As you all know, I am not the most technically-advanced sumbitch to ever swagger down these halls. yet in a day or two I have the chance to acquire a new Magic Metal Box.
My current virtual world runs off a Dell Dimension E521, running a very stable and beloved Windows XP. But that is now dying because Microsoft wants to kill XP (idjits) and now I am looing for something with Windows 8.1 (that I don't have to worry about Microsoft killing for another ten years or so)
I am currently looking at a Dell XPS 8700.
It runs on Windows 8.1 64-bit,
has a 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-4440 Processor (6M Cache, 3.1 GHz)
12GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz - 4 DIMMs
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 635 1GB DDR3 video card
Integrated 7.1 with WAVE MAXXAudio 4 audio (oh well...)
16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW), write to CD/DVD (what? No more 48x?)
and English keyboard (I will naturally replace this)
A Dell Laser Mouse (is this better than the optical mouse I currently have?)
Support for 4 HDD bays: including (3) 3.5” HDDs
–Capable of 1 SSD and 3 HDD configuration
Networking and Wireless
Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 + Bluetooth 4.0
Dell Wireless-DW 1703 + Bluetooth 4.0ChassisExternal Chassis Connections
Ports and such
Rear: HDMI, Display Port, RJ-45 (10/100/1000Base), Audio (7.1 channel (6 Jack) Premium Audio Performance), Mic, Line-in, (4) USB 3.0 ports, (2) USB 2.0 ports.
Front: (2) USB 2.0 Ports (Top), (2) USB 3.0 Ports, Mic-in, Headphone, Media Card Reader (MCR 19:119-in-1 Card Reader (CF Type I, CF Type II, Micro drive, mini SD, MMC, MMC mobile, MMC plus, MS, MS Pro, MS Pro Duo, MS Duo, MS Pro-HG, RS-MMC, SD, SDHC Class 2, SDHC Class 4, SDHC Class 6, SM, xD). I currently use my printer to read SDHC cards), (1) Powered USB Charging when system off (Top)
So, will this rig be backwards-compatible to my beloved XP programs (like ACDSee, Dos Box, VLC player)?
Will it be forward-compatible enough to support me playing Total War games through the next ten-fifteen years? Will I be able to mod, or do I need to use those damned Vista tricks?
Do I really need a touch-screen for Windows 8,1, or can I live with a Mouse?
All help appreciated.
|||||||||||||||| A transplanted Viking, born a millennium too late. |||||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||| Too many Awards to list in Signature, sorry lords...|||||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||| Listed on my page for your convenience and envy.|||||||||||||||||
Somewhere over the EXCO Rainbow
Master Skald, Order of the Silver Quill, Guild of the Skalds
Champion of the Sepia Joust- Joust I, II, IV, VI, VII, VIII
My current virtual world runs off a Dell Dimension E521, running a very stable and beloved Windows XP. But that is now dying because Microsoft wants to kill XP (idjits) and now I am looing for something with Windows 8.1 (that I don't have to worry about Microsoft killing for another ten years or so)
I am currently looking at a Dell XPS 8700.
It runs on Windows 8.1 64-bit,
has a 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-4440 Processor (6M Cache, 3.1 GHz)
12GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz - 4 DIMMs
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 635 1GB DDR3 video card
Integrated 7.1 with WAVE MAXXAudio 4 audio (oh well...)
16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW), write to CD/DVD (what? No more 48x?)
and English keyboard (I will naturally replace this)
A Dell Laser Mouse (is this better than the optical mouse I currently have?)
Support for 4 HDD bays: including (3) 3.5” HDDs
–Capable of 1 SSD and 3 HDD configuration
Networking and Wireless
Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 + Bluetooth 4.0
Dell Wireless-DW 1703 + Bluetooth 4.0ChassisExternal Chassis Connections
Ports and such
Rear: HDMI, Display Port, RJ-45 (10/100/1000Base), Audio (7.1 channel (6 Jack) Premium Audio Performance), Mic, Line-in, (4) USB 3.0 ports, (2) USB 2.0 ports.
Front: (2) USB 2.0 Ports (Top), (2) USB 3.0 Ports, Mic-in, Headphone, Media Card Reader (MCR 19:119-in-1 Card Reader (CF Type I, CF Type II, Micro drive, mini SD, MMC, MMC mobile, MMC plus, MS, MS Pro, MS Pro Duo, MS Duo, MS Pro-HG, RS-MMC, SD, SDHC Class 2, SDHC Class 4, SDHC Class 6, SM, xD). I currently use my printer to read SDHC cards), (1) Powered USB Charging when system off (Top)
So, will this rig be backwards-compatible to my beloved XP programs (like ACDSee, Dos Box, VLC player)?
Will it be forward-compatible enough to support me playing Total War games through the next ten-fifteen years? Will I be able to mod, or do I need to use those damned Vista tricks?
Do I really need a touch-screen for Windows 8,1, or can I live with a Mouse?
All help appreciated.
|||||||||||||||| A transplanted Viking, born a millennium too late. |||||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||| Too many Awards to list in Signature, sorry lords...|||||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||| Listed on my page for your convenience and envy.|||||||||||||||||
Somewhere over the EXCO Rainbow
Master Skald, Order of the Silver Quill, Guild of the Skalds
Champion of the Sepia Joust- Joust I, II, IV, VI, VII, VIII
[This message has been edited by Terikel Grayhair (edited 05-10-2014 @ 11:51 AM).]