Know what you want. Know what you need. Know what your getting!
Don't get me wrong I'm looking forward to the release of Windows 7. Some thoughts; If your not wanting to watch internet TV on your big screen or play games, did I say games? Only a slight improvement but there are many other Operating System and options..
If your buying a new Notebook or PC or wanting to upgrade your existing computer here is what it needs:
1 (GHz) gigahertz or faster processor
32-bit (x86) processor
64-bit (x64) processor
1 Gigabyte RAM
(32-Bit) 1 (GB) RAM
(64-bit) 2 GB RAM
16 GB available hard drive space (320bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
Direct X 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher
Important note: This is the minimum configuration and it will run slow and have problems. Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require advanced or additional hardware.
Windows 7
All 3 versions all have Media Center (Entertainment System is the keyword)
*Home Premium 64
Professional and Ultimate (Can run in XP mode for legacy programs and full system restores and backups (That is Networked Systems) also, it requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, and an additional 15 GB of hard drive space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on. Ask me if you really want to know. (forget about it)
Think of it this way;
No less then 1.6 GHz ( Suggest 2.8 GHz or better)
intel Core i7 720QM
intel Core 2 Duo P8700
intel Core 2 Duo P7450
4 GB of memory (RAM)
3 MB Cashe or better
512 MB ATI graphics or better (go for Better 1GB graphics)
HDMI 1.3 port connects to external HD TV or monitor. *Important feature
Wireless N and 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
Monster video card with HDMI or DVI (Multiple video connections)
Surround sound audio
Systems are available with AMD 64bit processors.
Listen for “Turbo mode” Intel “Nehalem Core i7 processor Turns off idle cores and reroutes power to boost performance.
Ask about “Craplets”
'Excessive amounts of preinstalled software' None would be best.
Ask about restore / re-install disk. It's better if it's in your hand not in the computer.
Suggest don't buy at a store.
Go to the MFG/website and custom order through online chat.. Ask questions?
Don't forget about the cables?
There are 7 different way's to display video on your TV, and 6 different ways to display a computer image on your TV or Monitor. (Ok there may be a couple more)
RF or Coaxial
CVBS or Composite
S-Video
Component
HDMI
VGA
DVI
Extra large external monitor.
1080p Full HD Widescreen LCD
Notebooks can run multiple monitors, and so can desktops.
Notebook configurations, this early in the release of Windows 7 that I like:
Gateway
P Series P7807 FX Edition
P Series P7809 FX Edition
NV Series NV7802U
Dell
Studio XPS 13 or 16 or 17
Studio XPS M1530
Hewlett Packard (HP)
dv series notebooks (check out Quad Editions)
Toshiba
Satellite A500-ST5606
Satellite A500-ST5605
Careful with Toshiba. Know what you want and are getting! Look for Windows 7 Premium installed with re-install disks. I haven't seen a Toshiba system built for Windows 7 yet. Many features not available on old models.
Desktop Systems: Ready for Windows 7
Gateway FX 68** series
Dell Studio XPS 9000 series
HP Pavilion Elite e9280t series
Alien ware Area-51 ALX (Yikes)
Toshiba nope can't go there
You need the fastest internet speed available, it's not an option, cause it won't work right if you don't.
Second thoughts?
Want to get away from Microsoft bugs, and virus's etc...
Apple? X or Snow Leopard is nice but the hardware and programs are expensive.
(OSOS) Open Source Operating Systems and (OSS) Open Source Software Free!!!!!!
You can buy systems dirt cheap, loaded with Gigabites of free software, that you would pay $1000.00 of dollars for in another circle of ideologies.
Though it comes with a slight learning curve if you wanted to go there. But the average user doesn't need to, nor wants to do more then e-mail, play poker online, watch internet TV and movies, or do some research on the web, write a book, or burn videos and music. So there is no learning curve.
Here are some examples:
Ubuntu is an open source free Operating System. Ubuntu 9.04 Studio is a full video, audio, and graphic arts editing development and production studio (free), or you can just install Ubuntu 9.04 desktop and it still comes with nearly everything you could ever want or think of....free. Ubuntu 9.10 is scheduled to be released next week competing with Windows 7. You might be able to make your old system new again. Yep! it's that cool. It does everything Microsoft does and more......Free.
Dell offers Linux and Ubuntu Notebooks and desktops.
HP offers SuSE Linux for easy to use open source Operating Systems, to high end Novell SuSE Enterprise management systems.
Gateway I couldn't find a system configuration on there website, but I know of several open source operating systems that will operate on any mfg'd box.
Toshiba offers Solaris.
Levino offers Ubuntu.
Fujitsu offers Redhat.
Even Apple flavored boxes can run open source.
Unix, Red hat, Linux, Debien, Ubuntu, to many to mention. Oh yea, Google the web search engine, even has an Operating System called Chromium. So don't trash your old systems. You could change the life of the kid down the street.
Ubuntu is human and it's idiot proof. Better yet, it don't come with CRAPLETS that cripple and slow your computer down with pop ups that force you to pay for stuff to make you think it's working the way it was ment to.
