Time for a new PC for wife

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Zenn7
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Zenn7 »

Kasey Chang wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 4:35 am
Zenn7 wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:14 am Expecting the least from Woot. Guessing Dell would probably be the best actual support, but not sure.
You can always spend another $120 and get a 3-year Squaretrade breakdown insurance, but I consider that a pure rip-off. PC's don't really breakdown nowadays.
That was more responding to Daehawk's comment on warranty/support than a specific concern of mine. I would not buy an extended warranty. Rarely are those worth it (though I did buy a van once where I got my money's worth out of it).
hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:52 am
Zenn7 wrote: Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:14 pm
Not sure how much difference between I3 9100 vs I5 6600. After a few generations does the I3 vs I5 not matter so much?
for her purposes, not really much of anything. graphics will be a bigger determining factor, not CPU.
Thanks Kasey - not really wanting a refurb just because I want something that will hopefully last for years, refurb already has some mileage on it (though the refurb laptop I got for my kid last year is still doing great, so that might just be my paranoia).
refurbed really would be a good plan here, for desktop - there aren't going to be that many mechanical parts involved (fans are easy to replace) and CPUs are long-lived.

consider again about building this yourself - the Ryzen system i just put together was incredibly easy to assemble. it's somewhat more foolproof than it used to be. snap CPU/heatsink into motherboard, snap RAM in, screw motherboard into case, attach wires.
I don't know why, but for some reason, I am uneasy about building a PC myself. I've replaced Hard Drives, upgraded RAM, swapped optical drives, added/removed video cards... everything but fans/power supplies/CPU's/motherboards. If I had more personal time to deal with it and deal with any potential issues (that's what I'm more concerned about than the time to assemble the PC - if I put it together and it works off the bat w/ no issues, then it's not a big deal), I'd probably consider this more strongly.

I'll look at the refurb stuff again, though I didn't think the $569 refurb PC on Woot seemed that much better than the $639 new one from CyberpowerPC (Woot had slightly better? processor, DVD drive, CyberpowerPC had a secondary hard drive - between DVD and 2nd hard drive for storage, the hard drive is more important).
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hitbyambulance
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by hitbyambulance »

Zenn7 wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 9:28 am
I don't know why, but for some reason, I am uneasy about building a PC myself. I've replaced Hard Drives, upgraded RAM, swapped optical drives, added/removed video cards... everything but fans/power supplies/CPU's/motherboards. If I had more personal time to deal with it and deal with any potential issues (that's what I'm more concerned about than the time to assemble the PC - if I put it together and it works off the bat w/ no issues, then it's not a big deal), I'd probably consider this more strongly.
it's really NBD. you've already got the skills to do this. the AMD Wraith heatsink/cooler (included with the Ryzen processor) just needs to be snapped onto the mobo in four corners.

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Kasey Chang
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Kasey Chang »

Zenn7 wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 9:28 am between DVD and 2nd hard drive for storage, the hard drive is more important).
But you said you are perfectly comfortable adding a hard drive yourself.
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Zenn7
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Zenn7 »

Kasey Chang wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 3:43 pm
Zenn7 wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 9:28 am between DVD and 2nd hard drive for storage, the hard drive is more important).
But you said you are perfectly comfortable adding a hard drive yourself.
I am, looks like about $50 for a 1 TB WD Blue HD at Microcenter (as fate would have it, the one and only Microcenter store in all of Michigan, is only a few miles out of my way driving home from work; shopped there before and likely the place I would go for parts unless I'm desperate).

I was just trying to add up the value after purchasing the hard drive, the price difference is not so great ($639 for new CyberpowerPC vs 619 for refurb - but refurb has a slightly better processor (though apparently not a significant factor in my stated needs) and a DVD-RW).

