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EasilyConfused · 12-14-2004, 12:28 AM

Don't even know if AdventureRaider is still there, but I feel like with most products there are pros and cons (and certainly with some products as Dusty pointed out inherent probs, though I've never had this problem at all). All of the computer makers we are naming are reputable firms that make acceptable products. So then it's back to DesertRose's good questions at the beginning--what features does a person want and what combination can he or she afford? Design and personal preferences also come into play here--weight, size of screen, mouse design, etc., are all things that don't necessarily have a right or wrong answer but are more things that AdventureRaider is going to have to look at and choose.

If you want to use the internet and play games into the future, what do you guys think are the minimum specs? I'm interested because my Dell is under a year old and is already starting to get pushed to some of its limits . . . especially the videocard. If you had to pick something to skimp on thinking you'll upgrade relatively inexpensively if necessary in future, what would it be?

Re: The Centrino, as I understand it it's a pentium chip that lets you use wireless without buying a wireless card or having one factory-installed, as the salesperson said. I actually bought and returned a Dell that had a Centrino (along with my present Dell, long story) and thought it was MUCH slower . . . I think (here I'm revealing my utter ignorance) that the Centrino is a Pentium III rather than a Pentium IV chip ("110, 120, whatever it takes"), but in any case it's a slightly slower processor. My father claimed that it should not have been enough for me to notice the difference, and it may have been that that computer had more factory-installed software that it was trying to get up and running, but anyway--something to consider about the Centrino technology. Then again, I don't know if folks who have wireless find their computers slower in general when they're using it . . . might be a big benefit if you're still in school and have free access to a network.

12-14-2004, 12:28 AM	#21
EasilyConfused Curiouser and curiouser Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 803	Don't even know if AdventureRaider is still there, but I feel like with most products there are pros and cons (and certainly with some products as Dusty pointed out inherent probs, though I've never had this problem at all). All of the computer makers we are naming are reputable firms that make acceptable products. So then it's back to DesertRose's good questions at the beginning--what features does a person want and what combination can he or she afford? Design and personal preferences also come into play here--weight, size of screen, mouse design, etc., are all things that don't necessarily have a right or wrong answer but are more things that AdventureRaider is going to have to look at and choose. If you want to use the internet and play games into the future, what do you guys think are the minimum specs? I'm interested because my Dell is under a year old and is already starting to get pushed to some of its limits . . . especially the videocard. If you had to pick something to skimp on thinking you'll upgrade relatively inexpensively if necessary in future, what would it be? Re: The Centrino, as I understand it it's a pentium chip that lets you use wireless without buying a wireless card or having one factory-installed, as the salesperson said. I actually bought and returned a Dell that had a Centrino (along with my present Dell, long story) and thought it was MUCH slower . . . I think (here I'm revealing my utter ignorance) that the Centrino is a Pentium III rather than a Pentium IV chip ("110, 120, whatever it takes"), but in any case it's a slightly slower processor. My father claimed that it should not have been enough for me to notice the difference, and it may have been that that computer had more factory-installed software that it was trying to get up and running, but anyway--something to consider about the Centrino technology. Then again, I don't know if folks who have wireless find their computers slower in general when they're using it . . . might be a big benefit if you're still in school and have free access to a network.