4 comments about HP Pavilion S3500F Desktop PC (2.80 GHz AMD Athlon X2 5400 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium).

1. I was a little hesitant about getting the slimline version of the HP Pavillion...Now, I'm sooo glad I did...! This computer has everything I wanted. The last Pavillion I owned had a Pentium Processor. I decided to try the AMD Athlon x2 Processor. What a difference!!!! This computer is 100 times faster than my old computer, it has 4GB Ram, 500GB Hard Drive, and 2.80 GHz Processor. I mostly just play on my computer, and do emails, pay bills, etc, and I have to say this is by far the best computer I've ever owned. Zip, Zip and you're there...And the Norton Antivirus Trial period sold me on the Norton Security. I've already purchased another 2 years of coverage. A lot of people talk about "Vista" being bad...but I absolutely love it. I'm not sure why others don't like it????
   Anyway, this computer is compact, doesn't take up much space, and I wouldn't own anything else now...I made a great purchase and I'm happy!



2. If you like the power of a PC but not the size, this is a great PC. I like the compact size of the computer. I just put it on my desk and it takes up little room. Also, you can lay it on its side if you want. The speed is really quick. The only drawback I can say it that there is a kind of annoying orange light on the disk drive that is constantly flashing. But you can't go wrong with this PC.



3. PRO: Compact, Quiet, Easy Setup, Runs Great, Good Price, Love the Computer
   
   CON: No drivers/software for my HP LaserJet 1000. My printer IS 5 years old but it still works like a champ but HP won't support it. It seems to me that my HP printer should work with my new HP computer. Had I done my homework, I would have known this. If important, make sure your printer will work with Vista 64.



4. I had been wary of purchasing a computer with Vista operating system due to all the bad press. However, since XP is no longer easily available, I had no choice, and landed on this computer because of (a) great price (b) slim profile and (c) 4 GB RAM memory. The memory was the final and most important point for me as I'd heard that Vista requires at least 2 GB of memory to perform.
   
   WOW - this thing hauls you know what. You click on Internet Explorer and the browser is open, and a second or two later the page is open. Mega fast. And I really am enjoying the Vista interface.
   
   And yes, it works with my 7 year-old printer via a USB hookup. There is no parallel printer port if your printer requires that.
   
   Also, I like the HP support software which automatically downloads software updates (like drivers for the video card etc) for me, something which Windows Update does not do for non-Windows drivers etc for the most part.
   
   Overall, this is a great value and I'm very pleased. You won't believe how small the box is when it arrives!
   
   Hope this helps.

5 comments about HP Pavilion Media Center M8200N Desktop PC (AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 6000+, 3 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium).

1. This is an EXCELLENT computer! This wasn't available through Amazon at the time I bought this....purchased at retail store. People, please put a video card in it!!! Of course the on board graphics is not stellar! Many gamers have concerns about power supply unit.....so let me tell you how I've upgraded mine. It comes with a Lite-On 300 watt PSU with maximum 19 amps on the +12volt rail. I have not touched this beautiful PSU as it is more than adequate for my needs!!! Yes, more than adequate for a good gaming card!....see below.
   
   This is what I have added:
   
   1)Linksys Wireless G card
   2)Evga 8800GS 384 MB Card (Have even overclocked this to 693 core/1052 memory to see if PSU could handle it...no hiccups at all through stability tests, etc...)
   3)LG Super Multi Blue Drive Blu-Ray Writer & HD-DVD Rom (Writes EVERYTHING but the now outdated HD-DVD's)
   
   Did I mention it runs flawlessly?! I LOVE IT!!!
   
