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General discussion

Help me buy a computer for my office

May 26, 2005 2:16AM PDT

I am in the market for replacing our office computers. It is a small business (5 computers) that is running on a peer to peer network. Both of these computers are VERY comparable in price.

Here are my choices:
Acer AcerPower FV 5050--2.66 GHZ--256 RAM (upgrading to 512)--80 Gig HD--

Dell Dimension 3000--2.8 GHz--512 RAM--80 Gig HD--3.5 Floppy Drive

Basically everything is the same except the processor speed (but what is the real difference there anyway for our uses?) and the presence of a floppy drive on the Dell (but who uses floppies anymore?). Anyway, I'm leaning to the Acer because I've heard that Dell is not as quality anymore, but if anyone has opinions, I would be glad to hear them.

Discussion is locked

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Processor
May 26, 2005 3:18AM PDT

I haven't either owned or used a Dell Desktop nor an Acer desktop. I'm assuming your office work will include spread sheets, word processing, using the internet, and maybe a game or two? I have a dell laptop and the support is ok. I would say it was great but I had to wait like 20 minutes and got transfered alot. But that's a laptop. They probably have a whole different department for Desktops. Processor is, arguably, the heart of the computer. It helps your computer in the way your memory does. It speeds up things, and the 2.8 might be faster at multi-tasking. At some places you can get a free monitor with the dell.
The damming evidence that makes me chose the Acer is because it uses P4 which beats the Celron on the Dell any day. I have used a Celron but they just don't have the power of a P4.
Thank You
Ibrahim jadoon

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RE:
May 26, 2005 5:32AM PDT

if it is as the above guy says and the Acer is a P4 and the Dell is a celeron, go with the Acer

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Processor
May 26, 2005 6:19AM PDT

The Acer is a Pentium 4, but we upgraded the Dell to a Pentium 4 as well--so the only difference in the processors is the speed--but all we're doing around here is word processing, desktop publishing, excel, and powerpoint----every blue moon we'll edit a video or edit some photos...

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processor difference
May 26, 2005 7:25AM PDT

is probably the 2.66 has 533 FSB 512 L2 cache and the 2.80 (if newer) has 800 FSP 1024 L2 cache

Bottom line for your office structure and use it is a toss up; $$ being equal get the 2.8 P4
Both Acer and Dell have a lot of government contracts which really means only they meet minimum specs and are low compliant bidder