So How's This Desktop?? < GEEK >

[Jeff '79]

I just grabbed this for $199.00 to my door.
DELL GX780 SFF Intel Dual Core E5300 2.6G/4G DDR3/250G HDD/DVD/W7Pro 64Bit/ Keyboard & Mouse at TigerDirect.com (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8526575&tab=7&SRCCODE=WEBLET03ORDER&cm_mmc=Email-_-WebletMain-_-WEBLET03ORDER-_-Deals&utm_source=EML&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=WEBLET03ORDER&[email protected])
I just surf the net, watch U-tube videos, use Windows Office, listen to music, store pictures and generally just surf.
I'm on a 1.6ghz 4.0g 32 bit HP machine right now, and was wondering what the difference will be in speed.
I don't play games, so for the price, is this a decent machine?
The only things I don't like are that all 6 USB's are 2.0 and there is no HDMI port. If I had to, I could buy 8g of memory for $95.00 because it max's out at 16g.
http://i.dell.com/sites/content/business/solutions/engineering-docs/en/Documents/optiplex-780-tech-guide.pdf

[Datawiz]

Computers have mostly become commodities. You'll be just fine with what you bought. :yesnod:

[Jeff '79]

Computers have mostly become commodities. You'll be just fine with what you bought. :yesnod:

For your purposes, that should be fine, IMHO.

If you really want HDMI or USB 3.0 you could always buy a card to go in it.

:cheers:

The machine I'm on now sometimes jams up during a U-tube video for a few seconds, so I'm wondering if the new one will do that.
1) Is there a major difference between the two that would eliminate those "jam ups"?
2) What is the difference in performance between a 2.0 and a 3.0 USB port? Speed of data transfer?

[Datawiz]

The machine I'm on now sometimes jams up during a U-tube video for a few seconds, so I'm wondering if the new one will do that.
1) Is there a major difference between the two that would eliminate those "jam ups"?
2) What is the difference in performance between a 2.0 and a 3.0 USB port? Speed of data transfer?

I've had my notebook (the $7K one) for nearly 3 years. It has USB 3.0. To date, I have never needed the benefits of 3.0. ;)

[Jeff '79]

I've had my notebook (the $7K one) for nearly 3 years. It has USB 3.0. To date, I have never needed the benefits of 3.0. ;)

Really! And you're The Data Wiz!
I guess that makes me feel that I don't really need a 3.0 USB port. :seasix:
:bill_daniels:

[Datawiz]

Really! And you're The Data Wiz!
I guess that makes me feel that I don't really need a 3.0 USB port. :seasix:
:bill_daniels:

3.0 is one of those technologies that came to market way before the content did. :yesnod:

[Jeff '79]

3.0 is one of those technologies that came to market way before the content did. :yesnod:

I did not know that.

I use Google Chromecast to stream Netflix, U-Tube, etc.
That being said, I really don't need an HDMI port, right?
As you can tell, I stupid when it comes to this stuff.:sadangel:

[Datawiz]

I did not know that.

I use Google Chromecast to stream Netflix, U-Tube, etc.
That being said, I really don't need an HDMI port, right?
As you can tell, I stupid when it comes to this stuff.:sadangel:

HDMI is nice when you're trying to connect to a flat screen TV. Most of the flat screen monitors have migrated toward that technology, but if you're happy with the monitor that is connected, and you're not planning on connecting your computer to your large, home theater flat screen, you'll not have a need for it.

[Datawiz]

With the exception of USB 3.0 HDD enclosures and USB 3.0 flash drives. The latter benefit tremendously from USB 3.0 speeds.

You think Jeff is really going to be needing this? :lol:

[DukeAllen]

You scored by not getting stuck with windoze 8.

[Jeff '79]

You scored by not getting stuck with windoze 8.

Ya, I avoided that like the plague.

[Datawiz]

Didn't say that. :lol:

I just think USB 3.0 is super useful for certain things. :)

Agreed.

[Jeff '79]

Didn't say that. :lol:

I just think USB 3.0 is super useful for certain things. :)

I back-up all of my pics, videos, favorites, and desktob on a 16g flash drive.
I keep two copies around just in case.

[99 pewtercoupe]

I back-up all of my porn on a 16g flash drive.
I keep two copies around just in case.
:rofl:

[Datawiz]

I back-up all of my pics, videos, favorites, and desktob on a 16g flash drive.
I keep two copies around just in case.

16 GB is fairly small, but your backup routine is to be commended. With that storage size, you'd not benefit much from 3.0.

I routinely backup 300 GB virtual machines. Even over a gigabit network, it's slow as hell. 3.0 would benefit me, but only if I had a 3.0 external drive with enough space. Memory keys are not enough.

All of what has been said before this post confirms your computer selection. You'll be just fine. ;)

[Jeff '79]

:rofl:

What? One in my fire proof safe and one with me at all times.

Oh ya... All of my music too.

[Ruffy]

What? One in my fire proof safe and one with me at all times.

Oh ya... All of my music too.
My backup needs are getting fairly large. I would need 50 of your 16gb flash drives to backup what I have on my network drive

[Jeff '79]

My backup needs are getting fairly large. I would need 50 of your 16gb flash drives to backup what I have on my network drive

Ya, my friend is a professional photographer and a photog for a newspaper in town. His backup needs are huge compared to just my music , pics, spread sheets and other various junk.

[Grey Ghost]

More physical memory may help with some of the previous problems. The bottleneck could be your ISP or connection though. I still have trouble with YT vids...and never can watch the ones that are imbedded here. I have to go to YT to view them.

USB 3.0 is also good if you take a lot of large photos. A USB reader and port makes the transfer go faster.

Saving porn....does anyone actually go back and watch it again? You already know how it ends :lol:

[Jeff '79]

I wish I only had to deal with that much. :lol:


I'm working on building a new 25+ TB ZFS NAS this week as I've outgrown the 12 TB Winblows setup I'm currently running. :leaving:

USB 16 gig thumb drives are on sale at Tiger Direct.. :seasix:

[Jeff '79]

:lol: Actually Newegg had a sale on 128 GB USB 3.0 drives earlier this week for $54 shipped. I picked up one just because that's a phenomenal deal.

Ya, I should say that's a good deal...:seasix:

[kingpin]

You're doomed with that computer. It's so lame it won't even play Windows pinball on it.

:p

[Ruffy]

I wish I only had to deal with that much. :lol:


I'm working on building a new 25+ TB ZFS NAS this week as I've outgrown the 12 TB Winblows setup I'm currently running. :leaving:
My storage needs are purely personal:leaving:

[Jeff '79]

You're doomed with that computer. It's so lame it won't even play Windows pinball on it.

:p

It's waaaayy better than that pos that you got that came in all of those pieces.:lol:

[Jeff '79]

Thursday's high temperature will be 9°.
UPS is delivering the puter on Thursday and it will sit outside for about 3.5 hrs.
Other than the battery inside the tower, can anything else be ruined due to the cold?
I didn't get a monitor, just the tower, keyboard, & mouse.