New computer suggestions.

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Decided it's time to update to a new computer hoping there may be a bit of value in the sales.
Any suggestion would be appreciated as it's not really my thing but my current PC is becoming slower and slower, even though tried to give it clean up thanks to the help of all on here.

The PC would really be for used for my invoicing, quotes, certifiates etc.. as a soletrader, some software for satnav, camera, printer, other little gadgets.
Also on-line research and a bit of internet browsing, not in to PC games or downloading films/music, not till the mid-life crisis hits anyway.
So would appreciate a little advise.

 

[enyam]

Lap top or desk top, the daughter as just bought herself a HP laptop for her uni work and she reckons its the bee's knee's.£350 from PC world.

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-g6-1210sa-15-6-laptop-red-11361493-pdt.html

This one here just bring it home turn it on and away you go.

 

[EFCLee1]

Decided it's time to update to a new computer hoping there may be a bit of value in the sales.
Any suggestion would be appreciated as it's not really my thing but my current PC is becoming slower and slower, even though tried to give it clean up thanks to the help of all on here.

The PC would really be for used for my invoicing, quotes, certifiates etc.. as a soletrader, some software for satnav, camera, printer, other little gadgets.
Also on-line research and a bit of internet browsing, not in to PC games or downloading films/music, not till the mid-life crisis hits anyway.
So would appreciate a little advise.

I have no idea what you tried to speed up your PC as I missed that thread so firstly can you list the full spec of your PC, buying a new modern spec PC may be overkill for what your going to do on it or it may not!

Reason I ask is ive read some of the advice people give on here and although some say its worked I have very little faith in some of the apps people recommend

Post up your full PC spec please!!

 

[TheRunningMan]

You say you have done a clean up. What exactly did this clean up consist of? There are lots of supposedly wonder programs out there that IMO don't do very much to speed up peoples PC's.

As EFCLee1 has said if you can post your system specs then that would be useful. Maybe all you need to do is back-up your data and format and re-install everything.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I will find links to relevant posts earlier in the year.
I have kept on top of it since but seems to have gone slow again on me.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=265500&start=0

 

[EFCLee1]

You have a P4 @ 3.4Ghz and 1Gig of RAM

not the best IMO but still very capable of web browsing and other less memory intense task

You have 2 options

1. Buy a new Laptop start from £350 the other link to the HP one is amazing!! 6Gig of ram with a not too shabby i3 processor

or

2. Take your PC to a shop and have them do a re-install of windows, maybe they will charge up to £100 cos they can!! me personally charge £20 but am not a shop!

Either way you have to spend money if you don't think you are able to do this yourself, its not hard but I suppose to a plasterer plastering isnt hard either but jesus how the F**K do they get is soo flat!!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

The intention is at the moment to buy new desk top PC, seen an acer at curry at a reasonable price http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/acer-x1430-desktop-pc-with-20-lcd-monitor-black-11180297-pdt.html
and the step son is moving in to new house this week and requires a PC so he can have mine and get windows reinstalled himself.
Any comments on the link to the PC.
When it comes to changing PC over what should I be best doing?
So to keep current software and email address and anything else that I may need?
Or is laptop the way to go, not really got in to them. In fact only actual used one once and was not over impressed but that is me being a bit technophobic maybe!

 

[^woody^]

Any comments on the link to the PC.

I'm not too sure about that one.

I's only a 1.3ghz processor and only 2 cores, and AMD at that (runs hotter, needs more power and noisier fan than current Intel processors). I would be looking at a 4 core, and at least 2 ghz

Also, 4gb ram may be OK for a minimum, but ram is dead cheap nowadays, so check if the fitted ram takes up all the slots, or if there are spare slots to fit more ram into

I've not compared any others so, so don't know what other specifications are available for this price, or if this price is good for this spec

I'd say that it looks like a basic machine for everyday tasks, but a bit too basic with that processor

 

[enyam]

Or is laptop the way to go, not really got in to them. In fact only actual used one once and was not over impressed but that is me being a bit technophobic maybe!

