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Author Topic: New computer advice  (Read 2895 times)

Offline Janner_Sy

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New computer advice
« on: March 05, 2011, 12:48:14 am »
My desk top has finally given up the goose today.  Its been overheating and shutting down loads recently under normal running, and has been irritating me quite alot with it being alot slower than it used to be.  It is about 5 year sold though.

So ive been speccing myself a new desktop.  Im not a huge gamer, mainly as the current desktop wasnt good enough i guess, however i do watch bluerays via my computer, and the computer wil need to be able to run autocad, hevacomp and cymap design software often concurrently.  Something which this computer struggled with.

This is the spec im thinking at a cost of £650

AMD Phenom II X2 3.3GHz/6mb cache-black edition
4GB DDR3 1333mhz ram
1 GB ATI radeon HD5570 graphics card
1TB  ATA 3Gb/s HDD
12x blueray drive, 16xdvd drive
Additional triple plate cooling system
2x 19" widescreen monitors

ive left things like sound card, USB, network cards as standard as i dont know much about them.

what do you guys reckon of that and the price?  In all honesty i now jack sh!t about computer specs, i just go for the bigger is better option. :ashamed:

Or would it be worth staying with the intel chips?  Part of me thinks maybe upgrade to 8gb ram as well, although i dont know if id need the extra!

i specced it through this website http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers/amd-home-office-pc/ anybody used them before?
« Last Edit: March 05, 2011, 01:14:40 am by Janner_Sy »

Offline no golf clubs at all

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2011, 08:16:05 am »
MacBook pro?
 :popcornsoda:

Offline bacillus

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2011, 10:32:16 am »
I would have gone for an intel I7 quad core cpu (the 920s are now cheap and easily o/ced to 3.4GHz) and a x58 motherboard like the asus p6x58d-e.
Without traction power is nothing!

Offline SO8

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2011, 10:42:38 am »

Offline VC

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Offline Janner_Sy

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2011, 11:44:24 am »
the mac books are out of my price range. 

ideally i dont want to be spending more than £650 incl VAT and postage.

@ bacilus how do the intel quad cores match up to the AMD quad cores.  The intel ones seem to be more expensive when comparing the processor speeds. 

Also whats involved in over clocking?  Im a complete computer biff

Offline Hedge

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2011, 12:19:47 pm »
The Intels will probably run cooler that the AMD's.

Offline vRStu

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2011, 02:01:12 pm »
ideally i dont want to be spending more than £650 incl VAT and postage.

http://www.dixons.co.uk/gbuk/apple-macbook-pro-mc374b-a-refurbished-laptop-06773982-pdt.html

Use code hardware10 or EM10ALL for 10% off and also 3% at TopCashback or similar.


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Offline VC

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2011, 02:04:09 pm »
Once you've had mac you won't go back, worth the extra outlay  :innocent:

Offline vRStu

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2011, 02:08:24 pm »
How about -

http://store.apple.com/uk/configure/MC270B/A?mco=MTgxNTg0MzM

You can have that for £550.80 delivered.  :evilgrin:

(Including 3 years AppleCare)
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Offline Janner_Sy

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2011, 04:02:48 pm »
whats the mac like with software like autocad etc? ive already got all the software but it doesnt mention mac on any of the compatability info.

Have plugged my monitor into my spare lap top now, so temporarily sorted.  Got all my registration docs for my car through today 2 months early so im holding out a second to see if its getting  delivered early.  If it is the computer will have to take a back seat
« Last Edit: March 05, 2011, 04:04:26 pm by Janner_Sy »

Offline vRStu

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2011, 04:21:41 pm »
whats the mac like with software like autocad etc? ive already got all the software but it doesnt mention mac on any of the compatability info.

Have plugged my monitor into my spare lap top now, so temporarily sorted.  Got all my registration docs for my car through today 2 months early so im holding out a second to see if its getting  delivered early.  If it is the computer will have to take a back seat

If you specifically need to run windows then you can use Parallels or even Bootcamp (which is free with Mac), it'll likely run windows better than your current machine.
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Offline stealthwolf

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2011, 04:38:32 pm »
Once you've had mac you won't go back, worth the extra outlay  :innocent:
I've managed to crash most macs that I've used.  :scared: Don't think I'll ever go back to using macs.  :P

The GTI isn't just a machine. It's very much a living, breathing thing.

Offline SO8

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2011, 11:16:29 pm »
Once you've had mac you won't go back, worth the extra outlay  :innocent:

:happy2:

Offline SO8

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Re: New computer advice
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2011, 11:18:35 pm »
Once you've had mac you won't go back, worth the extra outlay  :innocent:
I've managed to crash most macs that I've used.  :scared: Don't think I'll ever go back to using macs.  :P

What are you doing to them ... we have had about 5 Macs and the wife is a photographer so uses them to death .... and we've only blown up one !