Looking for new computers...help needed!

[MetalOwns]

Hi,

I used to be pretty active on here years ago. Looks like it's been about 12 years since I've been active on here! I'm pretty out of the loop now on hardware stuff so I'm looking for some help. My current computers are an ASUS G74SX and an Acer Aspire V3-571G. The former is from 2009 and the latter is from 2013. With what's going on in this country and our president-elect, I'm expecting prices for tech stuff to be going up so I'd like to get a move on this and I had mentioned I really need new computers to my mom a while back and she has graciously offered to help purchase one for Christmas. I did recently move for a new job and that was rather expensive when everything was said and done, so money is a bit tight right now.

I used to do a lot of gaming...the original Call of Duty games, Modern Warfare, and the Grand Theft Auto games were the things I primarily played. I don't really do any gaming anymore except occasionally. However, I would like systems that are capable of playing at decent settings for the times I will occasionally play some game.

I am a guitarist and made the move to digital a few years back. I still have all my amps, but they haven't really been turned on in years. I primarily use my audio interface and VST plug-ins. I do some recording, but I'm not that great of a player so not a whole lot. But the audio/recording stuff is covered by my audio interface.

I'm looking for two new computers - a laptop for the living room, to take places, etc and I'm planning to build a desktop for my office/studio. I have been looking at ASUS, Acer, and Lenovo laptops. It's gotta be at least 15.6", preferably 17". Also preferably not very thick. I also need a rather large amount of space. 2GB SSD minimum and really probably more. I've been thinking I'd have to go with 4TB. I have over 1TB of music alone, not counting any sort of other personal data. I'd also REALLY prefer having a dedicated number pad.

It seems that these manufacturers are not putting those access hatches on their laptops anymore that used to allow you to access the RAM and drives. My ASUS has a hatch and just over a year ago I replaced both 500GB HDDs with 1TB SSDs. I purchased a 1TB SSD and also an optical drive HDD/SSD caddy for my Acer laptop and cloned that HDD to the new SSD, but there is no access hatch so I had to take the entire thing apart, which is another story. But with no access hatches on these newer laptops, I really want to get something that I won't need to try to upgrade.

I used to be a big, diehard Intel guy but I've been reading about issues with the newer Intel processors.

So, having said all that, any help? The laptop I need to be able to handle the audio stuff and the plug-ins for when I'm not at home. The desktop I'm really not sure where to start because like I mentioned, I'm really out of the loop on hardware now.

Laptop I'd really like to spend less than $1500. And the desktop, I'm not really sure...again, out of the loop.

Also, I primarily run linux. Linux Mint to be specific. But I do use Windows (10, currently) on my Acer laptop for the audio and guitar stuff because it's just a lot easier than trying to do it on linux. And obviously, I would be using Windows for any sort of gaming.

I realize this is long and I appreciate anyone who read the entire thing. Any help?!?

And I came across this site: https://xoticpc.com/ Are they a good, reputable company?

 

[Ste]

WELCOME BACK!! to the ancient social media platforms of yesteryear.

If you can confirm that www.newegg.com ships to your address, then you can just custom use that web sites search and then look at all the reviews there.

never heard of xoticpc, just my tiny opinion but stick to Dell, Alienware, HP or lenovo.

Story time for all the Gen Z's/Alphas" Way way WAY back in the day, probably before you were even born.. in the year 2002. I got a IBM Lenovo laptop with windows XP pro to use ONLY 98 MB of RAM on boot up. From turn on to just be ready sitting at desktop. 98 MB of RAM. took less than 2 hours to go through everything in services, registry, control panel and all GUI menu's... AHHH Nostalgia..

 

[Trotter]

Xotic is solid, as are Overkill, MetaPC, Origin, Falcon Northwest, Maingear, Xidax (I won my rig from them), and way more. All of them give you way more choices and better hardware selections, but they can get pricey really fast.

 

[MetalOwns]

WELCOME BACK!! to the ancient social media platforms of yesteryear.

If you can confirm that www.newegg.com ships to your address, then you can just custom use that web sites search and then look at all the reviews there.

never heard of xoticpc, just my tiny opinion but stick to Dell, Alienware, HP or lenovo.

Story time for all the Gen Z's/Alphas" Way way WAY back in the day, probably before you were even born.. in the year 2002. I got a IBM Lenovo laptop with windows XP pro to use ONLY 98 MB of RAM on boot up. From turn on to just be ready sitting at desktop. 98 MB of RAM. took less than 2 hours to go through everything in services, registry, control panel and all GUI menu's... AHHH Nostalgia..

Thanks!

I was actually able to access my Newegg account. Last order - 2008. They do ship to two addresses I could use. I was seeing some stuff about Newegg and how they are not good and not trustworthy now. Is that the case?

I looked at my previous orders too. Saw an old order for an 80GB HDD.

Xotic is solid, as are Overkill, MetaPC, Origin, Falcon Northwest, Maingear, Xidax (I won my rig from them), and way more. All of them give you way more choices and better hardware selections, but they can get pricey really fast.

I'll have to check those other companies out. I was playing around on Xotic yesterday, and yes, you are correct...you can run the price up really quickly. There are cooling options for the drives...is that something worth adding on? I've always been big on having my systems run as cool as possible. I'm sure the thermal paste in both of these laptops are pretty much toast at this point. I picked up two pretty powerful laptop coolers for each one a while back. Crazy how well they work actually.

These companies seem neat, but they are opening these laptops up and adding/changing stuff so that makes me a little nervous. If there's some sort of issue, how easy are these companies to work with?

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Suggestions for laptop processors for audio stuff? AMD? Intel? The RAM I'm planning to max out most likely for whatever laptop I end up with. I think I am also leaning towards Lenovo. Seen a lot of stuff about their laptops, especially the business laptops, being really good and reliable.

Any chance someone could give me a starting point for the desktop build? Motherboard, graphics card, processor for that, etc.

 

[Ste]

Thanks!

I was actually able to access my Newegg account. Last order - 2008. They do ship to two addresses I could use. I was seeing some stuff about Newegg and how they are not good and not trustworthy now. Is that the case?

I looked at my previous orders too. Saw an old order for an 80GB HDD.

I'll have to check those other companies out. I was playing around on Xotic yesterday, and yes, you are correct...you can run the price up really quickly. There are cooling options for the drives...is that something worth adding on? I've always been big on having my systems run as cool as possible. I'm sure the thermal paste in both of these laptops are pretty much toast at this point. I picked up two pretty powerful laptop coolers for each one a while back. Crazy how well they work actually.

These companies seem neat, but they are opening these laptops up and adding/changing stuff so that makes me a little nervous. If there's some sort of issue, how easy are these companies to work with?

-------------

Suggestions for laptop processors for audio stuff? AMD? Intel? The RAM I'm planning to max out most likely for whatever laptop I end up with. I think I am also leaning towards Lenovo. Seen a lot of stuff about their laptops, especially the business laptops, being really good and reliable.

Any chance someone could give me a starting point for the desktop build? Motherboard, graphics card, processor for that, etc.

I personally have never had an issue from Newegg.com however you should always read as many reviews for the specific product you are looking at and cross reference that on other review sites or hardware forums/review sites.

AS oF NOW on newegg though, its usually good enough to just first sort a product listing by price and if it meets all your needs then sort by best reviews or most reviews. As typically now so many people order from Newegg.com that this quick hack of research hasn't failed me.. YET..

 

[DeanBowden]

Glad to read your post here. I'm a newbie. I jus signed up yesterday. Welcome to the community.