Seeking recommendations for a new computer

[synchromesh]

Preferably a desktop for under $800... Cheers!

[dworx]

Abandoned

Edited March 15, 2012 by dworx

[seanimus]

Try MSY technologies ltd, I know their in SA and Vic and I think OZ wide, they are cheap as with good stuff

http://www.msy.com.au/

[mac]

If your after a pre built system

Leader are doing a decent AMD system, duel core Athlon II 3Ghz, 2gb of ddr3 memory, 500gig HDD integrated graphics 64bit windows 7 (Box only no monitor or accessories) for $599

They also have a full system i3-550 duel core, 4gb ddr3 memory, 500gb HDD 18.5inch wide screen lcd, 64 bit windows 7 & integrated graphics for $999

leader are aussie company who build the systems here in Australia & have a good warranty & service

you could also custom build a better system by building it yourself for around the $800 mark

(i think dell have been taken over by HP both have fairly crap support)

Edited March 17, 2011 by mac

[ubza_1234]

look into small companies not so much dell and hp and that.reason being is ther poop loads cheaper and ofter offer better custumer service. My bro got a dual core 2.6ghz laptop with 2gb of ram and a 250 gb hdd for around $500 from the store down the road a year and a bit ago. I'm sure you could get a beast for $800. If you can, find reviews of the store first online or from mates who have gone there before and when you go to the store in person, sus the shop out and if the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. If you realy want a cheap computer built by someone, some storefronts have price lists online to download and print, aswell as in store. If you find a store were the price is good but the staff arent, show the store you like the cheaper price list and ask if they can make it a lil cheaper for ya, cause your a nice guy XP thats all i got, hope i helped ya

[atomar]

Depending on what it's used for, OzStock is selling an ex-government desktop with monitor for under $180. You can probably get more RAM for it and still save heaps.

ONLY TODAY.

OzBargain often have cheap desktops listed.

For new parts, my vote is with seanimus for MSY.

[mac]

the other thing to look at when buying is the number of expansion slots on the board.

How many free PCI, Memory slots & if it has a PCIE 16X graphics card slot for if you want to upgrade in the future

I would look for something with a dedicated graphics card myself i would also prefer it have 4gb chips if it only has 2 memory slots

those oz stock systems are cheap but most X gov systems are around 3 years old, optima also went into liquidation some time ago so support & drivers are a issue

Edited March 17, 2011 by mac

[Magicdirt]

Aldi has one on sale from the 24th march for $599

It could be a good benchmark for comparisons

Aldi PC

[ballzac]

As others have said, it depends what you are using it for. You need to provide that information before anyone can give specific advice. For example, if you are going to be using it for gaming, you need a good video card, if it's for computation you will need a good cpu. If you're going to be creating music you want a good sound card etc. One thing to keep in mind is forwards compatibility. That is, if you get something with the latest technologies, you won't need to upgrade for a long time. If you have a monitor/keyboard/mouse/case already, you can save a substantial amount of money.

My approach is usually to figure out what cpu and ram I want, then find a motherboard that is compatible with those. Then I make sure that motherboard has the right technologies e.g. sata II, PCI-E etc. Pick a video card that suits. If it's not for gaming, you can get away with a

[synchromesh]

Thanks heaps guys.

Dell do good machines but I think building your own for what you need is best but if you aren;t needing a gamer or a home theatre with it and couldn't be fucked sourcing everything look at dells. Good service too.

 

Yeah, I'm not so sure about Dell myself...

 

Try MSY technologies ltd, I know their in SA and Vic and I think OZ wide, they are cheap as with good stuff

http://www.msy.com.au/

 

I was thinking of going with them, but then I read this: MSY heads to Federal Court over Consumer Warranty Rights

Apparently they're not very good with technical support either.

As others have said, it depends what you are using it for. You need to provide that information before anyone can give specific advice.

 

I need a computer that will work well with animation programs like Maya. That's the main thing...

[ballzac]

I need a computer that will work well with animation programs like Maya. That's the main thing...

 

Then the best video card you can afford should probably be at the top of your list. Both CPU and RAM will be important, so you might need to find a compromise in your price range. Remember that when using 3d software the GPU on the graphics card will do everything it is capable of, including processing and memory usage, before dipping heavily into the rest of the computer's resources, so don't feel too bad about sacrificing a bit of cpu speed and memory for a decent graphics card.

EDIT: It is a balancing act though. I don't want to make out that you can get away with the slowest cpu as long as your graphics card is good.

Edited March 18, 2011 by ballzac

[synchromesh]

Yeah, I don't know what's compatible and what's not though. Should I just leave all of that up to the computer shop?

