Re: Upgrading a PC ? - recommendations please

HI Lin

Lin Chung wrote:
Adrian wrote:
My current PC is starting to show it's age...assembled & upgraded over the
years. Currently 2.8mhz celeron...(micro ATX m/b).... Usage - browsing,
web design & 'paintshopping' - no gaming or anything like that. ...can't
decide whether it's simpler to buy an 'off-the-shelf' unit or biuld from
scratch again....What's the current 'base level' spec - I'm out of touch
with today's specs..?



As I was in your position a year ago, I can understand your dilemma. The
following short handbook helped me to assess the deficit in my knowledge
immensely. This was picked after comparing many such titles at Folyes,
Waterstones, WHSmiths,...etc.. Since you are, like me, not aiming for the
up-to-the-minute state-of-the-art specifications, you'll find the book
published 20 months ago still very useful, for it traces the evolution of
the component parts (invaluable if that has been neglected for years) and
recommends what (and explains why and how) you need to bring yourself
up-to-date. Just to name one instance, e.g. the motherboard: its layout,
input and output ports (some are essential for the more recent new
technologies), changes in the standard topographies, hole sizes and
positions, and so on and so forth. It's jam-packed with pictures. It even
lists the names, usually 3, of the best brands to get for the parts. You
are made an instant expert to answer your own query.

"The Complete PC Upgrades Handbook"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-PC-Upgrades-Handbook-1/dp/0954857720/ref=sr_1

Ah - thanks for that...
...don't really want to become an expert, though - want advice on what spec I should be aiming for....



By the way, what is "paintshopping"?

My (probably incorrect) shorthand for processing digital photos & scanned images using Paintshop Pro...

I do a fair bit of website work - and pretty much every image needs to be 'tweaked' before it's suitable for the web - so this is important to me....

Thanks
Adrian


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