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Hello new computer :)


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Hi Brian!

I am shopping for a new computer and will be going with DELL - i am ohhhh so confused on what to get, so many choices and well, lets face it - i just wanna be set up and sit down and edit *l*  i would like something great, i don't want to be chasing memory and want something zippy. Can you help? Like if you were to sit down and order online through DELL, what would you get if you were a photographer? what do i choose through all the steps? I'm looking for a PC and maybe throw in a nice size monitor at the end - i have a decent one but hey, go big or go home! Willing to spend a decent amount of money - for the love of my editing and my sanity, pleeeeease help me! I'm not a gamer and this will strictly be an editing PC with Photoshop :) Oh man, if you could help a girl out i would be forever grateful ♥ (or maybe point me to a link if there is already one floating around this beautiful place.

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If you are an "Official" or "On-the-Books" business, then I'd get this Dell:

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/xps-8900-desktop/pd?oc=cax8900w7ph1057&model_id=xps-8900-desktop
 

If you are a hobbyist, then the Dell XPS 8900:

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/xps-8900-desktop/pd?oc=cax8900w7ph1057&model_id=xps-8900-desktop
 

What you are looking for is:

  • i5 or i7 CPU
  • 8GB RAM at a Minimum / 16GB RAM Preferred
  • 1TB HD at a Minimum / 2TB or larger Preferred
  • Dedicated Video Card with its own Video Memory. 2GB or 4GB of Video Memory is fine.


Windows 7 Pro 64-bit at a Minimum. DO NOT get a Windows 7 "Home" edition, as it caps out at 16GB of RAM. You need the "Pro" version to go higher, i.e. 32GB of RAM.

Windows 10 is "fine" at this point, as long as it comes with a new computer. Most of the issues that people have are ones that have upgraded from Windows 7 or 8. With brand new computers, the upgrade path to Windows 10 is easier. As for which one, Windows 10 Home Edition or Windows 10 Pro, I would always recommend going the "Pro" edition. But it's not a deal breaker if the computer comes with Windows 10 Home.

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Now what's the difference between the "Business" and "Consumer" XPS 8900? State-side support if you live in the US. When you call Dell for help with the consumer models, you get "Bob," "Abraham," or "Judy" in India or Pakistan. With the business edition, you get "Joe from Kansas" or where-ever Dell US Support is.

I like the 8900 because it doesn't come with a whole lot of crapware / bloatware. It's a straight forward computer. If someone comes across this thread and hates Dell, that's fine. Choose a different brand with the specs that I listed in the above comment box.

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Excellent - thank you sooooo very much for your time, i am an on the books photographer soooo I think i will go with the above - 16gb and 2tb.  I was reading your posts on monitors, am i correct in saying you approve their Dell Ultrasharp monitors?  I see they have 24, 25, 27 and 30 monitors (pretty much)  - some say they are "premiercolor" with about a $75 difference - do you know if it's worth it?

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The Dell Line of monitors has been refreshed, so I'm going to have to look at them. What hasn't changed on what to look for is:

IPS-Based Display. 

Matte Coating or Matte Display. 

HDMI / DVI / DisplayPort for the port type. AVOID using the 15-pin D-SUB / VGA port. That port is meant for tube displays, not fancy flatscreens. 

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