Techie comes to terms with middle-of-the-road computer
For a few months now, I have been badly in need of a new computer. Mind you, when I say I need a new computer, my existing computer is probably still in more than tolerable condition for most noobies. But I'm a techie, remember?
I need the latest and greatest. I live on the edge. I'm an early adopter.
Which is why a 3-year-old computer running Windows XP simply won't do any more.
The need for the best
I typically spend 2-3 times more on my computers than the average Joe walking into Best Buy. Why? Because I am a power user. It is not untypical at all to find me at my computer with 10-15 applications open at any given time. And that doesn't include the tabs within some of those programs. One time I counted 18 open web pages in my Google Chrome browser.
I also spend more to future-proof my computer. In other words, I want it to last longer than the average computer. If that last sentence sounds contradictory to everything I have said up until this point, it is.
And that's what I've finally come to realize. Spending $2,000 - $2,500 on a computer makes no sense to me any more. Why? Because Microsoft is releasing a new operating system every few years. And other software companies seem to constantly release new updates that demand more and more of my computer. And don't get me started on how often new technologies are introduced that cost a pretty penny to upgrade.
No longer worth it?
So what's the point? As Regina Miller, my favorite Geek in Pink told me recently, "Your $2,000 computer won't physically last any longer than a $500 computer." And that's spot on. Just because I spend $2,000 on a computer doesn't mean the hard drive will last any longer than one in a $500 computer.
So after much deliberating today, I finally bit the bullet and bought a new, middle-of-the-road computer. What's middle-of-the-road to a techie? An HP Pavilion Elite e9270f running 64-bit Windows 7 with an Intel Core i7-860 processor and 8 GB of memory. Oh and let's not forget the 1 TB (that's terrabyte as in 1,000 GB) hard drive and Blu-ray optical drive.
While some of those specifications may mean nothing to you, they mean everything to me. Because this computer cost just over $1,000. The one I originally spec'd out, cost just over $2,400.
So the plan is to run this computer full-bore for a couple of years and then start all over again with a new middle-of-the-road computer.
Of course, it didn't hurt any that I also order twin Samsung 23" monitors to go with my new middle-of-the-road computer.
18 comments for this blog post so far...
December 02, 2009 at 12:46 pm
y0mbo
This is why I chose to build my own computer this year. My strategy is that I’ll upgrade components as necessary, but never the whole machine at one time. I’m hoping that keeps me in the top range for the components I need while I manage the obsolescence curve.
December 02, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Patric Welch
@y0mbo - I never even considered that option. It’s a great idea. Except I don’t know beans about building my own computer. I’d probably fry the whole thing the first time I powered it on!
December 02, 2009 at 3:56 pm
y0mbo
That’s what I was afraid of, too. But it really was as easy as snapping a set of LEGOs together. The hardest part was figuring out what components to get.
December 02, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Patric Welch
@y0mbo - I always was good at LEGOs! :)
December 08, 2009 at 9:57 am
asudduth
@y0mbo @patric it also requires the knowledge of how a screwdriver works :) My personal opinion is that you don’t get much (any) cost savings (any more, I feel you used to) when building your own, unless you already have some components. But you do get EXACTLY what you want without compromising anywhere. (of course you don’t get a warranty on the system, but components may have their own warranty)
With all of that said, a lot of my machines have been home-built and I’d guess my next one will be too (I’m thinking late 2010 for a new machine) - for now I’m just going to double the RAM in my main machine and upgrade to Win7. Currently its an Intel E6850 core2duo proc, 4GB RAM, and > 1.5TB of HD space (8 total drives in various RAID arrays)
Wow, I think I’ve started to ramble about technology… maybe I’m not getting enough geeky-interaction ;)
December 08, 2009 at 10:18 am
AJG
I think that y0mbo has it right on. The current computer that I’m using has been slowly changing over the last 10 years or so. Slowly upgrading parts as required does not have the satisfaction of buying or assembling a new computer, but it is a heck of a lot cheaper. I use mine for everything from email to video editing and gaming so it put it through its paces on a regular basis. However, I don’t think that i have spent more than $400 on components at any given time. The most important part of going this route is spend a little extra on a case that you like, cause you’re going to have it for a while.
December 10, 2009 at 8:36 am
Patric Welch
@asudduth - Did you just say 8 total drives in a RAID configuration? With a few weeks to go in 2009, you just out-geeked me!
December 10, 2009 at 8:38 am
Patric Welch
@AJG - Great point. I think it still just comes down to time for me. I don’t want to have to spend any time making sure x or y part works with my computer. I’d rather just buy a brand new computer where everything (supposedly) works together right out of the box.
I guess I’m the same way with cars. After 100K miles or so, I’d rather buy a new car than try to put new parts in or do major maintenance on my existing one.
