Need new PC - advice please

melbury

Please can anyone recommend a reasonably priced desktop PC with flat screen monitor.

I have looked on the usual sites - Currys, PC World etc - but they all come with so much pre-loaded rubbish that I don't want.

My current computer is a Dell bought about 6 years ago and it is dying day by day. Surfing the internet is absolute agony as it takes ages to move from one site/page to another and it also switches itself off.

However, Dell don't seem to sell complete packages anymore, just the actual computer box.

I really want a desktop because I don't have any need to use a computer on the move.

Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated - e.g. is HP a good make, better than a Compaq?

Many thanks.

googler

Have you considered analysing what's amiss with the current one, and rectifying that?

I assume you have one Hard Drive in this desktop - have you considered buying a single Hard Drive, moving the current one to be a secondary, and installing the new one as the primary drive, and installing your current OS on it?

roddydogs

Of Course Dell sell complete packages..........just go to their website and tailor it to what you want. After going thru Quidco, of course.

Baldur

melbury wrote: »

...e.g. is HP a good make, better than a Compaq?

HP merged with Compaq in 2001, with HP as the major company, so there is no difference. The Compaq name tends only to be used on consumer products these days.

melbury

googler wrote: »

Have you considered analysing what's amiss with the current one, and rectifying that?

I assume you have one Hard Drive in this desktop - have you considered buying a single Hard Drive, moving the current one to be a secondary, and installing the new one as the primary drive, and installing your current OS on it?

I think it has just come to the end of its natural life and doesn't have the capacity to cope even with the new internet security package.

To be honest I am just not knowledgable enough to do as you suggest - I pretty much know how to switch it on and get online!

Also, I want to get rid of the old CRT monitor for space reasons.

melbury

roddydogs wrote: »

Of Course Dell sell complete packages..........just go to their website and tailor it to what you want. After going thru Quidco, of course.

I know you can add the bits and pieces, but what I mean is that they used to always sell the whole lot included in the price shown. However, now it is rather expensive by the time you add on a flat screen monitor.

melbury

So HP and Compaq are now one and the same. Are they as good as Dell? Also, can the pre-installed software be easily removed?

macman

melbury wrote: »

I know you can add the bits and pieces, but what I mean is that they used to always sell the whole lot included in the price shown. However, now it is rather expensive by the time you add on a flat screen monitor.

No it's not, I'll bet you paid vastly more than that for the original computer, which will have a fraction of the capability of a modern PC.
The whole point with Dell is that you can customise it precisely.
You can always buy your monitor somewhere else if you don't like Dell's products.
PS: If it's just your internet connection that is very slow, then changing your PC will not solve that!

melbury

macman wrote: »

No it's not, I'll bet you paid vastly more than that for the original computer, which will have a fraction of the capability of a modern PC.
The whole point with Dell is that you can customise it precisely.
You can always buy your monitor somewhere else if you don't like Dell's products.
PS: If it's just your internet connection that is very slow, then changing your PC will not solve that!

Thanks for all the information, I will go and have another look on the Dell site. I paid about £400 for my existing computer nearly six year ago. Do you think that Dell are superior to HP then?

It is definitely the computer that is the problem, CPU usage continually up around 100%.:(

macman

Running XP then? How much RAM do you have installed? Go to Computer>Right Click>Properties>General Tab. Post the RAM shown.
Could be that all you need is more RAM and a clean up. Have you defragged it?

melbury

macman wrote: »

Running XP then? How much RAM do you have installed? Go to Computer>Right Click>Properties>General Tab. Post the RAM shown.
Could be that all you need is more RAM and a clean up. Have you defragged it?

It says 71.7GB, which is probably quite small compared to new machines today. Will run a defrag now. Thanks for the advice.