Buy Or Not Buy? Pavilion A6685l

[Smile4u]

Want to buy a Desktop. Found this one today:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documen...=reg_R1002_USEN

Hp pavilion A6685L

Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33Ghz 4MB L2 Cache 1333Mhz

(ranked 12 on cpubenchmark.net/common_cpus.html)

HD 320GB 3G sata

RAM 2GB DDR2 800Mhz (update to 4GB + Thb 1.200)

Nvidia GeForce 9300GE 3D 256MB

With monitor 2009 20' Lcd - asking price 24,900

With monitor 2309 23' Lcd full HD - asking price 27,900

For heavy multitasking is this a good choise?

Gaming is secondary, but is graphic card good enough for average gaming?

Upgrading Ram to 4GB, is 800Mhz enough for heavy use?

Any HP buyers here - hp good or not?

My ATM card is itching so I hope for your comments

[jingjingna]

Smile for you...Sounsalot better than my current HP stuo whci cost the same five ti six years ago! Recline you have a true bargain there - if you hsve noney to spare than you miss, tehn out avise is ti go aheqd and fulfill your dreams.

Okay, I have ti goe nowm see chao back in line. ope yo feel better tomorow..love, hugs d niddes ............ME. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[oldgeezer]

Want to buy a Desktop. Found this one today:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documen...=reg_R1002_USEN

Hp pavilion A6685L

Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33Ghz 4MB L2 Cache 1333Mhz

(ranked 12 on cpubenchmark.net/common_cpus.html)

HD 320GB 3G sata

RAM 2GB DDR2 800Mhz (update to 4GB + Thb 1.200)

Nvidia GeForce 9300GE 3D 256MB

With monitor 2009 20' Lcd - asking price 24,900

With monitor 2309 23' Lcd full HD - asking price 27,900

For heavy multitasking is this a good choise?

Gaming is secondary, but is graphic card good enough for average gaming?

Upgrading Ram to 4GB, is 800Mhz enough for heavy use?

Any HP buyers here - hp good or not?

My ATM card is itching so I hope for your comments

I just bought a nearly identical machine, 4GB Ram, dual quad, with the 23" wide/bright screen monitor. Mine came with an Nvidia Gforce GT 140 (1 GB) video card and it smokes every game I've played. You may want to consider an upgrade video card. (New Nvidia numbering system, very confusing)

I am an old, retired heavy action gamer and I just finished Far Cry 2 on full graphics and it didnt even stutter. Now on Crysis and same same. I had a Dell with Rambus ram I couldnt upgrade and after much research finally settled on HP. I added an internal wireless card, legal copy of WinXP and total price about 34K.

I could not be happier with it.

Edited August 8, 2009 by oldgeezer

[Smile4u]

Very good to hear oldgeezer. My ATM made it a litle further out of the wallet now. Thoose specs + new monitors just so sleek. My missus want a word with you though, after you said "I could not be happier with it". (she wants a nose job instead)

[fvw53]

I use (legal) Win Xp on this p6085l upgraded to 4 Gb RAM

Everything perfect except since I bought this desktop 2 months ago I have not yet been able to make SKYPE calls without problems.

If I plug in my headphone on the back my correspondent can hardly hear me and if I plug it in on the front there is only distortion.

I brought the desktop already once to HP Service Center near Dusit Thani Hotel and they changed hardware in the front.

When I came home the problem remained the same despite a lot of advise from HP online support

Now I have old laptop online next to this desktop in case somebody calls me through SKYPE

[MarleyMarl]

I tend to advise people (depending on who) to stay away from HP and similar brands of computers as the specs may look good but the brands and quality of components isnt the best, and you also are paying alot more than what it would actually cost to get one built with higher performance and better components.

For example your ram would only be 800mhz, but you could build a system with better specs for cheaper and have ram that is 1066mhz. If your screen is 23" and you want to play games, that video card isnt the best option.

The only benefit I see in buying a computer from HP or similar brand is that they usually have a good warranty, but HP and other computers in my experience do have the same amount of problems as any other computer.

It all depends on the person though. I'm still deciding wether or not I will sell custom built computers to peoples budgets or not with my business.

[Smile4u]

I tend to advise people (depending on who) to stay away from HP and similar brands of computers as the specs may look good but the brands and quality of components isnt the best, and you also are paying alot more than what it would actually cost to get one built with higher performance and better components.

For example your ram would only be 800mhz, but you could build a system with better specs for cheaper and have ram that is 1066mhz. If your screen is 23" and you want to play games, that video card isnt the best option.

The only benefit I see in buying a computer from HP or similar brand is that they usually have a good warranty, but HP and other computers in my experience do have the same amount of problems as any other computer.

It all depends on the person though. I'm still deciding wether or not I will sell custom built computers to peoples budgets or not with my business.

Warranty is No 1 for me. My Acer (less than 1 year) have been in for repair more than 10-ten times already. Wish I had taken the 3yr optional warranty.

Seen many reports warranty problem if you build yourself, or get a custom made for you. As always is LOS, warranty and customer service might be hit or miss.

Agree that I can get better specs by going your route, Quad Q9550 2.83 Ghz and GF9500GT 1GB and 1066mhz memory is tempting (Thb 24.000 quoted) - but - again Warranty win over the better specs.

Budget 30.000: ASUS - DELL - HP - LENOVO - other?

[Gary A]

I had a fast premium component computer built for me. I gave my old HP to a friend of mine. I use my computer much more than my friend but my high powered machine died a couple of times and has now had all the innards replaced. The old HP is still running. My friend added insult to injury by offering to give the HP back.