Buying a PC for my 12yo daughter

[Julie]

Looking at getting my daughter a PC for her birthday in a bit over a week and was after some feedback. Basically she will be using it mainly for playing movies, will be connnected to her big lcd tv in her room, also for assignments and school projects and casual web browsing and things like facebook games, not into full on gaming. We don't want to or need to be spending thousands of $$ but also don't want to be too cheap and have a slow arse computer.

Its a all a bit confusing every computer shop wants to tell you something different, one rates intel over amd the other doesn't. From a few online comparisons I read amd was suprisingly the better, what do you think?

Here is one of the packages we are looking at, does it sound alright for her needs and a decent price? or would you suggest something else... nothing too pricey shes already getting other pressies.

AMD Phenom II Q840 x4 Processor (3.20GHz)
Socket AM3 Motherboard
Sound card on board
ATI Radeon HD5450 1GB
1TB SATA HDD
LG Blu-Ray DVD combo drive
4GB DDR3 1333
Aerocool VS-400 Tower
Windows 7 Professional
$630

We will need wifi which they will do for the same pice if we downgrade to windows 7 home.

or

[wraith]

Sounds like a nice package and will do more then she needs if anything. Windows 7 Home Premium is fine it's what I run and I have no issues with it.

[kiwicon]

im an intel person - but those specs are fine and more than enough for what she needs...

Keep the Win7 pro and get a wifi tongle - there cheap as chips

[some_guy]

Just get her a new smart phone. Seriously Dude, girls only ever use computers for Facebook, and she would sooner have the phone so she can Facebook from anywhere.
And just think of the credos she will get from her other girl palls at school. Everybody will be saying wow your lucky I wish my Dad was thoughtful like that., Hes so cool.
Zapp

1. Should i even have to explain why I highlighted the above.
2. A smartphone would be broken in a week without doubt.
3. you cat get most smart phones prepaid, only on a plan. Who's going to give their youngster a Phone plan??
4. In a small way you can regulate usage/content your child is available to on a pc, smartphone, not so much.

Julie, looks like a nice tidy package for what your needs are.

p.s a new computer and other presents?? I wish i had these kinds of birthdays when i was young

[Julie]

haha yep, she is not getting a smart phone yet, she has hubbys old n95 with a prepaid card and bought herself an i-touch last birthday.

She is getting spoilt a bit, but buying her a pc is as much for me as it is for her, so I don't get bugged by her all the time wanting to use my pc. I use it a lot running an online business and looking to expand this its only going to get worse when she goes to highschool and needs it for assignments.

[some_guy]

That's ordinary, Buying your daughter a computer for her birthday so you can use it..
That's about as caring as Homer Simpson buying a bowling ball for Marge for her Birthday..
At least do it right and don't Password it so she cant use it at all with out your permition.

Zapp

This post officially FAILS.

Julie said she needs to buy her daughter a computer as her daughter currently uses hers.

And that with the up coming expansion of her on-line business the opportunities for her daughter to use her computer will be few and far between.

I suggest you start reading things more carefully as in your last two posts you have made yourself look like a "fool of a took"

[walesy]

im in no way trying to tell you how to be a parent julie so please dont take this the wrong way, but a 12 year old should not be on facebook... you would have to be careful theres alot of sickos out there on the net and thats just exposing her to it

[Julie]

I won't even dignify zapper with a reply

I understand the dangers of facebook and other social networking sites I made my daughters fb account, set strict privacy settings and I have the password she does not, she is supervised and only adds people we know in real life after asking my permission. She just uses it to chat to a few of her girlfriends and play games. I would rather let her use facebook under supervision than have her go behind my back and set up accounts at her friends places like I have seen many kids do.

[zapper-l67]

I think you just did.

[walesy]

I think you just did.

i thought school went back today??

[GothicKidd]

$630 with those specs for a laptop seems great! and for a 12 year old? wow.

My desktop computer was bought for $1200, so far Ive gotten a new Motherboard, grahpics card.. and other bits and pieces.. and I have to say.. It would be a POS compared to what your looking at buying...

Im like a gamer and this POS suits me.. so for your daughters needs.. Id say that package is better than great.
I was looking at laptops for like $400 that could almost be better then mine..

[wraith]

$630 with those specs for a laptop seems great! and for a 12 year old? wow.

My desktop computer was bought for $1200, so far Ive gotten a new Motherboard, grahpics card.. and other bits and pieces.. and I have to say.. It would be a POS compared to what your looking at buying...

Im like a gamer and this POS suits me.. so for your daughters needs.. Id say that package is better than great.
I was looking at laptops for like $400 that could almost be better then mine..

Err it's a PC mate.

[GothicKidd]

Err it's a PC mate.

Welll Im soowee. Some reason laptop came to mind.. >.<

[Jonno]

i would reccoment laptop becuase their just so much better imho,
but pc's are great too

stealthy reccomended me to this computer store that is cheap and very good called msy,

i see ur from nsw.. if its not to far.. they have a few stores, allwase worth having a look

MSY-The name you can trust-More than 14yrs In IT industry-Nationalwide branches serve you & offer the best IT price everyday

[Astranomical]

Apparently MSY are great if they have what you want in stock AND you know exactly what you want, though personally I would forget about them. Was in Sydney for Top Gear Live back in 2009 and spent half a day going between MSY stores during an epic heatwave hunting around for an "in stock" 1TB hard drive that didn't actually exist. (even though they all said on the phone that they had plenty in stock) After that I personally wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole, regardless of their prices.

[kiwicon]

you cant even Put desktop Pcs and Laptops into the same category jonnoo... dollar for dollar a desktop PC pisses all over laptops.