Packard Bell

cazkins

Hello,


I'm hoping someone can just give me some peace of mind for a desktop PC we're thinking of getting (hopefully this afternoon). We want something in the £300 range, from an accessible shop like PC World/ Currys /Comet, and suitable for just the basics really, ie. Emails. Something good quality and reliable, reasonably fast would be good, but nothing extraordinary.


I came across the Packard Bell iMedia A3525 UK at PC World (not the best place I know, but something quick & easy to pick up is the name of the game today) priced at £329 (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/packard-bell-imedia-a3523-uk-06334667-pdt.html) for the base only. It has a AMD Athlon!!!8482; II X4, 320 GB hard drive & 3GB memory. We have a decent monitor so the base unit alone is fine for us really. I can't see any reviews for this one anywhere, and have no prior experience with Packard Bell, so I was wondering if anyone would give a thumbs up for this one considering what we'd want to use it for?


Many thanks in advance for anyone that can offer any opinion, it's much appreciated!
Carol

Baldur

cazkins wrote: »

......have no prior experience with HP...

Packard Bell is nothing to do with HP, it's a subsidiary of Acer.

cazkins

Oops, sorry, I meant PB! Brain's a bit fried today since the desktop died and need to get my parents a new one! I mean Packard Bell.

victor2

Personally I wouldn't touch Packard Bell with a bargepole. Ones I have had the misfortune to help people out with have had many proprietary components, making them almost impossible to upgrade. I also hear their customer service leaves much to be desired. They didn't become known as Packard Hell for nothing, but who knows, that may be all in the past...

macman

Please don't buy a PC from either Comet or DSG, you'll be back on here with tales of woe in no time...why do you need to buy it at a couple of hours notice?

cazkins

It would probably be PC World for easy pick up because my parents need internet access fairly quicky now their computer's died (work-related) but they'll have to wait a day or two if I can't find anything at least half decent. Any problems with a PC would have to go back to the manufacturer I would imagine, so buying from PC World shouldn't cause too many problems. Thanks for the thoughts Victor2, I was avoiding Acer desktops because I've heard negative reviews in the past too. I guess it's wishful thinking that Amazon's Black Friday sale will have a sparkly new PC at half price? :P

macman

so buying from PC World shouldn't cause too many problems.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I suggest you do a search on PCW on this board if you really think that...

John_Gray

Baldur wrote: »

Packard Bell is nothing to do with HP, it's a subsidiary of Acer.

It is now a subsidiary of Acer but wasn't in the past, when the howls of horror and woe were at their greatest height.

I'm puzzled why Acer want to continue a brand name with such a history behind it. It does make you think that it is the "Acer Value" range - and you can take that whichever way you like!

closed

What's wrong with the old one?

victor2

Bit like asking what's wrong with a Lada!:)

Edit: Sorry, were you asking what's wrong with the OP's old one?!

cazkins

Thanks for the responses everyone - I know there are problems with PC World, but again, I presumed that problems with computers now go through the manufacturer, rather than the store. I just wanted general ideas on the computer itself rather than mocking me for suggesting PC World though. Anyway, I'll opt for something else and order online instead, they'll just have to borrow my laptop in the meantime. Thanks