[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

 

Is this computer any good, please? https://www.ebuyer.c...dd-dt-betek-003

 

Chris

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Hello Chris,

 

Way too expensive for what is a rather basic PC.

 

Have used ebuyer for parts in the past and they were both good and inexpensive, guess times have changed 

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

Way too expensive for what is a rather basic PC.

 

Have used ebuyer for parts in the past and they were both good and inexpensive, guess times have changed 

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

I am getting seriously discouraged! None of the cheaper computers seem to be suitable - either the wrong power supply, only one slot for Ram, etc, etc. I just had no idea it would be so difficult to find one!

My head has been spinning a bit, I keep finding myself looking at the same model more than once. Some computer manufacturers have models with very similar names! I am beginning to compile a table now for those I have looked at, with the main details included. Just a question of ploughing slowly through them.

With regard to the OCHW one from Amazon, I was put off by the fact I messaged the seller twice without an answer. Also there is apparently no inbuilt wifi, only usb. I have never even heard of that before, tbh.

With regard to the power supply issue, please can you tell me what question I would ask in order to find out whether it is the notebook type with an adapter? I am not very au fait with electrical terms and do not know how to word the relevant question.

It doesn't help with my searching in that my Sony Vaio is so slow as it only has half the memory now (one of the actual slots no longer works). I guess though I can only keep on looking and hope I get lucky eventually!

Bye for now,

Chris.

Edited by Channeal, 19 November 2020 - 03:05 PM.

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

Think positive rather than feeling discouraged, a couple of years back you may have just gone out and purchased a new PC for an over the top price and been none the wiser, not these days though as you are far more clued up 

 

Regarding the power supply, a giveaway clue is the wattage, even the most basic of desktops that have an internal PSU will state something like a 300W power supply whereas the PCs that have the notebook type power supply will be more along the lines of between 60 and 90W, you may see some with 130W or more if there is an add on video card present.

 

Regarding your PSU question, I would ask if the power supply was the external notebook type or the standard internal ATX type.

 

Anything you find and want a second opinion on don`t hesitate to ask, one of us will be around.

 

Regards

 

Phill

 

 

With regard to the OCHW one from Amazon, I was put off by the fact I messaged the seller twice without an answer.

 

 

 

Sorry missed addressing the above, if you check the reviews at Amazon you will see that they have had three five star reviews in the past five days so they are trading during lockdown, give them a call before giving up on them Customer Service Phone: 0-773-836-3680

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

 

Many thanks for the info and for your kind words of encouragement. Much appreciated.

 

I looked at the website for the Ochw and have tried emailing them at the address there. (I would prefer not to phone unless as the last resort. A question of confidence when talking about technical stuff, I guess! ).

 

I am definitely considering this computer more now. I think at first I just didn't like the fact it was from a company I have never heard of. I don't seem to be getting very far with looking at the more well known firms though. I guess I am naturally suspicious, although I trust your opinion as you have helped me many times over the past few years.

 

One thing that concerned me was the fact that one person in the comments on Amazon said their computer came with an unvalidated copy of Windows. I have twice in the past ended up purchasing an OS and having to get it validated. I don't want to do that again! I guess that was only what one person said though.

 

I haven't had a reply to my email yet. I only sent it just before 5pm on Saturday though. I did notice that one person who ordered the computer said they had to get a refund as this model is out of stock. (Can't find this message now, maybe it was deleted!) I notice they do not have this model on their website, though they do have a similar (but more expensive) model, the venom, available on both Amazon and their website.

 

I'll let you know if I get a reply from them.

 

Thanks again,

 

Chris.

Edited by Channeal, 23 November 2020 - 12:44 PM.

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

If you have not heard back from them by Thursday let me know and I will ring them if you like.

 

You are welcome btw 

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

It is extremely kind of you to offer to ring Ochw for me, but I honestly do not feel I should ask you to do that. I remember (from a long time ago) that you have a very busy life and I really think I should ring them myself. I am probably just being silly anyway! I just need to make a list of the points I need to ask them first. (Knowing me, I usually end up forgetting to ask an important question!).

That reminds me... I meant to ask you something else last time. It seems that the Ochw computer does not have inbuilt wifi, only usb WiFi. That seems very strange to me, as I assumed all computers were made with internal WiFi. Having said that, our old computer was connected to the router via an ethernet cable. What I am trying to remember though is whether you need WiFi to set up the router in the first place. It was a very long time ago, but I seem to remember having to set up the wireless bit first. I am sure you will know the answer to this.

Thanks again,

Chris.

EDIT Was just about to write down my questions with view to phoning them tomorrow, only to find that the computer has now been taken off Amazon altogether.

Edited by Channeal, 26 November 2020 - 11:36 AM.

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

It was a good spec computer for the price that was advertised so perhaps they have withdrawn it after realising, regardless, will not be recommending anything from them again.

 

Regarding onboard, it is classed as an added extra on most MBs and it is only really brand names such as Dell, HP and Lenovo etc that ship with a wireless device and that is normally an internal add on NIC device.

 

Let us know if you find any alternative PCs that you would like us to take a look at.

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

I don't know, it said they only had two left so maybe they just sold them. I don't like that they didn't even respond to my email though, just a quick 'Sorry, they are all sold' would do. I guess we don't know how busy they are though and what problems they are having. Difficult times for all firms with all that's going on (though I am sure I don't have to tell you that).

It is a shame if I just missed out on a good deal but it would not have been good for me to buy it in a hurry, I needed to take my time. I had to convince my husband too - he knows even less about buying computers than I do (if that's possible!). We struck lucky with the Dell - it was sold through my husband's then workplace (a local authority) in connection with a brief government-backed scheme to encourage people in the workplace to buy their own computers. We had had a previous computer which had conveniently just failed. They had a sales day when everyone went in and looked at the models on display and we just chose the one we wanted. Easy!

