#260922 - 19/07/2005 20:50
I need to spend some money.
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veteran
Registered: 08/05/2000
Posts: 1429
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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If you've been following my saga, I bought a new PC from Dell, and they've screwed up several things. In compensation, I've got at least $225.00 to spend on the Dell site. I started by trying to pick an external drive, but that plan keeps getting shot down with every solution I choose. None seem so great.
So what would y'all buy if you had a minimum of 225.00 to spend?
Some more info: I don't have an optical mouse, I don't have 5.1 speakers (where can I find good reviews on those?).
I bought this new PC mainly because 1) I want to play first person shooter games like HL2 (thanks Loren!) and 2) I want to use stuff like Google Earth and 3) My 5 year old 1 Ghz wasn't cutting it any more.
- Thanx in advance!
- Jon
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#260923 - 19/07/2005 21:10
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: jbauer]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Well, the Dell site seems to be having issues right now, so I can't give a link, but I'd recommend the 2405FPW 24" widescreen monitor. It's a beautiful, giant screen with a full set of inputs, USB hub, and multi-card reader. Granted, it's much more than $225, but compared to any other monitor of similar size, it's a bargain. I can't talk about speakers that much, as I've had mine for five years, but maybe that's endorsement enough for Klipsch products. I own a set of their very first PC speakers, and I love them. Currently Amazon's selling a recent model for relatively cheap.
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Matt
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#260924 - 19/07/2005 21:14
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: Dignan]
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veteran
Registered: 08/05/2000
Posts: 1429
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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Quote:
Well, the Dell site seems to be having issues right now, so I can't give a link, but I'd recommend the 2405FPW 24" widescreen monitor. It's a beautiful, giant screen with a full set of inputs, USB hub, and multi-card reader. Granted, it's much more than $225, but compared to any other monitor of similar size, it's a bargain.
I can't talk about speakers that much, as I've had mine for five years, but maybe that's endorsement enough for Klipsch products. I own a set of their very first PC speakers, and I love them. Currently Amazon's selling a recent model for relatively cheap.
I got the 24" monitor for 500!!! with my pc purchase. Can't wait to see it.
I am looking at the KLIPSCH - Promedia Ultra 5.1 Speaker System - looks pretty kick ass. Anyone have it?
- Jon
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#260925 - 19/07/2005 21:20
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: jbauer]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Excellent! That's fantastic! You won't regret it. I haven't gamed much on the thing yet, but I played Max Payne 2 for a couple hours on the highest settings (including the native widescreen resolution), and it was gorgeous!
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Matt
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#260926 - 20/07/2005 03:38
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: Dignan]
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veteran
Registered: 08/05/2000
Posts: 1429
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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Question: What do you gamers use for a mouse and keyboard? I'd like to go wireless. Optical is preferred, right? Is Logitech's Cordless Desktop LX 700 or another "the standard"? I am into first person shooters, mostly...
- Thanx
- Jon
Edited by jbauer (20/07/2005 03:38)
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#260927 - 20/07/2005 03:58
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: jbauer]
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old hand
Registered: 01/10/2002
Posts: 1033
Loc: Fullerton, Calif.
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I've got the similar Promedia 2.1 system. It kicks ass.
I liked it well enough that I now have three sets (me, wife, office). The first one I got a couple of years before the other two. The first one I had to resolder the speaker connections and it seemed to run very hot, so I spaced the aluminum panel on the back off with spacers. The later two don't seem to run as hot.
Dell does have the best price I found on it.
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#260928 - 20/07/2005 04:09
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: jbauer]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
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Quote:
I'd like to go wireless. I am into first person shooters, mostly...
I doubt that you will notice much of any issues with wirelessmice and keyboards. The FPS fanitics who go to places like the CPL to play in tournaments claim to notice a difference between wired and wireless, but for a casual home gamer, wireless is fine.
These days, lots of people seem to be raving about the Logitech MX1000 mouse. I haven't used it personaly, so maybe someone else could chime in with a review.
