Coupon & Deal Blog

I have spoken at length recently about my desire to find a desktop computer that will become the core engine of my home entertainment system. I am not unique in my desires and needs, I need a computer that strikes a balance between rich multimedia function and price. Oh yes work too, let’s not forget about that (though I’d like too)!We need to be able to get our work and fun done on one machine. With all this in mind I have been searching high and low, investigating what all the manufacturers have to offer.

I was very, very intrigued by the current deals offered by HP. Our friends at Hewlett Packard have delivered some incredible HP discount codes, that will enable us to save north of $500 on customizable desktop models.
This would enable us to acquire a great machine like the HP Pavilion Elite d5200t ATX Customizable Desktop PC.

If you are a serious speed junkie, then this is your hot rod. The interior space allows for plenty of expansion room, with many internal and external bays for both optical drives and hard drives. It should also include an x16 PCI Express slot or two for high-end 3D gaming cards, as well as at least five PCI or x1 PCI Express slots. Configurations offer Blue Ray, TV tuner, 12MB Intel 2 Quad processor, 8 GB of Ram and a 1.5 TB harddrive! That’s a lot of power! Toss in a  22′ high definition monitor  with HP free coupons that will give us an instant $500 off and this rig will be hard to beat!

Yesterday I wrote on things I wanted for Father’s Day. I tried to keep it simple, affordable and within reason. There was one glaring omission however. The item I would really like to have, is a new desktop computer. Not just any desktop mind you, but one that has a media focus. This desktop needs a large HD screen, it needs power, and it needs to be stylish because I would like it to become the central core of our home entertainment system. This in addition to handling every other function that you would like a computer to accomplish. Sound extravagant? Maybe a touch, but you would be surprised how affordable taking this route can be. Especially when compared to an older mode of thinking where one would purchase a television, dvd player, stereo and a computer. I’m thinking consolidation, and I really think this is the best way to go!

I started investigating, I found a few options that definitely stirred my interest. These being the new Dell Studio Desktop and the Dell Studio Hybrid.

The beauty of Dell is that they offer premium quality and great affordable prices, check out the following Dell discount codes! Their prices and free coupons certainly skew my decision, there are so many options and each of course has advantages.

So when shopping for a new desktop what should we consider? How can tally the score card, so a decision can be made? So much of this depends on what you are going to be using your computer for: if you are just a general daily user you won’t demand the same specs as a power user who is editing video or engaged in resource intensive gaming. I want mine to be configured primarily for entertainment. I also want it to look good in the living room.

But looks aren’t everything, it’s really important to buy something with the goods “under the hood” so to speak. The first thing is comparing the processor chip. Processor choices are a bit more difficult now than they were before. It is still really a choice between an AMD and an Intel processor. The difference really comes in how many cores there are in the processor and its relative speed. Each company now has a performance rating system that isn’t really easy to compare. a desktop with a dual-core CPU and enough power to run productivity apps, view and edit vacation photos, manage MP3s and videos, and even play many of today’s games–the core activities most common to families, students, and the general purpose PC user.

The second thing to consider would be the memory. Most desktop computers now use a type of memory called DDR2. DDR3 is now finally making its way to PC systems but it is more expensive. In terms of amount, it is best to have at least 2GB of memory in the system and preferably 4GB. Memory speeds can impact performance as well. I would make sure that there is ample room for future expansion as well. You may only need 2GB now, but in a couple of years I wouldn’t be at all surprised if many tasks you might want to take on required 4, 6 and so on.

Hard drives really boil down to size and speed. The larger the drive and the faster, the better the performance and capacity. In a desktop, it is best to have at least 500GB or more of storage space these days. In terms of speed, they are pretty much all running at 7200rpm now. A few high performance 10,000rpm drives are available. Most drives use the Serial ATA interface now for ease of installation.

Most systems sold now feature DVD burners, even the budget systems. It is best to make sure that you get a multiformat DVD burner that can support both the +R/RW and -R/RW formats. Speeds should be 16x for the recordable speed. Dual or Double Layer media support is also a common feature although less likely to be used due to media cost. Options also include LightScribe or Labelflash support for burning labels directly to compatible media. Blu-ray is an option for those wanting to use their PC for the high definition video format.

