Computer shopping *sigh*
Jan. 19th, 2011 01:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stitchwhichI'm pricing (scoping out) computers to replace my (dying) laptop. I have about two-three more months before I actually buy one, as I'm trying to save up my funds rather than use credit to do it. And overall, I'm spinning my wheels because I can't actually commit to a particular plan.
Here's what I'm juggling:
- I need something without a tower. I'm currently using the rolltop desk, and after cleaning out drawers and buying fun organiser stuff, I like it. But there is no way a tower will work. This means I either get another laptop OR an all-in-one computer + a notebook.
- I plan on doing a lot more heraldry-consult table work & LoI meetings, which involve (so far as I am concerned) some form of computer. So a laptop would be good... unless a notebook could handle word documents? Because too many of the things I need to check seem to involve having the Internet open at the same time as having a Word document open too.
- I don't have a big budget. I'm looking at about $900-1050 that I can spend without feeling completely, totally selfish and one-way.
- I think I'd really like for my next "main" computer to have 6 gig RAM, but I don't know if that is silly, given that I don't do a lot of RPG gaming, or even movie-watching (or whatever) on my computer. I just know that I really hate having youtube freeze on me because my email program is doing an automatic download, or having the (rather simple) match-three games that I like to play stop in the middle and hiccup for a few minutes. Or stutttt-ttt-tter through the game. That would be solved by a 6-gig RAM, right? Because it seems that most of the PCs are set for 4-gig and so I'm wondering if I'm going for overkill.
- whatever I get, I want/need a microphone and camera in it this time. I'm getting pressure to do Skype conferences for my Living History group and I'm feeling the shame of not being able to do more than use a headset with a mic. It's embarassing, it is!
I'm thinking about getting a HP all-in-one (NOT the touch-screen one, the 'regular' type), which eliminates the tower and gives a nice big-but-skinny screen to set up on my desk. This does mean that I'd have to get a notebook too, though, which lengthens my save-up-funds time a bit. And I was thinking that I'd try to go for a reconditioned computer, which I've been told would mean that all the components had been tested - as opposed to a new one, which may or may not have had one or two components tested.
But then again... would I be smarter just buying a new laptop and taking it everywhere I need a computer? It makes me nervous to have my 'one and only' out in the world, at Pennsic and events (and hotels!) but maybe I'm trying to get too much out of too little fundage.
I don't know. Buying a sewing machine is easier, I swear.
Here's what I'm juggling:
- I need something without a tower. I'm currently using the rolltop desk, and after cleaning out drawers and buying fun organiser stuff, I like it. But there is no way a tower will work. This means I either get another laptop OR an all-in-one computer + a notebook.
- I plan on doing a lot more heraldry-consult table work & LoI meetings, which involve (so far as I am concerned) some form of computer. So a laptop would be good... unless a notebook could handle word documents? Because too many of the things I need to check seem to involve having the Internet open at the same time as having a Word document open too.
- I don't have a big budget. I'm looking at about $900-1050 that I can spend without feeling completely, totally selfish and one-way.
- I think I'd really like for my next "main" computer to have 6 gig RAM, but I don't know if that is silly, given that I don't do a lot of RPG gaming, or even movie-watching (or whatever) on my computer. I just know that I really hate having youtube freeze on me because my email program is doing an automatic download, or having the (rather simple) match-three games that I like to play stop in the middle and hiccup for a few minutes. Or stutttt-ttt-tter through the game. That would be solved by a 6-gig RAM, right? Because it seems that most of the PCs are set for 4-gig and so I'm wondering if I'm going for overkill.
- whatever I get, I want/need a microphone and camera in it this time. I'm getting pressure to do Skype conferences for my Living History group and I'm feeling the shame of not being able to do more than use a headset with a mic. It's embarassing, it is!
I'm thinking about getting a HP all-in-one (NOT the touch-screen one, the 'regular' type), which eliminates the tower and gives a nice big-but-skinny screen to set up on my desk. This does mean that I'd have to get a notebook too, though, which lengthens my save-up-funds time a bit. And I was thinking that I'd try to go for a reconditioned computer, which I've been told would mean that all the components had been tested - as opposed to a new one, which may or may not have had one or two components tested.
But then again... would I be smarter just buying a new laptop and taking it everywhere I need a computer? It makes me nervous to have my 'one and only' out in the world, at Pennsic and events (and hotels!) but maybe I'm trying to get too much out of too little fundage.
I don't know. Buying a sewing machine is easier, I swear.
