Help needed in picking a new PC

[wolf63]

My PC died this year and I have been using my back-up laptop (MacBook).

Whilst the macbook is good for surfing and playing with I can't get the hang of the files and documents and photograph stuff (stuff is a technical word I hope). I have my backup on Carbonite so I haven't lost any useless information.

Where is the best place to look for a computer that will suit my needs?

⇰The only games that I play are word games and freecell.
⇰I am on Blueyonder broadband.
⇰I want something smaller if possible.
⇰Windows XP if at all possible.
⇰NOT TOO EXPENSIVE

If I go out to, say, PC world I will end up buying something that is totally unsuitable to my needs and something too expensive for my bank account.

So - pick me a computer. Please!

Susan
☺☂♘♨

[ELVIS68]

Can you not tell them at PC World what you`re after?..surely they won`t rip you off with something you don`t need

[wolf63]

I could - but I often feel that they are just a bit too eager to sell me something.

I have had excellent technical guidance on here - and I felt that somebody might be kind enough to steer me in the right direction.

The MacBook is great but had I not won it in a competition I would never have considered getting one. Buying anything other than a modestly priced PC is a tad too extravagant.

Night

[ELVIS68]

Perhaps buying a second hand PC would be the best bet

Good luck anyway

[TTG]

Ditto. Find a pc hobbiest shop and go for something around £300.

[RATTER15]

I would always suggest that you buy the best PC you can afford, PC world are generally fairly good with these things £300 will get you a reasonable PC. Always worth considering a second hand PC if you know what you are doing or take a friend that knows.

[Jemisa]

Susan, & when you find it let me know, my circumstances are pretty much the same as yours.
I went in PC World the other day & was completely confused by the whole selection. I came out of there with my head in a mucking fuddle.
I've had my hard-drive10 years, my screen is fairly new, can one buy just a hard-drive? would that work out any cheaper?

jem. - Thanx for letting me use your thread Susan. x

[daffy654]

You would probably be better off buying online from somewhere like Dell. They have a Dell Outlet too where you can buy refurbished PCs for much less than shop price. In fact you could get a really good refurbished for around £300. Just google "Dell Outlet" and select the home user option on their website.

[daffy654]

http://www.euro.dell....f.aspx?refid=df&s=dfo

There you go... Dell Outlet link :0)

[AB Editor]

//⇰I want something smaller if possible.//

By this do you mean something which will take up less space on your desk, or something which is portable?

If it is the former, have a look at larger laptops - they tend to have all required from a desktop, while being a little bit smaller.

If the latter, have a look at the various "netbooks" on the market at the moment. Some can be as small at 10" - but you'll need very dainty fingers to type at speed.

All the best

Spare Ed

[wolf63]

Thanks everybody.

Jemisa - shops like PC world are frightening. I took my brother with my last time as he was visiting me, but he stays in Nottingham and I am in Perth - so not going to happen.

AB editor - ideally I want one that isn't big enough for my lady cat to sprawl over. She is long haired and has managed to clog the insides up with hair in the past. I put things on top of the hard drive and she just knocked them off again. The words "wheelie bin" seem to have entered my mind.

I don't know how much I will have to spend until I pay for the repairs to my roof, I have just gotten over the shock of having to pay £3000 for a combi boiler.

I better go and do 'stuff' ;-)