New computer advice sought

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PaulH
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New computer advice sought

Post by PaulH »

I have decided to bite the bullet and buy a new computer package. looking to get the best deal possible and spend the least amount (I am a Yorkshireman, it is in my genes to be a bit thrifty). Want a flat panel monitor to be included.

After perusing a few pages I found the following offers:

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/produ ... l=en&s=dhs

Seems remarkably good value to me, especially as the inc delivery and vat. But could someone tell me the difference between the Intel Celeron D chip and the Intel Pentium 4? Looking at the offers, it amounts to about 50 quid.

Or are there any other offers I should be looking at? The computer will be used fairly simply, small scale office stuff, older games, internet.
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MitchB1990
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Post by MitchB1990 »

The cheapest way to get a fast reliable computer is to build it yourself ;) like I did. But you do need to have a little knowledge of how to connect the hardware.
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Post by Gambit37 »

Cheap celeron is OK for older games and office stuff, but simply not powerful enough to run any modern games in my opinion.

A 15" flat panel screen will give you a maximum crisp res of 1024x768 so if you want higher you'll need a 17" screen or more. I think dell's flat screens suck frankly, I have 2 at work and the colour repro is shit.

80GB HD is nothing these days, esp. if you wanna do a lot of MP3 etc, but we know you're take on that, so I guess not... ;-)

The major problem is that all the tec is integrated so upgrading might be a pain. You need to find out how many expansion slots there are, because if you want to upgrade the graphics card for example, you'll lose a slot in doing so, and if there are only one or two on there alrady, this severely limits your options.

But anyway, as you don't want to do any heavy weight stuff, these are stupidly cheap adequate systems.
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Post by Adamo »

I`m planning to buy a laptop - I know they`re expensive, but doesnt take so much place in a room.. some OLD laps are really very cheap on e-bay, otherwise, they`re very slow, but I want to play older games only (rather from last millenium) and mainly use it to listening music stations from the net, so I think it`s ok. 6 Gb
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PaulH
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Post by PaulH »

Thanks for the info

I could do the build it myself route, but I doubt it would work out as cheap as some of the offers I have seen, especially when factoring in displays.

You are right, 80GB is plenty for my needs and I don't really plan to buy modern games so I might as well go for the cheaper processor. Same goes for expanding.

For 290 pounds I will take the risk. I am used to paying far more for computers!

I'll see if I can upgrade the screen too.
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PaulH
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Post by PaulH »

Well its on its way!
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Post by Sophia »

Gambit37 wrote:Cheap celeron is OK for older games and office stuff, but simply not powerful enough to run any modern games in my opinion.
Modern games? Who wants those? :lol:
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PaulH
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Post by PaulH »

My most modern game is Quake.
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Post by Paul Stevens »

'Most nearly modern'??????
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Post by PaulH »

I did used to have the original PONG console you know...
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Post by PadTheMad »

My most modern game is Snakes and Ladders...
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Post by Adamo »

PaulH said:
My most modern game is Quake.
have you tried Jdoom (a "modern" version of Doom, with engine directly from quake2)? Its has the same .wad file as in original Doom (levels and monsters positions etc), but it has better graphics, moving etc, all in all taken from the quake engine and some additional stuff like light system etc. You can run all Dooms, Heretic and Hexxen with that.
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Post by cowsmanaut »

Gambit, I'd agree some dell flats suck.. just as some sony flats suck and some toshiba ones.. etc. We have the Dell ultrasharp 19" at work and they are pretty nice.. I don't notice any color banding or ghosting at all and we all work with photoshop and 3D everyday so.. it's pretty important to have good image qualtiy and movement..

The best thing I liked about dell.. was the lack of problems I had with their systems. They just seem to work, I didn't need to fix hardly anything out of 24 computers.. just two had DVD reading issues and they brought me brand new drives and installed them the next day.. just one quick phone call. On site service rocks! and they offer it with most of their systems when you order.

You can also have some customisation with a Dell.. that can make it easier to upgrade later. Ie. vid' card, ram..

I wasn't sure what to think of Dell at first.. but I've been convinced. :)

Though.. that said.. my currnet computer is custom built so.. :P

moo
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Post by sucinum »

Adamo wrote:PaulH said:
My most modern game is Quake.
have you tried Jdoom (a "modern" version of Doom, with engine directly from quake2)? Its has the same .wad file as in original Doom (levels and monsters positions etc), but it has better graphics, moving etc, all in all taken from the quake engine and some additional stuff like light system etc. You can run all Dooms, Heretic and Hexxen with that.
That's free? Where could i get it?
I have "Final Doom" at home, which allows to run Doom 1 and 2 and the 2 new Scenarios at 640*480 and windowed (if i like), but better is always better ;)
Just have to dig for Hexen ;)
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Post by Trantor »

Actually, I recently played Doom, Doom 2 and The Plutonia Experiment again with jdoom. It is really a marvellous program, and thanks to it, I was able to see Doom as what it still is - the best ego-shooter ever made. Finding jdoom shouldn't be difficult, just google for it.

