[QUOTE=Christenson;281573]Quick! Get out the daggers! This is trouble????:max::razz::loco:[/QUOTE]

although worded badly my main thought going through my mind when I made the thread was maybe they can help me with what already assembled computer might suit my wants/needs to do what I want, best but alas there can be no such help in a forum dedicated to totally rebuilding computers on ones own. and as stated I think I [B]don't[/B] likely need ( aka a top of the line processor like i7)

[QUOTE=Christenson;281573]Quick! Get out the daggers![/QUOTE]

[i]shink shink[/i]

Were we supposed to go Brutus on someone? :razz:

[QUOTE=science_man_88;281591]and as stated I think I [B]don't[/B] likely need ( aka a top of the line processor like i7)[/QUOTE]

I think you should get a computer with a good i5 and a basic graphics card (not an expensive one, but not just the onboard video). 8 GB would be nice and probably not too expensive (though almost surely it would be cheaper to get one with 4 GB and buy more RAM yourself (their use of [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_discrimination#Third_degree_price_discrimination]third degree price discrimination[/url] means that you expect stores to charge more than their marginal cost to do the upgrade). You should be able to get a nice prebuilt computer + monitor that would fit your needs for under $800.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;281591]although worded badly my main thought going through my mind when I made the thread was maybe they can help me with what already assembled computer might suit my wants/needs to do what I want, best but alas there can be no such help in a forum dedicated to totally rebuilding computers on ones own. and as stated I think I [B]don't[/B] likely need ( aka a top of the line processor like i7)[/QUOTE]

It's [B]your[/B] money, [B]your[\B] computer, and, to some degree [B]your[\B]thread.....so if [B]you[\B] want a pre-assembled computer, the question is does it need to come from Best Buy, or do you mind if Newegg ships it in? Do [B]you[\B] have enough $$ in your budget to afford the i7 CPUs?

Yes, we are a bunch of computer-assembling nuts, but we can nonetheless help...

[QUOTE=science_man_88;281591]although worded badly my main thought going through my mind when I made the thread was maybe they can help me with what already assembled computer might suit my [B]wants/needs to do what I want[/B], best but alas there can be no such help in a forum dedicated to totally rebuilding computers on ones own. and as stated I think I [B]don't[/B] likely need ( aka a top of the line processor like i7)[/QUOTE]

What [B]are[/B] your wants/needs? And how much is your budget -- is it 1700 or 700?? If it is 1700, you might as well go for the top-of-the-line stuff.

Also, what research have you done so far? Have you checked any of the online vendors?

There is a nice XPS 8300 at dell canada, for $800. [url]http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dxps8300_f_3e&c=ca&l=en&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1&model_id=xps-8300[/url]

He said he has $1700 available, but that neither he nor his family wants to spend it all.

That computer is a pretty nice, comes with a basic graphics card, 8 GB ram, and even a Blu-Ray drive. My only comment would be that it's probably (way) more than what meets his needs, but then he also runs Prime95/other stuff. It is a really nice CPU (and I speak from experience there).

Of course, it's always a good idea to check with other companies too, but that still is a nice find axn. (Read: Congrats on being the first of us 'helpers' to look! :smile:)

[QUOTE=axn;281602]What [B]are[/B] your wants/needs? And how much is your budget -- is it 1700 or 700?? If it is 1700, you might as well go for the top-of-the-line stuff.

Also, what research have you done so far? Have you checked any of the online vendors?

There is a nice XPS 8300 at dell canada, for $800. [URL]http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dxps8300_f_3e&c=ca&l=en&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1&model_id=xps-8300[/URL][/QUOTE]

One of the nice things is that this system would take care of his needs for a good long time, with the benefit that he could increase what he does for GIMPS [I]if [/I]he so chooses.

Operating systems are a key thing to think about here... The machine he currently has is not designed to have Windows 7 running on it, which is probably a huge factor in his slowdown. Most of the $300 range systems, at least in my opinion, are borderline for using Win7. And as technology paces forward, OS's will get more complicated. I booted my old P-III the other day, and it's OS took up a bare 100MB compared to this monster telling me 1.5GB is in use when I first log in.

[QUOTE=axn;281602]What [B]are[/B] your wants/needs? And how much is your budget -- is it 1700 or 700?? If it is 1700, you might as well go for the top-of-the-line stuff.

Also, what research have you done so far? Have you checked any of the online vendors?

