Looking for a Ready-Made PC Setup for Office Use
Looking for a Ready-Made PC Setup for Office Use
I have been searching everywhere to buy a ready-made PC for work...
I was hoping for something similar to my current Dell XPS 8930, and I upgraded the main drive to an M.2 1TB drive while the second HDD is a SSD 990 Pro 4TB. However, because of Windows Update, internet speed has slowed down significantly. After updating drivers and everything, it still runs very slowly. I checked the auto-updater, but it keeps installing Windows updates, which causes problems every time. We tried reformatting the PC three times without interrupting the updates, but it didn’t help. Eventually, we decided to purchase a new machine.
What desktop recommendations do you have? I’ve heard about the Dell XPS 8960, but there are reports of heat problems. My main tasks are working with PDFs, emails, and some video editing, so I’m mainly looking for something that can replace this current setup without breaking the bank.
I also noticed that most cheap pre-built PCs use integrated graphics... Would it be better to get a dedicated video card instead?
Any suggestions? Also, I’m unsure how to test if my current PC has issues. I ran the Dell Support assist and didn’t find any problems. Is there a way to check if my video card is failing as well? I always turn on the monitor first, press the power button, and leave it for a while because my screen would just go black, flicker, and then come back after a short time. I’m not sure if it’s switching from an integrated graphics card to a Nvidia GeForce 1660 Ti.
Thank you for all the details.
I wouldn’t rush into purchasing a new PC right away. Gathering more details and checking for issues might reveal the cause.
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Please update your post with complete hardware specifications, operating system info, PSU details, disk drive specs, and a list of connected peripherals.
Also note whether the network is wired or wireless.
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Check Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer on your desktop for error codes, warnings, or performance events linked to slowdowns.
Review Update History for any failed or problematic updates.
Run "dism" and "sfc /scannow" to detect and potentially resolve problems.
Windows built-in troubleshooters may also help identify issues.
You can simply share all the full details about your system. This includes the Dell XPS 8930 with a new main HDD and SSD, the second HDD, Ethernet connection, operating system version, RAM capacity, storage sizes, graphics card specifications, and device information.
I bought my Dell XPS 8930 SE in December 2019. It continues to function perfectly. I found that comment amusing. The 8930 series earned the nickname "easy bake ovens" since the case cooling was seen as inadequate by experts. I have never made any changes to it.
My 8930 SE is equipped with a 850 W Gold Standard PSU. I think the standard 8930s typically come with a 450 or 475 W PSU. I’m using a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6 GB) GDDR6 300 MHz discrete GPU. My system has 32 GB (four 8 GB SK Hynix DDR4 at 1333 MHz) RAM, and my CPU is the Intel i7-9700K at 4700 MHz.
The specifications I chose for the 8930 were due to my heavy involvement in video editing. An i5 processor isn’t optimal for this task, and 8 GB of RAM would be a significant limitation. Handling HD video editing demands substantial resources.
Both of my Dell machines (I also have a 2020-vintage XPS 15 7590 running Windows 11 Pro) are updated to the latest versions. I’m a long-time "Tech Expert" on their forums.
Enough about me and my setup. I’m not familiar with reports similar to yours on the Dell forums, which I regularly check. You might be dealing with a hardware or software problem. Dell offers a pre-boot hardware assessment tool:
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...t-...sa-and-psa
If that doesn’t reveal anything, I’d suggest running SFC and DISM scans on your Windows installation, along with a CHKDK /f on the boot drive.
My internal drive setup includes:
- NVMe Intel 1024 TB
- Seagate 2 TB, SATA-III
- Western Digital Black 4TB
There are numerous potential reasons for the slow performance of my 8930. Have you ever replaced the CMOS battery? Has the machine been cleaned from dust and debris? Are all cables and parts firmly connected? Could there be leftover files? How much space is being used on both drives?
Upgrading to 16 GB RAM would also be worth considering. Windows 11 indicates it will run well with 8 GB, but performance isn’t guaranteed. I have a laptop with 16 GB and would never buy a computer with less than that, especially given the demands of active Windows 11.
I’m connected via fiber internet, which provides stable upload/download speeds just under 1 GB/s. It’s the websites that slow me down!
😉
I believe you can get your 8930 back to good speed if there isn’t a major hardware problem that would be too costly to fix efficiently.
Please share the results of the pre-boot assessment and the outcomes of the SFC and DISM scans. Have you tried the simple method of powering off, unplugging, holding the power button, then restarting? That often resolves many unusual issues.
In any case, these are just my initial thoughts as someone who owns an 8930.
Best of luck, and have a great day.
Regards,
Phil
I believe the main problem with that setup is the large amount of RAM required for criminal operations. While a CPU upgrade is an option, only 8GB severely restricts system performance. I suggest opting for at least 32GB, and up to 64GB if you have the necessary workloads to support it.
To build on what @artk2219 mentioned about RAM, I completely agree. Uninstall SupportAssist and Dell Update, as both come with problems. I usually remove them from my Dell machines when the warranty expires. They consume too many resources and provide incorrect information. Use your Service Tag and review the Dell Support website weekly for driver or BIOS updates. Your BIOS should be version 1.1.31, which is the current version. If you need to update it, use the Flash Update method through F12 and a low-capacity USB flash drive formatted with FAT-32, not via SupportAssist, Dell Update, or Windows Updates. Disable Capsule Updates in your BIOS; each update will re-enable them.
Ensure "Fast Startup" is disabled and "Hibernate" is enabled. I can share instructions if you’d like.
Killer significantly slows down internet speeds, so turn off Window Updates for drivers or they may reactivate them. Verify with Services.msc that the four Killer services (excluding the driver itself) are turned off.
Have a great day.
Regards,
Phil
So an Quick Update
I did SFC /ScanNow and DISM and nothing was found. I Disabled the Killer Network Service in Services which completely fixed the internet issue.
My Current BIOS is 1.1.18 from 9/6/2021
I can add more Ram if the MOBO will allow it. Would I replace the current RAM with a more recent brand? Any Recommendations?
PC Spec