Are you ready to jump to Windows 8 yet?

[poll id=”26″]
What measures have you taken to prepare yourself for the best Windows 8 transition experience possible?
Have you purchased a touch screen capable monitor?
Have you bought the latest motherboard,processor,memory and Solid state hard drive?

Yeah, me either.
Maybe I will wait a couple years for the computers to start shipping with windows 8 already on them. Not the ones that say “Windows 8 ready” or “windows 8 upgrade for free”. The machines built for Windows 8.

Typically when the new operating systems come out, we find later that current hardware is less than able to run the operating systems and soon after come new and improved hardware. Most often is ram/memory. but the inevitable is processor. with a new CPU it’s usually a good idea to get a new motherboard also. or you will be left behind.

The part you have to prepare for is, what is available now, at it’s max is usually just barely above minimum requirements of what ever software or operating system that has just been released. Like say, ddr2 memory was the highest we had when Vista came out. That memory capped out in it’s time at 2 gigs per stick. many motherboards have only two slots. Wouldn’t you know it, 4 gigs memory is optimal for windows 7. That’s not how it was announced but that’s what we have come to learn on our own. This will be the same case with windows 8. Now with Windows 7 out we have DDR3. Which has a cap of what I think is 8 gigs per stick. Count on DDR5 becoming the common with in the next year, and the first bloat pack (service pack) coming out and everyone realizing that new optimal for windows 8 will be crazy high like 8 gigs. best performance 32 gigs.

So hold out on your upgrade to any new operating system for a few months. let the new hardware come out. Let the first few updates come out. Let the internet swell with complaints. Don’t buy parts until you see the crying stop. Prices should level out to a fair cost. If you buy any parts or computers now, you are basically buying off the junk that the stores are trying to get off their shelves. They too know how it works. Every single time.

Fear Monger
Basically, based on past experience, if you are running DDR2 or older, you will be left behind. That mouse of yours is antiquated, and that video card you have that is the top of the line, is now ….. just cute. That 250 gig spinning hard drive will be pointless. Of course because the numbers are higher on everything, we will bloat out our videos and music. Count on songs becoming 1 gig minimum. So that one TB hard drive you have in the external case, will be antiquated, 50 TB hard drives coming with in the next two years. Easily. (not easy task, but is a must). Well at this rate . What does this mean?  It means your 250 gigs a month cap from Comcast, will easily be reached. Your 2 gig cap from at&t is less than laughable now. Just wait until ALL of your software is apps based and you begin to agree that cloud storage is the only logical option. That 250 gigs a month will be less than a week to break.

This of course is one hundred percent plausible fiction.

but as always. Software should always excel hardware. That’s how we evolve. If not for something to push the hardware to be better, faster, stronger, we would be complacent. We would not innovate. When we have greater speeds and storage, we can then come up with ideas that seemed farfetched and impossible.

I admit that I am currently satisfied with Windows 7, fearful of what Windows 8 could mean, and skeptical of any positive claims we see in the next 5 months of Windows 8.

So no.. I am not ready.

Low Cost Barebone from Compusa

ECS IC780M-A DiabloTek Barebones Kit – ECS IC780M-A Mobo, AMD Phenom X4 9750 CPU, Zalman CPU Fan, Centon 2GB DDR2 RAM, Seagate 320GB HDD, LG 24x DVDRW, DiabloTek ATX Mid-Tower Case, 400W Power Supply

 

To see images of this barbone budget computer build click here for images.

$199 for the beefy budget computer.

Specifications

ECS IC780M-A Motherboard

Processor Socket: AMD
Processor Interface: Socket AM2+
Form Factor: ATX
Processors Supported: AMD Athlon 64
AMD Phenom
AMD Phenom II
AMD Athlon II
HyperTransport Bus: 2600MHz (5200 MT/s)
Northbridge: AMD 770
Memory Supported: 400MHz DDR2
533MHz DDR2
667MHz DDR2
800MHz DDR2
1066MHz DDR2
Memory Type: DDR2
Number of Pins: 240-Pin
Maximum Memory Supported: 4GB – 32bit
32GB – 64bit
Number of Slots: 4
Max. Memory Supported Per Slot: 8GB
Channels: 6 Channels
LAN Type: 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit
PS/2 Keyboard Connectors: 1
PS/2 Mouse Connectors: 1
USB Ports (Total): 8
USB Rear Panel Ports: 4
USB Onboard Headers: 2 – (expandable to 4 USB ports)
LAN Ports: 1
IDE Headers: 1
Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s Headers: 4
ATX Power Connectors: 1 24-Pin Connector
PC Power Connectors: 1 – 4 Pin
PCI Slots: 3
PCI Express X1 Slots: 2
PCI Express X16 Slots: 1
RAID Support: Yes
RAID Modes: 0
1
10
AMD Phenom X4 9750 Quad Core Processor

