For my needs, what sort of specs should I be looking for in a computer?

Can you give us a idea of price? Are we talking 300, 600, 1000?

And holy fuck.. That CPU has a passmark score of under 500.

Is the laptop mostly going to be sitting on a desk or will you move it around a lot? Big difference between a six pound and three pound laptop if you want to youtube in bed.

How much storage space are you looking for?

Any preference for screen size?

A laptop with i3 processor probably has lots of power, should be reasonably enough priced. You can USB in a mouse/keyboard and plug in a nice big monitor for your editing at your desk but still have the portability to take your stuff with you when you need to.

I’d like to stay under $500.

No preference over desktop vs. laptop. The current PC is a laptop but it hasn’t moved in over a year since the hinge broke. I do most mobile computing on my phone or tablet.

Storage: >250 GB if it’s a desktop, because I can always add more. Laptop, >500.

Screen size: 15 or bigger, I think. Again, a non-issue with a desktop. I have a monitor I like that I can hook up to a desktop.

If you are cool with a desktop you should let me build it. Seriously. I built Dog’s computer 4 years ago and it is still rocking.

I tossed together this. http://imgur.com/GVYsdqm

That is a lot of power for just over 500 bucks.

I’m in Oregon so no sales tax. Ship the parts to me and I will send off your computer the next day. I will even pay shipping. I really like building computers.

Are you anywhere near a Micro-Center store?

They have their own house brand (Powerspec) which is several hundred $$ less than any of the names. I bought a new desktop – full up on memory (16gb) and a healthy hard drive – desktop – last fall for under $500.

If you’re anywhere near them, take the drive.http://www.microcenter.com/

@johnpowell – I’d be pleased as punch to have you build it for me.

I am concerned that the price doesn’t include a Windows license.

I have a spare Windows license.

Neat-o. I’ll talk with Hubby and hit you up when we’re ready to make the purchase.

Sure thing. Building your own is the way to go. Kinda like eating grass fed beef. You know what goes into it.

And I went with a nice Motherboard and CPU and also a SSD. We could shave some money off but I wouldn’t really suggest it.

The CPU I picked has a passmark score of 6622 and your current one is 482. And the difference with a SSD is amazing.

It is one of those things where you will hate yourself for not doing it sooner.

Parts are ordered… I’m going to be the father of Seek’s computer.

It’s going to be a beautiful, bouncing baby Borg.

We Have BIOS

Still waiting on the SSD to come later today to install Windows.

@johnpowell is finding the build unsettlingly quick and easy.

At least I am running into software problems. So that feels good.

Computer is in the mail!! Should be there on Monday.

The cooler for the CPU was faulty but luckily I had a spare since I use a aftermarket one on my computer and socket 1155 coolers work on 1150 boards.

We went with a cheaper CPU (G3258) but since the board is fine with any Haswell CPU she can upgrade later if needed.

And after rebates it came to around $360 for CPU, motherboard, case, PSU, 16GB RAM, 240GB SSD, 1TB HDD, and DVD drive. One hell of a good deal.

You are a good egg, @johnpowell.

I agree, @dappled_leaves.

IT“S A BOY!

I don’t know what his name is, but he sure is pretty. And big. He’s making me reorganize my entire kitchen/office/craft room. Let’s be honest, I need a bigger house.

You need a name JP’s creation question.

ON IT.

WOW! Fluther folks are just awesomeness in a can!

This is a brilliant thread. Love it