Computer Buying Project

With the budget of $4000 I was given to buy a new computer system, I chose to buy a Dell Dimension 4300 Series System for $1089 and I added on some upgrades to make it better for entertainment.

The components that I chose are: · Pentium 4 processor at 1.8 GHz is the motherboard I chose. The system came with a Pentium 4 at 1.6 GHz, so I upgraded it to increase its speed.

· The system came with a 20GB hard drive, but currently Dell is running a special with a free upgrade to a 40GB hard drive, so I upgraded.

· This system came with 128MB of SDRAM, which I chose to increase to 256MB SDRAM for an additional $80.

· The monitor included in this system was a 17" monitor with 26 DP. I chose to upgrade this for a 17" flat panel monitor for an additional $590.

Dell Fortuna XS11-VX8

English: 2.88 MB floppy disk drive

English: 1.2 MB floppy disk drive

· The software I chose for this system included Microsoft Windows, Image Expert 200 for digital imaging, Norton Anti-Virus 2002, and Microsoft Works Suite 2001 with Money 2001.

· I chose a 64MB GeForce 3 4X AGP Graphics Card with DVI (Digital Video Interface) for an additional $350. The video card that came standard with this system was a 32MB GeForce 2 4X AGP with TV-Out.

· The CD-ROM for this system is a 48X Max Variable CD-ROM, which is fine for the basic drive drive.

· For the second CD drive I chose an 8X/4X/ 32X CD-RW/DVD Combination Drive with Roxio's Easy CD Creator for an additional $249.

· The system comes with a basic 3.5 inch floppy disk drive.

· Included with this system is a SB Live! Digital Sound Card which is good.

· Also included is Dell Jukebox music player powered by MusicMatch 6.0.

· The speakers which came with this system were Harmon Kardon HK395 speakers. I upgraded these to Harmon Kardon HK695 Surround Sound Speakers with Subwoofer for $30.

· The modem included is a basic 56K modem.

· The network card which comes with the system is a 10/100 PCI Fast Ethernet NIC · Dell includes a Enhanced Quiet Key Keyboard with it's system, but I would replace this with a better keyboard from a different company.

· For and additional $30, I replaced the Microsoft Intellimouse with the Intellimouse Explorer.

· Printers were not included, so I chose an Epson Stylus C80 for $179.

· I chose to include a Canon S110 Elph Digital Camera with this computer system for $500.

The total price for this system with the components and upgrades listed above is $3,196. Dell gives free 3-5 day shipping on all orders over $100, so there is no added cost for shipping.

I chose a Dell computer because I have been told that they are reliable and are a good computer for home use. It also is a very nice looking computer system because it is charcoal gray with silver speakers instead of the standard white system. The faster Motherboard/CPU, the extra RAM and the larger hard drive are good investments because they will increase the speed of the computer and the amount of information I can store on it. Since I will be using this for digital photography, the larger hard drive is a necessity. I upgraded the basic monitor to a flat screen to increase the picture color and clarity. It also takes up less space on my desk. The graphics card was upgraded to provide better graphics for use in playing games and/or viewing photos. I chose to install a 2nd CD drive in this system so that I can have a fast CD-RW and a DVD player. The DVD player will allow me to watch movies on my computer screen. The speakers were upgraded to provide surround sound and the subwoofer will add a better sound to games of music. I chose to accept the 56K modem that is provided with this system because I will eventually replace it with a cable modem for increased speed and no "dial-up" to access the internet. I currently have a cable modem and it is very fast and reliable. The basic keyboard will also be replaced in this system with a Kinesis Classic keyboard for $275 from www.mykinesis.com because I have carpal tunnel syndrome and the contour of it is easier on my hands. It is basically split into two sides and it is much more ergonomically correct than most of the keyboards on the marker today. The mouse included with this system is fine. It has 2 buttons and the scrolling wheel in the middle. It's a nice, basic mouse. Printers were not included with this computer system, so I added the Epson Stylus C80. This is the printer I currently have in my office and it is great. It prints exceptionally well, but it is a little slow. This is ok, because I don't mind its lack of speed. I chose to add a digital camera to this package because I take a lot of pictures and want to send them to friends and family via e-mail. I currently have a Kodak digital camera, but I chose the Elph because of its size. It is very small and fits in a pocket or purse with ease.

I feel this system I have put together would be great for someone who loves music, movies, games or photography, and it cost $3,471 in its entirety. I saved $529 on this system, so I would spend the remainder on DVDs to watch on the computer or on some games to play.

5.25" floppy disk drive

English: These are two previous models of the Dell...

English: The Size of a 16 GB Flash Drive compared ...