What do you reckon?

Message

flatlander · #16 Post by **flatlander** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 10:31 pm

for the most part I agree but historically you buy the chip etc not for what it odes now but future proofing.
Historically also there were fundamental processing difefrences between the chips and the way thewy handled things.

I think the inmtel used to use a fixed or floating point

http://www.dspguide.com/ch28/4.htm

BikerGran · #17 Post by **BikerGran** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 10:32 pm

That's the trouble with asking geeks about PCs when all you want is something better than you have, and you don't necessarily want to play complicated games or do clever geeky stuff!

That's looking seriously good to me - my old pooter is getting a bit creaky - unless anyone can tell me definitely that there are problems with it I might go for one. Trouble is, a lot of the stuff I have on my current machine came... er... preloaded... so I'd need to buy a lot of software as well.

I get a bit lost with this 32 bit/64 bit stuff - where it makles a difference and where it doesn't?

Aladinsaneuk · #18 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:07 am

not really bobbi

make a list of what you have, and post it here

i should be able to give you a list of where you can officially download things again

to recover ms office keys that is also straight forward using magical jelly bean

Gio · #19 Post by **Gio** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:01 am

MartDude wrote:'twas just a thought; don't need a new PC right now. But, this Dell is worrying me a bit - it's getting very noisy - fan blowing hard, and it's developed a habit of pausing every now and then, as if it needs to take a few deep breaths and a rest before it carries on.

Might be an idea to change the power supply, I changed mine for this Corsair

BikerGran · #20 Post by **BikerGran** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 4:43 pm

I had the power supply replaced on mine when it had similar symptoms - been fine since.

Pete, there's so much stuff on my computer, if I sorted out all the programs I really don't need and got rid, it would probably become quite lively again!

#21 Post by **Kwackerz** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 4:57 pm

Gio wrote:
MartDude wrote:'twas just a thought; don't need a new PC right now. But, this Dell is worrying me a bit - it's getting very noisy - fan blowing hard, and it's developed a habit of pausing every now and then, as if it needs to take a few deep breaths and a rest before it carries on.
Might be an idea to change the power supply, I changed mine for this Corsair

Bit of a tangent, but with these super duper all singing all dancing power supplies, such as that corsair.. they still havent overcome the main reason for noise, heat and problem build ups.. completely wank air filtration.. why do none of these try and address it? they just go for the standard metal plate with holes in it rather than sorting out some sort of filter.. they could even have a time activated alarm that goes off at a set time for reminding the user to overhaul their filter.. or maybe thats just thinking too much.. after all we all look after our systems and carry out periodic maintenance that is needed.... ... ..

some interesting points in this too:

http://reviews.ebay.com/Computer-Power- ... 0002433516

Willopotomas · #22 Post by **Willopotomas** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 5:53 pm

mangocrazy wrote:It's all bollocks, really. Unless you're a professional Photoshop junkie, you really won't be able to tell the difference between an AMD or an Intel quad-core processor. Except in the purchase price.

3D CAD package I use (Solid Edge) uses a lot of resources. I notice the difference from home and work's PC's. Works use AMD's. I'm not a 'chip snob' and have no loyalties. When I'm in the market for new bits, I'll research the subject using actual figures rather than user reviews (although they do hold some valuable opinion) and make my own mind up. Pretty much the same for everything I buy TBH.

randomsquid · #23 Post by **randomsquid** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 6:53 pm

BikerGran wrote:That's the trouble with asking geeks about PCs when all you want is something better than you have, and you don't necessarily want to play complicated games or do clever geeky stuff!

I get a bit lost with this 32 bit/64 bit stuff - where it makles a difference and where it doesn't?

Looks fine specs wise unless you want to play the very latest games. It's one of those with the graphics and main processor on the same chip, not slow though and I imagine it would eat whatever you have now.

Don't know about the brand, I bought a Medion graphics tablet and it was fairly crap, but it was 15 quid verses a few hundred so it was always going to be...

The 32/64bit bit is about how much memory the machine can use. 32 bit computing hits a limit at about 4gb of ram, less some for geeky stuff. I'd not worry either way unless you're going to edit big movies, open lots of big photos at once or get into trying to remake Star Trek. There are speed implications both ways for the geeky but they're trivial in the real world.

Only thing to check is if any programs you can't live without will work, most do. Also check if you can get drivers from the manufacturer for any old bits like printers and scanners that you want to use. A lot of stuff is supported directly by windows to some extent now though.

randomsquid · #24 Post by **randomsquid** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:00 pm

MartDude wrote:'twas just a thought; don't need a new PC right now. But, this Dell is worrying me a bit - it's getting very noisy - fan blowing hard, and it's developed a habit of pausing every now and then, as if it needs to take a few deep breaths and a rest before it carries on.

