Morning all!

 

My trusty old PC has become decidedly less trusty over the past few months and I now spend more time rebooting than booting my Zed. Have decided to save up some money and buy a new PC in the coming month(s) but would like to ask any of the forum's resident IT/PC gurus for purchase advice. This is what I'm looking for:

 

- minimum 2.4MHz processor (preferably AMD Athlon XP)

- 512MB RAM (expandable to 1GB)

- 80~120Mb HDD

- CD/RW drive (not bothered about DVD drive but if included in a package must be separate drives)

- 64~128MB Grafics card (not bothered about TV-out)

- reasonably good sound card (don't need any speakers, etc)

- multiple USB ports

- 56K Modem (not bothered about network card/ADSL as I can't get broadband in my area anyway)

- preferably Windows XP preloaded (Professional edition)

- keyboard/mouse (preferably cordless)

- Not bothered about a monitor as I already have a 17" CRT but if the set comes with a 17" flat panel TFT then I wouldn't say no!

 

I'm looking to spend between £450-£650 and would obviously like the best/quickest my money can buy.

 

So, apart from the obvious (PC World, The Computer World, Evesham Computers, Novatec, etc.) where else do you suggest I look? Is there anyone on this forum who could put the above together for a reasonable price?

 

Any and all suggestions are welcome and thanks for your feedback.

 

GreetZ,

 

Danny

http://www.scan.co.uk always works for me.

 

Mike

http://www.overclockers.co.uk good site for high end stuff :)

Originally posted by Danny

Morning all!

 

My trusty old PC has become decidedly less trusty over the past few months and I now spend more time rebooting than booting my Zed. Have decided to save up some money and buy a new PC in the coming month(s) but would like to ask any of the forum's resident IT/PC gurus for purchase advice. This is what I'm looking for:

 

- minimum 2.4MHz processor (preferably AMD Athlon XP)

- 512MB RAM (expandable to 1GB)

- 80~120Mb HDD

- CD/RW drive (not bothered about DVD drive but if included in a package must be separate drives)

- 64~128MB Grafics card (not bothered about TV-out)

- reasonably good sound card (don't need any speakers, etc)

- multiple USB ports

- 56K Modem (not bothered about network card/ADSL as I can't get broadband in my area anyway)

- preferably Windows XP preloaded (Professional edition)

- keyboard/mouse (preferably cordless)

- Not bothered about a monitor as I already have a 17" CRT but if the set comes with a 17" flat panel TFT then I wouldn't say no!

 

I'm looking to spend between £450-£650 and would obviously like the best/quickest my money can buy.

 

So, apart from the obvious (PC World, The Computer World, Evesham Computers, Novatec, etc.) where else do you suggest I look? Is there anyone on this forum who could put the above together for a reasonable price?

 

Any and all suggestions are welcome and thanks for your feedback.

 

GreetZ,

 

Danny

 

 

You are asking a lot for £650.

 

The basic systems they have at Time/Tiny are not really upgradable. Most of the stuff are built on such as sound and graphics which are not the best ones in the world and will soon start to struggle.

 

What have you got left over from your old computer? Anything? The best way to keep up with computers always be changing your computer and not every completely scrap it and start again.

 

 

Stuart

Build your own - really its easy or my mate will build one to your exact spec.

I would offer as it is really easy to do, but in the past I built computers for friends as a favour (No Profit) and then they think I have to provide 24hour technical support for the slightest thing that goes wrong.

SRRAE,

 

My speakers crackle, sort it out will you.

 

aye

Originally posted by SRRAE

I would offer as it is really easy to do, but in the past I built computers for friends as a favour (No Profit) and then they think I have to provide 24hour technical support for the slightest thing that goes wrong.

 

Bwahahah how true!

or they come back 4 years later and want to know if you can upgrade the processor from a 133 cyrix to a 2.4 Xp..

I've had that too.

 

And why there computer which used to play Doom really well now wont run UT2

Originally posted by Ay3388

SRRAE,

 

My speakers crackle, sort it out will you.

