Help to buy a decent computer

marylee

I am looking to buy a computer to replace my ancient windows 98. Do not know what to look when buying. My specifications are very basic, I want one with flat monitor, with floppy disc drive and with a cd and dvd burner and rewriter, the rest does not really matter as I do not know what I should be looking when buying. I have also seen the wireless keyboard and mouse, and am wondering whether they are any good. I only spend about 3 - 4 hrs on the internet on dial up and might use the new pc to download music when I get broadband.

Still undecided with broadband, I am happy with btyahoo surftime but am paying £14 a month now. I think, I could get cheaper than that if I shop around. With broadband, will have to pay £17.99 a month with limited usage. A bit apprehensive to shop around for cheaper as a newbie and not very confident with using the computer. If I do decide to go g with ukonline at £9.99. Do I still keep btyahoo as my ISP and will I have to pay a connection fee to BT? The reason I am asking, I know someone who is with freeserve, but said she pay a subscription to bt and freeserve for the surftime. Does that make any sense to anybody or am I geting myself in a muddle? Basically what I want to know if I cancel with BT and decided to go with Tesco dial up, will I have to pay line rental to BT for using the internet.

I do hope someone will be able to understand my post. Thanks a lot.

gizmoleeds

Go to https://www.dell.co.uk and find the most basic PC and choose "configure and buy" and change it to include a flat panel monitor - this should suit your needs and be reasonably priced. You do not, by your description, sound like you need any extra RAM or a big hard drive or anything. Go down the list of options and check off any you don't need (you may, for example, get to deduct a couple of hundred quid by choosing a 1yr warranty over a default 3yr one.

I cannot comment on dial up as I don't have it, but there are good broadband deals around for similar to what you're paying.

I think there is also a dell outlet store which sells PCs which have had their orders cancelled and stuff for less.

budgetflyer

PC world are doing a full packard bell package with 17" tft monitor for £399. Or you can choose a CRT monitor and get a "free" printer. Just bought one yesterday. Much better than the entry level Dell model. (bought 2 of those 3 month ago)

Colcoops

Have you heard of the Government's Home Computer Initiative that is about to start. My wife and I work for different companies and have both been offered similar deals. My Company (Thales) is using Dell. You can select a PC and pay for it in 36 installments out of your wages and before tax and NI is deducted. After the 36 months, you get the option to buy the PC for a nominal sum (£10). My wife workd for Viking and they are using a different company but are advertising that the PC's are up to 50% cheaper than the high street.
My company lets you buy bikes from Halfords with the same conditions.

The fact that it is a Government initiative means that you may be able to get it through your company or a friend may be willing to do it for you.

xueta

Hi Marylee,

Keeping it simple ...

Buy the Packard Bell package (mentioned in post #3) with the 17" TFT flat screen monitor from Currys - here. Use a £25 discount code - here - to get it for only £374 delivered. (The same deal is also available from Dixons, but they are currently showing out of stock). This doesn't have a floppy disk drive, but most new PCs won't have one unless requested as an extra. Do you really need one?

As for the Broadband access ... if you are on the UKonline exchange then their £9.99 per month 1Mb uncapped service would be an excellent deal. You would need to buy a £29.99 broadband modem from them (or buy it possibly cheaper elsewhere) and sign up for a 12 month contract. You will still need to pay your BT line rental and your phone calls as normal.

So total for a new PC and a year's broadband would £374 + £29.99 + (£9.99 x 12) = £523.87. How does that sound?

scheming_gypsy

marylee wrote:

Still undecided with broadband, I am happy with btyahoo surftime but am paying £14 a month now. I think, I could get cheaper than that if I shop around. With broadband, will have to pay £17.99 a month with limited usage.

will you? maybe last year you would. Tiscali do 512mb for £14.99 with a 30Gig limit. If you're using dial-up now then you definately ain't going to be doing 30Gig a month.

gizmoleeds

xueta wrote:

This doesn't have a floppy disk drive, but most new PCs won't have one unless requested as an extra. Do you really need one?

You can buy a new floppy drive for a fiver from a PC shop, and a friend with even a farily basic knowledge of PCs would be able to fit it.

chrb

Ebuyer are selling an Esys PC for 155 including VAT Esys PC for 155 including VAT. Cheaper than anything from Dell.

fbrj

xueta wrote:

Hi Marylee,

Keeping it simple ...

Buy the Packard Bell package (mentioned in post #3) with the 17" TFT flat screen monitor from Currys - here. Use a £25 discount code - here - to get it for only £374 delivered. (The same deal is also available from Dixons, but they are currently showing out of stock). This doesn't have a floppy disk drive, but most new PCs won't have one unless requested as an extra. Do you really need one?

Thanks for your post - bro in law just bought this setup having seen this thread!......arriving Friday. To my untechie eye it looks a pretty good deal for the £...esp with TFT screen. RAM might need upgrading at some stage plus graphics if he turns out to be ardent gamer!!