I tote around a DiNovo keyboard and the included MX 900 mouse for gaming, and have nad no problems with them. I know you have had experience with this one when you did a review of it for TechTV, so if you liked the laptop style keys, it still seems to be the best out there. Prices have fallen to $150 for the bluetooth version, or $110 for the RF one.
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#260929 - 20/07/2005 04:21
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: drakino]
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veteran
Registered: 08/05/2000
Posts: 1429
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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Quote:
Quote:
I'd like to go wireless. I am into first person shooters, mostly...
These days, lots of people seem to be raving about the Logitech MX1000 mouse. I haven't used it personaly, so maybe someone else could chime in with a review.
I tote around a DiNovo keyboard and the included MX 900 mouse for gaming, and have nad no problems with them. I know you have had experience with this one when you did a review of it for TechTV, so if you liked the laptop style keys, it still seems to be the best out there. Prices have fallen to $150 for the bluetooth version, or $110 for the RF one.
Yeah, I'm trying to decide between the MX 3100 (which includes the MX1000 mouse) vs. the diNovo vs. the Microsoft ones...
Man, I'm a terrible shopper. I can't decide! Nothing like having money to spend and not knowing how to spend it!!! Argh!
- Jon
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#260931 - 20/07/2005 15:25
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: drakino]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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Quote:
notice a difference between wired and wireless
The hardcore gamers are right. Wired mice make your pwnz'ing faster.
But seriously, I would buy the fastest hard drive you can get. 10k RPM 72 gig SATA drive? 10k RPM hundreds-of-gig ATA drive? Hard drive access is always the limiting factor in my experience.
_________________________
- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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#260932 - 20/07/2005 16:02
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: FireFox31]
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veteran
Registered: 08/05/2000
Posts: 1429
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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For the record, after spending my entire evening trying to figure out how to spend the 225, I ended up buying the following:
1) Logitech MX3100 CORDLESS DT-RCHG LASER MOUSE AND KYBD
2) Logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker System
3) Netgear FS108 8-Port 10 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet Switch
I spent 246.80 in total.
Hope I like that keyboard and mouse... I usually like to try those kinds of things first hand before buying...
Thanks for all the tips and ideas folks!
- Jon
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#260933 - 20/07/2005 17:35
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: jbauer]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Logitech actually makes a very decent set of speakers. For a while, there was one model that I suggested to everyone I built a computer for. It was a 5.1 system that sold on Newegg for around $65. Heck, before they stopped carrying it it was down to $45. And it sounded really good. I think you made wise purchases 
_________________________
Matt
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#260934 - 20/07/2005 18:43
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: Dignan]
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veteran
Registered: 08/05/2000
Posts: 1429
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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Quote:
Logitech actually makes a very decent set of speakers. For a while, there was one model that I suggested to everyone I built a computer for. It was a 5.1 system that sold on Newegg for around $65. Heck, before they stopped carrying it it was down to $45. And it sounded really good.
I think you made wise purchases
Cool. Thanks.
- Jon
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#260935 - 20/07/2005 19:35
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: FireFox31]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 15/01/2002
Posts: 1866
Loc: Austin
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Quote:
The hardcore gamers are right. Wired mice make your pwnz'ing faster.
It is really just personal preference. I hate wireless mice because of the weight. I own one Logitech MX500 and one Logitech MX510 and have removed the internal weight from both. I also removed the stop clicker on the scroll wheel. I might consider myself a hardcore gamer.
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#260936 - 23/07/2005 09:06
Re: I need to spend some money.
[Re: jbauer]
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new poster
Registered: 14/01/2005
Posts: 38
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Well I can tell you the Laser mouse is a pretty good mouse. The only issue I have with it is that the battery is internal (lithium) so I have to keep a back up if the mouse goes out and I'm in the middle of something I dont want to put down yet. The battery's charge holds pretty well though. Just wish I had the ablitiy to swap batteries instead of waiting for it to charge for 3 hours (or so).
And I dont notice any appreciable lag when playing FPS games, unlike some of the MS wireless mice I have used in the past.
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