There is a nice XPS 8300 at dell canada, for $800. [URL]http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dxps8300_f_3e&c=ca&l=en&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1&model_id=xps-8300[/URL][/QUOTE]
SM88, you don't NEED any computer...but you want one, and you might as well recognise that you want a nice enough system for you and your family to enjoy.

I suspect your family will enjoy a system with two monitors; I suspect YOU will enjoy a system with a CUDA-enabled graphics card from NVIDIA, which you may have to add separately...possibly along with a power supply. Thus, I've mentioned some low-end systems which would allow you to spend some extra on the graphics card, second monitor, and upgraded power supply. (Yep, I'm an un-reconstructable, old-timey system builder -- with a definite bias towards desktop towers -- but the alternative form factors, such as "small form factor", "All in one", etc may appeal to your household more than they do to me -- since they will make incremental upgrades significantly more difficult) :smile:

The above is a nice system...though I'd want an NVIDIA graphics card (better than my GTX440 which was about $100), and of course it will need a new flat panel monitor..or possibly two. At $20, I'd add speakers, too.

*******************
Note: All systems listed below are without monitor(s) unless otherwise specified.

Now, if you want to save some $$ and experiment, this is a $469 low-end system from Gateway:
[URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883113180[/URL]
This has an available PCI-E slot for at least my GTX440 -- would need to see it to know if it supported a double-width card, which the higher end NVIDIA cards tend to be.

$499 from IBuypower, also at Newegg, gets you 8Gig and a Core I3 processor:
[URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227367[/URL]

$669 from Dell, at least until 12/31, Core i5 and 8 Gig. No information on expansion slots, a number of pretty colors available.
[URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883155205[/URL]

$800 from Dell, WITH 24" monitor, Core i5 and 8 Gig.
[URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883155207[/URL]

$800 from Dell can also get you a Core i7, but with only 6 Gig of RAM:
[URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883155200[/URL]

Hope these ideas help....do look around newegg...

[QUOTE=bcp19;281611]One of the nice things is that this system would take care of his needs for a good long time, with the benefit that he could increase what he does for GIMPS [I]if [/I]he so chooses.

Operating systems are a key thing to think about here... The machine he currently has is not designed to have Windows 7 running on it, which is probably a huge factor in his slowdown. Most of the $300 range systems, at least in my opinion, are borderline for using Win7. And as technology paces forward, OS's will get more complicated. I booted my old P-III the other day, and it's OS took up a bare 100MB compared to this monster telling me 1.5GB is in use when I first log in.[/QUOTE]

My claim is that his old machine should run Xubuntu or something...Xyzzy thinks possibly XP....but this kind of experimentation should happen AFTER his new machine is up and running. Windows is indeed oversize and growing, and using a succesively larger machine footprint...remember they had stock in Intel, which makes $$ when new silicon gets sold....

[QUOTE=Christenson;281595]It's [B]your[/B] money, [B]your[\B] computer, and, to some degree [B]your[\B]thread.....so if [B]you[\B] want a pre-assembled computer, the question is does it need to come from Best Buy, or do you mind if Newegg ships it in? Do [B]you[\B] have enough $$ in your budget to afford the i7 CPUs?[/QUOTE]

I do but I don't see a need for a top of the line (especially since they'll drop in price over time), the places I'd go are likely best buy, futureshop, or source. outside of GPU only projects I don't see a need for a GPU and installing one I'd likely need to keep my old system as a backup (then taking it from my mom as she supposedly wants it as she currently uses a laptop or ask me for time on this one) in case I fried it completely, I don't need touch screens either so that knocks out anything priced above a i7 as well. for some reason my mind says i3 would be the most I'd need I don't think my family needs 2 monitors as they rarely use my computer and it's mostly my mom that uses it other than me so I'd guess 2 monitors might confuse her and the only other major time I remember anyone else using it was to scan photos. I'm most familiar with windows so I'd like to stay with a windows machine. I think all my machines to date have been intel CPU. right now as is it took me almost 400 hours to have ggnfs to factor a C127 using 2 threads I believe. pari 32 bit ( the one I'm using) has a maximum of just less than 889 MB I'm currently using prime 95 with 1500 MB full time. I think that's all for now.

You're right -- an i3 would be plenty for what you need. Christenson has at least one i3 pointed out in his post. If you want anything more, it's a question of how much you'd be willing to spend on P95/pari/whatever throughput. That seems to be the only unanswered question.