Re: OT: Recommend new high end PC?

In article <fondq31gs699a53so7kifgb8o4mdigidt7@xxxxxxx>, Terry Pinnell
says...
I first tried subscribing to uk.comp.vendors, which sounded the more
appropriate group for my enquiry, but was surprised to find it *very*
low-traffic. Is there another group (or online forum) that is
recommended? Meanwhile, hope I can get some advice here please, even
though I'm OT.

I want to replace my present 5-year old MESH Athlon 1800 )about 1533
MHz) 1 GB with a high(ish) performance desktop PC, and I'd appreciate
recommendations please.

Main requirements are:

1) Intel, at least Core 2 Quad 6600.

2) At least 2 GB RAM. Usually have at least half a dozen apps open at
once. (e.g. Firefox with a dozen tabs open, TextPad, Movie Editor Pro,
PaintShop Pro, Snagit, Media Monkey, etc.) Gather XP can't handle more
than 2 (3?) GB RAM?

3) Two large (500 or 750 MB) fast drives. I'd use one for nightly
backup of main stuff. Possibly buy another 750 MB external drive, as
these DVD work files soon accumulate.

4) Reputable UK supplier with decent on-site warranty and good service
and customer satisfaction reviews

5) Quiet running (presumably implying highish quality PSU).

6) XP Home installed, not Vista

7) I'd probably buy a 24" widescreen LCD monitor separately, if that's
relevant

8) Good graphics. I'm not into gaming, but I make DVDs, which includes
using demanding video editing programs. I think this application is
not only CPU-intensive but benefit from powerful graphics cards.
Despite comment above about gaming, one application I might like to
try that's beyond my current PC is MS Flight Simulator, so maybe
that's a factor too. (Wouldn't want this to dominate the requirement
though.) Am also a heavy user of Google Earth.

9) Can't get Freeview in this location (went to Sky+ for lounge TV),
so a TV card might be pointless?

1) Unless your applications are SMP aware, I'd not get too hung up on
quad core.
2) What about using XP64?
6) You really want XP Pro because, AFAIK, Home doesn't support more
than 2 cores if you insist on quad.
8) Make sure it can do H.264?? playback. Look at a 8800GT for a good
bang per buck card.

--
Conor

As a Brit I'd like to thank the Americans for their help in the war
against terror because if they'd not funded the IRA for 30 years, we
wouldn't know how to deal with terrorists.
.

Relevant Pages

  • is xp pro capable of using quad core
    ... using quad core like Intel core 2 quad Q6600? ... what about an existing XP Pro PC with dual core cpu replaced by a new quad ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Windows 2000 on Core 2 Quad Q6600
    ... Is it possible to run Windows 2000 Pro on a Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor? ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.hardware)
  • Re: What games have I missed?
    ... Yeah I know, old card. ... Its a great graphic card and will run ALL pc games released ... And yes all these games will run properly with your 9800 PRO, ... Just might have to dumb down the graphics a bit. ...
    (comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action)
  • Re: Its official: 150MB Arcade limit, 512MB Memory Card coming
    ... broadband or DSL, thus rendering the HD all but useless), so ... the only one left at the Game Crazy was the aforementioned Core ... a 64MB Memory card and a game. ...
    (alt.games.video.xbox)
  • Re: does CS2 support dual core
    ... XP Home does only support one single core or processor while XP Pro supports two. ... So you can have a single processor with two cores, or a single processor with HyperThreading. ... You are incorrect by stating that there are a few hundred files - the core of Home has the same files as Pro and its mainly in the networking side of pro which is additional to the home edition. ...
    (alt.graphics.photoshop)