Ugh. Spec me a "Dell"

The Halk · 16 Jun 2007 at 17:39

Friend of my father has decided it's time to get a new PC.

He's not a cheapskate, but he has no need for anything fancy in the way of graphics cards.

He already owns a copy of XP - for some reason he decided to buy XP professional for no reason, because he already had XP Home... So that's out of the window.

Don't include a monitor/keyboard/mouse. I'll sort a monitor separately if he wants one.

It'll be used for internet, email, loading his and his wifes iPods, installing spyware regularly so I get a phonecall from my dad asking if I fancy a trip out to Jims...

I'm thinking 2MB ram, dual core, a reasonably quiet aftermarket cooler would be nice.

I can build the thing, I could watercool it, I could overclock it, but I have no idea what's best value for money, and what air coolers are quiet and capable etc.

Will_3rd · 16 Jun 2007 at 17:40

budget?

The Halk · 16 Jun 2007 at 17:41

No budget. Just what's the best value for money these days and is reasonably future proof.

I'm happy to tell him 200 quid, and happy to tell him 500 quid.

No games will be run on it.

Edit : And when I say spec me a Dell I don't mean I want to buy it from Dell. I've had a look and all of their packages have stuff he doesn't need and I'm not happy for him to pay for.

Growlingfish · 16 Jun 2007 at 19:00

I'd start with a bit more than 2MB RAM

The Halk · 16 Jun 2007 at 19:08

Growlingfish said:
I'd start with a bit more than 2MB RAM

Erm, yesh. I meant 2GB

I once upgraded my Atari STs memory from 512KB to 2MB. 2MB was a LOT back then.

skanky · 16 Jun 2007 at 19:16

correct me if im wrong, but you wont be able to get one without a keyb/mouse, same goes for OS.?

Growlingfish · 16 Jun 2007 at 19:20

skanky said:
correct me if im wrong, but you wont be able to get one without a keyb/mouse, same goes for OS.?

He doesn't literally want a Dell, just a simple machine like a Dell would be.

Will_3rd · 16 Jun 2007 at 19:24

something I knocked together

The Halk · 16 Jun 2007 at 19:39

Thanks, that gives me something to work from.

Pretty much the cheapest of the cheap as far as components goes. The one I've just done based on yours went for an Allendale CPU, but skimmed a bit by going for the cheapest graphics card OcUK sell and OcUK value RAM.

400 quid all in isn't bad, and it'll pee all over anything he'll throw at it for the next 5 years.

noxidjkram@hotm · 16 Jun 2007 at 20:32

Might be worth getting a mobo with onboard GFx - will likely shave a few quid off too.

M

Jaffa_Cake · 16 Jun 2007 at 20:59

Is it only me that can't read what Will's spec says?

Will_3rd · 16 Jun 2007 at 21:05

Jaffa_Cake said:
Is it only me that can't read what Will's spec says?

sorry not on the Mac today, therefore below par spec images are the result

linky:

The Halk · 17 Jun 2007 at 03:53

noxidjkram@hotm said:
Might be worth getting a mobo with onboard GFx - will likely shave a few quid off too.

M

I thought about that, but looking at the prices, at most it'd shave a tenner off, which would be lost in delivery charges.

I'll price up a similar AMD system, using the CPU charts at Tomshardware, but unless the AMD system is a fair bit ahead, then it'll be an intel.

Not really sure why, but for running at stock, as a PC in a box, never touch the BIOS, never run above rated spec, Intel just seems right.