PC Recommendations

[James]

The parents are after a new PC as the old one has packed up. Does have any decent desktop recommendations for around £300-400. Wouldn't need a monitor as they already have one.

 

A decent warranty would also be preferable.

 

If anyone has any ideas I'd be grateful, don't really know much about PCs now as have switched to Mac, but think that might be a bit out of their price range.

[Alwightmush]

What do/would they use it for?

[Bearsy]

Gaming and porn I should imagine

[James]

They just use it for web browsing, emails and a bit of Picasa photo uploading etc. Nothing major.

[ecuk268]

Novatech, unfortunately in Skateland (Cosham), are helpful and knowledgeable.

 

If they were slightly technically minded , they could get a fairly low-spec box, stick Ubuntu Linux on it and you have a fast machine with loads of free software available and you wont be making Bill Gates even richer.

[pap]

Novatech, unfortunately in Skateland (Cosham), are helpful and knowledgeable.

 

If they were slightly technically minded , they could get a fairly low-spec box, stick Ubuntu Linux on it and you have a fast machine with loads of free software available and you wont be making Bill Gates even richer.

 

I put Ubuntu onto all the machines in our house.

 

I'm a fan of open source too, but within six months, everyone was begging me to reinstall Windows, partly because of familiarity, but mostly because of a lack of the software they want to use.

 

Don't get me wrong - I personally love it, but I find it difficult to recommend to long-term Windows users for the reasons above, plus the fact that 90% of Linux-related content from users is "how do I do this thing I used to do easily in Windows in Linux".

[Essruu]

You should be able to get a decent enough 2nd had MacMini for that amount. Then you won't have to worry about Anti-Virus, Firewall etc., and they'll have trouble-free computing.

[ecuk268]

I put Ubuntu onto all the machines in our house.

 

I'm a fan of open source too, but within six months, everyone was begging me to reinstall Windows, partly because of familiarity, but mostly because of a lack of the software they want to use.

 

Don't get me wrong - I personally love it, but I find it difficult to recommend to long-term Windows users for the reasons above, plus the fact that 90% of Linux-related content from users is "how do I do this thing I used to do easily in Windows in Linux".

 

Agreed, there is a bit of learning curve but, if you just want internet, e-mail, office apps and photo stuff, it's good. Also got a good torrent app (not that I condone illegal downloads).

 

It's so much slicker than Windows on the same-spec machine, it's worth a bit of effort.