Desktop PC for less...
 

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[Closed] Desktop PC for less than 3400

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By brothers desktop PC is life expired (OK, it may not be but it is not worth persuading him otherwise and it is probably 8+ years old).

He is a teacher and works on it preparing lessons and presentations and browses the internet. He is not a power user. No need to include a monitor as the one he has is decent.

What would you recommend for £400 or less?

So far I have considered a Mac Mini secondhand and the Dell Outlet, he suggested Novatech.

Bonus points for inclusion of proper MS Office.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 3:35 pm
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Bought many a computer or barebones from Novatech. I'd recommend them.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 3:38 pm
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Mac Mini is great, my 2009 machine is still going strong and runs all latest OS software. If you are going that route you should factor in cost of Apple keyboard and magic mouse as the machine works better with them. So budget is a bit tight as they hold their value very well.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 3:41 pm
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Take a look at [url= http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/view/Aurora-300-PC/ ]PCSpecialist [/url] I have a desktop from there and would recommend them.

[url= http://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/SecondaryInventorySearch.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=dfh&cs=ukdfh1&puid=a1baf792 ]Dell outlet £240[/url]


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 3:49 pm
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I agree, Macs seem to have good longevity. I have a 2007 iMac and it really is still a pleasure to use.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 3:49 pm
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GrahamA - I'm interested in what your £240 Dell Outlet link was but the link doesn't seem to work.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 3:51 pm
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Any good:

http://www.ebuyer.com/643319-zoostorm-desktop-pc-7260-8000

openoffice is free to download


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 4:11 pm
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Sorry, works for me, may be session based. Try

http://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/InventorySearch.aspx?c=uk&cs=ukdfh1&l=en&s=dfh&brandid=1&fid=1445


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 4:37 pm
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The one from ebuyer (simonlovell999) is a similar spec' but the dell has built in wifi.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 4:41 pm
 mboy
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Many valid options here, but just a note if he does want a Mac Mini....

As a teacher he will be entitled to education discount on one, not an enormous amount granted but iirc brings it closer to £400 than £500.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 4:45 pm
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I'd be taking the Mac mini route. You get the pages numbers and keynote included, where as the Dell you don't. He'll get a cheap version of office because he's a teacher but in my experience any PC under £700 will be garbage where as the mac will go on and on. My works PC has something like 8 cores and 12gb of ram and it's still a bag of spanners.

There's very little day to day usability difference between my 2013 macbook and the lasses 2007 version. My 2008 Dell XPS laptop is almost unusable by comparison.

Get the mac, it's cheaper in the long run and a pleasure to use.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 5:27 pm
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Spec for spec PCs and Macs use the same hardware, so if your PC is running slow, just wipe it and start fresh. It'll be nice and fast.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 5:44 pm
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That Dell is pretty impressive for the money, thanks GrahamA.

Wozza, I tend to agree with you. Whilst I am sure Daffy is right about wiping clear the fact is a lot of people don't know how to, or want to, do such things, My brother is firmly in that camp. My experience of owning a Mac is that it is working just as well as the day I bought it already secondhand and turned it on.


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 8:08 pm
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Chillblast are often good specs for the money, I got one from them last year, great to deal with too


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 8:21 pm
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£3,400 will get you a lot of PC wont it ? 😆


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 8:23 pm
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I'm surprised no one mentioned that before, damn shift key 😆


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 10:01 pm
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😀 I only opened this to see WTF you needed to do with a £3,400 pc


 
Posted : 01/09/2014 10:06 pm

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