Bare Bones Minimum Computer

[Robert Goren]

What is the bare bones minimum computer I need to do the following
Run Excel 2010 and
Watch streaming video such as Netflix and racing on Twin Spires.
How much Ram?
What kind of processor?
What about a video card? Do they matter if I don't run games?

[MJC922]

Bob even though you mention bare minimum for Excel 2010 I would probably go for at least an Intel core i3 processor with 64bit Windows 7 / 8.1 and at least 4GB of RAM. You don't need a video card, Intel graphics will work fine.

Staples has some decent deals right now. You can check out some of these:

Not bad pricing here: A Dell with a Core i3 8GB RAM 1TB drive and HDMI out. $399

http://www.staples.com/Dell-Inspiron-I660-3049BK-Desktop-PC/product_12241

[MJC922]

Can't really argue with this one either for the price:

http://www.staples.com/ASUS-M32AD-R08-1TB-Hard-Drive-8GB-Memory-Intel-i5/product_1060972#desc_content

The Asus has a core i5 CPU in it which benchmarks a bit better. This one and the Dell are both 'monitor sold separately' by the way.

[Saratoga_Mike]

Bob even though you mention bare minimum for Excel 2010 I would probably go for at least an Intel core i3 processor with 64bit Windows 7 / 8.1 and at least 4GB of RAM. You don't need a video card, Intel graphics will work fine.

Staples has some decent deals right now. You can check out some of these:

Not bad pricing here: A Dell with a Core i3 8GB RAM 1TB drive and HDMI out. $399

http://www.staples.com/Dell-Inspiron-I660-3049BK-Desktop-PC/product_12241

I bought this computer - it worked well for a month, then just stopped working.

[HUSKER55]

I don't know if this is an issue for you but the chips and cards are in the motherboard now. I got an AGP and found out after the fact that if you want to run four monitors you will have to buy 2 graphics cards as the default setting shuts off the cards in the chip if a third monitor is added..

I have an A6 from AMD with a radeon card, a 6500 series. It works but I am not happy. I think Nvidia is a better card.

Also, I think you would be happer with a minibox or an all in one. I quit ordering computers. I go local so when a problem arises you don't have to pay shipping, which BTW is $80 each way if you have to send it to CA.

Last lesson I learned the hardway. Never tell those guys exactly what you want. For example, I want an AGP. That did not solve my problem. But the little bastard gave me what I wanted. Who in the hell does that?

Instead, tell them the type of work that you do.


Good luck

[MJC922]

I bought this computer - it worked well for a month, then just stopped working.

Sorry for the bad luck. Dell isn't quite what it once was. I bought a Dell Studio 540 desktop and got a few years out of it before it went flaky on me. Couple years back I had a Dell laptop with discreet graphics that I got maybe 2 years before the motherboard died.

Currently using a Dell OptiPlex 9010 with a core i5 8GB RAM and a pair of 250GB SSDs. The OptiPlex is business grade but I know from where I work these things fail after about 5 years too. Now the Dell Dimension I have upstairs is an old school XP box, that's still running after about 9 years.

IMO for $400 really these days you're looking at a throw away PC every few years. Back in the 90s we paid 3 to 4 times as much but it ran for 10+ years.

[DJofSD]

Get a tablet such as an iPad.

[Tom]

Excel on a tablet?
I wouldn't bother.

[DJofSD]

Excel? No.

I believe what Apple offers is called Numbers and I believe it is now bundled with iOS, i.e. free.

[raybo]

What is the bare bones minimum computer I need to do the following
Run Excel 2010 and
Watch streaming video such as Netflix and racing on Twin Spires.
How much Ram?
What kind of processor?
What about a video card? Do they matter if I don't run games?

I have a 5 yo Compaq, AMD Athlon x2 4200, 160gb drive, and 6 gb ram (used to be 4 gb and still worked ok), and run all the above with very little problems, usually internet related if there are problems. The pc cost me $246, new, at the time. Regarding Excel, the problem is usually related to the workbook you're running, not Excel itself. I run Excel 2010 and have workbooks that are upwards of 30mb in size with all kinds of extreme memory overhead. They run slower than in pre-2007 versions of Excel but they still run.

By the way, the video is integrated on my computer.

[tucker6]

Bought the ASUS Notebook with Intel Core i7 4700HQ (2.40GHz) 8GB Memory 1TB hard drive, 17.3" screen with Windows 8 64-Bit

Price was $769 on Amazon on cyber Monday. Decent deal. I use it for business where many programs run simultaneously.

[BettinBilly]

Robert, for you, I understand you are still thinking "Laptop", but there are options that are emerging because of Cloud Computing.

If you can use Google Apps like "Sheets" and "Docs" rather than "Excel" and "Word", you could go with a Chromebook for pennies on the dollar.

I had an Acer C720 but the screen was a tad too small for me at 11" so I just bought a Asus 13.5 inch screen model Regularly $249 on sale at Amazon for $149 - DELIVERED VIA PRIME in two days. Yep. Under 150 clams for a great Chromebook laptop dropped at my door in 2 days. You gotta' love AMAZON!

