I'm looking for a low-end desktop replacement. I'm having difficulty finding advice for my needs. I think 8GB of RAM will be more important (and cheaper) than a better CPU, but don't know how true this is. I'm also tempted by an SSD, but have no experience with them, and if an SSD does the job of more RAM without needing a good CPU, then I can get cheaper laptops elsewhere. So far, this is the cheapest I've found.
Novatech nSpire N1594
Screen: 15.6" LED
CPU: I3 4100M
RAM: 8GB (2x 4GB) DDR3 (optional upgrade)
SSD: 128GB Crucial MX100 (optional upgrade)
GPU: Intel HD 4600 (probably, all other nspires use it)
£457.19
What I (don't) need from it:
Zoostorm Desktop PC
Screen: 18.5" widescreen LCD
CPU: Pentium G860 2x 3.0GHz
RAM: 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3
HDD 1TB SATA HDD
GPU: Intel HD (H61 Express)
Running Ubuntu Linux
~£350 2 years ago
Novatech nSpire N1594
Screen: 15.6" LED
CPU: I3 4100M
RAM: 8GB (2x 4GB) DDR3 (optional upgrade)
SSD: 128GB Crucial MX100 (optional upgrade)
GPU: Intel HD 4600 (probably, all other nspires use it)
£457.19
What I (don't) need from it:
■ Under £500
■ Reliable as possible
■ No trouble with customer support refusing to fix repairs because I use Ubuntu or repairs taking a month (this will be my final undergrad year, so it's the last thing I need)
■ No gaming
■ Little portability; it will mostly be used plugged in and on a desk
■ Heat and noise minimal
■ Under £500
■ Heavy multitasking e.g. capable of handling +100 tabs open while I have a lecture paused, a pdf of a textbook up and the F1 on a second monitor without slowing down when I turn music off to answer an email that needs me to search for a few files to attach.
Zoostorm Desktop PC
Screen: 18.5" widescreen LCD
CPU: Pentium G860 2x 3.0GHz
RAM: 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3
HDD 1TB SATA HDD
GPU: Intel HD (H61 Express)
Running Ubuntu Linux
~£350 2 years ago