Need New Computer to Run 11

My current Dell 7010 is not upgradeable to windows 11.

Looking for recommendations for a good replacement.
What I have now is barely satisfactory for the graphics aspect of the usage.

Main Usage;

• Home Business (eBay)
• Graphics Work (Corel, Illustrator, Photoshop)

Current specifications;

• Windows 10 Version 22H2 OS Build 19045.6216
• Device Name DESKTOP-KUKR7NC
• Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3570 CPU @ 3.40GHz 3.40 GHz
• Installed RAM 8.00 GB (7.89 GB usable)
• Storage 466 GB HDD SAMSUNG HE502HJ, 1.82 TB HDD WDC WD20EZRX-00D8PB0
• Graphics Card Intel(R) HD Graphics (32 MB)
• Device ID D13B77DB-7CC5-4466-B968-F27BE742A47C
• Product ID 00330-54933-69651-AAOEM
• System Type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Thank You

Welcome to the forum. Are you asking for us to recommend a specific computer or asking us to recommend what hardware we feel you need for best performance in doing what you do.? If it is the former, there are many suitable ones for the task. There are also a number of key considerations when choosing hardware..
What is your budget?
Desktop or laptop?
If desktop, do you also need a new monitor? A good monitor is a key consideration for photo editing and graphics design.

glasskuter said:

Welcome to the forum. Are you asking for us to recommend a specific computer or asking us to recommend what hardware we feel you need for best performance in doing what you do.? If it is the former, there are many suitable ones for the task. There are also a number of key considerations when choosing hardware..
What is your budget?
Desktop or laptop?
If desktop, do you also need a new monitor? A good monitor is a key consideration for photo editing and graphics design.

Click to expand...

Basically what Hardware I would need, I've always had Dell computers, way back when I had an HP during the XP era.
I wouldn't need a new monitor I have a very good monitor, would also just transfer my HDD that contains all my files into the new system.

I recently switched to a Windows 11 HP Laptop from my HP Desktop, which was 10 years old and could not be upgraded. On my old desktop, I had dual monitors. With the new laptop I got a docking station that allowed me to add two more monitors. So now I have three screens up. (drives my wife nuts) So my recommendation is if you get a laptop, get a docking station to go with it.

@billrigsby


One of these...




And maybe something like this for serious storage...

billrigsby said:

My current Dell 7010 is not upgradeable to windows 11.

Click to expand...

You haven't talked about your budget, so I recommend you buying Dell XPS 14 (2025)!
I think they call it Dell premium Idk... search XPS, and it gives you the link.

Sheikh said:

You haven't talked about your budget, so I recommend you buying Dell XPS 14 (2025)!

Click to expand...

Prefer to stay under $1K or close to it, and prefer a desktop, do not need a laptop.

billrigsby said:

Prefer to stay under $1K or close to it, and prefer a desktop, do not need a laptop.

Click to expand...

The main thing these lack is storage. I'd buy one and add my own hard drive or SSD, but I recognize that not everyone wants to poke around inside their PC. The alternative would be an external (USB) drive. A good external hard drive could be as fast as an internal one.

One caveat: if you're planning to re-use an old monitor, there could be an issue with the connection to the PC. Older monitors may use VGA or DVI. New PCs may not have those. Adapters are available, though.

Dell desktops

Choose one with 16 to 32G of DDR5 memory and 500 to 1T NVMe SSD
You may need to add a graphics card

I liked this one Intel Core i7 14th Gen i7-14700 - 16GB - 512GB SSD

Better computer for the price and has graphics card
MSI desktop

Megahertz said:

Dell desktops

Choose one with 16 to 32G of DDR5 memory and 500 to 1T NVMe SSD
You may need to add a graphics card

I liked this one Intel Core i7 14th Gen i7-14700 - 16GB - 512GB SSD

Better computer for the price and has graphics card
MSI desktop

Click to expand...

Photo software that uses AI can benefit greatly from a recent model graphics card. (The latest Photoshop mostly isn't AI, but AI functions are continually being added. I don't know about Illustrator or the Corel products.)

Unfortunately, adding a good discrete graphics card adds a lot to the price. Retail prices on fairly low-end nVidia cards (RTX 4060, RTX 5060) start at around $300.

Megahertz said:

Dell desktops

Choose one with 16 to 32G of DDR5 memory and 500 to 1T NVMe SSD
You may need to add a graphics card

I liked this one Intel Core i7 14th Gen i7-14700 - 16GB - 512GB SSD

Better computer for the price and has graphics card
MSI desktop

Click to expand...

Oh, and looking at that one, yes a DVD writer is a must!

Thank you

I'm with you on that Bill. No laptop for me. IMO you would want one with a discrete graphics card if you do a lot of Photoshop and graphics work, 32 gb of ram minimum, and a cpu strong enough to handle a load. I also suggest you get one with Windows 11 Pro rather than Home but it's not absolutely necessary..

