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"Buying A New Computer Is A Little Harder Than Expected..."

Recently inspired by how easy and cheap it is to shop online from the States and an article in a PC mag, I've decided that it's too tempting just to get a new PC, with XP for my iTunes and A faster processor for my games. However, many queries arose after just a few minutes of investigation.

1) Win XP Pro

against

Win XP Home

What's the difference? I only skimmed over the specs of a couple of comps, but XP Pro seems to merit another 20 or so dollars. What makes it more pricey and would XP Home be perfectly good for my needs (see top of page)?

2) There's a manufacturer called Acer. Never heard of them myself, but do you guys know anything useful; reliability, etc. My current comp is an Evesham, although I would have prefered a Dell, and found out a treasure chest of problems. Like ME's inefficiency with system resources and how Eveshams over heat...

3) Anyone know the HMCE site better than me and can direct me to the import tax for computers or electricals in general.

Any help would be great!

:)

Urgh, AMD.

Problem with building your own is that you'll get persuaded into building an AMD system instead of an Intel one.

Oh dear, not you with your AMD hating again.

Clazon wrote:
> cookie monster wrote:
> You can build a great athlon 64 rig if you go socket 754 at the
> moment.
>
> What I see:
> I know lots of jargon and find it funny baffling people.
>
>
> So, once again please.
>
> :D

Sorry, sometimes i forget.

Athlon 64 = A processor thats really great.

Socket 754 = The shape of socket that the cheaper athlon 64 processors fit into.

The competitor is for someone that overclocks in the uk.

Hmmm. I've got a new idea. Whilst I understand things better now, perhaps showing you the PCs I was considering would help.

[URL]http://www.pcconnection.com/Search?CatId=202850&Id=+5060&Offset=0&Sort=Most+Popular[/URL]

I see, as a general guide, if it says celeron, don't buy it.

How crap then.

Why? Cos that kinda makes a whole website useless.

They arent very great processors.

I see no problem with AMD or Intel. Personally, I've only used Intels. Two months ago I bought an Intel 3.2GHz processor, for around £150. Well worth it, goes like a spaceship on speed.

All those ones have 2.4-2.8 processors, which, admittedly, aren't bad, but 3.2 is much better, and at some point you'll need to upgrade to it (or something better).

They have 256MB memory. Could only just about run Doom :P. I use to have 512, and could barely run SoF2. For Doom3 or HL2, you're gonna need 1GB at least. So don't skimp on RAM.

See, again, you should know this. But it's pretty silly looking at those PCs.

(HDD's are teeny weeny too, you'll need 120+.)

What components do you have?

Plus, those PC's are sh*te. So stop looking and start building.

Yeah Celerons are pretty awful unless all you want in an electronic typewriter. I used to have one and it was a slow assed mofo.

My comp is a bit on the old side these days (1.7Ghz, 256MB RIMM, 64Mb Geforce 3), and it can only just run Rome on min specs (thanks to some new Nvidia drivers), which is fine for the moment. BUT - should I upgrade with some more RAM and a new graphics card (PCI only, arg), or wait till next summer and get a beast of a laptop before Uni? As my computer can run Rome at the moment I'm thinking laptop - but does anyone know anything special that they I should know - best laptops, cheapest, best laptop graphics ETC.


Oh and my advice to you Clazon would be not to buy some crappy system for £300 and just gut it to use the case and the PSU, but buy everything yourself, and, if you're not confident enough to build it, pay someone else £50-£100 to do it for you.