Dell Vostro 200 computer system

[Scott1]

Does anyone have any thoughts about this computer system for use in a small home-based business?

Any thoughts on build quality, price, technical support?

Any recommendations regarding capacity, peripherals, operating systems, etc.

 

[gene_mingo]

Are you going to be running quickbooks on it? How about UPS world ship? I would get more than the 1gb of ram that it comes with in the base model if you are running vista on it. No need to go over 4gb if you are only going to run the 32 bit version of vista. Mostly look at what software you need to run and see if it works on vista. Dell has pretty good support. I usually look at TigerDirect.com - Computers, Computer Parts, Computer Accessories, PC Components, & Electronics
to see if they have any good refurb deals before I shop for a new pc. You can purchase an extended warranty from tiger direct and get more computer for your money from them.

But all in all, I think Dell is a good buy.

 

[Scott1]

Are you going to be running quickbooks on it? How about UPS world ship? I would get more than the 1gb of ram that it comes with in the base model if you are running vista on it. No need to go over 4gb if you are only going to run the 32 bit version of vista. Mostly look at what software you need to run and see if it works on vista. Dell has pretty good support. I usually look at TigerDirect.com - Computers, Computer Parts, Computer Accessories, PC Components, & Electronics
to see if they have any good refurb deals before I shop for a new pc. You can purchase an extended warranty from tiger direct and get more computer for your money from them.

But all in all, I think Dell is a good buy.

My thought is to continue with Windows XP Service Pack 3 as an operating system for now.

 

[gene_mingo]

Why?

Do you have software that is dependent on XP and won't run on Vista? I have been very impressed with Vista, other than it needs a bit of ram to get it cranking.

 

[Scott1]

Why?

Do you have software that is dependent on XP and won't run on Vista? I have been very impressed with Vista, other than it needs a bit of ram to get it cranking.

Thanks for that input.

Many people seem to think Vista still needs to have the "bugs worked out of it" whereas a late version XP is thoroughly tested and reliable. Also I hear 1GB probably is cost efficient for XP, but probably not for Vista.

 

[gene_mingo]

I tend to agree that vista needs ram, but 1gb is light even for XP standards and with the price of ram being so cheap it is one of the options I worry the least about. Most of the time you can upgrade your ram to 4gb for around $75.00. Sometimes less if you can find a good sale.

I try to be as unbiased about windows versions as possible. I don't use windows on a day to day basis to begin with. That being said, my father made the switch to vista with his business pc about a year ago. Other than some minor kinks with software issues, at that time UPS only had a beta program for world ship and he had to upgrade quickbooks to a vista version, everything has worked out great for him. He has had less problems with vista than he had with XP. He was like you and had a copy of XP waiting to go on the computer if he had to many issues with vista, but it worked out for him.