Video card technology seems to change every three to six months. If you aren’t really doing any 3D graphics at all, then integrated graphics may be just fine. Beyond this, there are a wide selection of cards. Things to consider include performance, the amount of memory on the card, output connectors and the version of Direct X supported. Those looking to do any gaming should really consider a Direct X 10 card with at least 512MB of memory onboard. Pretty much all new systems will use the PCI-Express graphics standard.

What good is a desktop PC unless it also has a monitor? Previously users would need to choose between a CRT or LCD monitor, but LCDs are pretty much the standard now because of their reduced size and power consumption. The real issue is more about size and cost of the LCDs. The price difference between 19-inch and 22-inch models make 22-inch the best overall value although 24-inch models are quickly dropping in price. Most all screens use the wider 16:10 format but some are now being released with a near 2:1 ratio best suited for movie watching.

Whew! I know it seems like a lot, but I think we can agree it’s a good investment and useful for the entire family. As for me, if my dearly beloved family is reading this I think I gave ample hints as to which new “affordable” computer I would like for Father’s Day….*coughs* - DELL!

For more free Dell online coupons - Click here!

I love computers. I really do, I’m totally the guy who learns a new way to utilize his computer, and can’t stop prattling on about it to my wife. It’s like I’m ten years old, “Look what I learned at school Mommy!”. Oh she indulges me, maybe she thinks it’s charming, at the very least she appreciates the fact that I know what to do when her computer acts up.
This past Friday, Sara (my wife) and I wandered into a local electronics store and I saw the most beautiful thing. A brand new desktop, with a loaded feature set, with a flat HD display. “Oh my lord “, I exclaimed “think of the possibilities“.

You see these days at my house, we’ve just about done away with the regular television. We watch Hulu, stream movies on Netflix or download them off of iTunes. We watch them all off of computer, or wired through the regular TV set.

I’ve been a laptop man for quite awhile because of portability. However desktops have the advantage over most laptops, due to a larger hard drive, and just generally being more powerful all around. I already have a laptop, two actually. We have been thinking very seriously about purchasing a new television, but what if we got this!?!?!

Lenovo is offering a really great deal right now, at a truly beautiful price might I add. The  Lenovo IdeaCentre A series, with  a 21.5″ HD monitor, Dolby Home Stereo, Blue Ray player…oh it’s an entertainment wonderland!
Well long story short, Sara pulled me away before any major purchases were made. I’m still working on her however. Check out these Lenovo coupons…up to $400 off? You have to be kidding me! Please take advantage of this! I want to live vicariously through you.

Last week, I gushed enthusiastically about the $300 Lenovo discount codes being offered on their IdeaPad Y650 laptops. I spoke in length about how my computer had become the go to tool at the center of so many activities I engaged in during the course of a normal day. Whether it be work, research of a personal note or entertainment, I depend on my laptop for so much. This being the case (and flush with a little I.R.S. refund), I was very excited about the prospect of an upgrade this year.

Well…I may have “downplayed” another hobby that monopolizes my time on thee ol’ laptop, and that is “GAMING”!

Save 20% Off XPS 625 Desktop driving your gaming experience, your rivals won’t know what hit them! Get extreme gaming performance, cutting edge graphics and an innovative design - all at a killer value.

Plus enter Dell coupon codes: 65G7RQ11J?M2LH at checkout to save an additional 15% Off

See you on fellow gamers on the web, I’ll be the one kickin’ your —!! Ha!

