Buy Vista on Dell computer? Need Advice

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mae

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I'm new, so please redirect me if I am posting in the wrong place.

Here are my needs for a new computer, OS: I care more about the written word than visuals. I check e-mail, surf the Internet - news junkie - Ny Times, Wash. Post, Wall Street Journal. Have never downloaded music - only listen to CDs on DVD drive. However, would like to listen to radio programs through the Internet and the occasional tv or video program. Stock quotes, etc., financial, maybe online banking. Don't buy much off Internet - maybe once a year. I'm not a gamer.

I am coming from a Gateway Profile 3 with Windows Millennium that has nearly died. ( I revived it somehow by reformatting the hard drive and now I can get on the Internet but my DVD player attached to monitor-hard drive is dead. )

I am thinking about buying a Dell 531 Desktop for $398. Specs: 17" Widescreen flat panel display, USB Keybd, USB Optical Mouse, AMD Sempron LE 1250 Processor, 2 GB memory, 160 GB Hard Drive, NVIDIA Ge Force 6150 LE Integrated Graphics, Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio and Dell Speakers. Windows Vista Home Premium OS, Microsoft Works 9.0, McAfee Security, 1 Yr lmtd warranty and 24/7 tech support.

I have a Canon Pixma MP 130 printer which I need to know if I can update drivers for. (I've been getting different answers on that - Canon Website states: No Additional Drivers Available???) Tech Support was going to charge me $9.99 to answer the question. I'd like to find a computer that I can still use the printer with because it is in good shape and I've never had problems with it.

Any advice would be appreciated. I'm new so I apologize if I have been too long-winded in my post.

Thanks!!!
 
dell inspiron

i own a dell inspiron 1525
it is a fantastic computer for business use, such as writing email and word processing
never had a problem, starts everytime, good battery, can only just play newer games however
 
thanks, trooper_901

Thanks, trooper_901. Does your Dell Inspiron have an AMD Processor and is it a desktop and how old is it? Thanks for your reply.
 
intel 1.7 dual core
120gb hard drive
1gb ram
64mb graphics

cost me around $800 Australian
less that 6 months old

oh sorry, missed a bit, its a laptop :)
 
That Dell looks like a suitable PC for you. Go for it IMO, you shouldn't have problems. As for your printer, check here for the appropriate drivers. You'll need to download and install the Vista 32-bit MP drivers from that page.
 
Dell is very sparse on RAM. This one has the minimum 2GB, so if you can upgrade at time of purchase, do it.
 
Thanks, everyone, for your input. It is odd that you have to go to the Canon Europe site for driver update instead of the Canon US site, but I will check it out. I've got to get a computer soon, so I'm leaning toward this Dell.
 
If I may interject, I helped my mom purchase a new system less than a year ago at Staples and it was an HP in a box (they had boxed Dell systems as well). The LCD screen is georgeous; very stable with Vista. It is perfect for her online business, etc., and the motherboard was designed and manufactured by Asus.

But as has been noted Dell will do you very fine as well.
 
At the time I bought my Dimension C521 desktop I checked the price of additional 2 GB memory and found that I could get the same from Crucial for less than half the price. If you can add memory yourself, or have a friend who can do it for you, then that is the most cost effective way.

Bobbye makes an important point - Dell shortchanges memory. Did not take me long to get the additional memory.
 
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