My new PC, laptop or desktop?

[awa355]

I'm looking at replacing my older Compaq C700 ( runs Vista ) as it doesn't playback HD vid clips. HP started this model back in 2007 and I've been told its pointless trying to up grade the video capability of the C700.

I also have a newish HP mini 10" notebook ( runs Wins 7) which out performs the bigger Compaq but the small screen is a bugbear.

As I never move the bigger laptop from the end of the table, I thought a desktop with a larger monitor and future upgrade capability might suit. The local shop ( with endless credit) has two types.

One is a standard type with a tower box, the other is a " All in one" type.( Omni 120-1010a) Does either type of desktop have any advantages over the other?

Another option is a HP Pavilion Dv6-6c36tx laptop. This has 4GB ram ( twice the desktop), and has a dedicated video card, which the sales person says the all in one desktop doesn't. He said laptops need to be the higher spec models to play HD ( eg $1000+)

The Pavilion is also $300 cheaper.

My C700 has 1.5GB shared, They can be upgraded to 2GB, but been told this wont help the video playback.

Any suggestions?

[pzkpfw]

If upgrade capability is part of the point of a non-laptop, then the "all in one" seems an odd choice.

[awa355]

If upgrade capability is part of the point of a non-laptop, then the "all in one" seems an odd choice.

I take it from that, the all in one desktop cant be upgraded? Have to admit, a decent performing laptop seems the way to go.

[wharekura]

gidday Arthur. It just so happened I fixed up a c700 for my mate weekend just gone - put in 2gig which was 1 gig, reverted back to it original state (your laptop should have recovery mode) and put in all the patches. Gave it back to them yesterday and they said it was like new - which effectively it is. I can do this for you for nothing, but it means blowing away your laptop and starting again.

[sil3nt]

You should try an iMac in a store and see if you like it.

I hate the things but they are pretty good. If you have lots of windows software then you probably wouldn't want to switch to apple. They are a bit pricey though.

I don't know jack about the HP Omni you linked but the 2GB it comes with is bare minimum these days and you would probably want to double that to make video editing a little easier.

I don't even know if you can upgrade the parts in the HP all in one PCs.

The conventional desktop PC has the advantage of being totally upgradeable. However if you buy a branded desktop you generally can't upgrade anything without voiding the warranty.

[SMOKEU]

OEM computers are average at the best of times. The way to go is to build your own desktop. If you think you're not up to it, then go to a small computer shop and ask them to build you a computer. Don't buy an HP, Dell, Apple or any name brand computer unless you absolutely must have the portability of a laptop.

[wharekura]

..video editing a little easier.

I wasnt aware you wanted video editing, in that case the c700 is no good.

[sil3nt]

If your notebook can play the videos fine then perhaps a good monitor could be all you need.

This is a top monitor http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...n&sku=320-2807

I would imagine the notebook has support for external monitors.

[sil3nt]

I wasnt aware you wanted video editing, in that case the c700 is no good.

Well he just purchased a Contour HD camera so he needs to cut the videos up to upload them on youtube. Not major video editing but 2GB can still make it a bit painful (or at least it did with me).

[awa355]

Jonathon,
I hadn't given Mac's a thought to be honest. The 'all in one' desktop looks to be a glorified laptop. I dont know if you can lift the bonnet on the monitor and throw bigger pistons into it,

I'm not really interested in uploading to you tube, that much. I just like playing my vids back with my favourite songs dubbed. Watching something, I've created.

The plug in monitor would be ok but any HD playback would still only be as quick as the pc can load up the monitor, I assume.

At the mo. I've set the contours via the website to 1280 x 720@ 30fps HD and 848 x 480 @ 60fps. SD. Clips are okay but seems a shame not to view vids at the best the camera can record.

Dave, Yea, I might be interested in giving the C700 an overhaul. Will PM you.

[Akzle]

my ten cents here:
dont buy HP or DELL.

HP laptop may be acceptable if you do a HDD flush, reclaim the HDD space it eats with it's HP backup BS and do a clean winblows install.

don't run vista.
if you must run windows (7) get an "ultimate" edition, 64 bit preferred.
if you're not fussy about OS and have lots of credit, get a mac, or run linux.
mac are expensive and only allow proprietary shit, but they have f*cking excellent hardware support for this. although it can be limiting depending on your PC usage.

a new high-end laptop will do you well. although the only upgradeable things (really) are screen, RAM and HDD. - and you'll prbably want to upgrade them all.

i would avoid an all-in-one PC, i have limited experience with them but know many overheat etc, although i know people who use them no probs.
there are some funky ones where you have your screen/all-in-one, and you can slide in your tablet and in that you can slide in your PDA/smartphone so you can sync them all up and basically carry your PC as your phone...

