I'm in the process of looking for a new desktop PC, since it's inconvenient stokign the boiler on the old one every time I want to send an email. But I'm a bit baffled by science.
Quite tempted to go with one of Dell's refurbished units- these are usualyl warranty returns or misspecced machines that they've fixed and stuck up for sale at discounted prices. I've got an absolute ceiling of £750, but that doesn't need to cover network card or router, and doesn't really need to cover screen or speakers (though screen might be nice, this one's ot bad but it's not great.
Soooo.
First of all, processors. P1 vs P4? Is it worth spending mondey to go up from 3gb to 3.2 or 3.4?
Next, RAM- I figure there's no point cutting corners here, looking at 1gb (my first PC- from which some parts are still in use, like this keyboard and the sound card, was a P75 with 8mb of RAM...)
Where I'm really lost is graphics cards. This is an internet/work/gaming one. I don't play first person shooters much, but I do love strategy and RTS games, and since the 3D bug bit those all like to abuse graphics cards. SO it doesn't have to be uber, but it does have to be pretty good.
A lot of the Dells come with the ATI Radeon X600 256MB HyperMemory... Now, I'm assuming that'll be better than my 4mb Xpert@Work
But is it actually good? Some come with the 256MB nVidia Ge Force 6800, but I think they're now a little old hat? I checked some recommended specs and I was seeing 7200s show up...
Command me, oh computing lords! And remember, Northwind is good with bikes, but not much god at all with PCs, so I'm not looking for a flatpack here
