Which new computer?

[sawfish]

I'm considering buying a new computer for around £350-£400. What I'd like to know is, would I be better going for a well known brand like a slightly older Dell which might have a slower processor, or should I go for a nameless one with 'apparently' better specs?

Would it necessarily be any faster if the nameless one had a Pentium 3 instead of a pentium 2.8 in the Dell?

Does the new 800mhz pentium perform a whole lot better than one thats less than 800mhz, and does the type of motherboard I would get on it make a big difference?

Also, is there any advantage in having a seperate graphics card like a 128 geforce, or are ones such as the INTEL REAL 256E 128 BIT GRAPHICS onboard graphics any worse?


thanks guys.

 

[xit]

you know best what you will be using your machine for. If you are a casual user you won't find much of a difference in processors which are very close or good onboard video vs add on card. If on the other hand you need speed and excellent graphics then you might consider the best processors, memory and AGP video card. As far as brand name, they may have the best warranty, but ask your independent builder about his warranty, always get warranty in writing.
good luck
xit

 

[paparazi]

sawfish
So many questions!!!
£350/£450 is this for a new base unit only or a complete system?
Anyway I think the basis of your questions are is:
New technology versa's old and brand name versa's non branded.

A 2.8 P4 is going to be so much faster is everyway compared to a P3 800 including the many extra features that the newer platform will have compared to the old Everything has just moved on, it's not just the processor speed, it's everything! motherboard chipset, faster ram, better sound, faster ports with USB2 etc and better graphics interface with 8x AGP.
Agueing for the older machine I will say that if all you want to do is word process and surf the net then it would be fine.

HP, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Compaq, Fujitsu, Sony etc, who do you think makes them?
HP?, Dell?, Hewlett Packard?, Compaq?, Fujitsu?, Sony?
NO!! they may put them together but open up any of the above machines and you will find a multitude of manufactures parts inside, eg:

A HP may have an Gigabyte motherboard with an AMD processor, a Samsung hard drive, Mitzumi floppy with a Sony DVD writer, just that the case/ monitor/ mouse etc is badged HP even though they are possibly Logitech and LG.

The point is these so called "Branded machines" are no more "made by" these companies than a custom built machine, just that they are styled and badged with that companies logo.

Lastly, a seperate 128mb AGP graphics card (even an entry level Radeon or FX) is going to be far superior for gaming and 3D applications than an onboard solution but possibly wasted if you have no intention of running such software?

So it really depends on your intended use as to the specification you will need in a PC.
Martin

Start by questioning and soon you will be answering.
So please take but remember to return and give when you can.

 

[sawfish]

brilliant replies guys. I'm a graphic designer so I suppose a new one with a fast processor then.

 

[paparazi]

sawfish
That helps tremendously.
Without going over the top and suggesting a G5 I will give you the following pointers.
Intel P4 is ideal, with 800 front side bus better and on an intel chipset motherboard (865 or 875) perfect.
Matrox graphics cards are designed for this and other specific uses. The graphics card doesn't necessarily need loads of ram 32mb would be OK 64 might be the smallest you can find (maybe an older G450 or G550)
If The Matrox is too much money then mainstream ATI Radeons, like the 9200 give a good sharp image and dual monitor versions are available.
Branded memory!!! loads of it! 512mb minimum.
Nice fast SATA hard drive with a decent bit of space, say 120gig? or more.
Two drives in a Raid configuration would also speed things up.
Quality power supply (the hidden hero) in a stable/reliable system.
Storage? DVDRW, CDRW etc.
Martin

Start by questioning and soon you will be answering.
So please take but remember to return and give when you can.

 

[sawfish]

I'm looking ata a matrox G550, is this a good matrox card to get? Or a MATROX G2+ / QUADP - PL?

 

[paparazi]

sawfish
The G550 is a solid enough performer particularly in 2D where you want it.
The MATROX G2+ / QUADP - PL is altogether a differant beast, with the capability to run 4 flatscreens or CRT's plus TV tuner, certainly overkill if you don't need these features (plus very expensive)
Martin


Start by questioning and soon you will be answering.
So please take but remember to return and give when you can.