   P.S. If it's in your budget, dont forget to pick up a Doublesight DS-263N Monitor from Amazon to go with it! Just got mine and it put the finishing touches on this computer!!! H-IPS LCD panel means excellent color reproduction at all angles and wonderful viewing angles! This is an excellent monitor for gamers, photographers, videographers, graphic designers, and those who want to turn this PC into their Bedroom FULL HD (Displays 1080p HDCP) TV!!! This is the least expensive H-IPS model available in the US. Buy the Wood Technology WT-RND12B Round TV Swivel Stand from Amazon as I also just did to swivel this beautiful 26 " monitor! Now with this whole computer package, I have the ULTIMATE High Definition Media Center Computer for my bedroom which of course is also my TV/BLU-RAY Player, Gaming System, etc, etc, ect...... Don't hesitate to buy any of the aforementioned products from Amazon! All are fabulous at great prices here!!!



2. I purchased this PC back in Jan 08 with a 20" HP monitor. Windows Vista is
   nice but it takes some getting used to. I did'nt care for it at first but like it somewhat better now. I'm surprised that HP installed such a weak video card in a fast PC like this. My MS Flight Simulator X frame rate was only about 7-8 FPS. I have since upgraded the video card to a
   Radeon HD3870 Overclocked PCI-E 2.0. I also had to change the stock 300 watt power supply to a 650 watt unit. The video card alone draws 270 watts under a load. I also increased the RAM to 6 gigs. This PC now is a real hotrod and FSX and Realflight G4 Simulators run between 20 & 30 FPS with full scenery. A super improvement over the stock system. The whole upgrade was an additional $370 but well worth it. Since the new video card is wide the stock TV card has to go. Just make sure you plug the monitor into the new card of choice. Vista service pack 1 upgrade also has to be installed if you want the additional ram to take effect.
   The whole upgrade took about 1 hour for the new hardware and about another hour for the Vista upgrades. Now I'm very happy with this system.



3. RAM = not upgradable(hard to upgrade..)
   hard disk = hard to upgrade, noisy
   anyway cpu is hella fast



4. I've just had the worst experience I have ever had with tech support for any company I have ever dealt with. I bought an In-Home service plan, which HP support "couldn't find". So my computer was not working for 2 months when I had paid for a plan that guaranteed service within 3 business days. I've taken this all the way to the CEO...answer: Too bad, we're sorry but we cannot compensate you in any way. DON'T EVER BUY AN HP SERVICE PLAN...BETTER YET DON'T BUY HP PRODUCTS PERIOD!



5. Bought this at an office supply box store in December 07--with the rebates it was a great deal. (Was $400 more if ordered from HP as a custom built.) No problems since then--not even any problems with Vista to my great surprise!
   
   Added an 8500GT video card (connected to a Samsung LCD via DVI) and a 500W power supply (the original power supply is pathetic--I would not add anything the box without a new power supply--it is marginal--typical of most prepackaged computers of any brand.)
   
   Had to call HP customer service once for a problem with one of the preinstalled software packages--service was excellent.
   
   This is my first HP and I would recommend it. (I also own Dell and Lenovo.)

2 comments about Athlon 64 X2 Dc 5200+ AM2 2.7GHZ 1MB 65NM 65W 2000MHZ Pib.

1. Pretty good item, and fast shipping.. A+
   brand new and good communication with seller



2. Pretty Speedy in vista. Handles multi-tasking well. It also performs well in the games that I tried and there's no heat issue. Also the fan it comes with is quiet.

1 comments about AMD Athlon 64 LE-1640.

1. I purchased this as an upgrade for my HP EX740 Windows home server, works great, runs cool and boosted the system performance by 40%.

No comments about AMD HD9550WCGHBOX Phenom Quad-Core 9550 2.20GHz L2-512KBx4 L3-2MB 95W Socket AM2+ PIB CPU.

3 comments about AMD Athlon processor 3700+ Socket 939.

1. This is a great product that AMD has put out. I have had it for a little over a month with no problems. My last computer had a Pentium 4 and the Pentium 4 processor is not even in the same league as the AMD Athalon.
   
   If you want to have a computer for gaming and normal media editing this is the way to go. If you more into the higher end of digital editing check out other AMD processors. I mean this processor is good for what I do... but I don't think I would use it for professional digital editing.
   