More and more my computer has become the core tool in my life. The core, all purpose, multifunction, “I-use-it-for-everything tool” if there ever was one. I use my computer for work, to watch television and movies,manage my music library, keep in touch with friends and family abroad…put simply, I’d be lost without it. I daresay, my computer has become less a luxury than an absolute necessity. Now since the computer holds such a vaunted position in my life (and since tax season has left me with a little liquid cash in the form of a refund), I believe it’s time for an upgrade. A laptop certainly, something light and stylish that I can move around from room to room, and take on the road with me. A laptop with a nice sized storage capacity that can handle my growing digital library. An upgrade that will provide all the functionality that I need but won’t break me financially.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y650 looks to be just the answer. Of all the 16-inch media centers—laptops with 16-inch widescreens— out there, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y650 is easily the least burdensome on your back. It’s an alternative for those who don’t want to spend the money or make the switch to an Apple MacBook Pro 15 inch, but salivate over its lightness. The Y650 is designed with mobility in mind, when other Windows laptops with similar screens are at least a pound heavier. The Lenovo IdeaPad Y650 also has enough bells and whistles that it can also fill the void left by an old desktop. Not to mention, this laptop sure is purty. I don’t want to sound too vain or petty, but this baby is sure to draw tinges of jealousy when your friends see it.

This is all topped off with the fact that right now Lenova is offering us $300 off of the list price!

Oh me oh my, are you kidding me?!?! The time is now, go seize the day and jump on this deal!

Use coupon code USPSAVEY650 at checkout to get $300 off IdeaPad Y650 notebooks at Lenovo!

For more free Lenovo Coupons, Discounts and Promo Codes - click here.

Sale ends on 4/23/09!!! Get instant rebates up to $200.00 on select models and customized laptops. With free memory upgrade and easy and affordable pay plans who can pass this offer up.

HP’s most popular laptop, the HP Pavilion is being offered for a discount price as well. $400.00 off laptops over $999.00.

Starting as low as $279.99 and $15.00 a month are laptops such as HP Mini 1000 Mi Edition, HP Mini 1000 XP Edition, HP Mini 1000 Mobile Broadband Edition, and HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition.

Starting as low as $429.99 and $15.00 a month are the laptops such as Compaq Presario CQ60Z series, HP G60t series, HP Pavilion dv6z series, HP G70t series, and HP Pavilion dv5t Special Edition series.

Starting as low as $599.99 and $18.00 a month are the laptops such as HP Pavilion dv3z series, HP Pavilion dv4t series, HP Pavilion dv4t Special Edition series, and HP TouchSmart tx2z series.

Make sure you use coupon code NB3782 at check out. Upgrade that slow and outdated computer today!!

For more free HP online coupons and HP discount codes - Click here!

Famous Footwear Coupons - Save 20% at Famous Footwear

Crutchfield Discount Codes - Save $20 off Orders of $100 at Crutchfield

Bloomingdales Coupons - 30% Off on Baby and Kids Items

HP Deals - Save $450 off a HP Pavilion Laptop

Sony Style Coupon Codes - Discounts on Digital Frames

Finish Line Coupons - $10 Off and Free Shipping

Ann Taylor Loft Coupon Codes - Save 20% Off

Dell Discount Codes - Save 15% Off Dell Inspiron 530s Desktops

Sierra Trading Post Coupons - 15% Off orders of $100

Prepare to fall in love my dears! Dell Home launched the Dell Adamo Laptop Today!

This sleek and attractive laptop features an ultra-slim 6.4 inch profile, a 13.4 inch widescreen high definition display with edge to edge glass. The battery lasts for 5+ hours and the drive is cool and quiet!

The Dell Adamo Laptop boasts an IntelCore duo processor with Centrino technology. Includes genuine Windows Vista software, Adamo’s ultra slim profile belies the powerful features within.

If you are interested in shopping or discovering more product details about the Dell Adamo Laptop, click here.

For free Dell Coupon Codes - click here!

If you’re in the market for a new laptop, desktop or printer, you should definitely check out the HP Official Store at Shopping.hp.com.  They feature those awesome all-in-one printers that help you do everything from printing photos to copying important documents.  You can find great rebate deals right now.

For example, this HP Officejet J6480 All-in-One Printer, Fax, Scanner, Copier is $169.99 (after $30 rebate).  Use coupon code SV2132 to take $30 off for a grand total of $139.99 (before taxes)!  That’s such a great deal!

Find more HP coupons and deals here.