December 10, 2009 at 8:50 am
asudduth
@Patric - yup… 8. (2 x 160 RAID1, 2 x 320 RAID1, 4 x 500 RAID5) - so if you’re doing math that is 160GB + 320GB + 1500GB - so total capacity is roughly 1.9TB - my idea was 160 = OS/Apps 320 = my current work (video projects mainly) and the RAID5 volume for archiving. of course I went those capacities because that was back when I think 750GB drives were probably top, and not cheap.
I also have a Windows Home server that has 6 drives (4 x 1TB and 2 x 320GB)
You’d think I would have enough space, wouldn’t you?
don’t worry about being out-geeked… your processor still beats mine :)
December 10, 2009 at 8:53 am
Patric Welch
@asudduth - I have the Windows Home server as well but I only have one drive in it. Not going to add any more because I am sorely disappointed with it.
December 10, 2009 at 9:18 am
asudduth
@Patric did you ever write a review on WHS? If so I’d like to read it. I’m interested in why you’re dissapointed with it. and PowerPack 3 adds functionality to Windows 7 libraries and things like that.
In my opinion you should never run WHS with only a single drive. (Mine is a home-built WHS, not the HP kind… although I hear good things about the HP’s)
The main reason I have WHS is for backups… automatic backups, even waking up laptops to do it, its good stuff. And there is a huge network of add-ons and stuff to expand functionality.
I know that we’re only using a very small subset of functionality…
but remote desktop, accessing files from web (My wife does this… she may forgot to grab something she printed, but she just logs in from web, downloads file, and prints it at school)
But in backup alone, its good… and I know there are plug-ins for things like Amazon S3/jungle disk to send backups to the cloud too…
Anyways, I’m interested in your two cents! (Feel free to email me or contact me somewhere else since this is off topic of this thread)
December 23, 2009 at 4:18 am
everetti
I did lots and lots of research on building my very own PC and i was beaten every time by the cost on this machine. the HP e9270f is undoubtably the finest machine i could have gotten in this dollar range.
that being said....i will upgrade the processor to the I7-975 in the near future,along with a corsair video card and a better power supply. i might even add a few fans or water cooler as my wife likes it around 75 degrees at all times in the house. (it should go unsaid that i will top off the ram). i am somewhat surprised that the fan started so early in the use of the machine but it is fairly quiet so no real complaints there. i play world of warcraft and it is running just fine, the various programs i run are doing great and i have not had any glitches that were not fixed with a check of the driver or net framework. windows 7 is nice but a good friend recomends getting the ultimate version as it is the finest program that he has worked with. he is a tech in high demand for server and program issues.
i have a hp media center that has lasted me 7 years...yup 7! so i went to hp and put this PC up against the competitors.....well as you know....i bought this one. good luck to everyone....everetti.
January 02, 2010 at 12:59 am
troberts
Don’t upgrade to Ultimate for your home PC. The cost is too high for the additional things you more than likely won’t use. I am an IT pro also who had Vista Ultimate and what a waste. Win 7 Home Prem is fine. Just make sure you run the 64 bit version. Some apps might need a upgrade but it is well worth it. Save the money for a great monitor.
January 02, 2010 at 5:29 am
everetti
thanks for the info, i have a handyman service and i use landscape simulators to show a customer what can be done by uploading a pic of their home and changeing the picture to show the desired elements… other than that i do book work and some slide shows.
a great monitor is definitly in the plans…
January 06, 2010 at 10:47 am
Patric Welch
@asudduth - The biggest reason I was disappointed in WHS was the iTunes server. It had promises of syncing my iTunes songs across multiple computers and all it turned out to be was a fancy way of “sharing” music in iTunes. Big disappointment.
That, and the fact that my server was constantly in a warning or critical status because I didn’t install McAfee on it.
I guess there is more… I also couldn’t store “working” files on it like Outlook (at the time) or MS Money (again, at the time) because Microsoft/HP warned against doing this because files would become corrupt.
And lastly, Carbonite won’t back up WHS and RAID and/or striping only protects you against drive failure, not fire or other natural disasters.
January 06, 2010 at 10:48 am
Patric Welch
@everetti - I heard that too about the power supply being underpowered. But again, it wasn’t worth the price for me to upgrade.
January 06, 2010 at 10:49 am
Patric Welch
@troberts - Thanks for the tip on Win 7 Ultimate. The only reason I would have got the Professional or Ultimate is for the XP compatibility mode, which I probably would never use.
January 06, 2010 at 5:33 pm
everetti
The Windows 7 Home Pro, does have a XP compatibility mode.....I used it to resolve some issues useing programs that couldent run in direct x 11.
The power supply is good for general stuff like surfing, and useing up to 4 programs at once....I have multipal windows up and working diffrent things on all of them....example: I have 3D landscapeing running simulations of a project in time lapse, then I am surfing the web looking for design elements like fire glass for an outside feature, then I am running a cost estimater for the materials where I drag and drop the item and cost from the web....and lastly I run photoshop to intergrate site pictures into the project and back again to edit,crop,and print.
In all these situations the power is fine.... but after the upgrade and cooler is added I think I will need the x-tra power…
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