Anyone who knows about computers out there who can tell me what i should buy?

[ViciousSquirrelSpotter]

I'm about to get a new job and my current computer belongs to my old company, so I have to give it back. So I want to buy a new home computer. I don't know where to start!!!!

Do I want desktop or laptop? Are laptops still ridiculously more money than the same spec desktop? I'll be using the home computer for photos, bits of home video of the children, e-mail, mumsnetting, and a bit of home working (mostly word, powerpoint and web-based database)

What do I need? Any recommendations from anyone?

Laptops are better, I think. And you can get a new Dell for about £300, from what I know. The only real argument for desktops is for computer gaming, I think.

hmm, but are dell any good?

And also, people go on about macs being better. Does anyone have any views on this?

If your office is mac, get a mac, that will be easier. Otherwise, PCs are a lot cheaper.

Dell are quite good, we have one and are happy with it.

How long have you had it NQC?

And is it a laptop?

(And where did you get it from?)

It's a laptop, we got it from the Dell site, we've had it for a year or two? Not sure. And it works fine.

We also have (and use) a neoprene cover thing for it, so that when it gets dropped, it's a bit protected. I think it helps.

Mac are more expensive for what you get you can get a fab p.c for the same prce that has alot more memory, ram and a better processor. (sorry dp is a computer wizard)

Best bet is to speak to some one in pc world or currys and tell them what you want to spend and what you ant out of your computer and they can guide you appropriatley.

get a Dell from their website BUT when it says 'personal or small business?' click 'small business' as you get a wider choice of processors.

I have an HP laptop which is good for MN / web etc but a wee bit slow when it comes to heavy graphics processing.

And do get a neoprene thing.

oh god DO NOT go to PC World or Currys

or if you do don't trust them

take all the leaflets and don't buy on the spot

I hate PC World and Currys. Their prices aren't competitive, and the service sucks.

Yes my last computer (which is now defunct) I bought from PC world

I bought one of those 5 year extended warranties from them, for which you get a PC healthcheck every year. 4 times, when confronted with a difficult problem, their advice was to wipe the hard drive and start again.

I did it the first time, then the next three times just got someone else to have a look at the computer, who sorted out the problems without wiping out all my data.

Really don't want to buy anything from them again. Or from any company in the Dixons/ Curry group tbh, twenty years ago they wouldn't change a £20 faulty product and I've held it against them ever since. I didn't know PC World were part of their group, or I wouldn't have bought my computer there.

Oh, please don't buy an extended warranty for your next computer! Thing is, computers generally fail either in the first five minutes or a couple years down the line, after the warranty has run out.

So where's a good place to buy then?

Have looked on the John Lewis website, but they all look v. expensive compared to what Dell is advertising. (Then again maybe the specs are v. different, but I don't need to be doing big complicated things so don't need the posh specs)

Dell really does have good prices, we've been happy with them. Got ours from there, and helped our technophobe neighbour get hers from there, too.

Have just asked DH (who specs hardware for a job) and he says the best thing to do is to spend £4 on either Computer Shopper or What PC? - both are understandable non-techy magazines - and see what their laptop recommendations are this month. They also give good advice on where to buy from.

Ah, good idea

will do