Basic PC needed

Julabo

Any advice would be appreciated.

Want to get a new PC tower for my folks. They have all the extras already.

Very basic only needed as will just be used for light browsing, email and the odd word document.

Any recommendations?

Is it worth considering a refurbished one? And if so any recommendations?

Thank you in advance,

riclad

Something like this would be good ,windows 7, fast cpu.

http://www.adverts.ie/desktops/dell-inspiron-580-i3-set/11222092
make sure test the pc, turn it on for 4 minutes ,
to see if its too loud .
i bought pc,in 2014. i never use it as main power fan is way too loud on it.
I normally use a hp pc,dual core 2,oghz .pc 4gig ram ,its completely silent .

Julabo

riclad wrote: »

Something like this would be good ,windows 7, fast cpu.

http://www.adverts.ie/desktops/dell-inspiron-580-i3-set/11222092
make sure test the pc, turn it on for 4 minutes ,
to see if its too loud .
i bought pc,in 2014. i never use it as main power fan is way too loud on it.
I normally use a hp pc,dual core 2,oghz .pc 4gig ram ,its completely silent .

Cheers. But would prefer a warranty. So would buy a refurbished from a credible store or site.

Looking at dell, can get new for 300ish.

riclad

Get one with 4-8gig ram, i3 intel cpu.
no need to get an fast i5 cpu pc just for basic web browsing .
just get the basic model ,the cheapest pc on the website.

bigpaudge

the fans might be loud on a PC because they are set to cool a system rather than make it quiet. Sometimes you can change this setting in the BIOS. Why get a Desktop PC, a laptop is much better, can be moved from room to room, saves space. I would recommend a refurbished IBM Thinkpad T500 they are a very good notebook, sturdy.

Digital Solitude

Batteries, heat, noise, price are the four basics, when you move into specific reasons like power, storage, resolution desktop wins quite a lot of the time.

OP a Pentium based machine would be a better suit for their needs, be much cheaper than an i3.

Pentium, 4gb ram and an SSD if possible would be the best imo

Julabo

Thanks for all the advice.

Looking at desktop. Bought them laptop previously, they do not like it.

Initially the track pad, so added a mouse.

Then the keyboard was too small.

Then the screen was too small.

So desktop best route to keep me sane.

Alun

I recently bought one of these for my wife to replace a tower that died ....

http://www.adverts.ie/desktops/dell-optiplex-780-sff/11236826

They're "retired" and refurbished Dell business machines, and are pretty bulletproof. Sturdier and much better built than the consumer stuff. He's a great seller, very friendly.

Otherwise there's a crowd in Mayo, http://www.adverts.ie/shops/atlanticit/ who also sell refurbished Dell and HP machines, who offer a warranty apparently, but a bit more expensive.

riclad

I think a pc with windows 7 is easier to use than a new pc with windows 10 for a non expert casual user .
Microsoft is having serious problems with random updates on windows 10
causing pcs to reboot or stop working properly ,
And unless you turn OFF all security updates windows 10 can start an update anytime it wants and will not do anything else until its finished .
This can be confusing for a non expert user.
I don,t see windows 10 doing anything that windows 7 can,t do unless you want to use
tablet type apps .

bigpaudge

Definitely Win7! Windows 8 - 10 are the biggest catastrophes since Windows Vista!

I would recommend installing the Never10 app from the Gibson Research Center https://www.grc.com/never10.htm

It will prevent the windows 7 machine from automatically upgrading itself to windows 10

You could do the Windows 7 installation yourself to prevent the PC being loaded with a load of crapware. A Win7 Licence is only €16 if you know where to look.

ItHurtsWhenIP

bigpaudge wrote: »

Definitely Win7! Windows 8 - 10 are the biggest catastrophes since Windows Vista!

I would recommend installing the Never10 app from the Gibson Research Center https://www.grc.com/never10.htm

It will prevent the windows 7 machine from automatically upgrading itself to windows 10

You could do the Windows 7 installation yourself to prevent the PC being loaded with a load of crapware. A Win7 Licence is only €16 if you know where to look.

You don't need to worry about that anymore. The free/automatic upgrade period has finished. I did a clean Win7 build about 2 months ago and didn't use Never10. There's no evidence of that Win10 Malware :P anywhere near it.