Anyway, you have taught me a lot about what to look for in a computer so I do not feel quite so useless when searching now!

Thanks for the info about wireless, I didn't know that before. I notice that quite a few of the Ochw ones on their website are sold without a hard drive or OS too. Is that usual as well?

Sorry, I have been rambling on!

Thanks again for all your help,

Chris.

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

Not difficult to reply to an email so to me poor show on their behalf 

 

PCs sold without an OS are generally done to make the price look more attractive but not seen them with no HDD unless they were a refurb.

 

You are welcome Chris and as said, see anything that you like the look of let us know and we will take a look at it for you.

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

Just a quick few lines to let you know that I am still without a computer, after all this time.

An overload of unexpected problems got in the way - and I guess I also became a bit discouraged at my apparent inability to find what I was looking for!

My laptop is getting increasingly slow and needs some attention - but I do not really want to mess around with it until I have got a new desktop (in case I mess it up and make it even worse!) So I need to start looking again!

Anyway.. apologies for the long absence. If you happen to see any bargains, please do let me know.

Hope all is well with you,

Chris.

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

Apologies for the delay getting back to you, not been around for a couple of days.

 

Will have a look around for you once I have cleared the backlog of work 

 

All good thanks and likewise I trust that you are well.

 

Edit to add: Seem to recall that you favour an optical drive, a decent PC with a DVD RW at a good price here

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

 

Thanks for your reply. No need to apologise for the slight delay; I remember from when you helped me many moons ago that you were always amazingly busy!

 

The Acer computer in your link interesed me, but also left my incredibly confused (though that is not at all unusual for me, especially where technical matters are

concerned!)

 

I looked in the folder of stuff I printed out when I was searching online towards the end of last year and found I already had several pages on an Acer Aspire XC-830. Looking back to message #6, you told me: -

 

 

Acer computer is a definite no no, has the notebook type MB that was mentioned previously, noticed this when I checked it out for any possible RAM upgrade, only has the one memory slot which means two things, 8GB of RAM is the max which means that it will only work in single channel mode at 1066MHz and not at the 2133MHz as advertised.

 

Will leave the other points as the Acer is definitely not for you.

 

As I said, I am really comfused! It certainly seems true that 8GB of RAM is the maximum supported. Is this a dfferent Acer (though it doesn't seem to me as if it is), or has something changed that I can't see? If and when you get a chance, please could you be good enough to look into this for me and rescue me from my state of utter confusion!

 

Btw, with regard to wanting an optical drive, it is not important as i have got an external one which I puchased a little while ago.

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris.

 

EDIT: Looking at the specs on the Acer website, it does seem as if the power supplu is 65W which I beive you said (in message #19) means a lanotebook type power supply.

Edited by Channeal, 03 July 2021 - 12:38 PM.

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

You have a good memory and are indeed correct in what was previously advised, the Aspire XC-830 though was suggested based on its low price, it having a DVD RW + us having an insight in what the main use of the computer will be, you are not a gamer and so do not need any add on video card which reduces the need for a full size ATX PSU, should the intended use have changed any please let us know and we will find and post the link/s to any more appropriate alternative/s.

 

NB: Anything else that I found when I came across the Aspire XC-830 cost more in the region of £500 or above.

[Channeal]

Hello Phill, 

Thank you for you message. 

I was relying on you to rescue me from my state of confusion, but I am afraid you have only increased it!   

I previously gained the opinion that a notebook type power supply was a complete no-no for me and this has really been the source all my troubles as regards to finding a suitable model. All the cheaper models have this notebook type power supply, so I was literally tearing my hair out!   

With regard to this Acer, I was previously very drawn to it back in November - but having discounted it then, am having problems now trying to work out if I really should change my mind. I am trying to work out whether a notebook type power supply really will be sufficient for me or not. 

Returning to message #2 you said:

 

 

Your best option imo would be to purchase something that you can use now at a lower price and then add a couple of upgrades yourself in the future.

 

 

Avoid any type of desktop that only has a notebook type power supply, they are basically a notebook MB in a desktop and have very little to no upgrade path.

 

Although the computer would be used mainly for listening to music and email etc, I may in the future play one or two games (I currently play games only on my phone). Since my husband has become unwell, nearly everything I used to enjoy doing has stopped and covid has made that even worse as he is considered very vulnerable and there is no assurance that the vaccine will have worked for him - so I have lots of time to myself. I don't think I could be considered a real gamer though -  but who knows what may happen in the future. 

I think I did mention that I like to learn new things as far as computing is concerned; also that I might possibly experiment with linux, maybe in a virtual machine.

I don't want to me a nuisance (though I am sure I usually am!) - but if you do get a chance, please could you clear up the following points for me: - 

1)I am not sure what possible future upgrades it was you were thinking of when you told me that a notebook type upgrade would prevent upgrades….. please would you expand on this. 

2)I believe the Acer comes with 4GB of RAM which could be upgraded to 8GB. I would do this. There is no scope for any more memory upgrade if required though. Do you think it would be enough? I have run into memory problems in the past as I often have several things open at once. Having said that though, I think our old Dell originally only had 2GB which I upgraded to 4GB many years ago. 

Finally, I appreciate that you always try to save money for people. However, although I do not want to give the impression that money is no object (which is definitely far from the truth - and what little we do have is fast being eaten up by our children!) we do not want it to be the prime consideration here. We merely want a computer which is at least as good as our reliable old Dell was!  I am quite tempted to just go ahead and purchase the Acer, but am just not sure.......

Many thanks for all your help - and once again, apologies for being a nuisance. 

Chris.