Vostro or Compaq?

Iconic

I am looking for a new desktop and was on the point of buying a Vostro from Dell when I saw a better spec Compaq at Staples for about the same price.

I don't need the machine for gaming but I do want it for editing video.

Never used a Compaq or Staples before so do I go with the devil I know?

Vostro 220
Intel® Core™2 Duo E7500 (2.93GHz, 1066MHz, 3MB)
2048MB 800MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x1024)
320GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 16MB DataBurst™ cache
Integrated Intel® Graphic Media Accelerator X4500
English Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (32 BIT)

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukbsdt1&l=en&oc=D032203&dgc=AF&cid=5213&lid=122757&acd=1df2a1254d565fbdd653d9ff1301265e


Compaq Presario CQ5308
AMD Athlon™ II X2 processor 215
RAM Memory (MB) 3GB
Graphics Card NVIDIA® GeForce® 6150 SE
Graphics Memory Up to 1407MB
Hard Disk Capacity (GB) 320GB
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

http://www.staples.co.uk/technology/pcs-and-laptops/desktop-pcs/presario-cq5308uk-desktop-pc-amd-athlon-ii-x2-processor-215-3gb-ram-320gb-hard-drive-windows-7-home-premium-64-bit

aaronm_2

If I were you, I will choose Vostro of DELL. Once I had a Compaq notebook about three years ago and due to the bad quality, I've changed it into a new thinkpad. Maybe things go different with desttops. But have experienced that, I will never choose Compaq.

symondhelly

You dont have the convenience of having them pick up the laptop, but well, I prefer a actual service centre where I can get hold of people.
I am using a compaq cq60-104tu and I am pretty happy with it!

Iconic

I have had a couple of Dell's and had no trouble with them but I think the better spec of the Compaq is worth about £100!

lee5768

I honestly I wouldnt buy either as I build my own systems but if i had to pick
i would go for the dell and upgrad the memory to 4GB and E8400 processor buy my own graphics card for it

Voyager2002

Yes, for video editing you will need LOTS of memory and the best graphics card you can afford.

Iconic

lee5768 wrote: »

I honestly I wouldnt buy either as I build my own systems but if i had to pick
i would go for the dell and upgrad the memory to 4GB and E8400 processor buy my own graphics card for it

Yes, but my budget is £300 and that would make the Dell at least £450 against the Compaq £300:(

I suppose I could get the basic Dell and upgrade later. There is not much between the CPU's if I only need it for video editing!

Iconic

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Yes, for video editing you will need LOTS of memory and the best graphics card you can afford.

I have asked this question before and some people think an integrated card will do for video editing.

However the Compaq comes with a seperate card which I could upgrade later if it was really needed.

lee5768

some of the intergrated cards are good these days they have come along way
the computer am using now is a media centre i built. it has a built in HD4200 this is great for what its used for BUT this comes at a price "memory" somthing that you need badly for video editing

this system has 4GB memory right
limitation of using a 32bit version of windows means all of the 4GB memory can't be mapped so out of this 4GB I end up with only 3.2 useable memory
then the onboard graphics needs memory so its alocated 512MB of this memory
leaving me with only 2.75GB usable memory windows 7 itself uses abou 800MB if this

so with onboard graphics on a system that only has 2GB you will have under 1GB or ram for video editing

timbim_2

Video editing often doesn't stress the graphics. It's the processor and RAM that get pushed. Knowing the spindle speed of the Compaq hard disk would also help, editing video on a 5400rpm disk just isn't worth it. One upgrade that is definitely worth it if you can afford on either of them would be upgrading the hard drive to a WD velociraptor. Noisier, but much faster.

Iconic

timbim wrote: »

Video editing often doesn't stress the graphics. It's the processor and RAM that get pushed. Knowing the spindle speed of the Compaq hard disk would also help, editing video on a 5400rpm disk just isn't worth it. One upgrade that is definitely worth it if you can afford on either of them would be upgrading the hard drive to a WD velociraptor. Noisier, but much faster.

The Compaq hard disc is '320 GB SATA 3G Hard Disk Drive (7200 rpm)'

Thanks for the advice about the WD velociraptor HDD. I could always upgrade later on!