Recommended processor for parents' PC

[toolbag]

Why do people always cheap out when it comes to getting a computer for their parents? As if their parents wouldn't want something quick and responsive like any normal person.

Because cpu's have reached the point of diminishing returns for things like surfing and movies.

And what's new and fast now is always slow 2 years later of course.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

What's the best choice right now for a good, low power processor for someone who uses the computer for internet browsing, listening to music, and watching movies? The computer should last for at least 4 years before becoming obsolete.

In four years, they'll still be using Windows 7, listening to music will still represent 1% CPU utilization, and watching movies will be at no more than 1080p resolution. Flash will likely still be the most CPU-taxing part of the internet, too. An AMD E-350 can do all of that now and will be able to do that in four years. Anything more powerful would be a bonus. Get 'em a cheap CPU and an SSD. If the budget accommodates it, an i3-2100 + SSD would keep your parents happy for 4+ years easy.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

And what's new and fast now is always slow 2 years later of course.

My i3-2100 is not noticeably faster at rendering webpages and playing back 1080p movies than my five year old E6600.

 

[Zap]

Uhhh... all of them? It's just SATA.

I just went to dell.com and randomly clicked on a system. Ended up with an Inspiron 620 MT. Main storage options? 500GB HDD or 1TB HDD. That's it. Where's the SSD? You gonna add it yourself and reinstall Windows?

 

[DominionSeraph]

I just went to dell.com and randomly clicked on a system. Ended up with an Inspiron 620 MT. Main storage options? 500GB HDD or 1TB HDD. That's it. Where's the SSD? You gonna add it yourself and reinstall Windows?

You were going to build an entire system from scratch, so what's the problem with installing a single drive?
I could do it one-handed while blindfolded in my Dimension E521. The drive bays are ridiculously nice.

 

[toolbag]

My i3-2100 is not noticeably faster at rendering webpages and playing back 1080p movies than my five year old E6600.

I know. I didn't word it right. What I first said was faster cpu's won't do anything for general usage as the OP at this point in the history of CPU's - EVEN though faster cpu's come out they are all considered slower for things like gaming in a short time.

 

[Ben90]

Even for enthusiasts, building your own rarely saves money. I know I'm going to be seen as a heretic for saying that but its true. It will not save you money. I do it because I get exactly what I want and lets face it, I like to tinker. But for your parents? No way. Just buy a reasonable but low end Dell or HP and be done with it.

Lol? I went to Dell right now and configured a system similar to mine built over a year ago. I gave the Dell every possible benefit of the doubt. Since they don't have options for a 6 drive RAID array, I just stuck with two hard drives. Picked a slower video card and removed the warranty options. I doubt the mobo allows overclocking and it doesn't have a PSU capable of pushing a pair of whatever future video cards come out.

The verdict? I don't feel so bad dropping another $140 for my second Filco.

 

[nyker96]

I build my parents a computer based on x2, seems to do web/movie/email just fine. they don't play games, so the integrated graphics is more than enough. you can get a x2 for $50. but I recommend a x4 for $75 from ebay. that $25 will speed things up quite a bit.

 

[daveybrat]

Good job. You missed my point entirely. My rig is MINI-ITX. Not a tower like the Dell. The whole POINT of the rig is that it is small, unobtrusive, low-power, and most importantly, fast enough. Something that those Atom set-tops like the Acer Revo are not.

For comparable prices, check out this boutique shop:
http://www.lowcarbonpc.com/

$500 for a crappy Atom rig. My Zacate rig is better, faster, and cheaper. (Than an OEM rig.)

Edit: And for prices, here's how my Zacate rig stacks up.
ASRock E350M1 mobo + CPU........................$110
single 4GB DDR3-1066 CAS7 1.5v RAM..........$40
1TB Seagate 7200.12 SATA HD.....................$60
SATA DVD burner........................................$20
Rosewill mini-ITX cube case + 150W PSU.......$50
Windows 7 HP 64-bit....................................$40

Total..........................................................$320

HUH? Where the heck did you find a copy of Windows 7 for $40??

