€1k to spend. What to buy?

Quazzie

Ok as the title suggest I've got about a grand to spend as my current one has kicked the bucket, but I don't know what to buy. I don't have a lot of requirements but just want it as fast and as upgradable as possible. I use autoCAD a lot so it has to be able to handle that. I wouldn't be using it for game or watching media so graphics just have to be able to handle AC. Monitors and all peripherals can be standard spec and I'm happy even with my current wireless mouse and keyboard.

Anyone know of any current offers that would suit. Thanks for any responses and extra thanks for any links.


P.S I'd prefer to stay away from dell if possible because I've always had dell and am not impressed with them.

P.P.S PC only as I think any Mac I'll get for that money would be crap

Outkast_IRE

I spent 1500 on a custom built comp . Best money iv ever spent its a avenue
worth reseraching if you know someone who can build comps .
You get exactly what you want and generally more bang for your buck

Naikon

Spend the most money on the human interfaces with your box.
Yes, don't skimp on the monitor and keyboard.

Oh, and don't pay over the odds for a retail version of Vista/other M$ operating system.
I managed to aquire one of these over christmas:

[html]http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1690969/art/samsung/syncmaster-2433bw-24-wide.html[/html]

Nice step up from the 913N 19inch I was using.
20000:1 contrast ratio to boot Good luck with the purchase.

Dark_lord_ire

agree with outkast custom is the way to go. 1k will get you a run of the mill machine which i guess being honest is all you need go to dixsons or pc world. If you build its more expensive but you get a far greater machine ive ordered mine this week which was about 2500 euro but it will be cutting edge for a good while and i use mine for gaming and other memory eating applications. Also if you build in future you can change parts cheap without having to upgrade the entire machine. My friends swear by it and now i see why.

just for your information take a look at overclockers.co.uk see what they have

Quazzie

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I spent 1500 on a custom built comp . Best money iv ever spent its a avenue
worth reseraching if you know someone who can build comps .
You get exactly what you want and generally more bang for your buck

I'll have a look into it but to be honest I didn't think 1500 would go too far on a custom build.

Naikon wrote: »

Spend the most money on the human interfaces with your box.
Yes, don't skimp on the monitor and keyboard.

Oh, and don't pay over the odds for a retail version of Vista/other M$ operating system.
I managed to aquire one of these over christmas:

[html]http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1690969/art/samsung/syncmaster-2433bw-24-wide.html[/html]Nice step up from the 913N 19inch I was using.
20000:1 contrast ratio to boot Good luck with the purchase.

I'd rather get the CPU sorted first because I can always add on better monitors are peripherals at a later stage.

Dark_lord_ire wrote: »

agree with outkast custom is the way to go. 1k will get you a run of the mill machine which i guess being honest is all you need go to dixsons or pc world. If you build its more expensive but you get a far greater machine ive ordered mine this week which was about 2500 euro but it will be cutting edge for a good while and i use mine for gaming and other memory eating applications. Also if you build in future you can change parts cheap without having to upgrade the entire machine. My friends swear by it and now i see why.

just for your information take a look at overclockers.co.uk see what they have

At the moment I can just about afford €1k, maybe €1500 at a large stretch but I couldn't really justify as much as you are spending when all I mostly use it for is web browsing and some CAD.


What kind of performance figures should I be looking at as my minimum spec?

PaddyTheNth

There's a whole forum for this - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=842

As you're not gaming, you'd easily get a powerful custom build for under 1k...a nice double or quad core processor (intel better than amd), a good big fast new harddrive such as a samsung F1, and a cheap graphics card such as the HD4830 should sort you out nicely. No need to get an expensive motherboard either.

tbh you could have enough left over for a nice screen if you shop around.

Anima

Well a nice cpu would be 250-300, Ram would be 100-150, motherboard 100-150, gfx card 200-300, hdd 100-200 (depends really). Then the mobo will contain your network, sound etc unless you need high end stuff. A new monitor would be 200-300, say another 150 for peripherals. Thats around €1300 if you take the average. You could save a bit if you got a slightly cheaper gfx card as well.

Quazzie

PaddyTheNth wrote: »

There's a whole forum for this - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=842

As you're not gaming, you'd easily get a powerful custom build for under 1k...a nice double or quad core processor (intel better than amd), a good big fast new harddrive such as a samsung F1, and a cheap graphics card such as the HD4830 should sort you out nicely. No need to get an expensive motherboard either.

tbh you could have enough left over for a nice screen if you shop around.

I never knew about that other forum. Apologies. Feel free to move this Mods.

I've been checking out Overclockers website and came across these two which I think would be more than adequate for what I need.
PC1 & PC2. Pretty similar but pretty decent value for the spec. I'm new to Overclockers but am I right in assuming that when it arrives will it be just plug & play. Like I said above I've all my own peripherals already.

Anima wrote: »

Well a nice cpu would be 250-300, Ram would be 100-150, motherboard 100-150, gfx card 200-300, hdd 100-200 (depends really). Then the mobo will contain your network, sound etc unless you need high end stuff. A new monitor would be 200-300, say another 150 for peripherals. Thats around €1300 if you take the average. You could save a bit if you got a slightly cheaper gfx card as well.

A build just for me does sound good but I honestly wouldn't have a clue where to start to even find someone to build one for me.

PaddyTheNth

Anima wrote: »

Well a nice cpu would be 250-300, Ram would be 100-150, motherboard 100-150, gfx card 200-300, hdd 100-200 (depends really). Then the mobo will contain your network, sound etc unless you need high end stuff. A new monitor would be 200-300, say another 150 for peripherals. Thats around €1300 if you take the average. You could save a bit if you got a slightly cheaper gfx card as well.

Q6600, plenty for what he needs - http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=330169 @ 179 or even an e8400 at about the same price

4 GB 8500 Crucial http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=340915 @ 69

motherboard he could pick up a nice Gigabyte for 90 max

He's not gaming, so a 4830 for 101 would do him nicely - http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=388742 even if he was it would still handle things at decent settings up to a 22 inch screen

1tb f1 http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=343055 @ 92

That lot comes in well under 600, leaving a tidy bit for a monitor and other peripherals, and there are cheaper places to buy than Komplett. Can't remember if komplett offer a building service if he doesn't want to put it together himself, but there are a few places that do.

Cuddlesworth

No operating system installed or included, and they charge Irish Vat at checkout(even though its highly illegal).

PaddyTheNth

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

No operating system installed or included, and they charge Irish Vat at checkout(even though its highly illegal).

True...an OEM copy off ebay is gonna set him back about 60 quid or so.

Still plenty of room in his specs to get a powerful custom build for the 1k.