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IT bargains (Read 20345 times)

Paul B

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#25 Re: IT bargains
January 29, 2013, 03:18:25 pm
I didn't realise you usually have to pay for Media Center, this makes XBMC look even better.
With Win7 it was included in certain versions.

I'm on Enterprise versions from the University. Yes slackers, the more expensive versions...

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#26 Re: IT bargains
January 29, 2013, 04:43:35 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions#Comparison_chart

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8_editions#Comparison_chart
At the bottom of this chart it says only in the Pro version of Win8, not in the standard version.

Johnny Brown

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#27 Re: IT bargains
January 29, 2013, 06:00:51 pm
My fifteen quid one was the pro version. Not sure whether to try it yet as my 120 gb C: SSD drive is fairly full.

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#28 Re: IT bargains
January 29, 2013, 06:27:36 pm
My fifteen quid one was the pro version. Not sure whether to try it yet as my 120 gb C: SSD drive is fairly full.
same here, think the pro is the only version they have shipped so far.

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#29 Re: IT bargains
January 29, 2013, 08:53:16 pm
Off topic but just picked up 3 users, 1 year subscription to Bitdefender {Anti virus firewall etc} for £10.
Its an offer from web user until 9th feb
link is worldwideweb.pxsecurity.co.uk/webuser
cheers

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#30 Re: IT bargains
September 24, 2013, 04:34:31 pm
I realise I have been known to bang on about this in the past, but I just picked up another Dell desktop machine for the bargain price of £230 on the outlet store. Thats inc VAT and free delivery. That's just 92 fuck alls!  8) Admittedly quite a low end processor however 4gig of RAM, 500Gb HD, Win8Pro, 3 year warranty, wireless card, USB3 etc etc. Bought it for an elderly neighbour who is still using a 10 year old XP machine, it was well over due for an upgrade when I gave it to him 3 years ago! He's got no need for an i7 processor, should keep him going for another decade or so!

I tried to spec the closest model to it on the main website and it came to about £430 with half the RAM.

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#31 Re: IT bargains
August 17, 2016, 10:19:30 am
Thread resurrection: Just ordered one of these for 40FAs (£99) ...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-11-6-Inch-Chromebook-Laptop-Black/dp/B01GCNZ79C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1471424867&sr=8-2&keywords=lenovo+chromebook+n22
For the family/kids to use. Semi rugged with a water resistant keyboard.

Will give it a test and report back.

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#32 Re: IT bargains
August 17, 2016, 10:45:00 am
The Superbooks look like a very cheap and useful way of getting a bit more out of your phone (plus obviously they're upgraded each time you get a new phone).

I recall a few people have asked about bluetooth keyboards for phones for typing whilst on the go.  This seems a great solution to that 'problem'.

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#33 Re: IT bargains
August 17, 2016, 09:26:15 pm
The Superbooks look like a very cheap and useful way of getting a bit more out of your phone (plus obviously they're upgraded each time you get a new phone).

I recall a few people have asked about bluetooth keyboards for phones for typing whilst on the go.  This seems a great solution to that 'problem'.

I'd just like an adapter so that I can plug my phone into my work screen (vga) and keyboard (usb) (and quickly switch between the phone computer and the work computer) - and preferably charge the phone at the same time. too much to ask?

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#34 Re: IT bargains
August 17, 2016, 10:37:01 pm

I'd just like an adapter so that I can plug my phone into my work screen (vga) and keyboard (usb) (and quickly switch between the phone computer and the work computer) - and preferably charge the phone at the same time. too much to ask?
What phone you got? You would need a screen with HDMI but on some phones you can do this with an MHL lead and bluetooth keyboard. Not sure if it charges.
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/what-is-mhl-and-why-do-you-need-it--1209802

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#35 Re: IT bargains
September 08, 2016, 01:28:19 pm
Thread resurrection: Just ordered one of these for 40FAs (£99) ...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-11-6-Inch-Chromebook-Laptop-Black/dp/B01GCNZ79C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1471424867&sr=8-2&keywords=lenovo+chromebook+n22
For the family/kids to use. Semi rugged with a water resistant keyboard.

Will give it a test and report back.
Hard to fault the Chromebook. If you use Google Apps etc and are happy doing everything through a browser you'll love it. Back down to £99 on Amazon at the moment. I might get another so the kids aren't fighting over it.

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#36 Re: IT bargains
September 08, 2016, 02:06:14 pm
I backed the Kickstarter project for the Andromium Superbook.  With 1080p screen its come in at around £120 with Charger and USB cable for connecting the phone.  Looking forward to trying it out.

