Dell Desktops from £129.99 - Quick!! [CLOSED]

bleugh

dual channeling

in the old days when memory was '16 bits' wide, and processors needed '32 bits'

you added two '16 bit' simms to give 32 bits


nowadays, things are a little more complicated, but essentially, a processor has a large hole in it, the wider the hole, the more data can come through it

you can fill that hole with memory

two memory sticks, side by side are enough,

OR, you can 'block' one side of the hole, and fill the other side with memory

blocking one side means the memory hole is smaller, less data can get through at the same time

essentially, 2 sticks will give about 5-10% real world performance boost over 1 stick

artificial memory benchmarks will give about 20-50% less memory bandwith for 1 stick

biglugs

I will probably upgrade the graphics card asap as it's likely to be the ATI X600 which is not great.

If I get an X600SE I shall be whinging because the spec says "at least 256MB v memory" which I take to mean video memory. The X600 doesn't have this much as it shares it with the system memory and is therefore not a true 256MB card.
I have emailed them to ask what card I will get, but no response as yet.

Whirly

Well what with the VRAM and the incorrect picture displayed on the order (Dimension 5150 with 2 cd/dvd drives & card reader) they have left themselves open to valid complaints. I'll be interested to see what is supplied and what their response to any complaints will be.

Will they take back thousands of (by that point, used) PCs because they mis-sold them or will they offer discounts? Time will tell.

biglugs

Will they take back thousands of (by that point, used) PCs because they mis-sold them or will they offer discounts?

Or will they just tell you to get stuffed?
Interestingly they show a nice photo of a machine with 2 drives and a 9-in-1 card reader, then state that the specification "includes" a list of things. This would imply that there are other things not included in the specification because they are obvious to any purchaser i.e. they can CLEARLY be seen in the photo
Personally I am expecting a Dimension 5150, Pentium 4 3.4GHz, 1GB memory, a FULL 256MB graphics card (e.g. 6800S or similar), a DVDRW drive and a 9-in-1 card reader. Anything less and I shall be right browned off.

wolvesinwales

Searcher2 wrote:

I thought all 5100's and 5150's were dual channel.... not that I pretend to know what it all means - but just that I thought you really should buy memory for them in pairs.

I agree, i was thinking of the wrong machine altogether, i had just answered a query on a 1300 laptop then went straight to this. Sorry for any confusion.

FF99

Interestingly, on the lower price (£230-£250) 5100 models, both the BT and Dabs websites decribe them as P4 "3.0 GHz" in the item description.

On the BT website that is the only info given.

However, on the Dabs website, under "Specification" it is clear that it is actually a 2.66 GHz processor.

This suggests that there might be more scope for comeback if bought on the BT website. Also the photo with the twin drvies and cardreader is a lot clearer on the BT website. also useful for post-sale comeback.

biglugs

Also the photo with the twin drvies and cardreader is a lot clearer on the BT website.

And the one on the BT site DOESN'T say "for illustration purposes only", which I have taken to read as "this is the actual machine you are buying".
Since Dabs is owned by BT they could easily have replicated the same on both sites. Since they have chosen not to it is clear to me that they meant to display the BT site as it is, showing me clearly what I am buying which is much more decent of them.

Searcher2

Are you going to complain if you get most of a 3 year warranty including accidental damage as I seem to have done? Or the 5150 instead of the 5100 model? I am more than happy with my £229.99 + del worth from Dabs - but then again I was expecting a 2.66Ghz 5100 machine without even a modem or graphics card and got them, the warranty and a 3Ghz machine.

I think there will be a lot of people who would be happy to have that spec for the money and not be bothered about things that are not listed such as a card reader and extra DVD drive. You have 7 days under distance selling to send it back anyway.

biglugs

Are you going to complain if you get most of a 3 year warranty including accidental damage as I seem to have done?

I'm not that bothered about the warranty because you will invalidate it the minute you install ANY upgrades yourself e.g. extra memory, graphics card, HDD, memory card reader etc. I also get AD cover with my home insurance anyway, less a £100 excess.
Besides I would never keep a PC for three years so I don't need a warranty that long.
Given that I paid £405 for my 3GB P4 5100 with a 17" TFT from Dell then a 3.4GB P4 without a monitor for £349 delivered is not such a fantastic deal, and I am ONLY buying it because it says it is a 5150 and comes with a 256MB graphics card. If it is an older 5100 with an X600SE graphics card it will be going back.

Browntoa

not true aboout the updates , legal precedence was set a couple of years ago where opening the PC does NOT invalidate the warranty