Chromebooks operate on the cloud, that, IMO, is the future of all remote computer users. Having a Hard Drive based program-driven Local Terminal type Computer is gradually phasing out. Even Microsoft Knows this and is taking steps to adapt to Cloud Computing. Chromebooks are basically souped-up Android Tablets with keyboards attached. Mine has 16 gig storage, 4 gig operating and unlimited cloud storage. You can get more on-board storage if you want but 16 gig, for me, is almost infinite. You can work locally without being on the Cloud (internet) when working on documents and spreadsheets.

Chromebooks start up in SECONDS and do not have a hard drive. They do have USB ports for jump drives and other USB driven devices and they have HDMI output for larger screens, but I am VERY happy with my 13.5 inch screen. For a traveling businessman and a Horseplayer, I think they are great. Most have an 10 to 14 hour battery life - depending on the model. If you need a computer track-side, these are great for that. They don't run on "programs" they run on Apps like "Google Docs". Most are free. I don't think I have paid for one app that I have needed. Plus, since I run my business with Google Calendar and Google Contacts, they are all imported instantly.

When I bought my new Asus 13.5 inch, I simply put in my Google Email and Password and EVERYTHING I had on my Acer 11 Inch imported within a minute. It was like I never left my original Chromebook. Amazing. Laptops used to take me hours to set up.

I can do everything on my Chromebook that I did on my Laptop, at 1/4 the price. But if you are Microsoft and "MS OFFICE" dependent, converting to Google Docs may not be what you want. For me, it was no problem. And Google Dos is FREE.

There is a new Microsoft version of the Chromebook operating on Windows 8.1 (The HP Stream), but I do not like the specs or the reviews or the color (you can only order it in vibrant blue), so I stuck with the Chromebook. Eventually, everything will be Cloud based. It's kind of an enigma for me because I love my WindowsPhone 8.1 yet have a Google based Laptop. I do have an Android Phone, but prefer my WindowsPhone. It would be convenient to have ONE platform for both. I may jump to a Microsoft 8.1 based StreamBook. Or, jump to an Android Phone to sync efficiently with my Chromebook. Time will tell.

[Robert Goren]

I have 2 licenses for 2010 left plus I have a lot of stuff in the excel format. I have looked at a chrome book, but it is not enough. Plus I hate the Chrome browser. If I could have gotten to Walmart on Thanksgiving night, I would sprang for the HP laptop they had as a doorbuster. It would have worked and at $159 ....... The bar has been set so maybe a similar deal will pop up online.

[raybo]

I have 2 licenses for 2010 left plus I have a lot of stuff in the excel format. I have looked at a chrome book, but it is not enough. Plus I hate the Chrome browser. If I could have gotten to Walmart on Thanksgiving night, I would sprang for the HP laptop they had as a doorbuster. It would have worked and at $159 ....... The bar has been set so maybe a similar deal will pop up online.

Dang! What was the screen size for that laptop? Unless it was a 10"/11" netbook, $159 for a new name brand laptop is a heck of a deal, regardless of the specs.

[BettinBilly]

I have 2 licenses for 2010 left plus I have a lot of stuff in the excel format. I have looked at a chrome book, but it is not enough. Plus I hate the Chrome browser. If I could have gotten to Walmart on Thanksgiving night, I would sprang for the HP laptop they had as a doorbuster. It would have worked and at $159 ....... The bar has been set so maybe a similar deal will pop up online.

Wow. Hellava deal.

Well, as I posted earlier, I love my WindowsPhone 8.1, and will probably pop for the HP Stream at $179 on Amazon. I don't mind the live tiles of Windows 8.1 since I use them every day on my phone. I also have Office 2010 that has no license limitations. I also understand needing or wanting full Excel on a full Laptop workstation.

Let us know what you decide to do.

[MJC922]

Spending any substantial time working with Excel on a screen under 13 inches would be pretty tough for me, but if the budget is under $300 I guess some compromises would be in order. Personally I would save up some more $$ if possible.

[Robert Goren]

Dang! What was the screen size for that laptop? Unless it was a 10"/11" netbook, $159 for a new name brand laptop is a heck of a deal, regardless of the specs.This was it.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Black-15.6-15-f004wm-Laptop-PC-with-Intel-Celeron-N2830-Processor-4GB-Memory-500GB-Hard-Drive-and-Windows-8.1/38192988?action=product_interest&action_type=title&placement_id=irs-browse-1&strategy=PWVUB&visitor_id=ESNtWzRa6QtJzQG45q_iPM&category=&client_guid=172125fe-e0cd-4b3f-847c-c8d6bdd9db82&customer_id_enc=f0223cb5-26c3-2006-e044-001517f43a86&config_id=9&parent_item_id=38192988&guid=c79a91cb-1ed9-4a94-a7d1-715b98e66d0e&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&beacon_version=1.0.0&findingMethod=p13n

[MJC922]

Bob, same exact CPU in this Dell all-in-one deal as in the doorbuster laptop you posted about:

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Dell-Inspiron-20-3043-1252BLK-Signature-Edition-All-in-One/productID.308795200?

Granted at $250 it's $100 bucks more but on the plus side it's a much larger screen for your eyes (if that helps). Microsoft signature edition means it shouldn't ship with a lot of crap-ware preinstalled.