DELL DIMENSION E521 OR E520?

i would go with the AMD Athlon processor. That would equivalent to the pentium 4 but cheaper. That would give you enough power for internet, and photos for a long long time. You could get pentium d, but i doubt you'll take full advantage of it. enjoy the weekend! , ravi

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DELL DIMENSION 2350 @ 2.60GHZ INTEL CELERON,512MB OF RAM, 30GB HARDRIVE
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DELL DIMENSION 2400CE "DIMENSION 2400 CUSTOM EDITION" @ 2.80GHZ INTEL PENTIUM 4 NORTHWOOD CORE 533MHZ FSB, 1GB OF RAM (512 PCR2700),(512 PCR 3200), 80GB MAXTOR DIAMONDMAX PLUS 9 HARDDRIVE-MASTER, 320GB WESTERN DIGITAL HARDRIVE - SLAVE; NVIDIA GEFORCE FX 5200 PCI @ 256MB, 845GV CHIPSET; MODIFIED COOLING SYSTEM @ 2 80MM FANS, 1 PCI SLOT COOLING FAN(FOR FX 5200). www.geocities.com/ravipcplanet/

Either processor will be fine for what you intend.  All computers come with a network (ethernet) port, so you're good to go with your DSL connection.  I use mostly Intel chips in many Dell Dimensions, but have been responsible for two computers in the recent past with AMD chips with no negative experiences, so I would not hesitate to go with AMD. I do recommend at least a 3 year warranty if you intend to have the computer that long.   

The e520/521 should you fine.  I would make a couple of suggestions.  MS Vista is on the horizon and is available as a free upgrade at this time from Dell.  It will be a memory hog.  You should consider a minimum of 1 meg of memory.  Both systems come with on board audio, but both also come with a PCI-e stand alone video card.  This is great for future expansion as the cards supplied are a step above on-board video, but not state of the art.  Should meet your needs just fine.  Look at a minor HD upgrade (160 GB) if you're planning on doing major CD or DVD authoring.  I won't offer any advice on processors as I've only had experience with Intel units.  There are a lot of good comments about both Intel and AMD.

 

Final words of advice, in the States, Dell changes the online deals every Thursday.  Check out the combinations and the Smart Deals to find the best pricing.  Remember, it's generally best to buy the best/most hardware that you can on the front end.  That'll keep your system useful and avoid unnecessary upgrades for the longest time.  Good luck!

 

Regards,

 

Wayne

 

Dimension e510
940 3.2 Ghz Processor
1 GB 533 Mhz Ram
250 GB SATA 3.0 Hard Drive
Sony DRU-810 DVD +/- RW
DVD/CDRW Drive
x700 Radeon Pro 256Mb DDR3
2007 WFP Monitor

Inspiron 6000
Centrino P4-740
512 Mb RAM
60 GB HD
8X DVD +/- RW Drive

Question:

 

Would you recommend that I buy a Dell desktop PC directly from Dell Computers or from one of several resellers such as Costco.com, Sams Club.com, QVC Q Card.com. etc.   Advise whenever you can and thanks for your post.

 

 

 

Stevoreno

Biloxi, MS, USA

11/10/06

You'll definitely get a better price directly from Dell.  They do a decent job on the processing and shipping of the orders as well, depending, of course, on where you're located.  I'm in East Tennessee and have purchased six systems from them over the past four years.  Each purchase/delivery experience was similar to my last one.  When I bought my e510 in June, I ordered it on Tuesday and they delivered it on Friday, yes, it was the same week.  When I ordered my laptop, I ordered on Monday, and it was delivered on Friday of the same week.  This was using the standard, lowest cost (or no cost, in most cases) shipping option.  Experiences vary but I've always had a pleasant time with them.

