Making an equipment investment

[Ashana]

I’m trying to decide what to get in a new computer. Currently using my partner’s computer to print and list on ebay, but when he is home I use a salvaged pieced together pc with Ubuntu on it. Literally named “The Dinghy”. I’m tired of floating out at sea.

I currently use an iphone, would like to eventually get a tablet (not sure which way to go), and Torn between pc or apple. I feel that a PC has the accessibility to upgrade pieces. My partner’s computer is 8 yrs old and still going strong. He had to upgrade pieces but it was cheaper than starting over. Yet I come back to Apple’s ability to sync seamlessly.

My budget for a computer is $1000.00, what is the best investment for my money?

[Jay]

Have you ever owned Apple products?

PC’s are cheaper for sure. But we like macs because they sync better and are more user friendly IMHO. They also have a better resell value when we want to upgrade.

[ashend57]

I’m using a refurbished MacBook Pro 13inch retina mid-2014
I bought it 3 years ago. It is still running completely like new.
We bought my wife a 2012 MacBook Pro model about a year ago that is also running like new.
Mine is a 2.6 GHz Intel Core i5
8 GB memory

Check out items:
222992490278 – 15 innch 2013/2014 model

222856207988 – 13 inch 2014/2015 model

162959441286 – 13 inch mid 2014

If I had $1000 for a computer, I’d buy one of these.

Also bought a copy of 2011 Office for Mac for about $60 on eBay – does absolutely everything I need.

[Ashana]

I have never owned a Mac myself, but my parents have owned them for the last 16 years. I’ve grown up using both pretty fluently.

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by Ashana.

[Inglewood]

I use a Windows XP PC I bought used in 2002 to do all my eBay, PayPal, and label printing.

if you are just using a computer for eBay processes, you don’t need anything fancy.

Even a new low-end computers (sub $200) can do everything efficiently.

[So Cal Joe]

My Laptop (Windows 8.1) cost $250 brand new several years ago from Fry’s and does all I need it to do.

It’s like buying a car, a 10 year old Toyota Corolla will still get you to work, but it’s a whole lot more fun with the brand new $30,000 BMW Gadget Mobile.

[Sharyn]

I have a Chromebook that I use when I’m not in my office. I prefer my computer, but I could run my whole business off my iPhone and Chromebook if I needed to.

[Ashana]

This is hypothetical. Your budget is $1000.00. What do you choose?

I’ve been living on outdated pc mash ups and laptops for the past 10 years. It’s been fine, when it dies, I just scramble together a new one. But I really hate the lack of stability and reliability that provides. Apple would provide an easy transfer to everything. If you remain brand loyal, all future computers would have access to the files through the cloud.

I know buying all new isn’t necessary. If I do go the pc route, I do want to be able to play nice games with my friends and have multiple screens. Regardless of this I’d want something that is going to last with my constant use and demand. At least, 75% of the time it will be used for business. Repair and upgrade costs every few years… and drive it into the ground, just like I do my car. By the end of it’s life, I’d expect it to look like something out of Firefly.

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by Ashana.

[Retro Treasures WV]

Any pc made in the last 7-8 years can perform almost as well as the computers you can buy new at Best Buy.

The two big things to do to an older pc to make it run like a brand new 2018 pc is to put the max allowable amount of RAM in it, and put in a SSD hard drive. Small SSD drives are cheap now.

Our main computer at home is a 2011 HP all in one PC. I was going to replace it but in the end I just doubled the RAM and did a fresh install of windows to clear out the registry. Now it runs like a new PC. I didn’t even need to do the SSD

[T-Satt]

“I’d expect it to look like something out of Firefly.” — Shiny…

I usually upgrade the desktop every 6-8 years. I don’t go top of the line, but look for lots of hard drive space and lots of RAM for speed. I don’t swap out parts, just run the sucker as hard as I can until it is time for a new one. The Desktop is like our server, and holds the most data, SixBit, Quicken, TurboTax, etc…

Funny that I can’t imagine running our business without 6 devices now. 1 desktop, 3 laptops, 2 smartphones. We just grew into that mode…

[Anonymous]

Retro_Treasures is correct. An older PC with a Solid State Drive, a good chunk of RAM will run faster, and crisper than any new PC today.

I’d avoid old versions of Windows – they are not secure from hackers.

Overall, to answer your question – I’d watch for DELL deals.
They often have one-day blowouts with great prices. The best way to find
out about them are from:

https://www.bradsdeals.com/categories/electronics/desktops/deals

https://bensbargains.com/categories/computers-104/

[Anonymous]

For your needs I would seriously consider something along this line (under $600)

http://deals.dell.com/productdetail/13lj

Unless you have a specific need for MS OFFICE – I would uninstall MS OFFICE 30 DAY TRIAL, and I would install OPEN OFFICE (free).

I would also uninstall all McAfee products (they slow the computer down and do not work well anyway)

Then based on your risk level I would either

1) Depend on Win10 Defender (free and native to Win10)

or

Add

2) Malware Bytes (under $10 get the key at https://www.g2a.com/en-us/search?query=malware)

or if you surf the web a lot and have kids using the computer I’d

3) Ad ESET anti-malware (under $10 https://www.g2a.com/en-us/search?query=eset)

You have a $1000 budget so I would buy a DYNO Label printer with money left over.

I do not suggest buying any additional support from Dell – if any problems come up – all they do is tell you to do a factory retore. They do not really fix anything and their support is all overseas and difficult to understand.

You will get a million different answers to your question, and there is more than one right answer to your question anyway.

[So Cal Joe]

Hi all,

I’m currently running an old Laptop with a Celeron processor. It works fine for Ebay, but Sixbit requires a processor with a Passmark Rating of at least 3500. https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php

I’ve gone the Apple route before and it’s not for me. I don’t see a huge advantage to going with a desk top over a laptop, so I’ll take the portability.

These are the two I’m considering.

$529 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-hp-finish-in-jet-black/6188323.p?skuId=6188323

$999 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-17-3-laptop-intel-core-i7-16gb-memory-2tb-hard-drive-256gb-solid-state-drive-platinum-silver/6162040.p?skuId=6162040

The cheaper one probably has the best bang for the buck, but the other one sure is tempting. At these prices, I really don’t see the point in going used. I generally use an external monitor and keyboard.

I’m in no great rush, so I’ll wait for a sale, whichever way I go.

Thanks for any comments.

[Author]

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