be mobile, Laptop? Or can it be a desktop build?

Really need desktop more than anything (have a Netbook currently, which is fine for what I use it for). Don't need to be mobile, not knowledgeable for a from-scratch build, but looking for something existing that can be customised a bit to suit my needs & last for a while. HP Envy desktops seem promising, but once you get what you need (RAM & drive memory & graphics card & whatnot) & some necessary extra bits, too (speakers, webcam), it's over $1,000, even if it starts at $700. Will have to save up some more for the peripherals, I guess.

[fyrfyter33]

You could always build your own computer, and I am sure it will not cost you $1k. Check out this Thread http://www.ebay.com/...528793901&ps=54 It is not as hard as you think, and there are lots of people around here to help you out along the way. Give an idea of what you want it to do, a budget, and I'm sure one or two of us can go into PCPartPicker and put together a list that will fit your budget. Also give us some idea what part of the world you are in, since we seem to have people asking about systems all over the planet.

[iammykyl]

Please list the actual software you will be using, ie, Adobe, Sony Vegas, Arcsoft etc.