Low end Dell for T - what should I include for my use?

[rockstar_not]

I'm a one-stereo-track-at-a-time home recordist using T since August 04.

I'm drawn to T for it's price/performance ratio and killer GUI.

I'm ready for a new PC and possibly a new audio/midi interface.

Let's say I've got $500 for a new desktop PC, from Dell. No monitor needed, I have several.

What to buy, what to avoid?

Does Celeron/P4 make a difference for T?

Does Celeron with more memory make for a better T setup than a P4 with less memory?

Processor speed/memory tradeoff?

On board graphics fine for T?

Any help from those that are using Dell for their T boxes, I would appreciate it.

For a short instant of time, I even considered the minimac for $499, but I wonder about the disk speed handling track counts higher than 10-12 at 16 bit 44.1 kHz, which is what I currently use.

-Scott

[C00kie]

Getting an AMD cpu instead of Intel P4 will make a difference, since P4's have a big denormalisation issue. I'm not sure weather Celerons suffer from the same. Wasn't the Celeron actually a P4 with the cache knocked out? Dell only does business with Intel, so...

512Mb RAM will work, 1Gb or 2Gb might work better when dealing with big sample libraries. Computing power is what you want now, you can always save up to double the RAM later.

Make sure you get a 7200 rpm disk with 8Mb cache.

Any modern graphics adapter should work fine with Tracktion. It's not a 3D game, it's an audio program.

An experience: friend of mine got a Dell PC last year. She was not satisfied with the sound of the multimedia speakers that came with it. I suggested to use the ones of her former PC, but she said that can't be done since their beige colour does not match the Dell colour scheme

[.jon]

@ color matching, I'm not too keen to buy budget monitors for the very same reason - black boxes would wreck my design workspace.

But yes, if you're not tied to Dell in some way I'd go for an AMD box. Even though Dells are reasonably prized ok-quality things, there still is a price premium compared to a well-matched component PC.

Graphics card- I recently bought a CLub3D Radeon 9250 128Mb, it has no fan so 0 dB noise, dual out, great picture and good price (44 EUR in Helsinki, Finland).

[Scoops]

Hey Rock

If you have the time to be patient, and you are thinking about a Dell, heres what ya do. Surf Dells website once a week. About every 3 or four months they offer an internet deal that ya just cant pass on. That's how I got my last computer, and the computer before that. If ya gotta get one now, DO NOT skimp on the ram. More ram never hurts!

Scoops

[chardin]

Also look at Dell's Outlet site. Supposedly these are refurbished but the one I ordered was brand new. The only drawback I can see is that you can't change any of the peripherals so take your time looking. There are thousands to choose from. Each computer comes with a full warranty (1 or 3 years, I can't remember).

[rockstar_not]

Hey Rock

If you have the time to be patient, and you are thinking about a Dell, heres what ya do. Surf Dells website once a week. About every 3 or four months they offer an internet deal that ya just cant pass on. That's how I got my last computer, and the computer before that. If ya gotta get one now, DO NOT skimp on the ram. More ram never hurts!

Scoops

I know, for my Dad, they were running a special $750 off $1500 coupon, and I picked up an Inspiron 5160 with 60 GB Hard Drive, 512 RAM, killer screen, wireless internet capable, etc. $812 out the door!!!!

-Scott