EDIT: Found a link:

http://www.fileshack.com/file.x?fid=1145
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Post by Adamo »

"plutonia experimant" levels are my favourite! I think that jdoom is about 40 Mb, and you need original .wad files for those
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Post by sucinum »

Adamo wrote:I think that jdoom is about 40 Mb, and you need original .wad files for those
...which i have, of course ;)
jdoom is only 1.12 mb - the better...
i will try it the next time i can afford losing hours of time :D
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Post by Gambit37 »

As we've gone OT here, I might as well join in!

Yes, jDoom is excellent -- I have all the WADS from Doom, Doom2, Heretic, Hexen, Deatkings, etc. and they all play very nicely in the updated engine. Hmm... I quite fancy another play of Hexen which was great... have to dig the disks out....

Of course, you probably all know that Heretic and Hexen series' were created by Raven Games, who did Black Crypt back in the day?
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Post by PaulH »

Raven still have a site dedicated to these games. And there was rumour of porting BlackCrypt to windows.
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Post by cowsmanaut »

yes it was made.. I've seen screenshots of it and multiple posts from people who have apparently played it.. but was unable to get a working link the last time I checked.. they were all dead.. :P
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Post by PadTheMad »

I've joined the jDoom posse too and I'm pleasantly surprised. It's amazing how much better it looks and plays when compared to the original. The 3D models were a plesant surprise too!
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PaulH
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Post by PaulH »

Woohoo it as arrived! Not without problems... sodding drive wont recognise the cd I made on the old comp with all my DM stuff on and modem drivers. All the free trials and stuff that Dell had preinstalled are a nightmare. Soon as I put the phone cable anywhere near the modem they all tried to connect and crashed the computer! The Mcafee registration did it too.

Monitor is ace. Didn't realise the red gun had died on the crt!
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Post by MitchB1990 »

hmmm
well first you should uninstall the demos and MCAFEE, Mcafee is a horrible virus protection. get a program called AVG Anti virus ( Free Edition). as for the hard disk you need to get on the internet to get drivers most likely. Just google for htem :)
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Post by Gambit37 »

I'd do a fresh install from a pure XP disk if you can get one, and get rid of all the dell guff. They put more and more crap in the oem installs which is great for utter noobs, but a massive pita for anyone else.
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PaulH
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Post by PaulH »

I have managed to uninstall most of the crap, just trying to work out what all the 'processes' are: it lists 60 running which seems a lot. Narked it won't read my CD, it reads all others, and my old PC reads it fine.

I have Dld AVG, Ad-aware, a firewall and got cookie wall. Any other tips for security?
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Post by Gambit37 »

60!!!! Is that after start-up without running any apps? Excessive...

You don't need any of that crappy ad ware if you use a good firewall/virus checker and a decent browser such as FireFox. AVG sucks -- do yourself a favour and invest in a paid one. I use Norton which is rather bloated -- I've heard that Nod32 is very good though.

http://www.nod32.com/home/home.htm

Weird about the CD. Is it a CD-R or CD-RW that you made by dragging files onto it via windows explorer? I think some of those 'instant write' plugins for d'n'd copying can often bugger up discs...
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Post by sucinum »

If the CD can't be read, plug your old harddrive into the new PC to copy your stuff. Maybe you burnt it to fast and the newer CDR/DVDR can't read it because the error-correction is too crappy.
For the cramped up Windows:
Fire up msconfig.exe, this allows you kill everything in the autostart easyly. Kill everything you don't know - might end up in killing everything, but 60 (!) processes... This calls for hard measures.
Better: format c:, reinstall
Install these programs (all free):
Firefox
AdAware
avast! Antivirus
IrfanView
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Post by PaulH »

60 with AOL running, so about 54 without. Will find out what they all are and then MSConfig to alter the start up. Seems like there is a lot of unnecessary bumf running. Cheers Dell!

The firewall I am using is AOLs version of Mcaffee personal plus: I DLd it today after I got rid of the pre installed 'trial' security centre which was a pain in the arse. I have had Norton before, wasn't too impressed but will check out that link. Mitch seems to like AVG!

Will get Firefox too, but I have to start up the AOL console to sign on the net which is explorer based. Thats AOL for you.

It is a CD-R: I used the software to write the files after making a folder. Didn't drag and drop. I might tke the old HD out and temporarily connect it to my new computer, or get a cheap USB memory gizmo.

Glad that this computer has finally sorted out my connection problems. Indeed it was USB power conflict with my old hardware, due to the Viatech motherboard and USB software.

Gotta say, I am pretty happy for 290 quid! To say I payed 700 for the last one 3 years ago which is inferior. Amazing how quickly technology moves on.
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Post by MitchB1990 »

Heh well Avg works great for me, I got Firefox, Spybot Search and Destroy, Spyblaster(Spyware Preventor), Ad-aware, and Beclean. havn't had a virus yet :)
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Post by PaulH »

Cheers guys. Windows Xp was pre intstalled, don't have the disc.

Whats IrfanView?
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