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Thread ID: 27205	2002-11-16 23:55:00	Buying a first pc with limited funds help/advice please!!	J ZEP (336)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
99031	2002-11-16 23:55:00	Hi all, was wondering if i could have some feedback please. We are trustees for our Godson, and are looking at buying him a first pc, he is 11yrs old and rather mature for his years as well as having a physical disability in his legs which limits his outdoor extra curriculum activities etc....(which is why a computer would be a great tool for him) He loves computers and has learnt a bit through school and me and is really keen. O.k well anyway we are hoping to have some funds left over (touch wood) after everything else is taken care of, in the amount of approx.$1200 - which i know isn't a lot in pc terms of what we can get! Main Specs I was hoping to get working on the balance of $1200 are: 1. At least 256meg ram - which i believe? we would need for win.XP 2. Hard drive - well same thing 20 gig min, but maybe 40 gig if poss. 3. For Processors i presume the higher the better e.g from what i have been looking at it looks like about 1300mhz would be about it for our budget. - And also i don't know alot about which brands would be better etc... so any help there would be great!! 4. Cdwr would be a great bonus too. 5. We think it would be a must to have a warranty too. 6. Also bearing in mind he is an 11yr old boy, games will be a must so i guess we need to look at Video cards too and i noticed that in the url i am posting that it says graphics integrated apart from the last one that says 32mb card (no brand name though) - would that be enough for newer games??? Actually i think our nvidia is 32mb come to think of it and that is o.k for us for now. So Far i have found these with a one year warranty to choose from within our price range basically (and i know its that co. most people don't like) PC co.Remanufactured Pcs (www.thepccompany.co.nz) Any advice or referrals to elsewhere to try - bearing in mind the warranty thing & price range ( which we could possible add a little more to $) would be greatly appreciated please. Also the computer will be based in Napier where he is situated with his Mum - e.g for warranty purposes if needed. So please any help or further recommendations on what we could go for based on our finances would be really appreciated!!! Thanks a bunch :-)	J ZEP (336)
99032	2002-11-17 02:11:00	if u have a tight budget. $1200 would not be enof if u include the screen, keyboard, speakers and such *even a CDRW u asked* and for *games*. i suggest trademe.co.nz true u get no warranty unless u happen to get a system that has a left over warranty. if u are quite ok with computers why not... get parts from eBay or so... and fit it together. we are thinking or something similar since a PC is a PC .. we tend to use our lounge more. We doh play games. Screen need to get here, speakers, mouse, keybd are cheap trademe.co.nz other parts can be ebayed ... like the mobo, cpu, v-card, ram, hdd, cdrw .. a 48X cdrw was like $60us + 25us shipping. was just chatting to family a while ago. can it be sea freight?? cheaper and takes like 6-8wks. hdd is like under a $100nz incl freight. 50us for a quite ok v-card 64mb ddr + freight. trademe also for case, psu. warranty is just one yr anyway.	rayonline (2134)
99033	2002-11-17 02:43:00	> if u have a tight budget. $1200 would not be enof if > u include the screen, keyboard, speakers and such > *even a CDRW u asked* and for *games*. Hi Rayonline, thanks for the reply - actually quoted from the link i provided: All remanufactured PCs come with remanufactured 17 inch (16.1 viewable) CRT Monitor, 120 watt speakers, 56k modem, keyboard, scroll mouse and Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition OEM version. And 3 out of the 4 advertised had CDRWs, so all that would leave would be software & Games - I don't know, but i thought it sounded reasonable as we would get a 1 year warranty too. The thing is i am a wee way from were it will be going (hence the childs fathers death & moving to his mothers in Napier) so i would rather they had a warranty for support close by if needed especially were children are concerned. I will check out ebay again and trade me but was under the impression i would need to go through a co. to get any kind of warranty. Thanks again for the feedback and help :-)	J ZEP (336)
99034	2002-11-17 03:08:00	Trade me is OK if you know what you are doing, but I would not consider EBay - a CDRW is cheaper new in NZ than there. If warranty is all important - which probally is in your case - you really need to buy from a dealer. Bye	Peter H (220)
99035	2002-11-17 03:14:00	J ZEP, the last one on the list looks reasonable - all the rest have "integrated graphics" (on board graphics). They are all OK for general PC use apart from the more demanding games. Just check its an AGP slot graphics card, or it will not be much different to the others You will have some sort of warranty as well, which is more than most s/h machines.	godfather (25)
99036	2002-11-17 04:50:00	> J ZEP, the last one on the list looks reasonable - > all the rest have "integrated graphics" (on board > graphics). They are all OK for general PC use apart > from the more demanding games. > > Just check its an AGP slot graphics card, or it will > not be much different to the others > > You will have some sort of warranty as well, which is > more than most s/h machines. Thanks Peter & GF GF that was the one (last one) I was thinking would be the better one out of their offerings and thanks a bunch for the tip about making sure its an AGP slot graphics card as that is something i wouldn't have known to check, brilliant thanks heaps :-) :-)	J ZEP (336)
99037	2002-11-17 05:23:00	To be honest, I think all you need for a 11yr old boy is a basic computer . I don't see as you need a CDWriter, fancy graphics card (most games you buy will run perfectly well on a PC Card) 40gig HD nor 1300mhz processor etc, etc Those specs are way over-kill . IMHO I would try and get a basic computer I see Dick Smiths have the following in their catalogue, and if you sign up as a VIP member you get another 10% off the price quoted DSE Terminator 1100 17'' CRT Features a 17" Monitor, Duron 1100 CPU, 128MB RAM, 20GB HDD, 52x CD-ROM, 56K modem and 10/100Mbps networking . Preloaded with Mandrake Linux and supplied with hundreds of applications including OpenOffice . org + Restore & Windows driver CD's . Cat No . XC1696 NZ$1099 I know its fitted with a Linux OS, but if you take the 10% VIP club discount on the above system, you will have enough cash left over to buy a copy of WinXP Home as well . . . . . . Just my thoughts anyway . And better than buying a second hand system from the PC Company	Baldy (26)
99038	2002-11-17 05:36:00	this config looks quite good. i am still under the impression, that even a 11yr child still demand higher games. so a AGP may be needed. they will compare games they have to others children..... they are picky. like, i have a high end last yr bought ultraportable its only got 4MB v-card. i cant even start let alone play flight sim.... Ray	rayonline (2134)
99039	2002-11-17 05:56:00	I don't know if you have any "bits" My better½ was considering getting the infamous $800 tricky dicky Linux box without screen, mouse or keyboard the link is here (www.dse.co.nz) (but you may need to enter "XC5338" into the product search box) i did a quick check round and found that i could build something with twice the ram and 40 gig of HDD for $150 less. I think you'll be scaping the old stock sales to find a 20gig HDD now, and a 40 will be about the same price anyway. Keep looking round. :) .Clueless	Clueless (181)
99040	2002-11-17 06:15:00	The DSE option has one pitfall and that is if you "de-linux" it and load Windows you probably do not have a warranty? It will be on-board graphics as well. While DSE are very good in the warranty area, this is standard practice for all "brand name" systems. I tend to agree that "on-board" graphics will soon be found wanting by an 11 yr old, as games will be the mainstay.	godfather (25)
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