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Buying new computer - Need advice

post #1 of 14
4/8/10 at 6:01pm
Thread Starter 
My office is buying me a new computer and my boss just told me to research what I need and tell her the cost. I am the opposite of computer savvy so need all the advice I can get. I do statistical research so I often have a stats application open (SPSS), and excel, and several web tabs all at once. My current computer can't handle all of that.

I went to the Dell website and am sort of leaning toward the Optiplex 760 MiniTower and upgrading the memory and RAM from the basic model. Anyone know anything about this computer? Any specifications I should think about besides memory and RAM?
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post #2 of 14
4/8/10 at 6:14pm
Whats the budget?
I mean I got a basic Macbook and I'm loving it. Handles Windows 7 pretty well too.
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post #3 of 14
4/8/10 at 6:16pm
Thread Starter 
No budget. I mean, I don't think I can go nuts, but I asked a coworker is $1000 was too much and she said no.

I have a Macbook for personal use, but my work computer needs to be connected to a college network and Dells seem to be in all the classrooms and offices.
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post #4 of 14
4/8/10 at 6:33pm
Don't do Dell laptops, heard too many problems with their build quality. Though I've used their desktops for years and they've worked well.

1000 bucks will get you a pretty powerful desktop or a decent laptop.
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post #5 of 14
4/8/10 at 7:18pm
Thread Starter 
No laptops. It'll be a desktop computer for my work station.
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post #6 of 14
4/8/10 at 7:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva View Post
No laptops. It'll be a desktop computer for my work station.
This might be nosy, but now I'm interested in what you do. I had to learn STATA and SPSS in my methodology courses, and I was so bad at it I ran the other direction and became a theory major. You have my respect!
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post #7 of 14
4/8/10 at 8:02pm
Contact SPSS to find out which version of the software you are licensed to use, 32-bit or 64-bit, and determine if multiple processors will signifficantly increase the speed.

Then have them suggest specs for your machine. Stick to business enhancements for your work machine and you will be much happier as will your I.T. Department.

Has this helped? May I close your ticket?
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post #8 of 14
4/8/10 at 9:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CDI F. Kelly View Post
This might be nosy, but now I'm interested in what you do. I had to learn STATA and SPSS in my methodology courses, and I was so bad at it I ran the other direction and became a theory major. You have my respect!
I'm a research assistant in a Social Psychology lab, but also use SPSS myself as I'm pursuing my doctoral degree in the same field. I give you props. I'm terrible with theory. I just like to cruch the numbers and let someone else decide what they mean.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jay f View Post
Contact SPSS to find out which version of the software you are licensed to use, 32-bit or 64-bit, and determine if multiple processors will signifficantly increase the speed.

Then have them suggest specs for your machine. Stick to business enhancements for your work machine and you will be much happier as will your I.T. Department.

Has this helped? May I close your ticket?
Good idea. The school installed the latest version of SPSS (now called PASW) recently and my computer slowed to a crawl, it ate up so much RAM. What will multiple processors do?

I also plan on calling the IT department tomorrow and asking their advice as well. Though depending on who answers, they can be extremely helpful or extremely unhelpful. There's one guy who literally makes my computer worse every time he's been sent to help.
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post #9 of 14
4/9/10 at 2:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva View Post
I'm a research assistant in a Social Psychology lab, but also use SPSS myself as I'm pursuing my doctoral degree in the same field. I give you props. I'm terrible with theory. I just like to cruch the numbers and let someone else decide what they mean.
Take heart, as the number-crunching will get you grants. Theory just seems to produce more theory. Not to derail the thread, but I'm working on my PhD too. : )

Oh, and I like Dells. I hear Alienware is really good too, but they are expensive.
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post #10 of 14
4/13/10 at 11:22am
You can get a hell of a lot of desktop for $1000. Go for the most powerful CPU(s) you can find, as related to everything else in the case, that's the hardest thing to upgrade. You can always upgrade memory, hard drive, video, etc., down the line, but CPU is the toughest. Go for that, and lots of RAM. And as has been suggested, if you can, run with the 64-bit version of Windows 7, especially if your software can utilize it.
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post #11 of 14
4/13/10 at 11:30am
Thread Starter 
How do I know how powerful a CPU is? The computer I'm thinking about buying has this: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E8400 with VT (3.0GHz, 6M, 1333MHz FSB) E8400
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post #12 of 14
4/13/10 at 11:48am
The Intel Core i7 is the latest and greatest, but the Core 2 Duo is pretty solid, and has been around a while.
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post #13 of 14
4/13/10 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
Gotcha.
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post #14 of 14
4/19/10 at 9:33pm
What about a computer in the 500-750 range? I want something that can play 1080P streaming video and play low level games like Sam and Max and Spore.
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