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Buying a new computer, need advice.

Posted on 8/2/15 at 10:30 am
Posted by MontyFranklyn
T-Town
Member since Jan 2012
23830 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 10:30 am
It will be used lightly. Learning SAS and SQL so I will need to be able to process that stuff. Other than that I will be using excel and access. What do you guys suggest? Seriously
Posted by retired trucker
midwest
Member since Feb 2015
5093 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 10:33 am to
budget?
Posted by MontyFranklyn
T-Town
Member since Jan 2012
23830 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 10:37 am to
1k
Posted by SG_Geaux
Beautiful St George
Member since Aug 2004
77987 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 10:42 am to
Go to the store and find the one with the most RAM in it that fits your budget and you should be good.
Posted by MontyFranklyn
T-Town
Member since Jan 2012
23830 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 10:47 am to
Should I go aplle or pc though? Will i get more longevity out of an Apple?
Posted by retired trucker
midwest
Member since Feb 2015
5093 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 11:48 am to
quote:

Should I go aplle or pc though? Will i get more longevity out of an Apple?


only you can decide that.
pc has more software.
just be sure to maintain it.

I like lenovo.
Posted by SG_Geaux
Beautiful St George
Member since Aug 2004
77987 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 11:57 am to
Well I doubt you can run SQL on a MAC
Posted by ColdDuck
BR via da Parish
Member since Sep 2006
2767 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 12:21 pm to
No sql, no access. Go pc.
Posted by MontyFranklyn
T-Town
Member since Jan 2012
23830 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 1:11 pm to
Cool, great advice. So what's a good amount of RAM?
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
89551 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 2:43 pm to
quote:

Cool, great advice. So what's a good amount of RAM?


Lets assume - for the sake of argument - that the decision is actually way more complex than "how much Ram" - just for a moment. How technically savvy are you from a hardware standpoint?

Because I've been building computers for 15 years and it has never been easier. In your case, you can probably get away with integrated graphics and build your own.

Check this link out for starters.

LINK

After selecting the components - there are literally only 10 steps to build a workstation with integrated graphics:

1. Install motherboard in chassis

2. Install CPU into socket

3. Install HSF onto CPU

4. Install power supply (if it did not come with the case)

5. Install memory modules

6. Install boot drive (probably SSD in today's market)

7. Bios settings (you may be able to use automatic settings, by and large, if you're not overclocking - may have to tweak it to install from USB and boot from a specific location - easier than it sounds with videos and help base available today)

8. Install operating system (probably via USB - if not, move this step after the next one).

8b. (Optional) Install additional storage drives and optical drive, as needed and desired.

9. Install additional software, as needed and desired

10. Migrate any necessary data from the cloud or your current computer.
Posted by SG_Geaux
Beautiful St George
Member since Aug 2004
77987 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 2:54 pm to
Come on man. If the guy is on here saying I want to learn SQL should I go Apple or PC, do you think for ONE MILLISECOND that he is going to be able to build his own PC?
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
89551 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 3:02 pm to
quote:

that he is going to be able to build his own PC?


Maybe. Or maybe he has a friend who can help.

I recommend building for almost anyone.
Posted by foshizzle
Washington DC metro
Member since Mar 2008
40599 posts
Posted on 8/2/15 at 3:51 pm to
If you'd like to be mobile get a Surface 3 (pro or not as you prefer). You can install Oracle (any version, including Enterprise), SAS, or anything else on a Windows machine.

Oracle Enterprise is free if it's just for personal use, I have it on my Surface 3 Pro myself.

If you want a desktop instead you can spend $300 and get something perfectly good enough for learning SAS/SQL on. You really don't need anything very high performance.
This post was edited on 8/2/15 at 3:56 pm
Posted by McCaigBro69
TigerDroppings Premium Member
Member since Oct 2014
45086 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 9:38 am to
quote:

I recommend building for almost anyone


I built my first computer with a set of instructions on the internet when I was 16. You have to be totally tech retarted to not be able to figure it out.

However, my mom still calls me and asks how to get iTunes to work on the reg, so those people are out there.
Posted by tokenBoiler
Lafayette, Indiana
Member since Aug 2012
4415 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 12:13 pm to
quote:

Cool, great advice. So what's a good amount of RAM?


More.

Seriously, for what you want, I'd look at 8 GB, and probably 16. Disks are dead easy to upgrade (at least physically) but my experience is that by the time you want to upgrade your memory, there will be a new generation out, you'll need to dig through arcane specs to make sure you're getting the right stuff, and in some boxes, it's a real pain in the fingers to put more in. To me it makes more sense to blow your budget up front with as much RAM as you can get, even if it means a slightly smaller disk. As others have said, for this you don't need discrete graphics - on any new system the builtin graphics will be fine.

Posted by MontyFranklyn
T-Town
Member since Jan 2012
23830 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 12:18 pm to
I am looking at this Dell.

New Inspiron 15 5000 Series Touch
$629.99

5th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 Processor


Windows 10 Home


8GB Memory


1TB Hard Drive

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Touch Screen

Dells that I'm also considering
This post was edited on 8/3/15 at 12:20 pm
Posted by ILikeLSUToo
Central, LA
Member since Jan 2008
18018 posts
Posted on 8/3/15 at 12:33 pm to
quote:

To me it makes more sense to blow your budget up front with as much RAM as you can get


This advice only applies if you're buying a design with soldered modules. Otherwise, get what you need now and upgrade later. DIMMs are not hard to find, even DDR1. Budget should always focus on current, immediate performance. You don't get that from RAM that isn't being used.
Posted by MontyFranklyn
T-Town
Member since Jan 2012
23830 posts
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:24 pm to
Update:

My mom is buying me a Dell touch screen with Windows 10. 4GBs of RAM and a dual core processor. I am going to buy a new processor and 8GB or RAM. Watched a few videos. It actually looks pretty easy.
Posted by ILikeLSUToo
Central, LA
Member since Jan 2008
18018 posts
Posted on 8/4/15 at 1:29 pm to
quote:

I am going to buy a new processor


?? CPU isn't soldered?
Posted by MontyFranklyn
T-Town
Member since Jan 2012
23830 posts
Posted on 8/4/15 at 5:02 pm to
quote:

?? CPU isn't soldered?
Its a dell laptop so idk. Ive seen several videos on youtube with guys changing out processors so....
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