Value laptop....good enough?
Aug 27, 2014 4:49:28 GMT
Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2014 4:49:28 GMT
My desktop PC stopped answering any and all commands...so, eventually a hard drive swap and OS reload will be done.
Feeling down and deflated at the prospects of propping up a 10 year old PC, I ventured out to see what could be acquired for a mere $200+ U.S. money. And not much into the + either.
After shopping at an **** store...11.6" little laptop w/o dvd drive for $249, I moved to a *** and found about the same, but in a non-modifiable mini desktop at $279 w/o monitor. I almost forgot to stop at my local Office Max...but what I found there for $229 is showing to be nothing short of a genuine gem of a laptop....An Asus XM-551MA with 15.6" screen, Intel Celeron 1.8Ghz, Win 8, 4Gb RAM, one 2.0usb and one 3.0usb, HDMI, 500Gb hd, etc. Though not very upgradeable, for $229..if it works...is quite the bargain.
I bought it today and it's up and running (after I fumbled about with Win 8 for a few hours)and it is now loading 75 updates (75 updates???). I hooked up 2 usb hubs (one a five port the other a 4 port). Hooked up the Schiit Modi...runs fine. Hooked up the SoundBlaster USB Go Pro, fine. Hooked up outboard WD hd with music files..fine. Watched Hugh Laurie's "Dr. House, M.D." series episode on Netflix on full screen but not HD..but it was fine. Never got above 45% use of the 4Gb memory. But, carefuel mgmt. of process use with only 4Gb RAM is essential.
And it does what it's supposed to do...fast enough...music sounds great through it either from a web based streaming radio site or from the WD 7200rpm outboard hd...through the Schiit Modi and on to a headphone amp, and/or big front room stereo system, etc., via Win Media Player.
I'm a bit flabbergasted that such high value costs so low an investment these days. This is a full featured laptop computer. Even adding this thing to my virus protection protocol cost just north of $10 for a staggering total of $239 U.S.
For computer audio value use...WTHeck. It's simply amazing....J
Feeling down and deflated at the prospects of propping up a 10 year old PC, I ventured out to see what could be acquired for a mere $200+ U.S. money. And not much into the + either.
After shopping at an **** store...11.6" little laptop w/o dvd drive for $249, I moved to a *** and found about the same, but in a non-modifiable mini desktop at $279 w/o monitor. I almost forgot to stop at my local Office Max...but what I found there for $229 is showing to be nothing short of a genuine gem of a laptop....An Asus XM-551MA with 15.6" screen, Intel Celeron 1.8Ghz, Win 8, 4Gb RAM, one 2.0usb and one 3.0usb, HDMI, 500Gb hd, etc. Though not very upgradeable, for $229..if it works...is quite the bargain.
I bought it today and it's up and running (after I fumbled about with Win 8 for a few hours)and it is now loading 75 updates (75 updates???). I hooked up 2 usb hubs (one a five port the other a 4 port). Hooked up the Schiit Modi...runs fine. Hooked up the SoundBlaster USB Go Pro, fine. Hooked up outboard WD hd with music files..fine. Watched Hugh Laurie's "Dr. House, M.D." series episode on Netflix on full screen but not HD..but it was fine. Never got above 45% use of the 4Gb memory. But, carefuel mgmt. of process use with only 4Gb RAM is essential.
And it does what it's supposed to do...fast enough...music sounds great through it either from a web based streaming radio site or from the WD 7200rpm outboard hd...through the Schiit Modi and on to a headphone amp, and/or big front room stereo system, etc., via Win Media Player.
I'm a bit flabbergasted that such high value costs so low an investment these days. This is a full featured laptop computer. Even adding this thing to my virus protection protocol cost just north of $10 for a staggering total of $239 U.S.
For computer audio value use...WTHeck. It's simply amazing....J