Recommend me a PC

[Bob_the_lost]

Okey dokey. You're going to be using office, web surfing, music player, burning the odd CD, maybe watching a DVD or two.

The warranty thing is a real issue, if you get a mate or urbanite to build it then there's no overall tech support, (you'll meet at least one person at uni who'll be able to do it anyway ) however all the parts should carry thier own warranties, so if a part does die you can get a replacement but i'm not going to lie it is more effort.

Second hand means you're more likely to get a part dying on you in the next three years than new. HOWEVER i'd still go for it, if your CPU were to die in 6 months then you'd have to buy a new one. It's not all that big a deal, a replacement would only cost a small ammount as you'd be getting what's an old CPU now, it'd be older and thus cheaper in 6 months.

The most important part of a PC is the hard drive, (wait before contradicting me here). For most people if thier hard drive dies then they tend to lose everything, where replacing a PSU or CPU is no big deal. Buy a second hand PC, then buy a new 80Gig Seagate HD, they cost around £50. The warranty is either 3 or 5 years, (5 for the newer models at least). Second hand gives you better value for money.

Chris's machine would round out at over £300 including OS and DVD/CDRW and RAM.

Ebay however gives us this on £200 BiN http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-full-towe...36768111QQcategoryZ101207QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Which is higher spec than you want. If you have to replace it in two years fine, in two years you'll probbaly want a faster machine anyway.

 

[tw1ggy5]

Tw1ggy5 - can I ask where you got your PC?

Off ebay, once you've identified the spec you want just wait for a good deal to pop up. Theres quite often 10 or more identical machines.

AMD64 3000+
80GB Hard Drive
512Mb RAM
DVD Writer
£269 total inc VAT and the £25 delivery charge

Have seen similar machines with a monitor come in for around £300.
Most come with a 1yr if not 3 yr warranty.
Mouse and keyboard wireless sets you can pickup for a tenner.

On warrantys on computers they are pretty much useless unless you have an onsite warranty. Otherwise you lose your computer for weeks at a time for them to discover a very minor problem if your not careful. If someone builds it for you all the components have a 1-5yr manufacturers warranty anyway so your covered for hardware failures. At uni finding someone who knows enough to fix basic things if you dont yourself shouldnt be hard.

 

[TeeJay]

I always tell people to look at MESH. Here's one of their cheapest systems:

http://www.meshcomputers.com/updated/spec_matinspireoffer.htm

Price Including VAT + DEL: £ 444.83

specs:
* AMD Sempron 3300+ Processor
* 512MB DDR400 RAM (PC3200) Memory
* 160GB Serial ATA (150Mb/s) Ultra Fast Hard Drive
* SONY 16x Dual Layer DVD-RW (R/W all standard formats)
* 17" CRT Digital Colour Monitor (16" VIS)
* Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
* Direct 2D/3D Onboard Shared Memory Graphics
* 5.1 Surround Sound - 6 channel audio
* Creative Labs Soundblaster SBS260 Stereo Speakers
* Internet Ready V.92 56Kbps data/fax/voice modem
* Network Ready integrated 10/100 Ethernet Adaptor
* Logitech Desktop Keyboard & Optical Mouse
* FREE Microsoft Works 8.0
* FREE CyberLink Video Editing Software (oem)
* Classic Warranty - 1 Yr Parts & Labour (Back-to-base)
* Black Mini Tower Case/4 USBs + Additional Features

I would recommend upgrading various bits but unless you set a maximum budget I wouldn't really know how far to go. You might be able to get cheaper, but personally I would avoid the *cheapest* systems from various places (eg high street shops or certain companies) as any savings are not worth the utter fuckwittery and shoddiness that goes with it.

edit:

Here's the cheapest system from Evesham: http://www.evesham.com

Quest S28 (Sep05)

AMD Sempron 2800+ processor
256MB DDR RAM (PC2700) 333MHz
80GB 7200rpm hard drive with 2MB buffer
17" Philips 107E66 (CRT) monitor
CD-RW (52x24x52x) / DVD (16x) combo drive
Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Works 8.0 OEM
1st year return-to-base cover (parts & labour)

£388.95 inc vat & del.

(nb:
basic speakers: add 8.50 + vat
56k modem: add 8.50+vat
adsl modem: add 30.00+vat)

 

[kained&able]

with that eversham you can double the RAM for 30 odd quid as well which is handy.


dave

 

[red rose]

Thanks all for the help and advice, I've looked at all the computers that've been suggested and its all really helped (at least I understand some of it now)

My dad has suggested I get this which was recommended in a magazine he reads. Its partly his money paying for it and I can't find any fault with it so it looks like thats what I'm going with.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

acer £235 then all you need is a screen

 

[TeeJay]

Thanks all for the help and advice, I've looked at all the computers that've been suggested and its all really helped (at least I understand some of it now)

My dad has suggested I get this which was recommended in a magazine he reads. Its partly his money paying for it and I can't find any fault with it so it looks like thats what I'm going with.

I can't see anything obviously wrong with it, and I can't find any bad reviews or feedback for pcnextday, so you should be ok. It might be worth getting at least a 1-year "on-site" warranty - where they send an engineer to you - rather than a "return-to-base" one, which requires you to send your PC off to be fixed. The reason being that Murphy's Law means it will fuck up just as you are trying to do some important essays.