 

[Zap]

You were going to build an entire system from scratch, so what's the problem with installing a single drive?
I could do it one-handed while blindfolded in my Dimension E521. The drive bays are ridiculously nice.

You've just taken some most of the price advantage of an OEM system by adding the SSD.

Installing Windows/drivers/updates takes more time than the actual assembly of a basic machine. I did a basic HTPC build at a LAN party once and the physical assembly took me under 15 minutes, complete with cleaning up cabling. It was a Core i3 with one HDD and one optical drive, integrated graphics, PSU.

Also, what happens if they have to call tech support and the machine isn't stock?

If you dig far enough in my posting history, you'll see that I've recommended Dell plenty of times over self-built. IMO it all depends on the situation. Will you be tech support anyways? Are you counting down to the last cent of budget or do you have some leeway? Personality of the user - are they reasonable or is it more expedient to have someone else you can finger if there are problems? () What hardware and hot deals (including deals on complete systems) are on the market? Are there specific needs or wants that a pre-built (even customized) can't adequately fill?

 

[Arcadio]

What's the problem with being your parents' tech support go-to guy? They are your parents. Why would you want them to call Dell or some other company when you can assist them with whatever they need?

 

[daveybrat]

Another option for a tiny pc (that looks like a Nintendo Gamecube) is the Dell Zino HD.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-zino-hd-410/fs

The standard one for $399 is a great value.

Comes with:
AMD Athlon™ II X2 P360, 2.3GHz, Dual Core 1MB
4GB DDR3
1TB 7200RPM Hard Drive
DVD-RW
Radeon HD 4250
Wireless N
Windows 7 HP 64-Bit
Keyboard and mouse included.

 

[VirtualLarry]

HUH? Where the heck did you find a copy of Windows 7 for $40??

Windows 7 Family Pack for $120. Divide by three licenses, viola, $40/license.

Another option for a tiny pc (that looks like a Nintendo Gamecube) is the Dell Zino HD.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-zino-hd-410/fs

The standard one for $399 is a great value.

My solution is still $80 cheaper.

Edit: I just watch the promo video for that Zino HD thing, and it does look like a nice package. In the video, it shows that it includes a remote control and wireless keyboard, but I'm not sure which "level" of Zino HD includes those options. Probably the exensive ones.

I paid an additional $9 for a IR remote, and $20 for a wireless Logitech keyboard, so I guess that means that my solution is only $50 cheaper.

I do think that smaller and hopefully cheaper, is the way computers are going, and not necessarily always "faster, faster, faster". At least, until or unless software catches up with how powerful today's hardware really is. Cloud computing is going to have a lot to do with this.

 

[EliteRetard]

By your powers combined, I AM CAPTAIN PLANET!

 

[Marty502]

Whatever it is that you buy, don't skimp on what everyone does: RAM.
Seriously, many cheap, low-end rigs come neutered by tiny amounts of memory and they become seriously slow, when a $20 upgrade would have them flying around the place.

A low-end CPU today like a AMD X2 240 will hold it's own for home tasks for way longer than 4 years, if it has enough RAM by it's side.

 

[Marty502]

Another option for a tiny pc (that looks like a Nintendo Gamecube) is the Dell Zino HD.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-zino-hd-410/fs

The standard one for $399 is a great value.

Comes with:
AMD Athlon™ II X2 P360, 2.3GHz, Dual Core 1MB
4GB DDR3
1TB 7200RPM Hard Drive
DVD-RW
Radeon HD 4250
Wireless N
Windows 7 HP 64-Bit
Keyboard and mouse included.

