"New" computer for my mom

bigred177

bigred177

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bigred
My mom's computer had a stick of RAM die in it the other day and I'm looking for a good replacement. The current computer is a Pentium D 2.66ghz and I figure it's time to retire it. From what I can tell the RAM in this MOBO can only be brought up to 2GB.

She needs it mostly for internet browsing (Facebook) and some occasional light word processing. I know pretty much any computer will do it but she complains all the time about this one being slow so I'm looking for one to work a little more quickly. I was looking at this one and it seems to have good enough specs, and the price seems right. What do y'all think?

http://austin.craigslist.org/sys/4811404504.html

Does anyone have any other suggestions in the <$200 price range? Also, while I'm setting up the new PC might be a good time to get security in order. Can anyone point me to a good article or website to set the PC up so she can't inadvertently catch a Facebook bug?

Thanks
 
Use Crucial's application to find exactly the right memory, and pricing.

crucial.com
 
Flavius Renatus said:
Chromebook is built for this exact purpose.
Click to expand...

That looks like it would be great, but she calls me too much as it is asking how to work an operating she knows. :mad2:

murphey said:
Use Crucial's application to find exactly the right memory, and pricing.

crucial.com
Click to expand...

I'm not looking for new memory. I'm looking for a new computer. Unless I'm missing something on there?
 
I actually have a PC for sale too, if you are interested. I am in ATX as well (just south of RR). I can PM you my number if you want to talk/text.
 
How handy are you with computers? You could upgrade some key components and DIY if you enjoy that kind of thing. Mobo, processor, RAM, etc. I am not at all a fan of the brand-name computers and prefer to build my own.
 
I can learn anything :). I haven't dealt with computers much but I was thinking about doing that with this one. I have a new power supply and some other newer stuff in it I don't want to get rid of. I'm thinking for her just some brand-name year or two old system and then build this one with a new MOBO, RAM, and video card.
 
Flavius Renatus said:
Chromebook is built for this exact purpose.
Click to expand...

We considered a Chromebook for the "challenged" GF. Ex: She only knows getting Email from Yahoo Mail on the web and freaks when the page is different.

Looking at one the dreaded Best Buy, I thought it was too app limited - Email is GMail on the web only.

I talked her into trying a tablet. In the end she got a Nexus 7, which ios only $170 or so on Maazon and elsewhere.

She insists she can't figure it out but she does fine with it. A big breakthrough was getting a $10 stylus.

With Google Hangouts, she can do a live video call with me and/or her son.
 
It's pretty amazing to walk into any electronics store and see how capable laptops have become and how low the prices are. Fast processors, plenty of memory and RAM. You can buy a lot of computer for $300. Get the geeks in the store to set up the browser and email so it looks familiar to mom.

I'm a MacBook guy but I still have a desktop windows machine at work. Pretty new desktop, too. What a dinosaur compared to my newest MacBook Pro. I run Windows 7 in Parallels on the MacBook for my professional software and it smokes the Windows machine in speed. I doubt I'll ever buy another desktop computer.
 
denverpilot said:
Microcenter posts deals like this all the time. There's literally no point at all in building a consumer grade machine from scratch anymore unless you're doing something specific that needs custom hardware. They're too cheap.

http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.aspx?N=4294967288&feature=526905


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

As of about a year ago, I could still upgrade my existing computer, with better components, for less cost than buying off the shelf. I'm willing to bet I could still do it with a ground-up build, and I'd get exactly what I wanted.

[edit] - And it's a lot of fun
 
Last edited:
asechrest said:
As of about a year ago, I could still upgrade my existing computer, with better components, for less cost than buying off the shelf. I'm willing to bet I could still do it with a ground-up build, and I'd get exactly what I wanted.



[edit] - And it's a lot of fun
Click to expand...


We built a couple of screaming machines designed to run 10-20 virtual machines from parts. Definitely worth it. Just saying a typical "web browsing and email" machine isn't worth the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Also it's surprisingly hard to screw up building your own if all the parts are compatible. Like expensive legos. Built my first one this month actually :lol: not an email machine though.
 
bigred177 said:
That looks like it would be great, but she calls me too much as it is asking how to work an operating she knows. :mad2:



I'm not looking for new memory. I'm looking for a new computer. Unless I'm missing something on there?
Click to expand...

At that price range I'd also suggest a Chromebook. Yes, it will be a small adjustment, but really not a hard one either. There's not a lot she can do to "mess it up" either, if that's a concern.

$300 starts to open up laptops, but most of them are likely to be Windows 8.1. It's a good OS, but my point is simply that a few things will be different for her either way, so maybe just go with the Chromebook or a tablet even.

Or did you already pick out something?
 
There's some great $199-$250 laptops available, with full windows. The HP Stream has gotten some great reviews... saw one at Costco for $229.
 
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