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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
Hi, I'll be ordering an Optiplex 380 and dell's customization process
made me wonder about a few of the options. I'll be using the machine for internet, internet video, dvd watching, cd, mp3, skype. Maybe transcode and burn a video a couple times a month. It doesn't matter if that takes 30 minutes more! 1. CPU I see E7500, E7600 +$44, E8400 +$114. Is the E7500 fine for the things described above? 2. PSU Is the 'Up to 88 Percent Efficient PSU [add $20.00]' worth it? If I add power consuming peripherals in the future, will the Efficient PSU handle them ok like the Standard PSUs in my previous DELLs? 3. RAM Will 4 GB DDR3 1 DIMM be ok? I've selected 'Windows Home 32-bit.' 4. Video Card I selected the DVI Adapter Card (+$10). Is it better than the integrated Intel GMA 4500 VGA as i think? I don't think a need an ATI/ nVIDIA card ($64 over the DVI Card) for the things I do? 5. Speakers Is the AX210 1.2W USB enough to listen to mp3s? The AX510 Sound Bar is +$10. I have an AX210 set now and they are fine. Other options: I selected the E2311H 23in monitor ($90 over the 19in), the 320 GB SATA HD ($8 over the 250 GB), 16x DVD+/-RW ($10 over the 16x DVD-ROM). I can't imagine ordering the monitor alone will be cheaper? I also selected Windows Recovery Media (+$3), PowerDVD/Roxio Media (+$3), Resourse DVD (+$3) discs. But is the Windows Recovery disc a Windows disc? My friend ordered a 17r laptop in January and didn't receive a Windows disc but burned himself a Recovery disc. If you don't get a Windows disc why spend $3 for what you can burn yourself for 20 cents? Same for the 2 others. Can you burn the apps alone or you can burn them only as part of the Recovery disc? I don't see a NIC mentioned. It must be standard now-days? Thank you for any help. It's been a very long time since I ordered a PC. Jim |
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
On Apr 9, 9:15*pm, "jim_tehma (e-mail isn't checked)"
wrote: Hi, I'll be ordering an Optiplex 380 and dell's customization process made me wonder about a few of the options. I'll be using the machine for internet, internet video, dvd watching, cd, mp3, skype. Maybe transcode and burn a video a couple times a month. It doesn't matter if that takes 30 minutes more! 1. CPU I see E7500, E7600 +$44, E8400 +$114. Is the E7500 fine for the things described above? 2. PSU Is the 'Up to 88 Percent Efficient PSU [add $20.00]' worth it? If I add power consuming peripherals in the future, will the Efficient PSU handle them ok like the Standard PSUs in my previous DELLs? 3. RAM Will 4 GB DDR3 1 DIMM be ok? I've selected 'Windows Home 32-bit.' 4. Video Card I selected the DVI Adapter Card (+$10). Is it better than the integrated Intel GMA 4500 VGA as i think? I don't think a need an ATI/ nVIDIA card ($64 over the DVI Card) for the things I do? 5. Speakers Is the AX210 1.2W USB enough to listen to mp3s? The AX510 Sound Bar is +$10. I have an AX210 set now and they are fine. Other options: I selected the E2311H 23in monitor ($90 over the 19in), the 320 GB SATA HD ($8 over the 250 GB), 16x DVD+/-RW ($10 over the 16x DVD-ROM). I can't imagine ordering the monitor alone will be cheaper? I also selected Windows Recovery Media (+$3), PowerDVD/Roxio Media (+$3), Resourse DVD (+$3) discs. But is the Windows Recovery disc a Windows disc? My friend ordered a 17r laptop in January and didn't receive a Windows disc but burned himself a Recovery disc. If you don't get a Windows disc why spend $3 for what you can burn yourself for 20 cents? Same for the 2 others. Can you burn the apps alone or you can burn them only as part of the Recovery disc? I don't see a NIC mentioned. It must be standard now-days? Thank you for any help. It's been a very long time since I ordered a PC. Jim What you selected is fine for what you're doing...Windows 7 32bit can only utilize 3Gb's of ram. I have the monitor you selected...LED backlit and I like it. For $20 I would go for the better PSU. I got the DVD media (W7 and Drivers) when I order thu SB last month (nothing extra). |
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
What you selected is fine for what you're doing...Windows 7 32bit can
only utilize 3Gb's of ram. I have the monitor you selected...LED backlit and I like it. For $20 I would go for the better PSU. I got the DVD media (W7 and Drivers) when I order thu SB last month (nothing extra). Yes, I'll order through SB. The 17r was ordered through Home. Is the '88 Percent Efficient PSU' really better or is it just a less powerful model? I can't find any specifications. If it's better I'll get it. What speakers do you have? Do you have the Sound Bar? Thanks, Jim |
