Reply to: New desktop PC for home ~£500 ?

[Fred Bloggs]

I always go to Overclockers. Mr C is very happy with his PC.

Definitely this. They do good prices on parts, if you spec a full PC they build it for you with no charge for labour. You get a three year warranty too. When my son had a new PC from them and decided 6 months later to upgrade it, they credited the removed parts against the new ones at their full retail price, which was outstanding and still no labour charge too. They make a really neat and tidy job of assembly, all cables tidied away and cable tied/clipped neatly. I will definitely use them for any desktop computing needs in the future.

[anonymouse]

Cheap, cheap

Still looking for a sub £400 desktop. It's amazing how stingy I can be to save that extra couple of hundred quid sometimes.

I have one of these for working away, use it as a media centre and browsing. Just plugs into the TV hdmi port, add USB hub and mouse, and start surfing.
(Usually PremierInn with 40inch TV)

Windows1062+Android 4.4 Dual OS Inter Mini PC Computer TV Stick Quad Core 2/32GB | eBay


It depends on how quick you want the PC to be. Although I'm looking one of these instead, just easier/neater with the extra USB ports.

Mini PC Intel Quad Core 1.83GHz Dual OS Windows 10 & Android 4.4 RAM2GB/ROM32GB | eBay

[ChimpMaster]

Still looking for a sub £400 desktop. It's amazing how stingy I can be to save that extra couple of hundred quid sometimes.

[MrMarkyMark]

Yeah, but they are so last century. Rather embarrasing if anyone sees it.

True, but given a couple of years, can then be recycled into a useful household item

[DimPrawn]

You'll get a better spec desktop for £500 than you will a laptop.

Yeah, but they are so last century. Rather embarrasing if anyone sees it.

[d000hg]

It is possible if there is more than one VGA or HDMI port on the motherboard.
With the example I gave there is 1 x VGA and 1 x HDMI

You sure you can't use both at once? My Mac Mini has that type of setup.

Does HMDI allow splitting, the way DVI does? What happened to DVI anyway, did HDMI kill it?

[unixman]

Hot UK Deals is your friend. Watch the Computers section for a few days. Desktop PCs come up regularly.

Regarding laptop/desktop, you could always have a laptop with external keyboard and monitors. Desktop sounds better in your case tbh.

[DallasDad]

Is nearly new or new old stock a suitable alternative option?
Last years whiz bang hi-spec go faster stripe PC is this years Ebay bargain.

[cojak]

I always go to Overclockers. Mr C is very happy with his PC.

[CompulsiveArsonist]

Surely you can do dual-monitor with onboard graphics these days?

It is possible if there is more than one VGA or HDMI port on the motherboard.
With the example I gave there is 1 x VGA and 1 x HDMI

Personally I would prefer to have a dedicated graphics card but on-board graphics these days is more than adequate.

[d000hg]

Would be useful for doing a multi-monitor setup.

Surely you can do dual-monitor with onboard graphics these days?

[CompulsiveArsonist]

Is a graphics card needed for a home office PC?

I'm not talking about gaming. The kids might play YouTube vids and some kiddy games online, but that's about it.

Would be useful for doing a multi-monitor setup.

[VectraMan]

Is a graphics card needed for a home office PC?

I'm not talking about gaming. The kids might play YouTube vids and some kiddy games online, but that's about it.

I can't see any reason not to use on board graphics for everything these days, unless you're a hardcore gamer.

[ChimpMaster]

Is a graphics card needed for a home office PC?

I'm not talking about gaming. The kids might play YouTube vids and some kiddy games online, but that's about it.

[VectraMan]

I recently bought a Novatech bare bones system ( i5 16GB ) for about £400. I had an SSD, 2xHDD and retail copy of Windows (honestly) going spare, but you could certainly buy an SSD and HDD for <£100 and stay within your budget.

Pretty pleased with it.