New Workstation Computer Purchases

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#21
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You've convinced me to buy a Gulfstream G650 instead of a Honda Accord next year. ;)
 

#22
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CreditMyDebit wrote:I hope you're joking with that one


Actually, I wasn't. I've never had anything Xeon. Any info you can provide would be much appreciated.
 

#23
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Xeon has been around a long time (20+ years), and is a CPU intended for workstation and servers. You still mostly see them in server configs. They're based on standard Intel CPUs but have some enhancements for Enterprise environments.
 

#24
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I told a fib. Actually the server I bought last year is Xeon.
 

#25
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Any thoughts on using a Microsoft surface pro like cornerstone noted above? Would it connect to the server similar to any other work station? Or would there be issues to work through? Can it be connected to the server wirelessly?
 

#26
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basisschedule wrote:Any thoughts on using a Microsoft surface pro like cornerstone noted above? Would it connect to the server similar to any other work station? Or would there be issues to work through? Can it be connected to the server wirelessly?


I have a colleague who connects his Surface to a docking station. He takes it with him in the conference room to talk with clients and it’s wirelessly connected.

He seems to like the setup.
 

#27
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Connecting to a server depends on if you are just using a data host or a domain. Different methods, same end result, wired vs. wireless connectivity is irrelevant as long as you are on same network or have VPN. Either way, a Surface Pro or any other full-fledged Windows 10 Pro tablet/laptop can work quite well. It is very simple with a docking station due to additional ports, which also allows more external monitors.

One of my computers is a Surface Pro 3. It has a docking station I rarely use, but I also have an aftermarket keyboard that attaches to the screen with cushioned hinges (not the crappy and flimsy ones typically sold), which makes it function like an ordinary laptop without having to use the "kickstand."

For the record, if you see a suggestion from me, it is because I have already actually implemented it in the past and know if it works well or not. I have put many Surface Pros into use as workstations, POS, etc. I will put a Surface Pro up against any of the typical workstations/desktops used in businesses, because they just typically have better specifications and afford a lot of flexibility in how they are used.
 

#28
migbike  
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CreditMyDebit wrote:
ATSMAN wrote:Computer prices have come down so much that it makes no sense buying anything less than a i5 or equivalent with at least 8GB memory! I prefer printers that can hold a full ream of paper. I have one with 2 cassettes.


For tax software, spreadsheets, word, outlook etc even watching movies you will get near zero performance boosts on an i5 i7 or i9 over an i3. The processor is rarely the bottleneck in anything other than programs that are GPU intensive. Since OP is looking for a couple of lightweight computers he definitely can save money sticking an i3 in those and not have to worry about staff complaining about slow conputers. SSD and low latency RAM will give better performance boosts over expensive processors. Agree on printers that can hold at least 500 sheets.


I agree with this. RAM is going to be the bottleneck for anything an accountant will be doing. I'd rather put money into more/bigger monitors than faster processors for this type of work. 2 or 3 per workstation if you aren't already doing that.

For printers, I've always had good luck with Brother laser printers. I prefer single-purpose printers and also third the comment about holding at least a ream of paper- no half reams floating around the office. I think I have the Brother HL-L5200DW
 

#29
makbo  
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migbike wrote:I agree with this. RAM is going to be the bottleneck for anything an accountant will be doing.

Do you mean speed of RAM or quantity? I find that disk speed is my bottleneck, and why I'll probably splurge for SSD for at least some of the disk on my next desktop, to be purchased later this year.

As previously mentioned I have a 7 year old HP desktop, with 8GB RAM and AMD A8-3850 processor (what is that equivalent to in Intel CPU families? i5?) and 1.5TB spinning hard disk.

As an "accountant" I typically have open 2 different versions (years) of Quickbooks desktop, my tax software (UT), Firefox (4 windows, 40-50 tabs), Thunderbird mail client, one or two MS Office applications, and Adobe Acrobat Pro. Oh yeah, and an anti-virus/spam/malware program.

Invariably, according to Window Task Manager, it is my disk that is the bottle neck when I notice a slowdown (i.e. disk at 100% usage when no other resource is). And I must admit sometimes that is because of scan/update tasks going on with my anti-virus/etc program, which I will sometimes halt until I'm away from the keyboard.

On rare occasions, Firefox gets carried away and RAM usage starts creeping up over 90%, at which point I need to kill Firefox and restart it -- this is almost always due to a specific web page I forget to close that is trying to bombard me with lots of useless stuff.
 

#30
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makbo wrote:
migbike wrote:I agree with this. RAM is going to be the bottleneck for anything an accountant will be doing.

As previously mentioned I have a 7 year old HP desktop, with 8GB RAM and AMD A8-3850 processor (what is that equivalent to in Intel CPU families? i5?) and 1.5TB spinning hard disk.

On rare occasions, Firefox gets carried away and RAM usage starts creeping up over 90%, at which point I need to kill Firefox and restart it -- this is almost always due to a specific web page I forget to close that is trying to bombard me with lots of useless stuff.