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
4. Video Card
I selected the DVI Adapter Card (+$10). Is it better than the integrated Intel GMA 4500 VGA as i think? I don't think a need an ATI/ nVIDIA card ($64 over the DVI Card) for the things I do? Any idea if the DVI card provides a better image? From what I understand the DVI card uses the Integrated Graphics system but gives you a DVI port to connect your monitor (E2311H 23in here)? Thank, Jim |
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
Is the '88 Percent Efficient PSU' really better or is it just a less
powerful model? I can't find any specifications. If it's better I'll get it. I found the following table when googling dell "88 Percent Efficient PSU": http://www.sevenforums.com/attachmen...7-opti-psu.jpg link: http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-c...ml#post1327594 I don't know how correct this is, but it seems the Standard PSU is 305W and the Efficient is 255W. Does that change the power of peripherals the PSU can handle? I see the DC specs are the same though. Any idea if the current supplied by the PSU to the computer is described in the DC specs? Thanks, Jim |
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
On Apr 10, 10:30*pm, "jim_tehma (e-mail isn't checked)"
wrote: 4. Video Card I selected the DVI Adapter Card (+$10). Is it better than the integrated Intel GMA 4500 VGA as i think? I don't think a need an ATI/ nVIDIA card ($64 over the DVI Card) for the things I do? Any idea if the DVI card provides a better image? From what I understand the DVI card uses the Integrated Graphics system but gives you a DVI port to connect your monitor (E2311H 23in here)? Thank, Jim If this DVI card has no memory in it (haven't heard of that) then stick with integrated. My monitor looks the same connected DVI or VGA (clarity wise). I put a 512Mb ATI card in mine recently. Sounds like you can stick with the "less green" PSU. (higher wattage). Dell's PSU are suppose to be better than most vendors. Best of Luck! |
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
On Apr 10, 10:05*pm, "jim_tehma (e-mail isn't checked)"
wrote: What you selected is fine for what you're doing...Windows 7 32bit can only utilize 3Gb's of ram. I have the monitor you selected...LED backlit and I like it. For $20 I would go for the better PSU. I got the DVD media (W7 and Drivers) when I order thu SB last month (nothing extra). Yes, I'll order through SB. The 17r was ordered through Home. Is the '88 Percent Efficient PSU' really better or is it just a less powerful model? I can't find any specifications. If it's better I'll get it. What speakers do you have? Do you have the Sound Bar? Thanks, Jim I use cheap old speakers. |
#8
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
On 4/9/2011 10:15 PM, jim_tehma (e-mail isn't checked) wrote:
Hi, I'll be ordering an Optiplex 380 and dell's customization process made me wonder about a few of the options. I'll be using the machine for internet, internet video, dvd watching, cd, mp3, skype. Maybe transcode and burn a video a couple times a month. It doesn't matter if that takes 30 minutes more! 1. CPU I see E7500, E7600 +$44, E8400 +$114. Is the E7500 fine for the things described above? 2. PSU Is the 'Up to 88 Percent Efficient PSU [add $20.00]' worth it? If I add power consuming peripherals in the future, will the Efficient PSU handle them ok like the Standard PSUs in my previous DELLs? 3. RAM Will 4 GB DDR3 1 DIMM be ok? I've selected 'Windows Home 32-bit.' 4. Video Card I selected the DVI Adapter Card (+$10). Is it better than the integrated Intel GMA 4500 VGA as i think? I don't think a need an ATI/ nVIDIA card ($64 over the DVI Card) for the things I do? 5. Speakers Is the AX210 1.2W USB enough to listen to mp3s? The AX510 Sound Bar is +$10. I have an AX210 set now and they are fine. Other options: I selected the E2311H 23in monitor ($90 over the 19in), the 320 GB SATA HD ($8 over the 250 GB), 16x DVD+/-RW ($10 over the 16x DVD-ROM). I can't imagine ordering the monitor alone will be cheaper? I also selected Windows Recovery Media (+$3), PowerDVD/Roxio Media (+$3), Resourse DVD (+$3) discs. But is the Windows Recovery disc a Windows disc? My friend ordered a 17r laptop in January and didn't receive a Windows disc but burned himself a Recovery disc. If you don't get a Windows disc why spend $3 for what you can burn yourself for 20 cents? Same for the 2 others. Can you burn the apps alone or you can burn them only as part of the Recovery disc? I don't see a NIC mentioned. It must be standard now-days? Thank you for any help. It's been a very long time since I ordered a PC. Jim what is the overall price of