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New Desktop PC

Hi,

My Desktop PC looks on it's last legs. It died today, and whilst it is currently working (on me getting everything I can backed up), I don't think it will work reliably again (errors with HDD / motherboard / not seeing all drives etc)

I haven't kept up with the latest hardware, so I have a few questions:

  • Is a Phenom processor any good? I know Celerons & Semprons are a bit cack, but what about a Phenom? How does it compare to a Core Duo/Core Duo 2?
  • Are Aria systems any good?
  • And good suggestions for about the £200-£250 mark (no monitor etc needed), occasional games but nothing more stressful than Command & Conquer)
  • Refurbished would be OK, since I'll no doubt open it up anyway
  • Is there anywhere with a good sale on?


This looks OK - I think?:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=004402&category_oid=

Or this one:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/ho/WF06b/12454-12454-3329740-64546-64546-3733085-3755437.html which I can get a little cheaper. I'm guessing the Nvidia GeForce 7600GT from my old PC would be a better graphics adaptor too?
 
Last edited:
1) IIRC AMD are struggling a bit financially, not that the Phenom is bad, just that Intel has caught up.
2) My first PC (IBM compatible) came from Aria and I haven't had any bad experiences with them.

I'll let others answer the rest ... :hrmph:
 
The latest Intels wipe the floor with the AMD cpu's, but from the sound of it you dont need that kind of horsepower. (Not biased, I dont buy Intel).
I have not tried an Aria system, I build my own, but the kit I have bought from them as mostly been of good quality.

If the mobo is failing, there is a good chance the hard Drive etc, are actually OK, so I would grit my teeth, reach for the screw driver and rip out the mobo and replace it with something from Aria or your local Computer Fair.

BUT !!!!

before spending that kind of money, try replacing the PSU; if the psu is going down it can make everything else look like it is failing. order yourself a decent spec PSU and try it, even if it doesnt solve the problem, you will need a decent PSU to go with the new mobo.
 
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You may be right about it being the PSU since my graphics adaptor was complaining about not receiving enough power recently.

So whats a decent spec PSU? and are they easy to fit?

Bear in mind this is for a Pentium 4, so not exactly cutting edge!

Thanks

Andy
 
I like the nexus series of PSU. especially the 80+ range. (80% efficiency) They run quiet and are very strong. I have one in the P4 machine I have.

Pretty much it depends how much money you wanna spend. I'd be looking at about £50-60 to get a decent starter PSU. (tend to like the best components I can get) You can pay less but every time I have bought cheap I regret it. That's my 2p worth anyway.

Just a note but core2duo is gonna be old hat really soon. Especially when you have seen the i7. (expensive at the mo tho)
 
The budget end is a little difficult and some of those AMD systems are very well priced, though if it were me I'd be tempted to pick something with one of Intel's newer 'E' / Core 2 series CPU's in. I say that purely because AMD's X2/AM2 chips are well priced but there is a caveat, next time you upgrade you'll need to replace the whole system because X2’s don’t go that far.

By comparison if you select an Intel then the wonderful thing is that their Socket 775 CPU's are still in abundance and you could easily get a major upgrade in another year from buying a top-end CPU for an upgrade. By then of course a top-end 775 will be mid-range/old stock and so a lot cheaper. I’m still on my old 775 motherboard and have been merrily upgrading the CPU once a year since late 2005. Now on a Q9550, started with an E6600.
 
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I have a couple of Earthwatts PSU's and I love them, well built, 80% + power efficiency and VERY quiet.

Fitting is easy, unplug the various cables from the mobo and drives, undo the 4 screws that hold the PSU onto the back plate of the case, pull it out and slide the new one in!!
 
I've just ripped a PSU out of a mates PC, just to see if a new one will solve the problem.
 
One other thing to try if changing PSU fails, and it DID happen to me a few years ago; disconnect the FDD (floppy), data and power cables, I have had the FDD motor go short circuit in two different PC's (different makes of FDD as well), and that pulled down the voltage enough to stop everything else from working correctly.
 
My FDD hasn't been connected in the last 2 years or so.

Last time I open the box I had to disconnect it in order to access the bit I needed (memory slots I think) and couldn't get the cables back in with risking amputating my fingers. After a couple of attempts I gave up, and never did get round to reconnecting it.

I was going to try fitting the 'new' PSU yesterday, but ended up shooting aliens on Gears of War 2 online instead (fantastic way to waste a day off!!). The PSU will probably have to wait until the weekend.
 
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before spending that kind of money, try replacing the PSU; if the psu is going down it can make everything else look like it is failing.

My PC died again on Friday, so I finally got round to putting the new/old PSU in, after I ripped it out of an old Dell and so far so good.

I haven't had any of the issues that I have intermittently suffered over the last few months (graphics card not getting enough power, drives disappearing, refusing to boot, 'NTLDR is missing' etc)

Best of all, the PSU was free, as my friend runs his own PC repair business, and it came from a PC that was to be scrapped so didn't cost me anything.

Good suggestions Captain_Cretin - thanks for the help everyone.
 
No Problem, why let someone else suffer if you suffered and found a cure, that is my philosophy.
 
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