No matter what I choose (and thanks for all your input!!!) I think I need to move quickly! I'm taking the old machine back tonite because the new hard drive started making an awful stutter noise and the computer froze last nite!!!
sidd finch wrote:A 32 GB SS drive does not seem like a lot of space.
Sidd
True...though the presence of a SS drive may explain why the price was higher (especially when it only has 12 GB of RAM).
Bob wrote:Something you need to know. The home editions of Windows max out at 16GB. If you want more than 16GB RAM, you will need the Windows Professional OS. The 16GB model says it has Windows 7 Professional so you can add more RAM to that PC if you want, but, the 12GB model just says it has Windows 8.1 so it will max out at 16GB.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION!! I had no idea about that! Very helpful! That justifies a little more expense for the Pro computer.
Bob wrote:That PC has four slots for RAM. The 16GB model would ship with four 4GB RAM modules using up all slots. To go to 32GB, you would need to replace all four 4GB RAM modules with 8GB modules. I don't know how the 12GB model is configured, if it comes with three 4GB modules you could add another 4GB module to bring it to 16GB. But, if it comes with two 4GB and two 2GB modules, you will need to get two 4GB modules.
I online chatted with a Best Buy rep - I was assured that the 16GB machine would ship with 2 8GB modules which means I could upgrade without pitching any. Of course, I always wonder if they are giving me the correct information!
Bob wrote:I didn't look at Office Depot to see what their model is like. If you're considering that one, be sure to check which version of Windows it comes with (Home or Professional). I'd be leery of a 32GB SSD. That's awfully small. I wouldn't go below 64GB. But, I wouldn't recommend anything less than 128GB unless you are deliberately looking to create a maintenance headache for yourself. In general, the bigger the better. I use a 256GB SSD.
The Office Depot machine (with the same xp87002190BLK model # as the Best Buy version) just says Windows 8.1; i'm guessing if it were the Pro version they would say that. I suspect it's the exact same windows 8.1 that Best Buy's 12GB machine ships with.
And as far as me deliberately looking to create a maintenance headache for myself…pretty much everyone here knows I can create headaches for myself WITHOUT EVEN TRYING!!!
BuddyB wrote:Me personally I'm leery of Dell.
I've actually had great luck with many Dells over the years, so I'm fairly comfortable with that choice...but who really knows with any individual machine, right?
Peru wrote:BuddyB wrote: with an AMD processor
Intel is preferred for Premiere Pro.
Thanks Peru - that's good to know. I never understood AMD - what does it take to be equivalent to a particular Intel processor? I think I better stick with Intel!
Sooooo...I think I may order the 16 GB Windows Pro computer...unless I change my mind!
(Oh and I see Best Buy has it on sale for $84 less today, though that's still more than Amazon's price). THANKS all and any further recs/comments would be great!!