Kick me in the right direction... somebody?

Ghost

I am such a ditherer LOL. I've been meaning to buy a new PC for well over a year, but I keep thinking there'll be a better deal just after I buy one... and then I just sit back and don't do anything!

My current PC is groaning at the seams. It is a dinosaur by today's standards! The hard drive is (OMG this is sooo embarassing) 16GB - yep, you read correctly - a paltry 16GB. The processor is 500 MgHz and there's 256MB RAM.

You'd think with such an old configuration that anything on the market would be an improvement and I agree - but I just can't bring myself to make the purchase in case I buy a lemon.

I think I will go for a Dell - I want a quiet PC - but I'm put off because of the horror stories I've heard about the hassle calling Indian call centres. I want to spend around £400. And I want a huge hard drive (having been deprived with 16GB LOL). Oh, and I don't want Vista cause I think most of my software won't work on it.

I would love to have sorted this out and placed an order by Saturday. Anyone up for the challenge of kicking my butt to make the decision?

Is there a good time and/or a bad time to buy a Dell? Would it be better to purchase as a business customer? (My computer is my work) Is there any particular model you'd recommend? Any other advice?

Cheers.

bookduck

it all depends what you are going to use it for and how much ££££ you want to spend.

Although your laptop is low spec, running windows 95/98? on a 500Mhz cpu it probably make it perform as a super computer, compared to a bottom end dual core running vista. My 300Mhz cpu, 128Meg memory, 5Gb hdd, with the bootable puppy linux CD out performed my friends new 1.46Ghz dual core, 1Gb mem, Acer vista lappy - providing i was only running one package i.e surfing. It was not that good with avi's as the vista machine, probably due to hdd access time/transfer rate, but it was a faster word processor than the new Acer.

Personally I'd go for ex demo, or dell repaired or returned one as long as it is much cheaper. I'd prefer XP, but vista is the way forward.

Many of the 24 hour service desk provided by the larger manufacturers are based overseas, but not everybody has trouble.

Debt_Free_Chick

Ghost wrote: »

I am such a ditherer LOL. I've been meaning to buy a new PC for well over a year, but I keep thinking there'll be a better deal just after I buy one...

That has always been the case and probably always will be. But if you get what you need, does it matter that there will be something better for the same money in the future?

but I'm put off because of the horror stories I've heard about the hassle calling Indian call centres.

I can't praise them highly enough. I've had fantastic service from them as recently as last week. With the volume of sales they have and the vast range of experience (or lack of) in the customer base, there will always be some bad experiences. No different to Tesco (look at the vent board) or any other volume retailer.

Oh, and I don't want Vista cause I think most of my software won't work on it.

Choose the PC and then customise it. In January, you certainly could choose XP instead of Vista. You probably can now, but you won't know until you try.

Register with Dell and you can save your customised spec ....... so you can think about it before you commit to buying it. It won't be available forever though, so you're gonna have to bite the bullet.

Is there a good time and/or a bad time to buy a Dell?

No

Would it be better to purchase as a business customer? (My computer is my work)

Not in my experience. The support I've had has been the same, whether I've called about my home PC or my business PC.

Is there any particular model you'd recommend? Any other advice?

I'll let others comment but will just say that you need to think about what you really need. No point in having lots of features if you're not going to get the benefit of them i.e. if you end up with features you're never going to use.

BillScarab

Have a look at https://www.dmxdimension.com for the Dell offers. It's also worth having a look at the Dell Outlet. They sell refurbs, customer returns and cancelled orders there.

unless you are runnign some very odd or old software the chances are it will work with Vista or there will be a newer version that does. What in particular are you concerned about?

In terms of spec, I'd look for a Core 2 Duo processor and at least 2 Gb of RAM. Any hard drive is going to be big after 16Gb but remember they cheap nowadays and easy to fit so if the PC you buy doesn't have a big enough disc you can always add a second later on. The same goes for RAM. I guess you're not into games on your PC so any graphics card should do you.

Ghost

Thanks for all your help so far.

I have full - but old - versions of Quark Xpress, Photoshop and Dreamweaver which I'm positive won't work on Vista and I am not spending £0000s updating it just cause of Vista operating system. Also have partition magic and all sorts of stuff that I am not prepared to replace for the sake of it.

I don't play games on my PC (up until now) as it's primarily for work, but I do process a lot of high end graphics stuff and also run many programs simultaneously. Plus lots of audio and in the future video too.

I will be networking my new PC with another XP PC (wireless) - is XP to XP better than Vista to XP?

I have considered running a duel boot system, but I would need to get partition magic on to the machine to partition it in the first place, and I'm pretty sure it's not supported in Vista. Maybe pre-loaded Vista offers an option to partition without requiring a Vista clean install... anyone know?

Cheers.

Ghost

Anyone else?

Lazy_Ike

Ghost wrote: »

Anyone else?

I have had nothing but good support from Dell. Recently set up one of their machines with Vista, but hit problems. Spent a few hours in total on line to India, but they phoned me back at times I said I was available. Eventually, perhaps if I have a criticism they tried to fix for too long, we gave up, and they replaced the whole machine, including keyboard and mouse, even though they only required the tower back.
Have just gone the business route for myself with Dell. Very pleased. Usually in the Business sectioni you can opt for XP at no extra cost, where as the only home use computers they offered all charged extra to switch from Vista to XP. I have the same reasons as yourself for keeping XP - too much non-compatible software and limited budget. I decided to upgrade my Office package, and have found reserve online and collect in store with PC World is cheaper than having it pre installed at Dell.

Ghost

Maybe the business route might be best for me then. Thanks for the info.

tomsolomon

Build one......
From scratch, you know how lego works dont you?
For £400 you can get a beast of a system.

And BTW you can still buy small HDD's. Only 37Gb the Western Digital Raptor is definately worth a look, and they come in SATA flavour.....

motorguy

Ghost wrote: »

Maybe the business route might be best for me then. Thanks for the info.

As someone else has put, use www.dmxdimension.com and pick a machine that has xp as an option if its important to you.

Also, use www.filehippo.com for free s/w - you may well find that some of that old software you are using has now got better free equivalents.

motorguy

tomsolomon wrote: »

And BTW you can still buy small HDD's. Only 37Gb the Western Digital Raptor is definately worth a look, and they come in SATA flavour.....

Why would the o/p go out and actively look at a 37Gb HDD?