Fan on the back or fan on the processor?
Probably full of fluff and needs the hard drive defragging.

I'll come and have a nose if you like. I've even got a bit of paper that says I'm allowed to, though it does say I'm qualified to rebuild floppy drives so it was a while ago...

Up to mid week I'm juggling my sister's sick cat and vets though.

Gio · #25 Post by **Gio** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:53 pm

Kwackerz wrote:
Gio wrote:
MartDude wrote:'twas just a thought; don't need a new PC right now. But, this Dell is worrying me a bit - it's getting very noisy - fan blowing hard, and it's developed a habit of pausing every now and then, as if it needs to take a few deep breaths and a rest before it carries on.
Might be an idea to change the power supply, I changed mine for this Corsair

Bit of a tangent, but with these super duper all singing all dancing power supplies, such as that corsair.. they still havent overcome the main reason for noise, heat and problem build ups.. completely wank air filtration.. why do none of these try and address it? they just go for the standard metal plate with holes in it rather than sorting out some sort of filter.. they could even have a time activated alarm that goes off at a set time for reminding the user to overhaul their filter.. or maybe thats just thinking too much.. after all we all look after our systems and carry out periodic maintenance that is needed.... ... ..

some interesting points in this too:
.http://reviews.ebay.com/Computer-Power- ... 0002433516

well mines got 2 fans and they are really quiet. I also take the cover off every 3 or 4 months and vaccuum the interior, the fact is regardless of any warning built in, every comp is different when it comes to dirt/dust and heat. best enviroment is an airconditioned on running at no more than 60f.

#26 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 12:27 am

Willopotomas wrote:
mangocrazy wrote:It's all bollocks, really. Unless you're a professional Photoshop junkie, you really won't be able to tell the difference between an AMD or an Intel quad-core processor. Except in the purchase price.
3D CAD package I use (Solid Edge) uses a lot of resources. I notice the difference from home and work's PC's. Works use AMD's. I'm not a 'chip snob' and have no loyalties. When I'm in the market for new bits, I'll research the subject using actual figures rather than user reviews (although they do hold some valuable opinion) and make my own mind up. Pretty much the same for everything I buy TBH.

Ah, OK. Glad I put my caveat in, then...

BikerGran · #27 Post by **BikerGran** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 12:05 pm

randomsquid wrote: Don't know about the brand, I bought a Medion graphics tablet and it was fairly crap, but it was 15 quid verses a few hundred so it was always going to be...

What does 'fairly crap' mean in practice? Apart from forums and FB I mostly want to use my machine for storage and editing of high res photos - even higher res when I start using RAW.

The 32/64bit bit is about how much memory the machine can use. 32 bit computing hits a limit at about 4gb of ram,

I guess that's why I was told I should go for 64 then, see above!

Only thing to check is if any programs you can't live without will work, most do.

I guess there are usually alternatives though.

randomsquid · #28 Post by **randomsquid** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:18 pm

BikerGran wrote:
randomsquid wrote: Don't know about the brand, I bought a Medion graphics tablet and it was fairly crap, but it was 15 quid verses a few hundred so it was always going to be...
What does 'fairly crap' mean in practice? Apart from forums and FB I mostly want to use my machine for storage and editing of high res photos - even higher res when I start using RAW.

The 32/64bit bit is about how much memory the machine can use. 32 bit computing hits a limit at about 4gb of ram,
I guess that's why I was told I should go for 64 then, see above!

Only thing to check is if any programs you can't live without will work, most do.
I guess there are usually alternatives though.

Fairly crap means the software installed ok and it worked after a fashion. Using the pen on the tablet only got me an approximate position for the pointer on the screen and it had a tendency to wiggle about and jump. Think £2 no name mouse versus something half decent from microsoft or logitech.

If you're doing big photos then 64 bit is the way forward, there's no price premium and it should be standard by now anyway.

My Windows 7 64 bit desktop has an old intel quad and 8gb of what would be considered quite slow ram today. I've had 50 x 5mb jpegs open in photoshop and it didn't bring it to it's knees.

I'm still using a 32bit version of photoshop but it still breathes easier under a 64 bit operating system for geeky reasons to do with the maximum memory available to each application.

If you're going to do raw images I'd mirror what Geoff said before, make sure you're getting a 7200rpm spin speed drive. Putting a slower one in is one way they can shave a few quid off to hit a price point. If it doesn't say then be suspicious.

Also free slots for memory are useful if you decided to go from 4gb to 8gb, say. If all the holes are already full then you'd have to dump the 4 you already have and buy fresh rather than add some. I've only got 8 in this pc though for 3d rendering which eats memory. Usually 4gb is ok, my other pcs have win 7 64bit on and 4gb of ram in.

As for the alternative programs, yup, there's plenty out there, I reckon all the bases are covered unless you've got anything really old and really weird.