Hi, I need to get a PC mainly for general family use,internet, dvd's, music & heaps of photos. I need to get some opinions on what to look for also I also noticed that everything comes with Vista and I was wondering whether to wait until Windows 7 came out or get one sooner with Vista? Any advice would be great!!

PC advice?? What to buy.

If you aren't in a hurry, then it's probably worth waiting to buy a machine with Windows 7 installed, as all indications are that it's going to be a lot better than Vista.

As for what you should look for, for your needs you should get an Intel Core 2 Duo-based PC with at least 2GB of RAM (4GB is better) and a large capacity hard drive. The hard drive should have at least a capacity of 500 gigabytes.

Also, get a PC with a memory card reader. This will make it easier to get your photos off your camera.

Every PC comes with a DVD burner installed, but make sure you also get playback software so that you can watch movies (usually PowerDVD or WinDVD).

You don't need a powerful graphics card for what you want -- a low-end or mid-range card will work just fine (such as Radeon 4300-series or 4500-series maybe, or NVIDIA 9-series).

Basically, anything around $1500 should be more than adequate for your needs.

Thank you very much for the advice!

Shelby, Might be worth

Shelby,

Might be worth considering a "white box" (custom built) pc. For the money while there is a lot of bargain box type systems from the likes of HP, Acer, Dell etc. you might find a better 'value for money' system as a custom built system.

As for Vista/Win7, you may wish to wait, or get the current Vista and upgrade at a later stage. You may also wish to get XP (as it is still available in OEM form) if needed.

Talk to a few local stores or National based box builders and see what they recommend for you requirements.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Micky Bounader. www.mbinfotech.com.au www.parts4pcs.com.au

I am still advising people to hold off on Windows 7. Heck, when my rig needed a clean install, I went with XP. It boots instantly and is lighting fast. I would definitely avoid Vista. The main thing you want is some good FREE antivirus or a full fledged suite of antivirus software (don't just buy on eof the big names blindly) and a nice overhead of RAM and HDD. Once you have those three, the holy trifecta, you should be good to go.

best

HP Slimline

best

HP Slimline

Buyer's Beware

Just a quick note to advice people to be very careful about where you buy your PC. Having just purchased a "Sphere Package" from CentreCom I can say I am happy with the PC but not happy with the supplier.

Staff for after sales support can be very abusive and rude after they have taken your cash. I will never again deal with CentreCom for anything.

Make sure your supplier is a reputable dealer and ensure you have everything you paid for at the point of sale before you hand over the money.

Hi Shelby a lot of people

Hi Shelby a lot of people look for a service aspect along with the quality of the PC these days. You won't go wrong with this firmif you are in Perth. see www.wiredoffice.com.au/new-computers-perth.htm

Still looking for a new PC?

There is a good article for non-technical people to learn how to choose from the new Intel offerings. Computers Perth