 

Regards,

 

Wayne

 

Dimension e510
940 3.2 Ghz Processor
1 GB 533 Mhz Ram
250 GB SATA 3.0 Hard Drive
Sony DRU-810 DVD +/- RW
DVD/CDRW Drive
x700 Radeon Pro 256Mb DDR3
2007 WFP Monitor

Inspiron 6000
Centrino P4-740
512 Mb RAM
60 GB HD
8X DVD +/- RW Drive

Let me ask you this; in configuring a new Dell desktop PC which I plan to install in a second bedroom which will bring the number of Dell computers in my house to 3; 2 were purchased by my brother earlier this year; all 3 will be connected to my home's DSL service.   Dell offers a wireless adapter for some of their desktops for I believe $49.00; should I include that adapter on any new Dell desktop PC, whether it be a E520 or an E521; will I need to have that adapter installed in the new desktop so that I can take advantage of my home's DSL service?

 

Also I've been told to configure the computer with not 1 but 2 separate drive bays; a CD burner in 1 drive bay and a DVD ROM in the other.   I probably won't burn DVD's; I certainly won't be sitting in front of a desktop watching a DVD movie either when I could do that on a notebook from the comfort of my living room.   Should I still include some form of DVD configuration in a new desktop computer?   Another thing I want although I'm told I shouldn't bother with is also including a built in floppy drive in a new desktop PC.   I'm old fashioned and still use floppies. 

 

What about the media card reader option?   Can you get a built in floppy drive and a media card reader in any of Dell's new desktop PC's or will you have to decide on one or the other and not have both?   Anyone happen to know the size of the power supply in the E520 or the E521?   I've been told it's about 300 watts or less.   You can't configure a bigger power supply in the E520 or E521 can you?   If you can't configure one with Dell can you install a larger power supply later; possibly a different brand or if you do that would that have an affect on how the computer runs?  

 

For example if the computer has too big of a power supply installed will it not work as good with all of the other components installed inside the computer's case as it would if you left Dell's power supply installed?   Anyone know how many fans come pre-installed in the E520 or the E521?    Anyone who owns either machine; the E520 or the E521; is it true that the colors on the case are black; silver; and white?   White?    If it is where on the case is it white and is it a nice shade of white or is it a shade of white that make the computer's case look cheap?

 

 

Starbucks55

Biloxi, Mississippi

11/11/06  

I'll hit some of your answers:

 

The power supply is rated at 315 watts.  A higher wattage is not available as an option from Dell.  There are several 3rd party options available that will work.  If you go with a Core 2 Duo processor, you may not need more power no matter what you add.  That processor draws considerably less power than other options.  Additionally, Dell frequently lowballs their ratings to stay within what they consider an acceptable margin of operational efficiency.  In other words, several report using the stock power supplies with a number of accessories with no problems.

 

Regarding your network needs, I assume that you already have a router configuration to share your DSL service as there are already multiple systems at your site.  Will this system be placed in an area that connection via ethernet cable will be easy?  If so, that's the way to go.  If not, wireless is an option, though it will operate slower (about 1/3 to 1/2 slower than your wired connection speed).  There are several options available, PCI wireless card, USB wireless adapter, etc.  You'll just have to decide which you want.

 

CD and/or DVD drives.  If you plan to burn a lot of disks, CD's and DVD's, both drives might be a good idea.  If you're not going to be burning a lot, a single drive will be your best bet.  It'll draw less power and leave better space for air flow, etc.  If you select a DVD burner, you've got an all in one drive as it will read/write DVD's and read/write CD's.  You can always add a second drive later if you really find you need it.

 

I have the e510, and the case on it is the same as the 520/521.  It is quite sturdy and well made.  The black is on the front in the drive bay area.  The white is on the sides, and the silver runs along the top and across the bottom half of the front of the machine.  A media card reader is a good option, it is the one that I selected.  Dell has a proprietary connector on their motherboard so you really have to buy it from them.  You can opt for a floppy, but they're pretty much useless to most people anymore.  I finally switched to a flash memory "thumbdrive" last year.  It carries up to 512 meg and is much more reliable than a floppy.  Just my opinion.

 

Good luck,

 

Wayne

 

Dimension e510
940 3.2 Ghz Processor
1 GB 533 Mhz Ram
250 GB SATA 3.0 Hard Drive
Sony DRU-810 DVD +/- RW
DVD/CDRW Drive
x700 Radeon Pro 256Mb DDR3
2007 WFP Monitor

Inspiron 6000
Centrino P4-740
512 Mb RAM
60 GB HD
8X DVD +/- RW Drive