Inlaws want a rig, but I dont want the hassle

[Flibb]

Wifes parents rig is getting on a bit, 8 years old and they do use some resonably modern if undemanding software. I really dont want to build as they will be on the phone every 5 mins because they cant find this icon, or that program, so looking at pre built.

After a base unit plus monitor (could source monitor seperately) for around £500, use will be office stuff, internet, familly history, and very simple DTP (pageplus) leaflets. Any pointers for a reliable and resonably quiet unit? Form factor isnt aproblem, have pondered dell, mesh, acer, pcworlds offerings. Would use pcworld at a push, at least I would get a chnce to look at it, might be able to grab some quidco as well.

Cheers

[scaryjim]

PC World are doing some very interesting Athlon II based systems last time I looked: just watch out for the ones with older NVidia chipsets.

How about this Acer - Athlon II x2, GeForce 9200 graphics (not heard of this for AMD before, sounds like a special OEM-only chipset....), 2GB DDR2, 640GB HDD and a 20" 1600x900 monitor...

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

You can get a Dell Inspiron 570 with an Athlon II X3 435 and a 20" LCD monitor for under £500:

http://www.dmxdimension.com/dell-uk/inspiron-570-deals/

There are also the Dell Inspiron One 19 and Dell Vostro 320 all in one PCs too:

http://www.dmxdimension.com/dell-uk/...-one-19-deals/

http://www.dmxdimension.com/dell-uk/...al-comparison/

[Syllopsium]

Novatech? They (and Scan, but Scan target the higher end) came top when I looked around for a decent company.

[snootyjim]

HP Pro 3010

E5400 (2.7 GHz), 3GB RAM, Windows 7 Pro, 320GB Hard Drive.

Small form factor so it's nice and tidy, easy to fit into small gaps
Very quiet on top of that
Business machine so it's rock solid with virtually no junk installed

Installing Windows 7 is a breeze (it comes downgraded to XP by default), and then you just uninstall 2 or 3 HP applications - job done. I've bought 7 of them for work now, they're brilliant.

£399 from Misco (Don't go direct to HP, it's more expensive)

£365 from Misco, open box

Monitor's up to you, but a 22" 1680x1050 might be nice, quite big resolution so it'll be fairly easy to see. Can get one for around £110, so it would fit into your budget.

[mikerr]

Wifes parents rig is getting on a bit, 8 years old and they do use some resonably modern if undemanding software. I really dont want to build as they will be on the phone every 5 mins because they cant find this icon, or that program, so looking at pre built.

If you're doing the purchasing yourself they will be on the phone all the time anyway...

[scaryjim]

If you're doing the purchasing yourself they will be on the phone all the time anyway...

Actually, if you're known as the techy one in the family, they'll be on the phone even if you move to America and leave them to buy it themselves (I have a friend who is currently living in Pasadena and is Skyped every couple of days by his parents to sort out their tech problems...). For all that, you might as well just build them something...

[Jay]

give them advice but don't put your head on the block.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I would get the following Dell Inspiron 570 for £429:

AMD Athlon II X3 435 2.9GHz
Windows 7 Home Premium
Dell IN2010N 20" Widescreen TFT
4096MB RAM
320GB Hard Drive
ATI Radeon HD4200
DVD Writer

The E-Value code is D005734.

http://www.dmxdimension.com/dell-uk/inspiron-570-deals/

Dell are doing 3Yr In-Home Warranty Support, including evenings and Saturdays for £90.

The total comes to around £519.

[mycarsavw]

Acer nettop ?

[usxhe190]

Wifes parents rig is getting on a bit, 8 years old and they do use some resonably modern if undemanding software. I really dont want to build as they will be on the phone every 5 mins because they cant find this icon, or that program, so looking at pre built.

After a base unit plus monitor (could source monitor seperately) for around £500, use will be office stuff, internet, familly history, and very simple DTP (pageplus) leaflets. Any pointers for a reliable and resonably quiet unit? Form factor isnt aproblem, have pondered dell, mesh, acer, pcworlds offerings. Would use pcworld at a push, at least I would get a chnce to look at it, might be able to grab some quidco as well.

Cheers

This will not solve the problem. You will forever be the IT techie unfortunately, whether you like it or not. Part of your marriage covenant, my friend.

Best thing to do is to learn how to go remote assistance so that you can assist them online without explaining stuff to them over the phone.

[Flibb]

cheers for the suggestions, will have a proper look through them later. The desk they want to put it on has fitted unit above, so theres a maximum height for the monitor. Will have a stroll down to pcw to measure some monitors tomorrow.

[Behemoth]

give them advice but don't put your head on the block.

Agree with that. There are some people who think its alright to extract the urine out of you because your family and they think its alright to use your skills for free. I'm happy to give advice but I refuse to put my hand in my pocket or take them round and show them things.

Let them make the final call, they're funeral if it don't do the job.

That way they are less likely to bother you unless its a matter of life or death.

[Flibb]

I dont mind giving them a hand, they are both in their 70s and were stung in the past when a "friends" son, owner of a local computer shop, flogged tham an utter pile of s**t built around a pc chips mobo. Have been helping them with kit for the 14 years, generally limited to purchasing advice, but also a few upgrades, install, etc. I build my own rigs, a recently shoved one together for my parents, have remote assistance to that, and they are 10 minutes by car away, inlaws are a couple of hours north. Might even get some quidco out of it.

[Behemoth]

Well it makes it worth it then for the quidco

I will say though AVOID buying one from PC World, at least for the moment. The Tech Guys are in a shocking mess at the moment. Average turn around to get someone to come and collect your laptop/desktop, let alone to get them to fix it is 2 weeks !!

I did a bit of digging round and it seems they are in the process of moving sites as they've out grown the one they were using.

[Skulltrail]

CAT's last suggestion looks pretty good; an alternative could be:

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/pc/range/iflame.html

It is an i3 530 with 4GB 1333Mhz and a 500GB HDD for £398.98 allthough you may need to add an OS to that.

Add more or less any monitor and you're there. Possibly: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/22-LG...50000001-Black