Looking for a new Desktop

[clara]

My Gateway Desktop was bought in 2001. It's time for an upgrade. I was leaning towards an HP, mainly HP Pavilion a6100y. I was also leaning towards HP Pavilion Slimline s3100e because I will be using it mostly to store my photography and videos...so I'd need more room. I'd like to keep below a $600 budget.

Any suggestions or comments on HP's. I WILL NOT get another Gateway. I've had a Gateway laptop and this desktop I currently have and have had nothing but bad experiences from defective hard drives to terrible customer service.

Thanks in advance.

[lazyboy97O]

Personally, I hate HP computers. My mom worked for HP and we have a few laptops and desktops lying around. Typically they come with a lot of crap installed that is difficult to remove without just starting fresh. Customer service is poor.

If you have a willing friend who knows how, I say build your own. I believe that is still the cheaper route.

[clara]

Personally, I hate HP computers. My mom worked for HP and we have a few laptops and desktops lying around. Typically they come with a lot of crap installed that is difficult to remove without just starting fresh. Customer service is poor.

If you have a willing friend who knows how, I say build your own. I believe that is still the cheaper route.

Interesting....I was also considering this. I do know someone who builds computers. Just looking at all my options. Thanks!

[Crazy Legs]

Look at costco or Sam's club also dell is good. Or a mac but more then your budget

[lazyboy97O]

Interesting....I was also considering this. I do know someone who builds computers. Just looking at all my options. Thanks!

The big advantage of doing yourself is money spent paying for shiping, etc to the companies can go to better components.

Look at costco or Sam's club also dell is good. Or a mac but more then your budget

The Mac mini is $599.

[Hakuna Makarla]

I will be doing a new computer also, but I love my gateway and have never had a days problem with it. I am passing it to my daughter. I am going for a mac I would never own a HP, I have friends who own them and hate them. loaded with garbage and cheap.

[Mighty Mikerscope]

Clara,

I've always had good luck with Dell PCs. Get the extended warranty, and you should be covered for just about anything. I had a video card go bad and after a call to Tech Support, a technician arrived the next day, and installed a new card. You can also go online and build a system with only the features you want, and it will be delivered right to your door in a day or two. There are usually lots of coupons/specials floating around the web, and on their site as well.

Good luck, let us know what you end up with!

[lazyboy97O]

As much as I love my iBook, I don't think I'd really go around telling everybody to go Mac. In my opinion a lot of people think it is magically easier, when that isn't the case. There are still issues with cross-compatibility. The big thing that Apple loves to talk about, iLife, just plain sucks for the most part.

I honestly expect a malware boom for OS X to come soon. Too many people seem to believe that OS X is written to be virus proof, when in reality nobody really bothers to write viruses for OS X.

Lastly, right now is not the time to buy a Mac. OS X v10.5 "Leopard" is set to deput later this year and there is no discount for upgrades, you must pay full price in order to upgrade.

[aimster]

My 2nd ever PC was an HP and I loved it. When my ex built the PC following that, we salvaged a few things from it.

I currently have an eMachine. It's almost 2 years old but still runs great and it came with everything I needed when I bought it. These things are built much better than they used to be.

My computer at my last job was a Dell and it was pretty good. I have a custom built PC at the current job though.

[Brain Toad]

I've also had a good experience with Dell. We've only owned 3 desktops and 1 laptop in our entire computing days (since 1998, late adopters) and 3 of those 4 have been Dells. I've had nothing major wrong happen with my Dell other than its general outdatedness and I've managed to add/replace things easily without too many problems which was impossible on our old Compaq.

If you aren't up to building your own PC, I'd highly suggest Dell just because of their ability to be at least customized a little. You could save money by leaving out some expensive things and buying them yourself or salvage from the old computer like CD/DVD players/burners, etc.

[clara]

OH wow. Well I really have only heard one or two bad things about Dell but good things about HP.


I'll look into a Dell to. Thanks!

[clara]

Oh wow..Dell has some great limited time offers right now...$100 to $150 off!

[Monorail Man]

Dell Small Business. The cost abit more, but come with better Service, and you can choose machines that are extra-software free.

[aimster]

Oh wow..Dell has some great limited time offers right now...$100 to $150 off!

Dell has different deals going on all the time.

[Sambo]

Still - you end up with a Dell...

Build your own. I haven't owned a "name brand" system ever until I got laptops. (kinda hard to build those) I have always had systems that did exactly what I wanted them to do - every time, and never, ever, had bad customer service.