Minty

Just about to buy a new computer. Want a fairly high spec one? Anyone got any views on which make to go for?

Minty

Bob

If you want high spec and already have an old one, I'd get one custom made, much cheaper and you'll get exactly what you need and want, and can re-use old stuff.
www.pricewatch.com for parts and companies.

Gateway is really shite out of the two you've got listed...reall horrid to update and there not that well built. Dell aren't great either in that respect, but if you don't have a clue about puters, and don't have one already, they are the better of the two.

snorkmaiden

We've always had Dells. We have to get high spec as hubby uses art packages that need a lot of oomph.

We have purchased three Dell desktops while we have been in America and we just bought a Dell lap top and not a problem with any of them.

We had a few at home and not a problem with any of them either, in fact my brother in law still uses one of our very old ones and my sister has the oldest and all of them are going strong, even though they are a little slow these days.

dbj1000

...or you could just cut all that crap and buy a Mac.

That way you would have a really well built machine with an operating system years in advance of WinXP, and wouldn't need to worry about viruses, trojans, spyware and the endless stream of security concerns plaguing PCs today.

I use many high-end PCs running most flavours of Windows from Win 3.1 through WinXP, and I am always relieved to come home to my Mac!

FlyergirlUK

Couldn't live without my Mac, nor could Hubs. Neither of us can stick PCs - too slow and no good at multi-tasking, (that's about as technical as I get but you know what I mean)!

Bob

There's still plenty of security flaws in mac's though...and virus', just because there not in the news all the time, doesn't mean that it isn't safer...just people can't be bothered writing as many trojans etc for it.

Bob

PC's are good at multi tasking...just depends on what your doing...works a treat having 3dms5, photoshop cs and all the other shite I've got running...

sibsie

I bought a new Dell desktop late last year. It was an expensive one with a fancy screen and I totally love it.

rincewind

Dell....everytime.

Great support if you need it.

My only complaint is all the crap that comes pre-installed with them. AOL, Norton, all that tripe. But then, all computer companies do that now. Everytime I buy a new machine I spend about an hour removing all the unwanted crap.

Check Dell's web site every month as they always have deals going on.

I'd love to get a new machine sometime soon and when I do it will be a Dell. We have two e-machines at the mo but I need a third for my music studio

anotherlimey

I've just moved our company to Dell PCs from Compaq/HP; not because they were that much better reliability wise but because you get more bang for your buck, so to speak.

Try this consumer site for Dell bargains:

http://gotapex.com/deals.php

dbj1000

Interesting - this has been the line taken by Microsoft for many years. However, Symantec claimed last month to have found the first ever MacOS X virus in the wild, only for it to turn out to be a false alarm. Symantec's spreading of unfounded fears about Mac security put the whole topic up for increased attention, and the outcome was simple:

Currently there are no viruses loose in the wild for MacOS X, despite one company offering a $25,000 prize for the first person who could write one.

Currently there is no known spyware that runs under MacOS X.

There are only three Trojan Horse applications recorded under MacOS X, and all three have only been found masquerading as pirate copies of Microsoft Office on illegal filesharing networks.

While PC users often claim that Mac users don't get viruses because "nobody can be bothered to write a virus for the Mac", we Mac users don't really care what the reasons are. Fact is, we don't have to endlessly worry about what crap has infected our computers

Bob

$25K isn't really enough incentive to break the law though...penalties of getting caught for writing a virus are a bit steep to just write it and advertise that they did it...

It's all horses for courses, mac's have there good points for the average home user, but for me, they just don't work...would cost way to much to have to suddenly get new software, and more importantly, 3DSM doesn't have a mac version and that's not enough of a reason to learn maya.

dbj1000

...but if you learned Maya you'd have a seriously marketable skill.

I'm not trying to convert you to using a Mac, Bob. I'm just pointing out that people really should consider them as an option for a home computer, particularly if they want a machine they never have to mess with.

By the way, my Mac here has been running continuously, without a single crash, for just over a year. The only reboots (6 of 'em) have been those required by Apple software updates. I have yet to use a PC in either a scientific, office or home environment which can come close to that kind of reliability.

rincewind

It's just personal taste I guess. I've used Macs in the past and just didn't get on with them. There were four in an office where I worked and they were nothing but trouble. Once a week, one of them just wouldn't boot up or shut down.

But then, PCs have their faults too. But as I've used them longer, I know how to fix them. Whereas a Mac, I would have to start from scratch.

I'd like to use a G5 my music studio as I've heard GarageBand is the tops, but it would take me too long to get familiar with it all.

Like Bob, the PC fits what I do musically and Web wise. I work with too many database projects, etc for me to start playing around with Mac stuff.

For me, a Mac looks like sex when its setup on a workstation, but what it does leaves me longing for more. Guess I've been spoiled by Mr Gates

As for viruses, sure, there are more for the PC but that's due to their popularity. And as for worrying about viruses? Nah, I have everything in place for that but the main thing is common sense. If you're dumb enough to open an .exe file sent in a spam mail, then it's your own fault

Bob

not really...in movies yes, but not in games...there's a few out there that use it, but not enough to want to invest in it....hardly cheap getting it or those books...