You can do a custom build if you want to build it yourself and save some money https://pcpartpicker.com/

You can also use Dell's site to have them build one of theirs to your specifications.
Here are Dell's current Labor Day PC Consumer deals with base prices (before customization). You would have to click the "customize" button to add discrete graphics and additional ram which of course adds to the cost. Desktop Computer Deals
Here are Dell's current business deals. Dell Business PC Deals: Laptops & Desktops

You can also contact Dell Sales 1-800-456-3355

Choose which way you want to go and make your decisions on hardware. Befor you buy, get back to us an we can look over your choices before you hit the BUY button.

Here's a bit of info you need to know for after the sale.
Know that with any PC you buy, when you setup the machine using a Microsoft account that your desktop, documents, pictures and videos folders' default location will be Onedrive. If you do not want to use Onedrive, during machine setup, you should (1) set up the new windows machine using a local account rather than a Microsoft account (there are special instructions on how you can do this)this is my preferred method
OR
(2)after machine setup immediately use another special set of instructions to stop OneDrive from automatically syncing your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, and Videos folders to Onedrive and then unlinking your account and PC from onedrive.

billrigsby said:

Oh, and looking at that one, yes a DVD writer is a must!

Thank you

Click to expand...

Optical drives (DVD or BluRay) are getting to be rare in newer PCs. If you get a Dell with one, the ones I've seen are basically slim (laptop) drives). Slowish.

If you don't use one too frequently, and external one would be practical.

External DVD burners can be had cheaply (<$30). BluRay burners are more expensive.

If I was limited to $1000 and wanted a Dell, this is what I would get. You can do better at Dell, but you'd be up closer to $1500.

Dell Tower Plus Desktop



Starting at $949.99; with Windows 11 Home

CPU is Intel Core Ultra 5 225

add 100 for Core Ultra 265 non K; add 200 for 265k

512 GB NVME

16 GB DDR5, 2 x 8 GB, 5200 MT/s

460 watt PSU

Supports HDMI 2.0 and Thunderbolt 4 (includes 4K video output)

No DVD drive, you could get an external.

It does not have a graphics card. You'd rely on the Intel CPU graphics. That would easily be enough for the Photoshop work I do. You'd have to investigate if it would be good enough for your purposes.

If you need an excuse to buy a new computer, fine, there are many options as others posted. But if you bypass compatibility check, you can upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on your current computer. Post specs to confirm that you can also run 24H2 and the upcoming 25H2. For details of how to upgrade, see the respective sticky thread.

PS: I am not sure if I got it right, but a quick search says you have a 2nd generation Intel Core-i3 or higher. This can run 24H2 and 25H2 fine. If you also want to buy a faster computer, then do that, but don't throw away your Dell, it has still life in it.

spapakons said:

If you need an excuse to buy a new computer, fine, there are many options as others posted. But if you bypass compatibility check, you can upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on your current computer. Post specs to confirm that you can also run 24H2 and the upcoming 25H2. For details of how to upgrade, see the respective sticky thread.

Click to expand...

True. The i5-3570 supports SSE4.2 instructions, so it should be OK for 24H2 (and 25H2).

But it won't improve the performance of that 2013 PC. I've junked better hardware, to put it unpleasantly.

bobkn said:

True.

But it won't improve the performance of that old PC.

Click to expand...

Yes, but I posted to let him know. Many don't know you can bypass compatibility check and install Windows 11 on an older unsupported PC. So now that Windows 10 comes to EOL they panic and rush to buy a new. No need to buy a new if your old one serves your needs.

spapakons said:

Yes, but I posted to let him know. Many don't know you can bypass compatibility check and install Windows 11 on an older unsupported PC. So now that Windows 10 comes to EOL they panic and rush to buy a new. No need to buy a new if your old one serves your needs.

Click to expand...

For the OP, it sounds more like procrastination than panic.

spapakons said:

Yes, but I posted to let him know. Many don't know you can bypass compatibility check and install Windows 11 on an older unsupported PC. So now that Windows 10 comes to EOL they panic and rush to buy a new. No need to buy a new if your old one serves your needs.

Click to expand...

You haven't seen OP first post

• Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3570 CPU @ 3.40GHz 3.40 GHz
• Installed RAM 8.00 GB (7.89 GB usable)

bobkn said:

Optical drives (DVD or BluRay) are getting to be rare in newer PCs. If you get a Dell with one, the ones I've seen are basically slim (laptop) drives). Slowish.

If you don't use one too frequently, and external one would be practical.

External DVD burners can be had cheaply (<$30). BluRay burners are more expensive.

Click to expand...

Yes I noticed none of the new computers at the county where I work came with any kind of optical drive, just the hard drive.

It is a must based on a lot of the stuff we sell on eBay, those are CDs and or DVDs. I actually have a brand new Epson printer in the closet for printing CDs and DVDs just in case the one I got fails, and it cannot be replaced anymore.