the configuration that you have found? I think the vostro 460 is a much better value and it is significantly faster given the newer generation of processors that it uses. and these newer processors have much better integrated video as well. yes, even with the 32 bit os you should get 4gb of ram. there is a limit of about 4gb that windows 32bit can address, and from this total some things are deducted (such as the video ram space) so windows may not have the full 4gb available for use by applications, but it will likely have over 3gb, just not the full 4gb. and the way dell sells memory options is such that if you got some odd number amount of memory, say 3gb, then they you install three 1gb modules which means that it will not be working in dual channel mode which means a slight performance hit. so either just get 2gb and upgrade yourself with another 2gb later (probably for much less than dell wants), or go with 4gb. vostro 460 i5-2400 (3.1ghz quad core), Win7 Pro 32, 4gb, 500gb, hd 2000 integrated graphics, dvdrw, 23" e2311h, keyboard, mouse, 15mo TrendMicro $769. Start he http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto..._id=vostro-460 a similar config for the optiplex 380 with a e7500 (smaller 320gb hard disk, single 4gb ram module, windows 7 home not pro, 1mo trend, slower integrated video) is about $600. a perfectly good machine but already slow by today's standard and the unfortunately small disk making it undesirable for most home uses (particularly since you mention dvd editing). i5-2400 passmark is about 6113, and the e7500 passmark is about 2013 - a significant performance difference without even considering the better integrated video quality. yes, both of thee machine have integrated nics. |
#9
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
I selected the DVI Adapter Card (+$10). Is it better than the
integrated Intel GMA 4500 VGA as i think? I don't think a need an ATI/ nVIDIA card ($64 over the DVI Card) for the things I do? Any idea if the DVI card provides a better image? From what I understand the DVI card uses the Integrated Graphics system but gives you a DVI port to connect your monitor (E2311H 23in here)? If this DVI card has no memory in it (haven't heard of that) then stick with integrated. My monitor looks the same connected DVI or VGA (clarity wise). I put a 512Mb ATI card in mine recently. Sounds like you can stick with the "less green" PSU. (higher wattage). *Dell's PSU are suppose to be better than most vendors. Best of Luck! I'm not sure but I assume if it had memory, it'd be mentioned. The customize tool says: DVI (Digital) Adapter Card, Full Height [add $10.00] it seems like the difference is the dvi output instead of the vga. But since those look the same, no need to bother. Thanks, Jim |
#10
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Ordering an Optiplex 380 Mini Tower
On Apr 11, 12:04*am, "jim_tehma (e-mail isn't checked)"
wrote: Is the '88 Percent Efficient PSU' really better or is it just a less powerful model? I can't find any specifications. If it's better I'll get it. I found the following table when googling dell "88 Percent Efficient PSU": http://www.sevenforums.com/attachmen...7279d130188373... link: http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-c...nitor-card-rec... I don't know how correct this is, but it seems the Standard PSU is 305W and the Efficient is 255W. Does that change the power of peripherals the PSU can handle? I see the DC specs are the same though. Any idea if the current supplied by the PSU to the computer is described in the DC specs? Thanks, Jim Okay, so the Standard PSU is rated at 305w, so it can handle an aggregate wattage of devices UP TO 305 watts total current draw. The Efficient PSU is rated at 255w, so it can't handle quite as many devices. What is it about the "Efficient" PSU that makes it efficient, except for the name? It sure would be nice if Dell told us more about this PSU, but that is wishful thinking. I am inclined to think that "Efficient" is mostly a marketing buzz word, and I am being too kind in characterizing it as such. Odds are it is simply a cheaper and less capable PSU. Every power supply has some level of power loss in converting 110v AC to 5v, 12v, 3.3v and whatever other DC voltages are required. The power loss manifests itself mostly as heat from the PSU. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to calculate or measure how many watts a system consumes. So suffice it to say that the Efficient PSU may limit how much can be added onto a system in the form of added memory, another hard drive or optical drive, an add-in card, or even a faster CPU... Ben Myers |
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