best computer on the market at the moment....anyone in the know?

[cutekids]

I've been given some money as a pressie and been told to treat myself to a "good computer",scanner,printer,etc.
I know there's alot of packages out there but we have been stung with these things before.As this is going to be a "one off" purchase, i'd like to get something really decent. I went to PC WORLD yesterday and was told that the "HP PAVILION ELITE M9346"is the "state of the art" at the moment.If anyone out there has a real good knowledge of computers, please could you help me through the minefield?

how much do you have?

Hi Eniddo
Well,put it this way,I have got approx.£1000.00 to spend on this.(It's a treat from someone as I said)

Oh...and a big priority of mine is to be able to put my non-digital films onto dvd.(that particular computer yesterday allowed for this without buying a "dazzle").
Also,hubbie wants to be able to send programmes to TVs in the house which this also did.etc.(i'm not a techno by any means )

Hmmm. I'd go for a Sony Vaio or a Mac.

Really you need to know what you're going to use it for. You don't need an all singing all dancing super fast processor and flashy graphics card unless you're gaming.

Do you want it to be a media PC, or surfing PC or an all-purpose PC?

I'm not a geek so don't know much, but I'd go for a Dell every time - they are the brand used by a lot of libraries and so on, they're not too pricey either and you'd get a fantastic one for that amount of money.
Mine's been brilliant, about 2/3 years old, nothing has gone wrong with it. It was about £329 I think.

Yes, what arfishy said - depends what you want to do it with. State of the art is completely irrelevant unless you're gaming, or doing video processing or something else tricky.

Oh, and PC World sucks ass.

Apple TV is VERY good for that. I have one .

Anything I download via Itunes - music, videos, podcasts, tv shows, movies syncs up automatically to my little apple tv box and plays on the tv. It's GENIUS.

If you're looking for a Media PC, take a look at a mac, or google it. Also google reviews for the HP Pavilion to help you make up your mind.

God yes, PC World are EVIL. Avoid. I don't think I've ever met anybody in there who had the faintest idea what they were talking about.

Where would you go to buy one, Arfishy? I'd be stumped if I had to go to an actual shop, I bought mine online. Is there a good PC shop?

How does this computer send programmes to TVs in the house? Without extra stuff? All our efforts to do this just annoyed the hell out of us, until we bought an apple TV, and now it just works brilliantly ...

Ah, arfishy beat it to me on the apple TV front - they're not expensive, and they're really easy to use.

Thanks everyone.Artfishy,re:pc world,that's exactly what my hubbie said yesterday"hasn't got a clue"!!!!

Notquitecockney...i'll ask hubbie

want a pc that's versatile.not really for gaming though!

look at dell outlet....outlet is a section of the site ...excellent value

dell computers are robust and long lasting in me experience

pc world is not the best place to go and definitely nil points for knowldege

I would go to Dell

my friendly neighbourhood computer geek goes for those and he knows everything

we build our own [geek] but we game

go to any large or small business and the chances are they will have dell

I've bought my last 3 (one for me, one for DD for university & one for DS's 21st birthday) at John Lewis - mine & DS's are Toshiba but DD wanted a rather nice shiny bronze HP which was on special offer. John Lewis do good after sales service & our local branch have staff who know what they are talking about, (but of course that may not be the case at all branches)

Yep, my work laptop is a Dell.

I still think you should consider a Mac if you're interested in media.

FA - I'm not in the UK any more so hard to say. Probably do all my research and buy online. I wouldn't take advice from a shop I don't think.

get a formac mon itor whichever pc you get..