That think would rock for a mom n' dad rig, for at least 5 years. At least.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Heck, I would have been in the market for one of those Zino HD boxes, a few years ago, when I built my BE-2400/780G HDMI-output HTPC. But Dell didn't offer those back then. I felt like a pioneer. It's not a bad deal, and it does have slightly more CPU power than the E-350, being a proper Athlon64 dual-core. But my HTPC overclocks from 2.3 all the way to 2.85 easily, which I couldn't do with the Dell.

I did recently run into some problems with my HTPC, the USB ports wouldn't power a MagicJack, I had to add a powered hub. Whether that is the fault of the Foxconn 780G mobo, or whether it's the fault of the "300W" PSU included in the micro-ATX case, I can't say.

Perhaps the Dell wouldn't have had those problems. Or perhaps it would have. I don't know.

 

[notty22]

Either way can be a good computer. Sometimes, you have to split your time between helping your parents, and your own spouse,kids,needs.
Knowledge is power, its at least nice to know all the options.

 

[toyota]

I just get my parents a cheap oem pc about every 3 years or. I have never spent more than 300 bucks and they always get something decent for that. the last pc I got them had a 4200 X2, 2gb ram, and 250gb hd and that was in August 2008. newer entry level comps have mostly gotten slower at the same price point but more efficient.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Why do people always cheap out when it comes to getting a computer for their parents? As if their parents wouldn't want something quick and responsive like any normal person.

i dont understand that either. if they are going to keep it 4 years youre going to get them something really low end to save maybe a hundred bucks? what is an extra hundred bucks over 4 years?

 

[VirtualLarry]

i dont understand that either. if they are going to keep it 4 years youre going to get them something really low end to save maybe a hundred bucks? what is an extra hundred bucks over 4 years?

Exactly. Get them something nice, they are your parents after all. (Not that you have to get them a $2000 gaming rig with an overclocked quad and a crazy-fast GPU config, that would be overkill. Or perhaps not, if you visit and want to game, mwhahaha.)

I built my mom an Athlon64 rig in a tower case, and then I built her a nice S775 C2D single-core rig in a slimline case that she liked much better. She is the type to prefer looks over functionality. (Sad but true.)

I more recently built her another slimline case just like it, with a dual-core AMD chip in it, and an NV IGP chipset, with Win7. But she won't let me install it yet.

Her existing single-core does everything that she wants to do, she doesn't really do all that much with her computer. I'm trying to get her to branch out, was trying to get her a rig that could do 1080P flash video, so she could watch Hulu online if she wanted to watch television.

 

[toyota]

some of you are just being silly. most parents, especially mine, will never see the difference in the $300 pc I bought them or the $900 pc I built for gaming. the vast majority of people only need a modest pc to meet there modest needs. by the time that $300 I bought them gets too slow for them then even a higher end pc from back then would be too slow too. you can do what ever you want but I will stick to buying them a cheap oem pc every 3 or so that easily exceeds their needs for years.

 

[Zap]

S775 C2D single-core

Why don't you call it a Celeron, like the rest of the world does? :sneaky:

some of you are just being silly. most parents, especially mine, will never see the difference in the $300 pc I bought them or the $900 pc I built for gaming.

But there can be a difference. I used to always get complaints that the system was unresponsive (both one I built and a previous Dell) only to find out my mom was clicking on stuff multiple times because if she didn't see something happen right away, she figured it didn't register her click. So, she would have a huge amount of windows open.

The SSD fixed that pretty nicely. Click, and something happens right away. It was an immediate "fix."

 

[VirtualLarry]

Why don't you call it a Celeron, like the rest of the world does? :sneaky:

I didn't want to be vulgar. After all, this is a public discussion. Celery (on) is a bad word.

 

[Marty502]

Just FYI, my mom thinks my Acer Aspire One netbook is as fast as hell.

The thing only has 1.5 GB of RAM and it's a goddamn single-core Atom.
But it has a very light XP installation, so it's actually got RAM to spare since she doesn't do anything 'heavy' with it.

RAM is key, much more than a SSD hard drive or whatever.
Enough ram = smooth performance = happy mom n' dad.