Just a personal experience,I have got the daughters old laptop which is running vista,I had been using a desktop until then,the only thing I have found to my dislike is the touch pad but I have put a mouse on it and its fine.
Out of the two links the laptop in PC world is the better option but have a good search around.

 

[Monkeh]

I's only a 1.3ghz processor and only 2 cores, and AMD at that (runs hotter, needs more power and noisier fan than current Intel processors).

Not true at all. The E-300 in particular is a mobile processor and extremely low power. I would agree with it being somewhat underspec for a desktop, however.

I would be looking at a 4 core

I entirely disagree on the quad core. There is simply no point in having four slow CPUs instead of two fast ones.

Also, 4gb ram may be OK for a minimum, but ram is dead cheap nowadays, so check if the fitted ram takes up all the slots, or if there are spare slots to fit more ram into

Again I must disagree, 4GB is quite sufficient for a normal user. 2GB would suit most people still.

If you're intent on having some prebuilt turd from Currys or the like, this is (despite being an HP..) a fairly decent machine: http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-p6-2000ukm-desktop-pc-with-22-monitor-11418712-pdt.html

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If you're intent on having some prebuilt turd from Currys or the like, this is

I am not content with that at all, as I absolutely hate PC World due to a previous experience with their customer service. As I know they are one of the same.
I would very much like to go in to one of my local independent computer shops and state the requirements I need, but I am not that clued up when it comes to the technical spec.

 

[Igorian]

Tell them what you want it for and let them give you a spec. You can always post back here for advice on what they tell you.

 

[EFCLee1]

If you're intent on having some prebuilt turd from Currys or the like, this is

I am not content with that at all, as I absolutely hate PC World due to a previous experience with their customer service. As I know they are one of the same.
I would very much like to go in to one of my local independent computer shops and state the requirements I need, but I am not that clued up when it comes to the technical spec.

What makes you think your gonna get a better deal from your local PC shop, the likes of Curry's and the like buy in bulk which reduces the retail cost

Low end CPU would suit, Pentium dual core E6600 @ £46.80
Motherboard could be MSI G41M-P28 micro but who cares @ £32.70
4 gig DDR 3 generic RAM @ £14.38
160Gig SATA II @ £59.99, jesus!! whats worse than floods, paying this for drives!!
Case Coolermaster Elite 342 Micro-ATX @ £23.75
XFX ATI Radeon HD 5450 512MB GDDR3 PCI-Express Graphics Card @ £22.07
LG DVD Writer @ £13.49

Total for this tower is £203.18, your local shop would buy these a bit cheaper and charge you £150 for the build and legit windows license taking it to around £350 and at that price for this spec is just ridiculous

Entry level spec is all you need anything more is overkill as you've already told us what you need a PC for

Depending on what size screen you have if you wanted to upgrade to a larger one 23" widescreen LED @ £111 would be a good bargain

Either learn to build it yourself or pay good money for something low end, or pay a ridiculous amount of money for something mid range

Hope that helps

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Either learn to build it yourself or pay good money for something low end, or pay a ridiculous amount of money for something mid range

Hope that helps

I would love to learn how to.
Believe it or not I once spent a year on a computer course which was all about repairing and building computers. I went ever week and never missed a day. I actually passed the final exam.
Firk knows how but I did. I walk out of the college that day thinking how did I manage to pass that exam, to this day I don't know how I managed it. I did not particularly enjoy the course, didn't understand half the stuff that was being taught to me, other than the soldering of components. I realised after that year it was not for me, I had a go and it was beyond me, so best left to those how are more competent than I when it comes to this sort of stuff.

 

[Maxsys]

I had one built by these guys a few years ago, still rock solid and a really food price, i like the fact that they do not come with all the preloaded crap you find with many systems, like ACER, TOSHIBA etc......

Take a look http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/