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Question

Buying a computer. Know the required specs but I'm a noob

Jul 18, 2014 6:37AM PDT

Hey guys,
I was looking to a new prebuilt desktop with at least the following specs:
i5/i7 Quad core
16GB DDR3 RAM
SSD ~ 250GB
~350W PSU if I don't require a dedicated GPU (I don't know what this means so I guess I'll take the better one)
a decent motherboard

My budget is up to about $2000. (I'm pretty flexible with this.) I don't have a preference for the size of the desktop. I'm from Canada but I can get a computer shipped to my friend in the US. I don't mind buying online or in person and I use windows. The looks or stylishness of the desktop are not very important for me. I plan to buy the computer whenever I decide on which computer to get. There isn't a deadline but I've to get one for a while so it would be nice to get it soon so I don't keep thinking about it. I'd like for the computer to last a good amount of time. For sure at least 3 years of use 8 hours every day. 5 years would be nice. I would not like to build my own

I've using Dell laptops for the past >10 years. It's basically the only brand I've used that I remember so I'm not sure if I like the brand or not. With regards to their laptops, I tend to manage to damage them pretty fast (within 2 years) but I'm pretty rough with leaving them on my sofa to overheat and stuff which wouldn't happen with a desktop. Besides them breaking on me, I think I'm fine with them. Sometimes my laptop will freeze or crash on me though. If this happens with my new desktop even like once a month, I would have lots of problems. That's the main thing I'm worried about since I've never used a desktop.

My friend got a HP ENVY Phoenix 800 Gaming PC (Intel Core i7 4770 / 1TB HDD / 16GB RAM / Windows Cool and told me it was good and has never crashed on him and doesn't lag for what we do so I know if I got that, it would be fairly reliable.

I was wondering what other computers I should consider. What brands might have a reputation for being more reliable? (less prone to crash or freeze or lag for no reason) What computers might be cheaper but still meet the requirements at the top? Where should I buy my computer from for cheapest cost and safest from being defective? What would be a dell equivalent and is dell considered reliable compared to other brands? Are there any good deals currently or soon for what I'm looking for

Thanks a lot!

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
(NT) What's the primary use ? Gaming, video editing, ???.
Jul 19, 2014 6:23AM PDT
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yes, gaming. screen recording while gaming potentially.
Jul 19, 2014 6:45PM PDT

I don't require good graphics but I play professionally so if my computer crashes or freezes in the middle, it can be quite costly so that's a pretty big concern of mine. (I don't know much about computers though. Maybe I computers never crash and I shouldn't be concerned?)

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Bingo for Bucks
Jul 20, 2014 8:36AM PDT

I'm not aware of a crash proof pc.

Get an UPS.
Keep the innards clean.
Keep the machine updated.
Be malware free.

Share what game/s were talking about so we can check the reqs.

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Answer
Pc
Jul 19, 2014 1:27AM PDT

Visit the Dell and HP web site.
Browse around.....see if they have something that fits your needs.

Visit your local PC shop....have a chat.

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Answer
Thanks!
Jul 21, 2014 11:53PM PDT

I never heard of a UPS before now. Thanks a lot! I'm sure it will be useful.
I don't mean to ask for it to be crash proof. As long as my computer isn't more prone to crashing than anyone else that I'm playing with, I'm fine with it. I just wanted to let people know that if for example, I'm choosing between a computer that boots up in 3 seconds but crashes once every month if on every day for most of the day and a computer that takes 30 seconds to boot up but crashes once a year, I would instantly take the second. So then, they could better help recommend brands or types of computers based on that. I assume most of the people I play with are not too computer savvy though.

I play poker. I originally asked here: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/48/computer-technical-help/advice-new-computer-1451450/ which is where I got the below reqs but I started getting a bunch of pms from people wanting to make a computer for me and not many replies when I asked for suggestions of prebuilt ones available to the public. I mean no disrespect to them since they are probably well intentioned but I feel like I'm know too little to judge whether I should trust them for this. How is the Asus that was recommended in the thread? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883220405
Is there a computer that doesn't require me to buy an additional SSD but already has one?/is it easy to install? (I don't know what it does)

i5/i7 Quad core
16GB DDR3 RAM
SSD ~ 250GB
~350W PSU if I don't require a dedicated GPU (I don't know what this means so I guess I'll take the better one)
a decent motherboard

For some reason, I wasn't able to reply to the replies

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Poker
Jul 22, 2014 2:46AM PDT

I don't play the game so I have no idea what sort of load it puts on the machine.

From what I can find the system reqs are quite small.

Does your laptop play this with 20 tables open?

If so.... then I doubt you'll need much of a desktop.....unless you laptop is a whopper.

If you really want.
An ssd.
16 GB of ram.
No video card.

I suspect your looking at a custom build.

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So pretty much any computer meets these requirements?
Jul 22, 2014 4:09AM PDT

Thanks so much for your time! I really appreciate your help.

From your post, I'm under the impression that the requirements I listed are very light? Is this correct? Then, I don't mind getting a desktop that does better than those requirements to avoid a custom build but so I can get almost any reliable computer and I'll be fine?

My laptop lags a lot though. I used a Dell Latitude E6430s btw. I'm not sure if that's good. It's mainly the tracking software that causes problems, not the actual poker clients. but I always need them open and running. I've been using a lighter software to lessen this but it has less capabilities so I would like to start using hold'em manager to track but when I google "hold'em manager 2 lag", I get a ton of results saying talking about it being slow or choppy or lagging.

I just searched for it and found this result: http://forums.holdemmanager.com/general-support/491982-holdemanager-2-still-lags-alot-after-following-every-guide.html
In the first page of the thread, someone wrote: "I have a decent new laptop (Intel i7-3630QM 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM, Windows 8.1, 7200rpm hard drive) but HEM2 lags like nothing else". The OP asking for advice for his lag seems to use a computer with:
Intel i7 3770k 3,5ghz
16gb ram
3 hdds. 2ssds. HM and postgresq are @ ssd disks.

I think that actually is better than the reqs recommended to me from my original thread.

Do you think I should just get the HP ENVY Phoenix 800 Gaming PC (Intel Core i7 4770 / 1TB HDD / 16GB RAM / Windows Cool that my friend got because he said it works well and he uses the same programs as me?

If so, what would be like an equivalently capable computer but made by Dell/other brands and would you recommend any over any overs for having a reputation of being more reliable?

Again, thank you so much for your time and advice.

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Just in case
Jul 22, 2014 4:11AM PDT

If my questions are dumb, I apologize profusely but again thank you very much

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Go with what works
Jul 22, 2014 9:13AM PDT

Your friend seems to have found what works.

Just a guess.
It looks like this hem prog can be quite a load depending on the features you enable and the size of the file your playing with.

That might be all tripe as I don't have the product to play with.

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Add a storage Hard Drive
Jul 25, 2014 12:54PM PDT

Your basic specs are OK, but I would add an internal SATA hard drive. At least 1 Tb, but 2 or more Tb are now reasonable. You'll want space for photos, music files, older documents, etc. You will also want a backup of your SSD, just in case.

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Answer
Its all depends on what games u play
Jul 22, 2014 7:22PM PDT

According to me it all depends on what games u play or intend to play. u are more into what - Multiplayer games online such as LOL, DOTA 2, Company of heroes ... such games dont require much graphics so u can opt to spend your money in other areas .

If u play games such as Far cry 3 , Battlefield 4 , MOH , Crysis then may be u would want to have a PC with a nice graphic card ... I would recommend nVIDIA ...