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yeah, a good one will kick @$$ for around 40 bucks, give or take, that's all it cost me to upgrade that y2k clunker ... you'd think a new computer of about any price would already have decent cards!!!
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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I'm with ya there Mike. It amazes me how in the PC world, the corners they will cut to lower their prices. I bought a Dell laptop which I found after it was too late that the video card is part of the motherboard and cannot be upgraded, and what they put in was minimal and thus will not run Artcam 2010 worth a crap when doing 3D stuff. Money wasted.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5407 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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I priced building a computer from scratch with all the "good" components and open architecture (so you don't end up in the mess you're in).
The price was the same for an already built computer of about any brand--only you get a monitor on the deal if you buy it ready to go and you will have to pay the extra money getting a copy of Windows 7.
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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The 6 year old Compaq (finally getting tired) 320GB Drive Windows Vista Home Edition 32 Bit 3.2 GHZ Intel Celeron processor 1.5 GB RAM 54X CD/DVD Burner NVidia Geforce 8400 graphics card w/HDMI adapter Realtek Audio Lynksys Wireless G network adapter Emerson HDTV Monitor w/Dual HDMI inputs Kodak AIO 3 Printer/Scanner/Fax Creative Labs speakers Camm-1 plotter
...and a Playstation 3 (better'n watchin' paint dry... )
Making it's way to the big desk soon...
New HP Pavillion Twin 320GB Drives 2.2GHZ AMD Sempron Processor 3.0 GB RAM Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit NVIDIA GeForce 6150 SE 1TB Seagate external Drive 18.5 inch HP monitor (will be replaced by the 22" Emerson) HP Deskjet f4440 w/copier, scanner & fax Netgear USB wireless adapter (faster connection)
(soon to be added) LPT PCI Card to connect the plotter (shipped Monday) Daewood Suuround Sound system (already have)
...and the REAL point of all this...
The Compaq paid for itself a long time ago. It's still a viable shop system, but time marches on. Over 6 years, I've probably put somewhere around $700-$1000 into hardware and software upgrades, but the processor has been struggling to keep up with the OS. As Corel, Adobe and others are upgrading to work with newer operating systems, keeping up to date with the FUNCTIONALITY is worth investing into.
The HP with the add ons...$740 as you see it in the picture. Not a lot when you consider the returns. A $17 LPT card to bring the plotter on to it.
Still think getting a newer system is expensive? Look closer at the big desk. I installed a 250GB SATA drive into it last summer. Throw in the money for the games you see next to it, a whole lot of downloads for Rockband and Guitar Hero, various controllers and a steering wheel....yup, I have as much into the PS3 as the new computer.
How did that happen?
A $10 Mack striping brush pay for itself in minutes.
An Iwata airbrush pays for itself in a day.
A new computer pays for itself in a month or two if it keeps your shop open and effective. It's not something that COSTS you, it's something you INVEST in.
It also helps you get the fun stuff in life...like PS3s.
Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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Putting a Celeron in a shop computer is like putting a Pinto engine in a Mack Dump Truck ... it may get the job done ... but you will spend all your time in Low Gear!
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
(714) 521-4810
si.allen on Skype
siallen@dslextreme.com
"SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Never mess with your profile while in a drunken stupor!!!
Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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