Dell vs Lenovo or other Desk-top for writing paper, surfing net

December 29, 2013 9:20 AM

I am not a gamer or anything, and I want a desktop for writing papers at home. I got the Dell 20 inch all in one for $349 but I cannot believe how slow it is on the internet- brand new out of box, and it froze a few times. I want to be under 500, ideally no more than $450. I like the flat screens at least 20 inch. Any advice? thanks!! i like the lenovo monitors and key boards.

I am writing papers for grad school. I also have a laptop and use the desktops at school.

posted by TRUELOTUS to Computers & Internet (12 answers total)

At the risk of not answering the question: What is it about that you're looking to get out of this desktop that you aren't getting out of the laptop already? If it's just a bigger screen and keyboard, you can easily add those to the laptop without buying a whole new computer.
posted by Tomorrowful at 9:25 AM on December 29, 2013 [1 favorite]

Also not answering the question: a $350 all in one from Dell will be relatively slow, but it shouldn't be slow in an meaningful sense for what you are doing. I'd check for malware, make sure Windows is up to date, and check the Dell website (they have an app that should help) to make sure my drivers are up to date.
posted by wotsac at 10:23 AM on December 29, 2013

Seconding Tomorrowful, but as people say, nobody ever gets fired for getting a lenovo. I've gotten a Lenovo Thinkpad refurbished for $550 (I know, that's a laptop, not a desktop), and they also have cheaper lines. Maybe check out the official refurbished sites?
posted by lacedcoffee at 10:33 AM on December 29, 2013

Are you looking for another all-in-one or a regular desktop setup? What are the specs of your current all-in-one? What are you not getting out of the laptop? If the laptop works well but you want a desktop setup, why not get an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse for it?
posted by radioamy at 11:07 AM on December 29, 2013

We need more information to properly answer your question.

I work on Windows-based and Mac computers all the ding-dong day. They both have their pluses and minuses. Tell us what software you're using for the majority of your work and we'll be able to give you better advice. Also, please add some info on what exactly you're doing when you notice slowness on your machine.

Right off the bat, I can tell you with certainty that most Windows-based machines come pre-loaded with all sorts of crapware/ad-ware/spyware that you don't even need, so for that reason alone, I tend to recommend Mac-based computers to people who don't want to deal with reformatting and shit like that. If you want to just make your current machine faster, give us some details. If you just hate it and want a new computer, tell us what EXACTLY you need --- and how much you're willing to spend (including software).
posted by LuckySeven~ at 2:06 PM on December 29, 2013

If you post the specs of your slow $349 computer, we might be able to tell you why it's slow. Generally, for most users they just need enough RAM for the system to avoid bottlenecking. I have 8GB of RAM, but I think these days 4GB is standard. Dells are also pre-loaded with a lot of "bloatware" -- crap you don't need that runs automatically and makes your computer run slower. I'd remove bloatware immediately. I new $349 laptop should run fine if you're just checking your email.

Macs are way more expensive than PCs for the same specs. I wouldn't recommend a Mac, but I would recommend you learn a little bit about your computer and computers in general because you do sound rather clueless.
posted by AppleTurnover at 3:08 PM on December 29, 2013

I bought a mini netbook from Dell and had the same experience; it was basically unusable with the copy of Windows Whatever that came installed on it. I ended up putting Ubuntu Linux on it instead, installed from a USB drive, and it is SO much faster now. There's so much bloatware installed on those things from the factory.
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:53 AM on December 30, 2013

Seconding wotsac - How about checking out your existing Dell 20 inch and making sure that all the crapware that was loaded on it isn't the cause of the internet slowness?

http://pcdecrapifier.com/


is one possibility. They install a lot of stuff on a Dell imaged machine that could cause issues. Just a thought.
posted by gregjunior at 10:01 AM on December 30, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks folks. Ok, I want to spend no more than $500. I REALLY like the desktop for writing papers over a laptop. Here are the specs: I got it on sale for I guess it was 379



Inspiron One 20" Non-Touch
$499.99

Intel® Pentium® Processor (Dual Core)

Windows 8

4GB Memory

1TB Hard Drive
posted by TRUELOTUS at 6:30 AM on December 31, 2013

Response by poster: Btw, the "geek" at Best buy rec the HP all in one. I don't need an all in one. Just looking for the cheapest deal. thanks!
posted by TRUELOTUS at 6:31 AM on December 31, 2013

Response by poster: Also, yes i have a laptop, but I do not understand, how could I have an external monitor, keyboard for it? How does that work? That might be cheaper- good point!!!
posted by TRUELOTUS at 6:32 AM on December 31, 2013

Most every modern laptop will let you just plug in (via USB) a keyboard and mouse. I believe almost all of them will support screen mirroring on a monitor as well. Basically you'd have a desk with the monitor, keyboard, and mouse set up, plug in your laptop, and start working.

Whether this would be cheaper than an all in one or not depends on whether you already own all those pieces and how cheaply you could get them, but they're often easier and safer to buy used than the CPU itself, and you already know how the computer part will perform.
posted by Salamandrous at 9:37 AM on December 31, 2013