Which Systems Should I Go For? - comparing hardware

I'll be setting up an IT lab here with about 30 computers for our school. IT lab may be a bit misleading, it's more for children and young people who will use the computer for basic tasks like Office, edutainment, games, and maybe some light graphics work. Think small projects in photoshop. So i have several options, and i'm trying to strike a balance between economy and at the same time getting something that won't be totally obsolete in a couple years. Also i would like it to be upgradeable in the event that in the future, say a 3d graphics program starts up, i can pop in some dedicated graphics cards and another ram chip and be set, rather than having to change the motherboard as well, because i went for one without the expansion slot.
These are my options:


Brand new - OEM option 1:
P4 3.06 Ghz 533Mhz 1MB cache (possibility to upgrade to 800Mhz 2MB cache)
Intel motherboard D865 GSAL
Onboard graphics with AGP slot
Onboard audio, LAN
512 DDR-2
80 GB hard disk

Brand new - OEM option 2:
P42.6 Dual core 533Mhz 2x1MB cache (possibility to upgrade to 800Mhz 2x2MB cache)
Intel motherboard D945GCLL
Onboard graphics (vista-capable) with PCI-E expansion slot
Onboard audio, LAN
512 DDR-2
80 GB hard disk

Refurb - Branded option:
DELL tower
P4 2.4 Ghz
Onboard graphics, audio, LAN
256 RD RAM
40 GB hard disk
i don't know the exact specs on motherboard and etc, as these are shipped in bulk from the states and sold here with a 1 month checking warranty.
Now my first impulse is to go for the new ones, but then others say that the branded Dells are better and will work faster, etc. I don't know as i've only used OEM computers, so i would appreciate some input.
The prices are around $300 for OEM option 1, $350 for OEM option 2, and $250 for the refurbished Dell.

On a related point, what are the pros and cons of buying refurbished LCDs? The cost of a refurbished Dell 17 inch is $150, and a new Philips, Viewsonic, LG or Acer 17 inch costs $200.

 

 

 

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My company has a contract with Dell and I deal with them frequently. It's a popular brand but when it comes to reliability, I would have to say they are not so strong in that category. I know some users may be running these for years without any problems, but I fix these machines a lot all over the schools here. Two main problems I see that go bad are motherboards and power supplies. I don't know what Dell model you have there, but the ones I deal with are the Optiplex GX models. These are basically in a very similar situation where you are going to have now, so it's probably best if you stay away from them.

I took a look at the first two options you mentioned there and I would have to say option 2 is better in the long run. It can support the Core 2 Dual processor, which is a big plus. Not to mention supporting 4 SATA hard drives (2 more than option 1), up to 4GB of RAM (will need it if more memory intensive programs come out) and a PCI Express slot. I'm not sure how far you guys will be going in terms of video, but using a PCI Express video card will be better than using the commonly known AGP ports. They will perform much faster than AGP.

I say spend the extra $100 for a better system. This one will be best since it's more upgradeable.

 

 

 

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Thanks. I'm considering then going for the P4 computers for half of them, and dual core for the rest. My budget is a little tight, and i would end up using less than half of them for video work anyways.
What about refurb LCDs? are there any major issues to contend with that crop up in them? backlight going out? Some companies are pushing me to buy LCDs because that's what is happening in the states, so they say, and LCDs don't have radiation emissions, etc. Other companies are insisting i should go with conventional CRT because of price, viewing quality, and saying that the radiation thing is over-hyped.

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Get mac's
They are faster, better and more reliant they use. They crash less and they have been voted seccond place for Education.
Mac's RULE!

I am trying to spread the mac word other than that, how cheap are computers where you live? lol
Option 2 is the best because you can upgrade to vista after which will be better.

-Lewis

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Macs are good for multimedia work but if your lab there requires these to be PCs, then you have no choice. Plus if you want to get one of the higher end Macs (like the new flat panel iMacs), it won't be cheap. You can probably buy like 5 or more of those PCs if you buy one of these iMacs.

Is space an issue and are the kids well behaved? I have seen good computers destroyed by schools that don't have control over the kids. I don't believe that their is radiation that will cause damage to people just be using the CRT monitors. Inside I'm not so sure about. CRT's will also generate more heat.

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Havent you heard about AMD processors ? for me, they are the best..they are safer to overclock, they withstand more temperature..and come with very intuitive motherboard seting tools...I like them a lot,,and would recomend them over the intels..I have had intel processors before,,and they broke. Why ?? the temperature thing,,with AMDs,,they just reset themselves and problem solved..

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If you realy want them to be upgradeable in the future, I'd suggest to get the OEM Option 2. The refurbished computer won't allow you to upgrade to anything worth upgrading and option 1 uses AGP and while these cards aren't going to disappear completely from the market, there will only be a very small amount of them available in the future.

I do agree with wath yuhuu says, but not with everything. First; he's not getting these computers for overclocking, second; intels aren't running much hotter these days, tirth; you stink if you burn an Intel, they have overheating protection since they made the first P4, fourth; intel motherboards are advanced too you know, last; a processor doesn't just reset itself ...
Just check out some OEMs with an AMD CPU.

About the CRT's, yes, they radiate, but it is so overhyped, it's not going to kill you, it's not going to make you sick. There are strick guidances for making CRTs, if a monitor radiates more than prescribed, it won't be released on the market.
You can save a lot of money when you buy CRTs, but don't forget these things use a lot more power than LCD (in the long term, you might save some money on the electricity bill). But I certainly won't suggest you to buy new LCDs, especialy if you're on a budget.

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I suggest either a Mac, as suggested above or go for AMD machines, especially X2s. Plus, a Mac can double as a PC, it runs Windows too

xboxrulz

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Don't forget the people that are going to operate these machines. For your standard, run-of-the-mill routines, a mac is unsuitable, from what I believe. Also, with a mac, you chose to pay a rather unhealthy sum for the brandname. Simple as that. The flashy design, smooth white plastic and the apple logo don't return in usability. I'm not pro-windows and anti-mac-geek, I just easily get annoyed with these things...
Even considering the light graphical work, Photoshop runs perfectly well on a winOS.

Also, Wutske has a few outstanding arguments. Once again, the audience is forgotten with a few other posters. I also don't think overclocking will be needed, and in the future, upgrading might be needed, which is limited on the Dell option.

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Macs aren't really an option for me, because of the price. I'll be paying in excess of $1200 for the base iMac (not the mac mini, but $900 for that? So excluding that, and also the factor that Macs are exteremely rare here, and servicing means having it shipped to Singapore, I'm not all that enthusiastic about it. Maybe if I find a couple secondhand ones on the market, I might go for that. Or i could just set up a couple PCs as Macs, like Xbox suggested.
In the AMD/Intel battle, I am more inclined to stick with Intels, again, because of the service. Intels have the major market share here, and while AMD is available too, shops aren't interested in investing the money and time into fixing them. I tried my luck on an Acer laptop someone got me from the states, with an AMD X2 TL-52 processor. A month after it arrived, something went wrong on the motherboard, and it's been sitting in their repair shop for 2 months now, because it's an AMD and there aren't any spare parts. I got shafted also on the warranty, a the person who bought it for me from CompUSA didn't get the dealer's stamp in the booklet. But even with me offering hard cash to fix it, they don't know how -- if such a thing is possible. For that reason, I'm inclined to steer clear of AMDs in this country.
RE: the LCDs. Space isn't really a concern. the only reason i would go for them over CRTs is looks, and then of course it would save some space. So with that in mind, a CRT does sound like a better deal. Perhaps save money by buying CRTs, and then use it to invest in dual core systems.

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