Manufacturer: AMD
CPU Type: Desktop
Processor Interface: Socket AM2+
Processor Class: Phenom X4
Processor Speed: X4 9750 / 2.40GHz
Cores: Quad
Cache Size: 4MB L2 + L3
Fan: Not Included
Wattage: 125W
Additional Technologies: HyperTransport
MMX
Enhanced Virus Protection
AMD64
Cool’n’Quiet
Unlocked Multiplier: No
Instruction Set: SSE
SSE2
SSE3
Zalman Hydraulic Bearing CPU Cooler

Fan Type: CPU Cooler
Socket Type: 775
AM2
AM2+
AM3
1156
1155
Bearing Type: Hydraulic
RPM: 1400 ~ 2700 RPM
Connector(s): 4 Pin (PWM)
LG GH24NS50R 24x Internal CD/DVD Drive

Cache Size: 2 MB
DVD+R Write Speed: 24X
DVD+RW Rewrite Speed: 8X
DVD-R Write Speed: 24X
DVD-RW Rewrite Speed: 6X
DVD Read Speed: 16X
DVD-RAM Write Speed: 12X
DVD-RAM Read Speed: 12X
CD Write Speed: 48X
CD Rewrite Speed: 32x
CD Read Speed: 48X
Color: Black
Length: 6.5″
Width: 5.7″
Height: 1.6″
Weight: 1.5 lbs.
Load Type: Tray
Interface Type: SATA
Enclosure Type: Internal
Type: CD/DVD Drives
Centon 2048MB PC6400 DDR2

Memory Category: Desktop
Memory Type: DDR2
Memory Speed: PC6400
Memory Speed MHz: 800MHz
Memory Size: 2048MB
Total Memory Size: 2GB
Memory Modules: 1
Memory Channels: Dual
Memory Socket: DIMM
Pins: 240
Seagate ST3320418AS Barracuda Hard Drive

Drive Type: Internal
Capacity: 320 GB
Interface: SATA 3.0Gb/s
Interface Type: SATA
Spindle Speed (RPM): 7200
Buffer Memory: 16 MB
Average Latency (msec): 4.17
Temperature, Operating (°C): 0 to 60
Temperature, Nonoperating (°C): -40 to 70
Shock, Operating: 2 msec (Gs): 70
Shock, Nonoperating: 2 msec (Gs): 350
Diablotek CPA-9611B ATX Mid-Tower Case

80mm Fan Ports: 3
80mm Fans Included: None
Form Factor: ATX Mid-Tower
Compatible Motherboards: ATX
µATX
Side Panel Type: Vented
Power Supply: Not Included
External 5.25″ Drive Bays: 4
External 3.5″ Drive Bays: 1
Internal 3.5″ Drive Bays: 6
Expansion Slots: 7
Front USB Ports: 2
Front Audio Ports: 2
Depth: 17.5″
Width: 7.5″
Height: 17″
DiabloTek PSDA400 Power Supply

Form Factor: ATX
Wattage: 400W
Modular Cabling: No
Fan: 80 mm
Input Voltage: 8A@115 / 5A@230 V
+3.3V: 26 A
+5V: 35 A
+12V 1: 15 A
-12V: 0.5 A
-5V: 0.5 A
+5VSB: 2.0 A
Motherboard Connector: 20+4 Pin
4-Pin P4: 1
4-Pin Floppy Connector: 1
4-Pin Peripheral Connector: 4
SATA Power Connector: 4

All of that for $199 before tax.
Computer case, motherboard memory and processor with AMD quad core cpu, dvd burner. Everything a barebone system needs. Now all you need is an operating system. If you check my previous build your own budget computers, you will see that I have listed many inexpensive operating systems.
FY Tiger Direct and Compusa are the same company.