While I was at Microcenter, thought I'd price out local store's parts as HBaA keeps telling me to do.
Then I noticed they have a refurb section so I click on that for kicks and saw this:

https://www.microcenter.com/product/061 ... furbished)

$679, but that looks like a mighty improvement on the graphics card. Looks like a $200 video card just looking at their store prices for it.

90 day parts/labor for the warranty but a huge advantage is that I can drive it there instead of dealing w/ the cost/hassle of mailing. (Though the consensus seems to be mechanical failure is not a significant concern).

Only 2 left in stock. Gotta say that's mighty tempting. Should take care of any other odd games that come up.

Really liking this one... <salivating>
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Kasey Chang
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Kasey Chang »

If you open their credit card you get like another 5% off. :)
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Zenn7
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Zenn7 »

Kasey Chang wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:47 pm If you open their credit card you get like another 5% off. :)
Probably take advantage of that too (just about cover the sales tax). Reserved the last one (there were 2 earlier today, 1 when I looked now). Should be picking it up on the way home, though technically, I have not paid or anything so I can back out if something comes up.

Think though, unless someone thinks that's a bad idea (other than HBA's suggestion that I should build one instead), I will proceed with that. No DVD drive, but while I don't trust parts from the existing PC that were on the board, the DVD drive has never had issues and not being attached, I have confidence was not likely damaged, so I can put that in the new PC (assuming there's open bay/it's the right size/etc).

Whatever happens, just wanted to thank everyone who provided feedback (and kept coming in to provide more feedback)! Can't tell you how much I have appreciated all the feedback on PC's over the last few years. Avoided a few bad choices and got a few good deals I would have otherwise missed or not chosen.
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Daehawk
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Daehawk »

Good luck with it! I can hear the excitement behind your keyboard. :)
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hitbyambulance
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by hitbyambulance »

Zenn7 wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 12:12 am No DVD drive, but while I don't trust parts from the existing PC that were on the board, the DVD drive has never had issues and not being attached, I have confidence was not likely damaged, so I can put that in the new PC (assuming there's open bay/it's the right size/etc).
not exactly sure what the case looks like on the inside - you can (probably?) remove the top fan from the case and reclaim two drive bays that way, but i do not know if the rails are still present (may need to buy a new set?)

may have to remove the front panel part as well...

alternately you can get a power/SATA -> USB cable and 'convert' the internal DVD drive into an external one.
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Kasey Chang
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Kasey Chang »

Or just buy an external drive... like I did. It's a Blu-ray reader too. :)
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ManAboutNothing
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by ManAboutNothing »

Kasey Chang wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 3:42 am Or just buy an external drive... like I did. It's a Blu-ray reader too. :)
Did the same, and it has a small footprint and was cheap too! It reads and writes DVDs and CDs too.
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Zenn7
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Zenn7 »

Picked up the PC yesterday, everything started up fine, ran through a battery of test (memtest, Intelburntest, Furmark), everything comes back good. Got up to 73 degrees Celsius at the hottest during the standard Furmark benchmarking. Don't think that's too hot.

Got Anti-virus on, Win 10 updated, MS Office installed (apparently, I've installed the max time, had to go through phone, which sent me a link to use my smart phone to activate it - which was good, had to punch in 63 digit key and get a 63 digit key back - yes, 63 digits each way, that's not a typo).

Putting some games on here now so we can test out the fun part. :)

Thank you again to everyone for your feedback!
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Daehawk
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Daehawk »

--------------------------------------------
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I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
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Zenn7
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Zenn7 »

She finally got all her stuff off her old PC and tonight finally let me shut it down so I could put the new one in.

Except she had vga - vga plug. New PC doesn't support VGA. Fine, I was planning in use HDMI to HDMI. Her monitor does NOT support HDMI. Only vga and dvi. Same with the other spare monitor we have (which I'd already check cause I was going to use it instead of swapping my monitor on my pc back and forth between my PC and her new PC while testing/setting up.

