What options for desktop PC apart from PC World?

Lil306

You can get a PC for around 400-500 that would do everything and still be fast enough for what you need

Consider Novatech. They have systems available, all you need is an operating system (which they can preinstall) and buy your monitors.

Dual monitors are easy to setup and increase your workspace to save switching between windows

baby_frogmella

I strongly recommend Scan Computers for custom build PCs (no i don't work for them). You choose the components from their website (pretty cheap) and you can either build it yourself or get them to build it for you...they'll charge around £120-£150 to build but that includes a 3 year warranty also. Before purchasing you can ask on their forums which components to use, you'll get top advice from the bods there.

I paid £650 for this custom-built PC from Scan 6 months ago:

CASE
Antec P183 Advanced Super Mid Tower

MOBO
Asus P7P55D Deluxe

CPU
Intel Core i3 530 2.93GHz - Overclocked to 4.4 Ghz

CPU Cooler
Corsair H50

MEMORY
4GB (2x2GB) Corsair XMS3 DDR3 PC3-12800 (1600)

GRAPHICS CARD
XFX ATI Radeon HD 5450 512mb

PSU
650W Seasonic X650 PSU 80plus Gold Efficiency

HARD DISK
1TB Samsung Spinpoint F3, SATA 3Gb/s, 7200rpm

OPTICAL DRIVE
Pioneer DVR-S18LBK - DVDRW

CARD READER/WRITER
Akasa AK-ICR-07S 3.5" Internal Multi Mem. Card Reader Incl. M2, Micro
SD & USB port

SOUND CARD
Sound Card Not Required Use On Board Sound

WIRELESS ADAPTOR
Edimax EW-7728In 300mbps 802.11n PCI WiFi Card

OPERATING SYSTEM
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit

jap200

j_bailey wrote: »

Dual monitors with Windows is the easiest thing known to man. I have them and its very helpful. You can either have clone monitors which both monitors display the same image of what your doing (opening a folder etc) (which is rather pointless) Or you can extend your desktop. It works like having one huge monitor but split into two. So when you move your mouse off one edge of the screen it appears on the second in the corresponding location. So for example if your researching something on the Internet and typing up an essay on it at the same time instead of going to the task bar and clicking between Microsoft office and FireFox/Internet explorer, You can have Microsoft word open on your left monitor and the Internet open on the right meaning all you have to do is move your eyes to the right. Its also very useful when you have lots of folders or programs open.

Brilliant - it sounds like just what I need. Thanks for the info.

Lil306

I'd recommend scan too, novatech are great but their pricing is high whereas scan definately has the edge. They even sell pre built overclocked systems for performance.

Work on a budget of 500-600 for the entire system and it would be more than capable of any task

j_bailey_3

Sorry one thing i forgot to mention is that your graphics card must have at least two monitor connections (Most modern ones do) They don't have to be the same type of connection as you can buy adaptors very cheap but you must have two.

Lil306

j_bailey wrote: »

Sorry one thing i forgot to mention is that your graphics card must have at least two monitor connections (Most modern ones do) They don't have to be the same type of connection as you can buy adaptors very cheap but you must have two.

Save money get a card with a VGA and DSub

My monitor has dual inputs, so it's great if you can't afford high price cards

I'm busy making a build atm, just to see what I can work to

Lil306

I got bored, decided to try a setup. Majority of money is from O/S and monitors. If you have a copy of Windows XP you could buy an upgrade licenses but better doing fresh install anyway

500GB Seagate Barracuda 29.87
Windows 7 Home Prem 115.07
2 x 22" DGM Monitors 207.58
CiT2003 - 4 in 1 kit 34.76
4 gb corsair memory 35.00
1tb hitachi desktar - 39.83
gigabyte ga-h67m-d2 m/b - 71.60
intel core i5 2500 cpu 3.3ghz quad core sandy bridge - 162.66

total price 729.92 (vat included)

You could do it the MSE way and get some 2nd hand monitors on ebay for half the price of the current ones and save 100 quid or so

you don't need to have the system pre built as we can help you build it on here.

closed

Dual monitors is an overcomplication, 1 big monitor and windows 7 snap feature is cleaner imo - £379 upwards

http://www.dmxdimension.com/dell-uk/inspiron-560-deals/

+£50 for a usb backup drive.

Lil306

closed wrote: »

Dual monitors is an overcomplication, 1 big monitor and windows 7 snap feature is cleaner imo - £379 upwards

http://www.dmxdimension.com/dell-uk/inspiron-560-deals/

I think monitors are down to preference. I don't like the dual setup personally, irritated the hell out of me for gaming, but for college work it was great

Offtopic, saved that link. Been looking for the dell ones for ages!

cgk1

closed wrote: »

Dual monitors is an overcomplication, 1 big monitor and windows 7 snap feature is cleaner imo - £379 upwards

http://www.dmxdimension.com/dell-uk/inspiron-560-deals/

+£50 for a usb backup drive.

I've been down both roads and I perfer dual - I'm a researcher who works from home and I do research in the one and write in the other, sure I can use snap in windows 7 but it's not as clean.