   I have been using my pc mainly for gaming (and a little bit of college work) and it has had superior performance. The only draw back is the price (but I would have paid even more for the athalon over the pentium 4). But even with the high price (okay I know that any decent processor is just plain out expensive) it was well worth it! Buy the processor!



2. It was a great cpu back in the day, but 400+ dollars? Must be a glitch since I've seen this CPU sell for about 30-50 dollars elsewhere, hmmmm....



3. I saw the current price on this ($400.00)? and just had to comment.
   
   I purchased this cpu 2 years ago for around $139.00, and have to say it was (and still is) a great single core cpu. I have used it for intensive gaming and video editing as well as day to day internet,word processing etc. I have had it overcloced to 2.8ghz (up from the stock 2.2ghz) without a single problem. I still use it for video decoding/incoding and some internet, but my gaming has been turned over to an Intel Core 2 e6600.
   
   All in all I am very pleased with this "older" single core cpu,and would recommend it or its AMD 64 4000 cousin (2.4ghz) if the price is right and you need a strong fast running single core set up.

1 comments about Toshiba Satellite A305D-S6851 15.4-inch Laptop (2.0 GHz AMD Turion X2 RM-70 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium).

1. I bought this item for my brother who is enjoying it alot! Delivery was very prompt I received the item sooner than expected which I believe can be attributed to excellent customer service. Thanks you!

5 comments about Compaq Presario CQ50-110US 15-inch Laptop (2.0 GHz AMD Turion X2 RM-70 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium).

1. Got this from competitor for considerably cheaper - but it's amazing! The 3Gb of Ram and dedicated NVidia 8200M video card really make it a nice, Vista-friendly laptop. Add in the card reader, wireless G, and Litescribe DVD burner, and it's hard to complain.
   
   Stop whining about the webcam! It's $20 difference - review the laptop, folks!!!



2. I spent a lot of time researching laptops in my price range and finally went with this one. The 3 GB of ram is fantastic and the video card, while not top of the line, is a class 3 card. The other one I was looking at, also made by HP, had a class 1 video card (the lowest rating) and cost $100 more. I am running games that are not super new, but still require a decent video card and there is no problem with them. Some of the settings are turned off or down, but the game still looks great. This one also had more hard drive space as well. There are a couple of things that I do want to mention, but they are not enough to not give it a score of 5.
   
   The DVD drive door clicks loudly as it pops out and when you push it back in. I am used to it now, but it freaked me out a bit the first few times. And if you run it on high performance (I do since almost always plugged in) it can get very hot. Since I use a lap desk again not too bad of an issue, but just wanted to let people know.
   
   I also installed a wireless router in my place and the laptop saw it right away and connected to it with no problems. I have had no problems with Vista except one game that is 3 years old is said to have issues, but the game runs fine as far as I can tell.
   
   I also have a laptop that is owned by work. I can carry both in my shoulder bag no problem. I wouldn't want to do lots of walking with both of them, but for a short distances it is fine.
   
   A great little laptop with some nice features.
   
   (I didn't even really look at the pictures so I hadn't noticed that one had a webcam. I read all the specs to see what it was coming with.)



3. This is not a review of this specific model but of Compaq service. I purchased a Presario F762NR four months ago. The screen has now failed. I returned it to Compaq for repair and they refuse to honor the warranty unless I buy an additional warranty. The cost to replace the screen is $2 less than what I paid for the laptop. I have owned many Compaq products in the past and currently have 4 in the house. Compaq service used to be excellent; things have changed. I will no longer purchase any Compaq product and recommend that you consider the risks involved.



4. It's got an Athlon dual core 2gHz processor, 3gB of RAM, a 200 gig hard drive, Vista Premium with Windows video editing program, and Windows DVD mastering program, a DVD burner, with lite-scribe...does the printing right on the disc itself. Wow!
   