an ATX tower is nearly infinitely upgradeable and would be my preference for any serious computing - including HD film etc.

if you get a tower, your screen will most likely be the weak link, so fork out for one that natively supports 1080p, preferably HDMI or DVI input and with <2ms repsonse time.

in terms of graphics cards, PCIe is basically the go-to, with at least 1GB onboard.
SLI is possible but really not necessary for you.

in terms of memory DDR3 is now standard? generally ATX mobo will have 2-4 slots.
at least 2GB (one dimm), preferably 4 (2x2gb dimm) or 8GB (4x 2gb dimm or 2x 4gb dimm), buy your memory all at once and all from the same brand and batch if possible.

in terms of motherboards: i like lots of ports. IDE, SATA etc.
this is changing with modern HDDs having massive capacities and you may not want 10TB of strage anyway.
if you want to plug in extrenal hard disks then a mobo with USB3 support and/or e-sata ports is good. if you do video transfers etc, firewire is nice and stable. (available as add in card)

if you do get multiple HDDs, unless you're really confident and really clever and really diligent about backups, do not run RAID. if you must run RAID, RAID 0 is the go.

if you're serious about a semi-future proof PC, then get someone (or DIY) to build you a PC, it's really not hard. buy the individual components from acetech or pbtech or similar and plug em all together. this will get you a higher spec PC, that meets your exact wants, for much cheaper than a comparable pre-assembled one.


without benchmarking your PC i can't pick where the bottleneck is, it's unlikely that it's the RAM. i run a shitty old laptop most days with <768MB ram, windows XP pro, and have no problems uploading video via PCMCIA firewire...
it's all about how you use it, and windows doesn't use it well. so i've stripped down the OS, basically nuke half the running processes that windows starts etc etc... and she does for what i need do.

[wharekura]

Well he just purchased a Contour HD camera so he needs to cut the videos up to upload them on youtube. Not major video editing but 2GB can still make it a bit painful (or at least it did with me).

Based on this Arthur, the C700 just wont cut it. The C700 I fixed up was so my mate's wife could play facebook games which is now more than adequate.

[SMOKEU]

Jonathon,
I hadn't given Mac's a thought to be honest. The 'all in one' desktop looks to be a glorified laptop. I dont know if you can lift the bonnet on the monitor and throw bigger pistons into it,

Mac computers are overpriced, under performing crap designed for idiots who believe whatever marketing garbage that Apple spews out to the masses. The ones that actually have decent specs are going to cost you at least $6,000, and you can build a better computer for half the price. The Apple fanboys keep regurgitating the same old shit, but the hardware specs don't lie.

[sil3nt]

I actually have some old desktop parts sitting in a box next to me.

Parts are:
Motherboard http://www.msi.com/product/mb/K7N2-Delta-L--ILSR.html
1GB RAM (easily upgradeable)
Gigabyte 9600 Pro graphics card http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/gra...g-9600pro.html
AMD Athlon XP 2500+ CPU (certainly not fast by todays standards but a solid CPU)

What you will need is:
Case: $90
Monitor: ~$200-$300
HDD: $100
Keyboard: $10
Mouse: $10
OS: $???
PSU: $100?

I am sure if some other KB'ers donated some parts we could get you a PC to play your HD videos back with very little cost!

[Akzle]

...What you will need is:
Case: $90
Monitor: ~$200-$300
HDD: $100
Keyboard: $10
Mouse: $10
OS: $???
PSU: $100?

I am sure if some other KB'ers donated some parts we could get you a PC to play your HD videos back with very little cost!

the xp 2500... that's a single core innit? 64 bit? +1 for AMD shit.
i have a few old 200W atx PSUs.. good luck if i can find it though. all my cases went to inorganics.
OS=$FREE$
i say unto you: linux.

Mac computers are overpriced, under performing crap designed for idiots who believe whatever marketing garbage that Apple spews out to the masses. The ones that actually have decent specs are going to cost you at least $6,000, and you can build a better computer for half the price. The Apple fanboys keep regurgitating the same old shit, but the hardware specs don't lie.

yes and no.
mac have closed hardware, which means you can only plug in mac shit. the disadvantage of this is when you want not-mac shit, the advantage is that the hardware is throughly supported and debugged. but it does get pricey. but they had a 32GB ram system long before windows OS supported that much ram. you also don't need antivirus on mac, because of the last 4 known viruses for OSX, they employed the guy who wrote 3 of em...
but yes, for the price, you're better to build the PC you want.
i personally wouldn't buy a mac, if i found one i'd put linux on it.
OSX/mac will outperform a comparable windows machine running similar processes 99 times in 100.