[mac]

if your going to be using Maya as ballzac said go for a decent CPU & graphics card

if you want to keep the price down & still not skimp on performance i would look at a AMD athlon quad core CPU decent ATI HD series graphics card & gigabyte UD series motherboard 4 dimm slots & supports Xfire & 2x 4gb corsair or OCZ memory

i know you could build this system for around $1000 if you dont include LCD keyboard & accessories & use a basic full tower case

yes slightly over your budget but your better off spending a little extra to get a machine that will do everything you want & some

Edited March 18, 2011 by mac

[synchromesh]

Too expensive man. I could get something like that in the future, but right now I need something cheaper.

[mac]

if that link Magicdirt posted is australia & shipping is fair thats a decent machine & will do the job you want it to do

seems like a really good deal i cant see how they can retail them at that price http://aldi.medion.com/md8351/au/?refPage=aldi

3ghz quad core & HD6450 aint too shabby

may even be tax deductible if you use it for work or study ?

Edited March 18, 2011 by mac

[ballzac]

Yeah, I don't know what's compatible and what's not though. Should I just leave all of that up to the computer shop?

 

You can look at the motherboard's compatibility on their website. The pcu and the type/speed of ram that is compatible will be given. Most manufacturers also provide a specific list of compatible hardware, but you'll find that, for example, a lot of ram modules that aren't on the list will also work.

If you don't have the time to do this research, any good computer shop will help. If you really trust them, you can just tell them what you need to use it for, what you already have, and your budget, and they will put something together for you.

[synchromesh]

Thanks guys.

[ballzac]

It's also worth mentioning that the better the video card, the smoother real time 3d effects will be (e.g. rotating a model while working on it). However, the cpu speed is probably more important in reducing rendering times. It depends which is more important to you.

[ThunderIdeal]

can anyone recommend a video card, no particular price or requirements, just one that is really good value for money? for a new pc.

also probably not the best place to ask, but can anybody recommend the same thing for a soundcard, one that can run audio apps fairly well.

i'm thinking about getting an i7, with a bit of change out of two grand maybe (box only).

[ballzac]

value for money...maybe an HD5770? As for soundcards, I have no idea. I've still got my Audigy 2 platinum and it's still going strong after about a decade. When I put together systems for other people I've never used anything but onboard sound because that is fine for what most people want (i.e. not audio apps). I should get a new soundcard next time I put together a new computer for myself though.

[ThunderIdeal]

dude

*i* still have my audigy 2 platinum as well !

we are audigy 2 brothers.

unfortunately if your PC is anywhere near as old as the audigy, it will not be very good at midi / vst in realtime. oh and i can't even get the pc it's in to work.

i have this recurring problem that when i start fucking with computers, i stop getting a signal to the monitor. i think playing around without earthing yourself must destroy video cards, perhaps?

[mac]

i'm thinking about getting an i7, with a bit of change out of two grand maybe (box only)

yeah agree with ballzac, the ATI HD series of video cards are a nice card & affordable if you want a little more performance try a XFX black edition

sound blaster again good affordable audio but even the onboard audio on some of the boards these days are fairly decent (depending on board)

have you looked at the AM3 socket & UD series boards (UD7 only fits in a extended tower, big bastard) using the AMD 4 core or 6 core CPU

Have built a couple of game systems using slimier parts for much less than you pay for the intel systems

No signal to the monitor could be a simple power supply problem they have a main plug & another 4 or 6 pin 12 volt plug near the cpu, thats usually the first thing id test, them move on memory (removing modules) first and testing one memory module at a time

Edited March 19, 2011 by mac

[synchromesh]

Where should I go if I want the computer built from scratch? Leader?

Edited March 19, 2011 by synchromesh

[mac]

It may be best to ask people in your area who have had machines custom built, or you could ask on a PC forum about shops in your area

leader are good coz they are aussie based & owned but it pays to ask around.

I myself would rather buy from a self employed or small Local business than one of the bigger dealers

go armed with a bit of info & ask as many questions as you want, get a few quotes on a similar setup & ask about Warranty & after sale support etc..

Edited March 19, 2011 by mac

[ballzac]

i have this recurring problem that when i start fucking with computers, i stop getting a signal to the monitor. i think playing around without earthing yourself must destroy video cards, perhaps?

 

EVERY time I mess with a computer, it doesn't work first go. Even if I've only changed a fan or something, lol. Usually it means I've just knocked something out of place and need to remove and replace a card or something. Last time I was getting BSOD after a minute or two every time I started it. I noticed that I would get BSOD quicker if it had already just been on, so I assumed it was temperature related. I took off the CPU fan and replaced it and sure enough it worked after that. Try taking your video card out and putting it back in. It's very rare to destroy components from static electricity, although earthing yourself on the case should be routine before doing anything inside the case.