Kickstarter funding has closed but you can pre order them anyway.


Seems an ideal solution for me for intermittent laptop use on the go and saves lugging around the "heavier" Ultrabook I have.

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#37 Re: IT bargains
July 17, 2018, 03:37:37 pm
Asus rugged Chromebook back on Amazon Prime deals for £99.

C202. I've got the higher spec C302 and love it. Now hate having to revert to Windows machines.

ASUS C202SA-GJ0027 11.6-inch Chromebook Ruggedised and Water Resistant Design with 180 degree Hinge (Silver/Blue) - (Intel Celeron N3060 Processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB eMMC, Chrome OS) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073Q44S56/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_s0FtBbV6QDCX1

duncan

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#38 Re: IT bargains
November 21, 2022, 11:05:13 am
Thread resurrection!

The lad needs a PC and 24" ish monitor. It's mostly for school work - has to run Office, or a free equivalent - and photo processing. It will also be used for Sims4 but this is less crucial (his Dad speaking). I have no idea what specs are needed or where to look. Aesthetics are a consideration for him, think more architecture practice and less gamer-geek.

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#39 Re: IT bargains
November 21, 2022, 11:33:42 am
Any chance of you building the PC yourself or not something you're looking to do?

Depending on that situation and a rough price guide I could answer in more detail. However, a system based on the AMD 5600G (G-stands for built in graphcis) CPU could probably fit those needs and remove the need for an expensive dedicated graphics card. Intel have similar offerings but AFAIK especially for gaming the AMD CPUs with built in graphics tend to do better. When dedicated graphics cards get thrown into the mix it becomes more of a wash.

IT tech is a little complicated at the moment due to still inflated Graphics card prices but also both INTEL and AMD (the two CPU makers) have new generation of CPUs requiring new motherboards which use the more expensive DDR5. So, unless you're planning on spending a bomb and getting a really cutting edge system. You're almost certainly better on the previous Gen CPUs, motherboard and DDR4 ram.

This website is a font of regularly updated data in terms of which bundle of components are good value at a range of price points:

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/


for example:

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/guide/DWv6Mp/entry-level-amd-gaming-build

That above build guide uses the same 5600G CPU I mentioned as being a decent option.

Even if you don't build a system yourself, their guides can be a good check list for one you'd buy from a supplier.

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#40 Re: IT bargains
November 21, 2022, 02:02:58 pm
Thanks for your thoughts.

Any chance of you building the PC yourself or not something you're looking to do?

Never built a PC. I’m supposed to be renovating the bathroom at the moment so I am cautious about taking on an ambitious project for the sake of £50. Have built a power supply for record player (using a parts kit and some mild soldering, a success) and replaced batteries in mobile phones (one success, one spectacular failure)


Depending on that situation and a rough price guide I could answer in more detail.

£600??

However, a system based on the AMD 5600G (G-stands for built in graphcis) CPU could probably fit those needs and remove the need for an expensive dedicated graphics card. Intel have similar offerings but AFAIK especially for gaming the AMD CPUs with built in graphics tend to do better. When dedicated graphics cards get thrown into the mix it becomes more of a wash.

IT tech is a little complicated at the moment due to still inflated Graphics card prices but also both INTEL and AMD (the two CPU makers) have new generation of CPUs requiring new motherboards which use the more expensive DDR5. So, unless you're planning on spending a bomb and getting a really cutting edge system. You're almost certainly better on the previous Gen CPUs, motherboard and DDR4 ram.

Cutting edge definitely not required. I don't want to emphasise the gaming angle.

This website is a font of regularly updated data in terms of which bundle of components are good value at a range of price points:

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/


for example:

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/guide/DWv6Mp/entry-level-amd-gaming-build

That above build guide uses the same 5600G CPU I mentioned as being a decent option.

Even if you don't build a system yourself, their guides can be a good check list for one you'd buy from a supplier.

Thanks again.

remus

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#41 Re: IT bargains
November 21, 2022, 02:18:34 pm
Good advice from crzylgs.

To throw some general stuff in to the mix about specs: AMD CPUs tend get better reviews these days than intel so worth looking in that direction. Id be err towards getting more RAM than faster RAM, 16GB seems a bit of a sweet spot but depends a lot on what you do (if you so much as look at premiere pro or other video editing software prepare yourself for 32GB or even 64GB). Worth spending a bit on a decent SSD, 256GB as a minimum. If you need more capacity add a second HDD, read/write speeds are rubbish but way cheaper than a comparably sized SSD.