An AMD A8 would be fall between Pentium and i3 of the same generation 7 years ago in performance. This is based strictly in benchmarks. AMDs were years behind Intel before Ryzen. But TBH even a budget processor like the A8 that lasted 7 years I'm sure served you well enough where it wasn't a problem. It's the point I'm making to OP that expensive processors will not noticeably boost performance especially with software processes being single threaded in most accounting applications.

Firefox always has a memory leak problem so it's more to do with Firefox being open too long and less to do with your hardware.
 

#31
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I recently went with a Lenovo ThinkPad T470 maxed out on specs. It's one model behind but super powerful being maxed out on the options. Spent about $1500 with 3 year (drop in pool) warranty. This thing works phenomenally!

My preference would be a tower since the components can be readily upgraded but with travel and client demands, a laptop is a must.

Good luck!
 

#32
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UPDATE:
Computers have been purchased as follows:


Reception - Microsoft Surface Pro 2017 256GB Core i5 8GB 12.3" M1796 Keyboard and Pen $765
Light Duty - 2 x Lenovo Refurb Core i5-4590 @ 2.30GHz 8GB DDR3 256GB SSD $660
Medium Duty - 2 x Dell OptiPlex 7060 SFF i5-8500 6-Core 3GHz 8GB DDR4 256GB SSD $1000
Heavy Duty- Dell XPS 8920 Special Edition Intel i7-7700K 16GB 2TB HDD 256 SSD GTX1070 $815

6 total PCs
Total Cost $3,240

Installation should cost $500-800.

Any advice on monitors that are good on the eyes? I think I want a new 34"+ widescreen (for tax input, internet, video conference, cpe, etc) and turn my current dual monitors vertical (tax return review, auditing, word processing, document viewing, etc).
 

#33
makbo  
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Hmm, that Dell XPS sounds a lot like what I am looking for, and at a price I had in mind. 256GB SSD for speed with running programs, but still plenty of HDD storage for everything else.

A friend was telling me yesterday I need bigger monitors. Maybe, but the two I have now are adequate, and they still work fine, and I don't feel like I am limited by desktop real estate, so it's hard to justify just throwing them out. There are very few programs that I run full screen.
Last edited by makbo on 19-May-2019 6:28pm, edited 1 time in total.
 

#34
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Just an FYI, last generation i3 (i3-8100) outperforms those 5 year old i5-4590 by a nice margin. Just getting the point across that saying "get at least an i3 i5 i7 etc" is almost irrelevant and you need to look at the generation and model of the components in any PC you get.
 

#35
makbo  
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makbo wrote:Hmm, that Dell XPS sounds a lot like what I am looking for, and at a price I had in mind. 256GB SSD for speed with running programs, but still plenty of HDD storage for everything else.

A friend was telling me yesterday I need bigger monitors.

I got a new HP desktop, spent a lot of time configuring some of my older but still valued software, have it about 93% complete at this time. Good thing I don't have to pay someone to spend all this time!

Dell, Lenovo, and HP seem to be the acknowledged top three vendors (perhaps in that order), so I'm still happy with HP product. It's an Intel whatever CPU, 12GB memory, and 125GB SSD plus 1TB spinning disk, for just about the same price I paid seven years ago for my prior HP desktop. It boots up real fast now, but Quickbooks can still be somewhat pokey to start even when both program and company file are on the SSD. Everything else runs great, after installation annoyances.

Here in the SF Bay Area, Fry's Electronics is legendary for its huge selection, but I have to say a visit to my local Fry's was quite disappointing, the selection and displays were crappy, and there was essentially no staff. It's like they're not even trying anymore, compared to years past when I was a satisfied customer. I ended up purchasing at Best Buy, and not only got a good deal on the desktop (which included keyboard and mouse), but got an HP 24-inch monitor with HDMI cable included for $99 on sale. It's nice to walk out the door with your purchase (although the monitor had to be delivered to my door the next day).

Updated to Win 10 Pro, of course (didn't want to struggle with transferring the license from my older machine). Already though, I've seen multiple Windows updates of HP hardware drivers on this machine (running Win 10 1809), so that's a little odd, but a good thing I guess.
 

#36
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I ended up going with dual HP monitors with some sort of eye strain reducing quality. I'm very happy so far with my whole set up.
 

#37
Spiral  
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I like refurbished Dell Precisions for my firm. They are well tested, good components, and have the power specs for things like 3 monitors. I would go with SSDs any day on a desktop, and most importantly force the operation environment to save to the server. The next better step is to look into RDS or a VDI environment.
 

#38
ATSMAN  
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I like refurbished Dell Precisions for my firm.


For low cost, warrantied units you may want to checkout Tiger Direct.

I purchased 2 Dell Inspirons for less than $250!
 

#39
Spiral  
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Thanks.

That definitely is an option.

I tend to buy extra machines when I go the refurbished route in lieu of not having a warranty. Dell Precisions have workstation/server grade components, with Xeons, ECC memory, etc. I pick them up for under $100 each, so good to grab a few extras.
 

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