[cashandbro]

I'm looking to buy a computer for recording music, burning CD/DVD's and general uses. I've come up with this from Dell. I was just curious what you think, if I need to get rid or add anything to it.


Dell Dimension E510

Intel Pentium 4 processor 650 w//HT Technology (3.4GHz, 800FSB)

OS - Genuine Windows ZP Media Center 2005 Edition

Memory - 4GB Dual Channel DDRC SDRAM at 533MHz

Keyboard - Dell Wireless Keyboard and Optical Mouse

Monitor - 19 inch Ultrasharp 1905FP Digital Flat Panel

Video Card - 256 MB PCI Express x16(DVI/VGA/TV-out)
ATI Radeon x600 SE HyperMemory

Hard Drive - Datasafe 250GB (Includes main hard drive plus a hidden reserve hard drive)

Floppy Drive - 3.5 in Floppy Drive

Network Card - Integrated INtel PRO 10/100 Ehternet

Modem - 56K PCI Data Fax Modem

CD ROM/DVD Rom - Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 16x DVD+/- RW w/dbl layer write capability

Sound - Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (D) CArd w/Dolby 5.1 and IEEE 1394

Speakers - Dell 5650 5.1 100 Watt Surround Speakers System with Subwoofer

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recording music, burning CD/DVD's and general uses

What do you classify as "general uses"?

For the first two entries alone, this system is way overkill. If your general uses don't include heavy gaming or copious video editing/authoring then you're throwing money down the drain with that configuration IMO.

[Neil Jones]

recording music, burning CD/DVD's and general uses

What do you classify as "general uses"?

For the first two entries alone, this system is way overkill. If your general uses don't include heavy gaming or copious video editing/authoring then you're throwing money down the drain with that configuration IMO.

[cashandbro]

Thanks for you answer. I plan on doing a bit of video editing, and as far as gaming, I'm not real into it but if I see something I want to play I want it to work/run perfect. General uses I guess would be using the internet, storing media, digital photography, slight gaming, DVD watching/editing, CD listening, burning. I plan on using it to record my bands music and want it to sound crips when editing. Without any fuzz or anything that I have experienced in the past. I may be throwing away money but I don't want anything to need upgrading any time in the forseeable future.

Suggestions on what is overkill and what you would recommend would be much appreciated though.

Edited by cashandbro, 28 February 2006 - 04:12 PM.

[jrm20]

Since you have your mind set on a manufactured dell I would say lower the memory some because I dont think you will need all of that right now.

Try getting 2gb of ram instead dont go any lower than that. 2gb of ram is plenty. If its quite abit of price difference I would definately get 2gb of ram. You wouldnt need anything over that. You wouldnt even need 3gb of ram.

I would drop the ram some and put some of that on a better video card.

You can always upgrade to more memory later on.

[warriorscot]

I would probably go for a custom if i were you rather than dell, i would say 50:50 for you over the intel or amd side, dual core AMD though might be a little better for you, the biggest factor in sound recording is the sound card and for that you might want to get an x-fi as those are the best you can get and are leaps and bounds ahead of anything else. 2 gig of ram is more than enough i would say as well.

Upgrading is a neccesary part of computers im afraid, people want them to do more but they need more to do it its a vicous and costly cycle, i would go dual core if you want to make it last a bit longer(but if you go dual core get AMD because intels prices are ridiculous).