nellie2 Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 I'm thinking... only thinking mind you, of getting a new desktop.I don't mind making it myself... but I'm thinking that I might like to get a prebuilt one. Trouble is, there are so many different processors and graphics cards and stuff that I get a bit lost.Sooo.... a) Do you know of any good sites where they have good deals? I was looking at Novatech last night and thought some of their stuff was ok... but it was difficult to specify an upgrade.. ie the comp I was looking at had 512mb of memory and I would like a bit more.B) processors and graphics cards and extras, what would you say was essential these days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 If you're getting a prebuilt machine make absolutely certain you get a full copy of the real operating system.I would have expected you to wait until Vista was in its final incarnation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 One of my specifications is that the machine must be Vista ready. I'm not bothered as to whether it has an O/S or not as I still have a couple of XP pro licenses that are unused. I would like to dual boot XP and Vista so I think I will need a fair bit of ooomph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 What's your budget nel ? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 I'm surprised that you are thinking of buying a brand name Nellie. I would have thought that you would seek a good local computer builder, and pay for exactly what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 I don't know any good local builders andsome... I'm quite happy to get the bits and put them together myself, but I just don't want to do the leg work... you know, from shop to shop.Boris......... up to £1000.00 although if I can get it closer to £700 I'll be a happy bunny.Actually... please dont keel over in shock, but I was looking at the Dell site last night and I liked the flexibility of how you could customise your system. Prices didn't seem too bad either and don't forget... if I buy from a retailer then I get at least a year's warranty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 What about (for your starter :) system) ?Novatech Barebones Bundle : Case + PSU + Athlon 64 3700, Heatsink and Fan, 1024MB 400DDR RAM, Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra Motherboardhttps://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpag...?bb-a37n41g&P=1+ BFG GeForce 7900GT OC 256MB DDR3 SLI, Dual DVI, HDTV, PCI-E (475MHz Core Clock) (1360MHz Memory Clock) https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpag...ml?bfg-79gt&P=1+2 of these - Maxtor DiamondMax 10 SATAII 300GB 16Mb Cache Hard Disk Drive https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpag...?max-ps230y&P=1+ a Pioneer DVR-111 16x DVD+/-RW Black OEM Supports DVD RAMhttps://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpag...l?pio-dvr1b&P=1All from the same place and approx £620 + delivery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 You are reading my mind... I was just thinking that I could really do with two hard drives, one for the computer and one for my VM's.... that lot looks ok. I can't think of anything else that I would need apart from some dvd software (which I don't have) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 DVD reading ? Cyberlink Power DVD £4 https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?POW-DVDDVD Writing ? Nero 6 Express OEM CD&DVD £7 https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?AHA-NERO6OReplace the standard PSU with a "proper" one ?https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/dirresu...ml?d=CS00&s=psuAdd a multi-card reader ? £14https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?XPR-INTCRBand you're still under your £700 budget.You could put it together in an hour (tops). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Boris... you will have to come shopping with me more often... that is fantastic. Thank you so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 I try to please !If you were closer, I'd put it together for you :)Thinks "must increase my holding of Novatech shares" I was looking at the Dell site last night and I liked the flexibility of how you could customise your system. Prices didn't seem too bad either and don't forget... if I buy from a retailer then I get at least a year's warrantyNot that easy to upgrade Dell stuff :( - too much proprietary kit in there to my liking !You'll get 12 months warranty from Novatech if you get all the bits from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Not that easy to upgrade Dell stuff :( - too much proprietary kit in there to my liking !I know... that is what put me off, at least if I put it together myself I'm not going to void any warranties by tinkering about with the insides....Which 'proper' psu would you recommend to go with that set up then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belatucadrus Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 When I made mine I got the lot from ebuyer, all goods received in good condition on same day and then assembled on the same day. One thing I've found since then that price wise on a good spec machine you can compete with the box shifters. On the entry level machines forget it, they'll supply you a machine with warranty for less than the cost of the parts.I quite like Dell as their prices are good and they're quality reliable machines. They've also been standard equipment at my last employer and college when I did my HND. My laptops a Dell and while the delivery company fudged things, Dell resolved them quickly and were very helpful in another issue that was entirely my own fault. Most of the upgrade problems I've seen have been people who've got the desktop not the tower case, some of the compromises needed to fit the stuff in the case cause problems: lack of AGP,need for PCI adapter, need for low profile cards etc. Not insurmountable, but does limit choice and gives newbies an attack of the screaming heebie geebies when standard kit doesn't fit. (Not knocking anybody, been there done it myself.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Its all a matter of taste really.I've fitted a couple of these :-https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpag...l?hyp-4m530&P=1Very quiet + 3 year warrantyIt should cope with all the demands you'll be making.On the entry level machines forget it, they'll supply you a machine with warranty for less than the cost of the parts.I concur - its not worth wasting the time shopping for the bits to make a "basic" PC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Well... I want a decent machine that can cope with running virtual machines and messing about with web pages. The virtual machines take a lot of disk space and processing power... but apart from that I need something that is reliable.Also with Vista just around the corner I need to think about that too... and you know as well as I do that the minimum requirements are no good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 What I've suggested should cope with that easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagwoood Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Nel, I've been "playing" with the Vista beta's and if you want to future proof your build, I would go with a dual core processor and a couple of GB of memory.The 64bit version when fully booted with the default services running(50+), Windows defender running, no firewall s/w installed(I'm behind a router)and Avast running is using 750MB of memory.It's really hit home what sort of pc you'll need to get Vista Premium running at a decent speed. Using the performance rating facility within Vista, my system only gets a score of 3 . I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but my current system is powerful, but it's struggling with Vista(that may be due to having PATA drives). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 It's coming on Tuesday.... I love shopping!! I can always stick another gig of memory in a bit further down the line if I need to... thanks for your help and suggestions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Man Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 / means orAsus motherboardIntel Dual-Core (not Dual-CPU) / AMD duo (some sort of dual-core)nVidia Chipset with AMD processor / Intel Chipset with Intel ProcessornVidia GraphicsWestern Digital SATA drive(s) (only raid if you KNOW you NEED it)Sony / Lite-On / Samsung Optical@Boris - No kidding, Dell is garbage... Who buts RAMBUS 800 in a P4 System? ARGH!---------Oops.. just saw you already have one comming! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Besty Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 Just a quick word of warning my friend got a computer out of novatech and has had nothing but trouble from it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted July 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 It's all bought and paid for now.. just got to wait for the bits to arrive. I'm quite happy with what I have and Besty... I'm just buying the bits rather than a premade system, so hopefully it will be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 So what specifics did you get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted July 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 specifics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 Well did you get what Boris posted or am I missing the post where you said what you ordered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted July 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 Oh... I went with Boris... though I'm thinking that I might get a bit more memory at some point. But what is there will do me fine for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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