Solve : Need Help Finding PC that Can Run Two Displays?

1.	Solve : Need Help Finding PC that Can Run Two Displays?
Answer» I want to buy a new PC computer primarily used for spreadsheets, internet surfing and e-mail. My current computer is about 5 years old and only has 512MB ram. I have some large excel spreadsheets (100MB, 65000 rows) that take over a minute to open or save which is way to slow for me. I was thinking of buying the GATEWAY DX4831-01E (6GB memory, Intel i3-530 processor, 1TB HD) for $550 at Best Buy. Will this computer be able to open/save my spreadsheets in a few seconds? Is there a better computer in this price range for my needs? I often have 10+ websites open at the same time and I run two displays with my computer. I had to purchase a GeForce FX5200 128MB DDR TV/DVI video card when I bought my last computer so I could run two displays. Do any computers in the $500 to $800 range come out of the box with the ability to run 2 displays at the same time? If so, please list the computer model and price? I was also wondering if I buy a computer that does not come with the ability to run 2 displays simultaneously, will I be able to install the FX5200 video card in my new computer or should I just purchase a new video card? Does anyone have a recommendation for a video card. I don't need the video card for GAMING, I just need it to be able to run 2 displays simultaneously. One of my displays is an older model that has a 15 pin VGA input and a 24 pin DVI input. My other display has a 15 pin VGA input and a HDMI input. So I need a video card that can connect to these 2 displays. Does anyone have a suggestion on a video card. The tech support at Best Buy isn't very good so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. I don't see that computer listed separately on Best Buy's website. I see it bundled two ways, either with a monitor or a monitor and printer. Apparently, you know have verified it can be purchased separately at the price you mentioned. Right? Your FX 5200 video card is either a PCI card or an AGP card. The new computer will not have an AGP slot. If the card is a PCI version, you could use it but, if it were buying a new computer, I would not want to use an old PCI video card. You easily find a PCI Express video card for under $50 that will far superior to that FX 5200. Most cards on the market have both DVI and VGA ports and will support your two monitors. A suggested card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814134083 And, yes, you will need an add-on video card to support two monitors. Quote Will this computer be able to open/save my spreadsheets in a few seconds? Surely, it will open your spreadsheets much faster, probably in a few seconds. By the way, I'm thinking a database might be better than Excel for your application. If your spreadsheet is being used to maintain a large amount of data that could be converted to database, a database such as Microsoft Access will be less memory-intensive than a spreadsheet. Quote from: soybean on March 09, 2010, 09:48:19 AM By the way, I'm thinking a database might be better than Excel for your application. If your spreadsheet is being used to maintain a large amount of data that could be converted to database, a database such as Microsoft Access will be less memory-intensive than a spreadsheet. I was goign to say something along these lines as well- basically, when you have an excel spreadsheet that takes up more then a few pages worth of rows your no longer using Excel as it was designed, but rather as a database program to maintain a list of data. The difference between Excel and Access is that Access (and really, any database application) can be used to quickly lookup data based on various fields and MODIFY data and so forth- Excel provides- sorting, and standard search features. The core ISSUE is is simply that Excel is not a scalable solution for your data; a database, however, is. There are tools that can be used to create a Jet (access) database from an Excel spreadsheet, too.

Answer»

I want to buy a new PC computer primarily used for spreadsheets, internet surfing and e-mail. My current computer is about 5 years old and only has 512MB ram. I have some large excel spreadsheets (100MB, 65000 rows) that take over a minute to open or save which is way to slow for me. I was thinking of buying the GATEWAY DX4831-01E (6GB memory, Intel i3-530 processor, 1TB HD) for $550 at Best Buy. Will this computer be able to open/save my spreadsheets in a few seconds? Is there a better computer in this price range for my needs?

I often have 10+ websites open at the same time and I run two displays with my computer. I had to purchase a GeForce FX5200 128MB DDR TV/DVI video card when I bought my last computer so I could run two displays. Do any computers in the $500 to $800 range come out of the box with the ability to run 2 displays at the same time? If so, please list the computer model and price?

I was also wondering if I buy a computer that does not come with the ability to run 2 displays simultaneously, will I be able to install the FX5200 video card in my new computer or should I just purchase a new video card? Does anyone have a recommendation for a video card. I don't need the video card for GAMING, I just need it to be able to run 2 displays simultaneously. One of my displays is an older model that has a 15 pin VGA input and a 24 pin DVI input. My other display has a 15 pin VGA input and a HDMI input. So I need a video card that can connect to these 2 displays. Does anyone have a suggestion on a video card.

The tech support at Best Buy isn't very good so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I don't see that computer listed separately on Best Buy's website. I see it bundled two ways, either with a monitor or a monitor and printer. Apparently, you know have verified it can be purchased separately at the price you mentioned. Right?

Your FX 5200 video card is either a PCI card or an AGP card. The new computer will not have an AGP slot. If the card is a PCI version, you could use it but, if it were buying a new computer, I would not want to use an old PCI video card. You easily find a PCI Express video card for under $50 that will far superior to that FX 5200. Most cards on the market have both DVI and VGA ports and will support your two monitors. A suggested card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814134083

And, yes, you will need an add-on video card to support two monitors.

Quote

Will this computer be able to open/save my spreadsheets in a few seconds?

Surely, it will open your spreadsheets much faster, probably in a few seconds.

By the way, I'm thinking a database might be better than Excel for your application. If your spreadsheet is being used to maintain a large amount of data that could be converted to database, a database such as Microsoft Access will be less memory-intensive than a spreadsheet.
Quote from: soybean on March 09, 2010, 09:48:19 AM

By the way, I'm thinking a database might be better than Excel for your application. If your spreadsheet is being used to maintain a large amount of data that could be converted to database, a database such as Microsoft Access will be less memory-intensive than a spreadsheet.

I was goign to say something along these lines as well- basically, when you have an excel spreadsheet that takes up more then a few pages worth of rows your no longer using Excel as it was designed, but rather as a database program to maintain a list of data.

The difference between Excel and Access is that Access (and really, any database application) can be used to quickly lookup data based on various fields and MODIFY data and so forth- Excel provides- sorting, and standard search features.

The core ISSUE is is simply that Excel is not a scalable solution for your data; a database, however, is. There are tools that can be used to create a Jet (access) database from an Excel spreadsheet, too.

Solve : Need Help Finding PC that Can Run Two Displays?

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