Didn't learn this til almost 9 PM (Eastern). Not much open though I did check if the nearest Wal-mart had DVI or HDMI to DVI - they were out of stock on the HDMI to DVI, no DVI to DVI.

<sigh>

Might have one at work, but if not, I can hit Microcenter or Best Buy or something on the way home from work. For now, stuck with her PC on my desk still (good thing I just a new (to me) desk a few weeks ago so I had cleared the old one off and had room - though it was crowded Friday while I was working from home w/ my work laptop on the desk too...).
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Anonymous Bosch
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Anonymous Bosch »

Zenn7 wrote: Sun Mar 01, 2020 11:34 pm She finally got all her stuff off her old PC and tonight finally let me shut it down so I could put the new one in.

Except she had vga - vga plug. New PC doesn't support VGA. Fine, I was planning in use HDMI to HDMI. Her monitor does NOT support HDMI. Only vga and dvi. Same with the other spare monitor we have (which I'd already check cause I was going to use it instead of swapping my monitor on my pc back and forth between my PC and her new PC while testing/setting up.

Didn't learn this til almost 9 PM (Eastern). Not much open though I did check if the nearest Wal-mart had DVI or HDMI to DVI - they were out of stock on the HDMI to DVI, no DVI to DVI.

<sigh>

Might have one at work, but if not, I can hit Microcenter or Best Buy or something on the way home from work. For now, stuck with her PC on my desk still (good thing I just a new (to me) desk a few weeks ago so I had cleared the old one off and had room - though it was crowded Friday while I was working from home w/ my work laptop on the desk too...).
If you have Amazon Prime, here's an AmazonBasics DVI to HDMI Cable you could have delivered in fairly short order.
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Zenn7
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Zenn7 »

Anonymous Bosch wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2020 12:30 am
Zenn7 wrote: Sun Mar 01, 2020 11:34 pm She finally got all her stuff off her old PC and tonight finally let me shut it down so I could put the new one in.

Except she had vga - vga plug. New PC doesn't support VGA. Fine, I was planning in use HDMI to HDMI. Her monitor does NOT support HDMI. Only vga and dvi. Same with the other spare monitor we have (which I'd already check cause I was going to use it instead of swapping my monitor on my pc back and forth between my PC and her new PC while testing/setting up.

Didn't learn this til almost 9 PM (Eastern). Not much open though I did check if the nearest Wal-mart had DVI or HDMI to DVI - they were out of stock on the HDMI to DVI, no DVI to DVI.

<sigh>

Might have one at work, but if not, I can hit Microcenter or Best Buy or something on the way home from work. For now, stuck with her PC on my desk still (good thing I just a new (to me) desk a few weeks ago so I had cleared the old one off and had room - though it was crowded Friday while I was working from home w/ my work laptop on the desk too...).
If you have Amazon Prime, here's an AmazonBasics DVI to HDMI Cable you could have delivered in fairly short order.
Thanks, but I wanted one sooner than 2 day shipping. Bought one at Microcenter ($25???). Was considering buying one at Best Buy as it was easier to get to if the price wasn't too different, but alas, Best Buy did not have any in any of the stores on my way home.
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Daehawk
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Daehawk »

Thats crazy high. Can you return it if you get a cheaper one in a few days?
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hitbyambulance
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by hitbyambulance »

Zenn7 wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2020 9:56 pm Bought one at Microcenter ($25???). Was considering buying one at Best Buy as it was easier to get to if the price wasn't too different, but alas, Best Buy did not have any in any of the stores on my way home.

wouldn't've been. cables are known profit makers for electronics stores with their 1000% markup. witness the price range on the likes of eBay/alibaba - as low as $2.47 with free shipping from China for a 3' HDMI to DVI cable (and $3.67 for a 6' one):

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... =0&_sop=15
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Daehawk
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Re: Time for a new PC for wife

Post by Daehawk »

I buy all cables on Monoprice. But they have crept up in recent times.
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I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
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