Computer Spinup

If you know me, you probably know a few things. One I replace my computers every two years. Two I buy low end, maybe $1300 for both. Three I never buy full sized computers. I currently have two. The internet computer is a Dell Optiplex 745 Ultra Small Form Factor which is about the size of a Mac Mini and about as powerful as the previous Mini. The TV computer is a Dell laptop with a low end CPU and dedicated video. Well two years are up.

What needs improvement?

The internet computer occasionally gets an hourglass. What the heck? Its a dual core! It also has a woefully small hard drive and cannot play HDTV which I could stream from my TV computer basically turning it into a second TV.

The TV computer has greater issues. It frequently loses the TV as second monitor requiring a reboot. Ugh!. It also has slowed so that HDTV is more jumpy than previously.

Also, I do miss computer gaming as niether computer is really prepared for that. I would like to play StarCraft2 which comes out later this year. Starcraft is the only game I played to the last level which I could not win. Blu ray would be really nice since I have not bought a stand alone player yet.

Random thoughts.

TIVO HD is not out of the question. Although monthly service charges annoy me so does dropping another ~$650 or so on the least used computer. The current laptop could stay for everything but over the air HDTV.

If Apple would cough up a BluRay MacMini that would be just about perfect.

At first glance, the Internet computer is a no brainer. A nearly identical replacement Optiplex 760 USFF would easily have the horsepower. I wait for a Windows 7 returned "Previously Ordered New" unit and immediately put in a 1TB drive.