   This should be so beautiful! I have so much video that needs to be edited, and people around the world that would LOVE to see what I have on that shelf of tapes. While it's still no professional unit, this thing, with all its features and specs should be able to do a decent job at home video production, right?
   
   But for one thing. No Firewire port. No place to plug a Firewire port card into. Oh, there's three USB ports, and one memory card port, but no possible way to load DV into this thing.
   
   
   
   Then, what's the point!? (sigh)



5. This laptop was a replace for my 5 years old laptop, the laptop is fast and 3GB make it awesome. The screen is very glossy and the colors are sharp. No web cam, i don't care because my x-laptop does not have one, no firewire, my x-laptop had one but I never use it. I still need to test the battery life. The DVD clicks when you close it, but I get used on it. The laptop is not heavy nor light. It was a great deal with these specs. The only thing that I miss is my Windows XP

3 comments about AMD HD985ZXAGHBOX Phenom Quad-Core 9850 2.5GHz 125W L2-2MB L3-2MB Socket AM2+ CPU - Black Edition.

1. I never knew a chip, like this, maybe because it dosen't exist before, but now I only say is a beatiful and powerful.



2. Runs like a bat out of hell... Cant wait to see what they'll do for these chips next.



3. The best performance on the market into an AM2+ Socket
   
   I have nothing more to say. This is just cool. I run my computer with the extended monitor, in which I have a memory and CPU monitor tool.
   
   When I play Crysis the CPU always keep under 25%. And when it loads it goes to 65%. It never goes to more tham that.
   
   The only tool i used that almost used a 90% was 3ds Max. When i was preparing a short movie into the rendering mode it went to 88%.
   
   As i told be4, there is nothing that can put this CPU over its knees.

4 comments about MSI K9A2 Platinum AMD 790FX Phenom Socket AM2+ PC2-8500 DDR2-1066 ATX Motherboard.

1. I am using these in my new build and were recognized immediately using windows xp 64 bit edition. Very very fast. can be overclocked but I just set them at their default and work perfect



2. Although it lacks support for more than one IDE hook-up, this motherboard performs rather well. The chipset is kept cool by a nice heatsink setup and the BIOS supports quite a few options. I'm not overclocking so no feedback for that area of expertise. Manual setup for the memory timings was a little confusing for me, but nothing too hard to figure out with a little patience.
   
   I have one dislike about this card: for single card setup you must use the first PCI-E slot which limits you for cooling options. I'll be installing a second card soon.
   
   Other than the requirement to use that slot this mobo is very stable and runs smoothly. I'd recommend it to anyone needing a Crossfire upgrade option.



3. its not a bad board works good only problem i have is half the drivers are junk that come with it. the dual core monitor that comes with it gives a blue screen of death constantly if you install it.If you have a phenom on your board. you hafto do a system restore or a complete wipe to fix the problem from what i can see.Also MSI live updater that comes with it gives nothing but errors when you use it so i dont even bother,im using vista 64bit so that might be why i never tried on XP system. you really dont need the drivers cd that comes with it. but I give it 4 stars even thow the drivers dont work well the board itself works good in crossfire. System specs. Phenom 9850BE 2.5ghz non oc,4gig pc6400 patriot extreme. ati hd 3870 512mb.



4. This board is packed with great features, but it also has a few quirks.
   The heat pipes have serious potential to interfere when you are working. Be careful b/c the fins bend easily. Also, the RAM slots are pretty tight...my OCZ w/ heat spreaders fit, but i have seen some that probably wouldnt. if you have a big honkin GPU, don't count on being able to use the PCIX 1X slot. the IDE plug can be hard to get to in some cases b/c it faces out.
   
   i love the highly avail USB and IEEE1394 headers as well as the eSATA. RAID was very easy to setup, but i still need 2-3 more SATA plugs (maybe i just have too many drives).
   
   I REALLY wish this had dual onboard LAN.
   
   i really like the BIOS...the settings are easy to use and understand and there is a lot of control on the back end. i have only had ASUS boards in the past, but i think i am now an MSI guy.