I think it's worth looking at some of the pre-assembled options, seems quite a competitive market so if you look around you can find decent specs for reasonable money e.g. https://www.ebuyer.com/store/Computer/cat/Desktop-PC

Something like this might suit https://www.ebuyer.com/1537388-xenta-mt-amd-r7-5750g-16gb-ram-500gb-ssd-wifi-windows-11-xr-d5451

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#42 Re: IT bargains
November 21, 2022, 08:20:22 pm
Completely understand not wanting the extra hassle of building it yourself to save as you put it around £50 give or take.

Remus added some good advice. These days I tend to forget to highlight the massive speed boost you get from an SSD over a traditional Hard Drive as they have become the norm. But yes definitely get a system with an SSD as the primary drive and if you need a lot more storage space traditional HDD can be cheaper £/GB. The suggestion of 16GB RAM is also spot on, this will likely be 3200MHz (CL16) IF available in any systems you find 3600MHz (CL16 best, CL18 decent) would be a small performance boost but not massive.

In terms of the monitor I'd honestly go for the cheapest one you think looks pleasing. Until you start spending quite a lot more money the panels will be of a very similar standard. BENQ, Samsung, Phillips, LG - I've used all of these in the past and in the value range will all be decent. These days you can pick a 24" up for £100 or assuming 1920*1080 will be good enough for the photo work? The other numbers you might see in product specs - response time is better lower (the reporting of this number can be highly inaccurate though), refresh rate higher is better but might not be all that relevant for your uses.

Paul B

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#43 Re: IT bargains
November 21, 2022, 08:40:24 pm
The Benq monitors I've recommended elsewhere on UKB are excellent for photos. I think a few others have subsequently bought them (or came to the same conclusion)?

Paul B

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#45 Re: IT bargains
November 22, 2022, 03:17:33 pm
I'm also a BENQ fan, my current primary monitor is a BENQ 24" and it replaced a BENQ but didn't want to appear to much of a fanboi. In the more value price range I'm not sure I could tell the difference in visual quality so any well known brand should be more than up to scratch.

Paul B

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#46 Re: IT bargains
November 22, 2022, 03:51:31 pm
I also use it for CAD work (it has CAD mode  8) where everything is very vibrant or very black) and the monitor I was given in the office was a £120 24" (ish) thing and the quality difference is marked. The bloody thing also used to wobble when anyone walked past which got quite annoying.

The HP gaming monitor (25mx) we bought with vouchers at Argos is also passable.

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#47 Re: IT bargains
February 06, 2023, 10:09:47 am
Any chance of you building the PC yourself or not something you're looking to do?

...

Even if you don't build a system yourself, their guides can be a good check list for one you'd buy from a supplier.

Thanks again for the help. Brief recap.: bought an off the shelf PC which appeared to do the job but then started to malfunction and have just returned it. It was a useful exercise as I now have a better idea of the spec. that is adequate.

The lad is now agitating to build one himself as this will allow him to choose a case (very important, he prefers Muji style to the usual gamer aesthetic), gains bonus points in his social circle, learn some potentially useful skills, and because it's all over YouTube. Strangely, building your own seems to be currently more expensive than buying off the shelf. I am assuming I'm going to have to finish the job/pick up the pieces when it goes wrong. Whilst I'm not clueless (see further up the thread) I'm a bit nervous when playing with £600+ of parts without a helpdesk to phone. The lad's answer to all this is 'just look on YouTube'.  He's probably right but I need reassurance...

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#48 Re: IT bargains
February 06, 2023, 10:19:51 am
I did the same thing when I was a teenager, my parents had the same concerns that you have now, and it worked out alright. It is handy if you or your lad know someone who has experience building PCs just in case you need a hand or anything walking through. That said, there are loads of online threads and discussions where most issues can be resolved if you do encounter them. The odds of breaking stuff by accident is pretty slim as long as you don't try and force things in and are generally careful.

And once the PC is done, it should've built some good tech confidence for both of you, which is always a good thing!

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#49 Re: IT bargains
February 06, 2023, 10:55:10 am
As Ross says just being careful is the biggest thing, especially around the CPU/motherboard pins and not using too much paste for the cpu cooler, but it is straightforward.

Only thing I would suggest to minimise potential problems if you've not already is to check the motherboard QVL (qualified vendor list) to make sure the CPU/socket and memory are confirmed as compatible.

Happy to be a helpdesk if needed.

 

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