So, I'm looking at this one too. Red or white would probably look cool for my mom. Maybe I'll pick it up at Best Buy.
Turns out it's actually cheaper than the HP Pavilion 15. The only other option near that price point might be the Dell Inspiron 3542, though that also just has onboard graphics. But the advantage of the Dell is the better graphics card if they want to play some simple games, like racing games or pinball. My only real worry is upgrading the Dell—that seems easier, whereas with the Dell Inspiron 15, I think you have to take the whole thing apart just to add more RAM. :/
Now I'm stuck deciding between the Dell Inspiron 15 or the Dell Inspiron 3542
(Seems like it's about the same quality as the HP Pavilion 15)
If I remember correctly, for businesses, the warranty is only one year.
Have you actually gotten your hands on both? I'm curious about how much that HP actually feels like a quality machine.
I've messed around with ASUS and Apple laptops in that same price range, and honestly, I've always hated their keyboards... Dell feels a bit more solid to me.
I'm picking up a laptop for my folks. It’ll mostly be used for Microsoft Office, browsing, saving photos, and maybe my dad playing a few casual arcade games here and there...
The Dell XPS 13 seems to have a sturdier build than what the other brands are offering. My only gripe is that it's pretty boring looking in black.
I guess I'm wondering if the Latitude Dell is any lower quality? The specs seem about the same to me.
This HP is definitely more powerful, but I'm not sure they actually need all that extra juice. Maybe it isn't worth it just for a better screen and a backlit keyboard. I haven't seen the build quality in person though, unlike the Dell XPS 13.
I already ruled out the Apple model because it looks kind of flimsy.
Alright. Thanks. I guess I’m leaning more toward NVIDIA lately, mostly because their drivers seem a bit more stable. My current Max. resolution is 1680x1050, if that even matters.
I haven't been playing much recently—honestly, the integrated graphics on the motherboard are doing okay for now—but GTA V is coming out soon, so I should probably be ready.😉
fadedorca66 said:Why would that even matter? SSDs and GPUs use totally different power cables. A GPU uses a 6-pin PCI-e connector (you should have one on your PSU). So, if you just grab a card with a single connector, you're fine—no need to mess around with adapters.
If you end up getting a card that needs two connectors, you’d use one PCI-e lead from the power supply and then just use an adapter to turn two Molex plugs into the second PCI-e connection. The SATA power cables going to the SSD stay untouched, and the PSU usually has about six of those anyway.
The NVIDIA GTX 750 doesn't need a dedicated power connector, but it's weaker. If you're gaming for $400, maybe an AMD Radeon R7 260X or at least a 750 Ti would be a better bet.
I guess I was just thinking about total power draw, wondering if there's enough juice for everything. An external sound card, two drives, and now if I get a beefier GPU (like a 260x)... I wasn't sure if the PSU could handle all that at once. That's why I'm leaning toward the NVIDIA GTX 750, maybe the Ti version too, since it pulls less power.
Timothy Kim60 said:What PSU are you actually running? Please don't just say 400W or 500W, I need the specific model... Also, what CPU are you using?
Actually, if an NVIDIA GTX 460 can handle it, then maybe that used AMD Radeon R9 270 in the post above yours could too.
It's an XFX 450 Pro i5 3330, 8GB RAM, Windows 8.1. The biggest power draw I have is an external E-MU 1820M audio dock. But if the 460 OC worked, I guess the 270X should be fine too?
Oh, yeah, I'm planning on adding an SSD alongside my current 1TB Samsung HDD, so maybe I'd rather go with the NVIDIA GTX 750 since it doesn't need an extra power cable.
Hey. My EVGA GTX 460 OC finally kicked the bucket after almost five years, so I'm in the market for a replacement. Would $400 maybe be the max budget?
I'm torn between an NVIDIA GTX 750 (maybe even the Ti version) or an AMD Radeon R7 260X. Or does anyone have a better suggestion? I wouldn't mind scouring eBay if I can find something with a warranty for around $110.🙂
The main thing is that I need a quiet card; my old EVGA was pretty noisy. I like that the NVIDIA GTX 750 doesn't require extra power connectors, so it probably draws less juice—maybe that means it'll run cooler and quieter too? Or should I just stick to looking at models with dual fans? I think I'll skip EVGA this time and look at ASUS or Gigabyte instead.