 

aye

 

I didnt do your computer.

 

You just have my old monitor, HDD, Graphics, RAID and sound card.

 

:D

LOL, all of which are still sat on my desk doing nowt, aside from the monitor which im using - it only displays 10 colours. and the hard disk is fooked.

Hi Danny

 

I wouldn't bother with XP Professional if you are not going to be connected to a network. XP Pro allows you to join a domain (usually found in a corporate/office environment). XP Home should be fine for you mate and will save you about £35...

 

Cheerz

 

Steve

Originally posted by cybernet

Hi Danny

 

I wouldn't bother with XP Professional if you are not going to be connected to a network. XP Pro allows you to join a domain (usually found in a corporate/office environment). XP Home should be fine for you mate and will save you about £35...

 

Cheerz

 

Steve

 

Now I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but if you require the likes of Word, Excell, PowerPoint etc, they dont come with XP Home. When I got my new pc back in January, XP Home is what was loaded and , being a bit new to pc's, I was annoyed that it didnt come with it. Corrected now with the addition of Pro:D .

 

Anyway, thats my 2p worth :D

 

DAVE

Originally posted by daves_new_ZX

Now I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but if you require the likes of Word, Excell, PowerPoint etc, they dont come with XP Home. When I got my new pc back in January, XP Home is what was loaded and , being a bit new to pc's, I was annoyed that it didnt come with it. Corrected now with the addition of Pro:D .

 

Anyway, thats my 2p worth :D

 

DAVE

 

Neither XP Home or XP Pro come with Word, Excel, Outlook etc.. as standard. Take a look at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp for the major differences.

 

Cheerz

 

Steve

Thanks guys!

 

I'm aware that I'm asking a lot for my money but times are hard and I still want the best I can pay for so perhaps I need to compromise somewhere along the way. I will have a good look around the sites you suggested and may ultimately build one myself (have done so in the past). However, having looked at places to source parts I always end up with a bigger bill than when you buy a "package" ... another case of the sum of the parts being dearer than the whole ...

 

Thanks also for the tip re: XP Pro vs. XP Home. I will require the full MS Office suite so that'll be something additional to budget for.

 

Cheers!

 

Danny

Office XP OEM Professional - £225 plus VAT

Office XP OEM SBE - £149 plus VAT

 

Delivery £8 plus VAT

 

Let me know if you are interested...

 

Cheerz

 

Steve

Originally posted by cybernet

Neither XP Home or XP Pro come with Word, Excel, Outlook etc.. as standard. Take a look at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp for the major differences.

 

Cheerz

 

Steve

 

Yeah, sorry mate, you are indeed correct about that, it was Office XP that I upgraded to, Dohhhh!!!:(

 

Like I said, I'm new to all this pc stuff :confused:

 

But I'm getting there, and it's fun learning.

 

DAVE :D

Originally posted by daves_new_ZX

Yeah, sorry mate, you are indeed correct about that, it was Office XP that I upgraded to, Dohhhh!!!:(

 

Like I said, I'm new to all this pc stuff :confused:

 

But I'm getting there, and it's fun learning.

 

DAVE :D

 

LOL - No worries Dave! ;)

 

Steve

Too right about building computers for mates!!

 

But my mate Chris is building custom computers as a part time business.

The problem I have found with buying is that people like Dixons/PC World or Time sell you what they want to sell - which is great if that is what you want to buy, but I have always found that the package has limitations and "free stuff" is bundelled, like a cheap scanns, which I do not need.

I always recommend building your own, then you get exactly what you want, (assuming that you know what you want!!). If I do not have the time I pay my mate Chris to build it for me.

I found that about the free stuff. Its is not free at all. If it was free, you are initially paying over a grand for a computer which will cost £500 to build. The free scanner and printer they talk about is the cheapest ones going which will cost us £40 to buy and I am sure if you buy it in huge bulk and at trade price will probably cost less than £20