Newbie..trying to find a decent computer to buy?...just the computer unit

Hi, some people might be able to help me here.

I want to build a computer for a friend and send to italy..coz her computer is really ****.

I was thinking to build one so I could buy a nice case and make it look good too.

Nothing super..coz i dont have so much money...but something with like my computer which is.. 1.19 GHz...

512 MB of RAM...

AMD Athlon Processor?!?!...lol, I don't even know this ****, just copying what it says on my system tab.

Anyways I want to make a decent nice computer..or i may just buy one...for a friend in italy...coz she uses the computer alot but her comp is ****,...like really ****...

Anyways..can anyone give me like how much they reckon i'm going to spend if i want to do a project like this...

It doesn't have to be exactly the same as my one, it can be slightly less powerful coz i havnt got that much money to spend...but something decent.

Actually i have never built a computer so it might be easier if i could just buy a decent one!

Thnx guys.

[plumerjr]

This is a good place to start if your serious about building one.

http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/index.htm

A good place for parts(new) http://www.newegg.com
Ebay is not a bad place to find a decent used pc for cheap.

[jimmyrules712]

we can pretty much walk you straight through it, but first you need to answer a few questions.

Can you give us a more exact budget?
Do you want a cd burner? a dvd burner?
does/will she play any 3d graphical video games on this computer?

[glc]

This is a duplicate thread, I'm going to remove the other one.

Administrative note: Please read the forum rules. Foul language is not tolerated here, regardless of the censor settings.

[sataraid0]

If you are gonna buy one already built, you might try Best Buy for a e-machine. they are pretty inexpensive, like maybe around 400 dollars.

Hope this helps........................Sterling

E-machine?...What's that?

Oh and thnx for the replies people.

Yea I'd like a CD-RW in it...that's important...Doesn't have to be a DVD player and definetely not a DVD Burner because with that I think It'll become expensive....and if I wanted a DVD player maybe it might be better for me to just buy that on my own in some shop and install it.

And no...she doesn't play games so game cards or like something really powerful isn't important....so that's cool. Don't need a 3d card.

But I want something nice and decent....like my computer.

My budget?..Well I'm hoping for something around at max...200GBP...If I have to 250GBP.

Thnx again for your replies.

[sataraid0]

With budget, you will be better off to build a machine.

I'm sure some folks here will have some suggestions for parts to use.

e-machine is a brand of computer, like Sony, Dell etc.

Regards.........................Sterling

I've never built one before...but I hope I can make a nice one within that budget.

I want the speed to be if possible at least 1Ghz....Not in the Mhz region.

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/product...ProductID=7639

^^^ That seems like a good one for a good price but not sure about the speed and stuff.

[sataraid0]

For the price it looks pretty good, keep in mind however, you will still have to buy a operating system for it, speakers, keyboard, mouse and from the looks a monitor, all of which cost money.

Regards.................................Sterling

yea sterling but that is cool...coz im getting it for a friend and she has all that but she just has a **** computer, so i want to buy her a decent one...put my programs on it from my place...then give it to her....

[glc]

wayrad, I warned you once about language. This is your FINAL warning.

- Moderator -

dude sorry

[mb26]

here is a good priced PC kit which is pretty simliar spec to what u were looking at there, but comes in a kit form which you would have to put together, and quite a bit cheaper. (£162) and it is made of much better quality components, that one u have gives me the impression its made of cheap poor quality components; although u may not have any problems with it urself.

that cpu is a 2200+ which runs at 1.5ghz, which is low end for todays PCs but seems ample for your needs, and is faster than yours from what i can tell (although less ram).

for me it would be well worth finding out how to put together a PC to save £50 and know you are getting good quality components.. its not too hard, but there are a couple of areas u have to take care with..people here would be quite happy to guide you through it i'm sure providing u treat them nicely.. picking PC components is really the hardest bit of building a pc, and that part has been delt with in this case but if u dont have the patience or dont want to take the risk (although minimal if u follow instructions) or whatever then u might prefer just to get it pre-made.

ebuyer also has this acer and this 'Esys'.
the acer is a good brand however has no CDRW (got dvd-rom) and the esys i haven't heard of, but it has a 1 yr onsite warranty (although i doubt they would honour that for italy!) both have keyboard mouse and windows XP with them.

could ur friend not buy a PC in italy? it may well be cheaper w/ tax differences and such, and you wouldn't have to send it there, which surely would cost quite a bit.

[ZeratulsAvenger]

First of all, shipping could get expensive I would imagine, so count on that being a large lump of change to add to the computer total.

Also, the OS and programs you want to install may have individual licenses that require new copy's to be purchased. Microsoft Word, Windows (98, 2k, ME, XP), and various other things require software registration and you are goin an illegal route by just installing them without having actually purchased a 2nd copy for her. If it's for free programs and such then you are completely in the right. Just figured I would add that in...

Yea that build your own pc kit seems good...I've never built one myself but I'm sure it could be a good project and there seems more than enough help on this forums...so thnx.

The thing is, I want to get it for her as a gift and send it over...or I may just also take it with me to Italy. The thing is, she is always complaining about her computer..so I just want to get her a new decent one.

So your saying....If I made the computer and installed all the programs...then i sent just the unit component over..that's illegal?
]
Only thing that sucks is that kit seems to be out of stock!!!..bah!..

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Originally Posted by wayrad So your saying....If I made the computer and installed all the programs...then i sent just the unit component over..that's illegal?

I am saying that if you load on Windows XP from a disk you have for your computer, using your CD key, thats illegal. If you are installing Microsoft Office with your CD key, that's illegal. Any of those programs that require you to type in a key that was sent with the program, unless you plan to send her the CD's and documents for the software as well, it is illegal.

Yea but it's not as if....when i send it in post...the police or whoever,they r gonna open it up in italy, set up the computer...turn it on....then say, oh look he put win xp on it!...i doubt that

[ZeratulsAvenger]

I was just saying... we play by the rules here and figured I would make sure you knew.

[speeddude2000]

ok...assuming youre gonna take it to her(no shipping costs then) and assuming 250GBP is around 400usd, then:

cpu: athlon xp 2500+
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...103-506&depa=1
$77

mobo: gigabyte via chipset(includes intergrated vid card and sound card)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...128-255&depa=1
$51

hd:seagate 80GB
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...148-015&depa=1
$62

memory:
rosewill 256MB
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...223-005&depa=1
$31

dvd rw(he he)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...190-006&depa=1
$55

keyboard&mouse = around $15...find one

speakers= around $8...find one.

ooh do u need a monitor?

Operating system?

well that comes to: $322 USD! (170GBP i hope thats cheap enough)

if you can spare some more money, then get more memory.

then itll cost $352USD (189GBP)

what a cheap computer with a dvd burner.

[glc]

speeddude, newegg does not ship to the UK, and component prices are higher in the UK everywhere than they are here. It's just the way it is. If you are going to spec out a system for someone in the UK, use a UK vendor's site.

wow thnx speedude for ur time and stuff and that looks good for that price but like glc said...usa is cheaper than over here so that sucks..but thnx for taking ur time to spec one out like that for me..

[speeddude2000]

np...i realized it was GBP but forgot newegg only ships to US(...bad idea!) sorry its been a while. do you have a relative that lives here in the US? maybe you could get them to order it, then send it to you. just an idea, but try finding those parts in a uk store(sorry i cant help, i dont know any UK stores). it should still be cheap, and if it goes over, then take out the extra memory.