Thanks for the input, everyone. The worst part was they gave me a two-day window to make a call, which... I don't know, just felt like a massive amount of unnecessary pressure. From what I hear, these kinds of offers are becoming way more common lately, which obviously just plays right into the hands of the employers.
Henry Edwards33 said:I think you’re overestimating the overhead here quite a bit. 😉 The basic safety gear and first aid supplies he actually needs won't run him more than $133. If I were looking at bare-minimum technical requirements—things like electrical inspections, climate control 🙂, and standard OSHA compliance for two employees plus a director—it would cost me less than $1667. Then you've got the various taxes and fees for a small business owner, which sit around $583, plus those chamber of commerce dues (which run me about $40/month). It’s usually cheaper to just work for a corporation where you can pick up a minimum wage job, though the upfront costs of starting your own thing are definitely higher. In my book, you need a monthly take-home of at least 7k-$2667 to make this kind of venture worth the headache. That's just based on the logic of "better to be working than sitting on the couch."
Good luck.
That’s actually really helpful info, I was wondering about that. So, basically, you need at least $2333 just to break even and not end up making minimum wage. Thanks! Since I’d be registering this sole proprietorship at my parents' house, I hope it doesn't mess with their utilities or property taxes or anything like that?? What a headache. I have to give them an answer by tomorrow too—only a two-day window—and I won't even know what the deal is with those small business startup grants from the unemployment office until Friday... total stress.
It’s not really direct textbook sales; it's more like lobbying within the school districts. The contract doesn't have any clauses tied to specific numbers... since you won't actually see results for at least a year anyway. The business cooperation agreement can be terminated by either side with just 8 days' notice, if they're looking to bail quickly. They didn't specify the exact gross amount, but I'm guessing it's somewhere around 5,500 or 6,000.
The workspace would be inside the apartment I'm renting. I'd need a signed statement from the landlord giving me the green light... but yeah, the biggest risk is probably if they end up being my only client. If they miss a payment or anything, I'm basically screwed. Then again, I'm currently unemployed, so I don't really have much of a choice...
The employer would handle the bookkeeping through an independent accounting firm, so it wouldn't be my expense... I guess I’d just be relying on them to pay me on time, which would all depend on whatever business contract we signed. Yeah, but you make a good point about being personally liable for everything... hmm.
Sorry for the double post, mod. I figured this was probably the right spot for this, though I also posted it over in career and job
So, I have a question. My boss wants to "hire" me, but he isn't interested in a standard W-2 employment contract. Instead, he wants me to set up my own LLC (I’d be working as a promoter) and then he’ll just sign a contract with my business. He’d pay me a gross amount, and then I’m responsible for all my own taxes, social security, and whatever else. If I end up with roughly $4,000 net, I guess I'm wondering if that actually makes sense. Between Chamber of Commerce fees, business taxes, and what the IRS told me about needing a dedicated POS system... it feels like a lot. The employer said they’d handle the bookkeeping part, too. But from what I hear, this guy is pretty stingy with mileage reimbursements for his staff, so I’m low-key skeptical about whether he’ll even pay me the full amount on time... including travel stuff and all that.
p.s. does anyone know how much banks typically charge monthly for a small business checking account?
TechCrunch is just the case. It wasn't making any noise at all until I swapped in a beefier graphics card. Or maybe it's just a coincidence, since the TechCrunch power supply fan started humming right around then too. I guess. Anyway, I have the whole rig sitting on a wooden desk, so the vibrations just travel straight into the furniture.
The EVGA 450 is getting way too loud... that fan is starting to sound like a jet engine.
So, I ended up grabbing an EVGA 450W.
Nah, even that power supply isn't exactly quiet. Toss in an HDD and everything else, and between the vibrations and having a metal case, the whole thing just ends up humming and rattling away at me.
Would a Cooler Master Silent Pro M500 actually fix everything? I guess. It’s just that it’s almost twice the price of the EVGA one, which I can barely afford to swap out right now.