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A reliable Desktop to buy?

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by BobbyScot, 2015/10/08.

  1. 2015/10/08
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Is the Asus made computer, reliable. In my area, only PCWorld is open to purchase Desktop computers and unfortunately PCWorld consentrates mostly in Laptops and Ipads etc. Again lower priced computers are mainly displayed. Views will be most appreciated.
     
  2. 2015/10/08
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    IMO Asus are a reliable company in terms of it's products. Although I have not bought a ready made desktop for the past 20 years I have always used Asus motherboards and components in my home builds without issue. When recommending desktops to my friends I always recommend those built around an Asus motherboard.

    If you would like to post the model no. of the Asus you are interested in I would be pleased to take a look at the specs and make comment.

    I know from your postings on the BBS that you have had issues with HP/Compaq, but every laptop I have purchased over the years has been HP and I have been well satisfied with them - I can't speak for their desktops.
     

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  4. 2015/10/08
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    PeteC thank you for your views, appreciated. Asus offered at PCWorld, is model Asus Republic, specifiations are what I would like, though I am certainly not a Gamer or interested in games, rather general usage. I certainly agree that my HP Compac has fromt ime to time given me trouble and required the PSU being replaced about three years ago. My preference to buy locally is saving effort in sending computer away in cases of failure.
    Over the years since buying the HP Compac has been mostly Microsoft OS as in my case HP and MS often caused trouble. It is certainly very kind of you to offer to check Asus specificatons and look forward to reading your views.
     
  5. 2015/10/08
    retiredlearner

    retiredlearner SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    I go along with Pete on Asus motherboards. This comp and 2 others I built have been Asus m/b's and they have been reliable. Neil.
     
  6. 2015/10/09
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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  7. 2015/10/09
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Thank you for both postings. PeteC, the model priced at £1299. My prefered specification is 12Gb memory minimum, a graphic card of good quality GForce 970 at least, 4 USB 3.0 2 USB 2.0 or more if possible and must have DVD facility. At presnt use 4 external USB HD 3.0, using a VIA board, though I have doubts this board uses the HD as 3.0. My current Graphics card is a GForce GT630, this gives a reasonable quality of DVD films, but would like a clearer picture.
     
  8. 2015/10/09
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Further to my last response, I have taken a note of the two Asus models of interest. Asus Republic of Gamers G20AJ.
    Asus M52AD Extreme.
    Specifications are similar to what I am thinking of. Your views will certainly be appreciated. Thanks, Bob.
     
  9. 2015/10/09
    JSS3rd Lifetime Subscription

    JSS3rd Geek Member

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    Hi Bob,

    Just my two cents worth (sorry, I'm a Yank :)), but I'd go for the 52AD-XTREME. Not only would you save yourself £270, but you'd be getting more RAM AND a 128GB SSD.

    Install your OS on the SSD and use the HDD for data storage. I can tell you from personal experience that booting into Windows from an SSD vs booting from an HDD is like the difference between night and day.

    You say that you're not a gamer, so you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the performance of the two graphics cards.

    As I said, just my two cents worth.

    HTH.
     
  10. 2015/10/09
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    JSS3rd, I value your 2 cents worth as any information is worth a great deal to my selecting a new computer. Thank you, Bob.
     
  11. 2015/10/10
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Bobby - apologies for the delayed response - I was otherwise engaged all day yesterday.

    Having looked at both the ASUS M52AD-XTREME and the ASUS Republic of Gamers G20AJ desktops I have no hesitation in concurring with Jim's view. The G20AJ is a little weird to look at and that strange case is limiting in terms of upgrades. From a review ...
    If I recall correctly the power supply is miserly.

    OTOH the M52AD-XTREME has a conventional case and is very well specified - the use of an SSD for the OS is highly recommended - I have an SSD in my desktop and recently fitted one to my laptop - both boot almost instantaneously - SSD's are the way forward.
    The GT630 should give you a decent picture - I use a GT740 on an Eizo CS240 monitor and have no complaints re. image quality - bear in mind that the monitor is way OTT for normal use, but I do a lot of editing in Photoshop and a quality graphics monitor is necessary for accuracy in colour rendition, etc. If you have issues with your current set up I would look at the monitor - it may not be up to scratch.
     
  12. 2015/10/10
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    PeteC, thanks for your excellent advice and I agree after further reading that the Asus Republic of Gamers G20AJ is certainly not for me both for looks and usability. Thanks again for pointing this out to me. My current HP Presario has now come to its end of life, now being extremely slow in all actions.
    Asus M52AD Extreme, certainly looks more a convertional computer and what your views are would be most welcome. I presume the M52AD Extreme has a DVD player fitted? as this is a must in my case.
    Finally, taking the specifications of that computer, what are your views? are they better computers on the market (UK), more suitable to my needs. Without help from people like yoursel, it is most easy to buy the wrong computer with great regrets. Thank you, Bob.
     
  13. 2015/10/10
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Yes - check out the specifications link I posted, repeated here.
    The M52AD Extreme is a top end computer which will have no issues with power hungry applications such as serious gaming (which I know is not a requirement) and video rendering (making serious videos, not just viewing). If you have Blu-Ray DVD's the repro quality on the screen should exceed that of standard DVD's which it will also play of course.

    I have no idea of your needs, but from previous threads I suspect that they are not particularly onerous and the M52AD Extreme will not bat an eyelid in dealing with them. Are there better computers on the market? That is very subjective; of course there are equivalent computers with slightly varying specs, but the M52AD Extreme is an absolute powerhouse and I would be inclined to look no further
     
  14. 2015/10/10
    JSS3rd Lifetime Subscription

    JSS3rd Geek Member

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    Hi Bob,

    I'd like to add just one other thought to the discussion.

    I'm sure you're not interested in building your own computer, as Pete has done, but there's another approach that could, in all likelihood, save you some money, and still give you a computer that would more than meet your needs.

    I'm talking about a custom-built computer. A simple search turned up numerous UK companies specializing in building computers from a list of components from which the customer chooses those he wants. Here's just one example (scroll down to see all the different options available). Compromises are sometimes necessary (usually the case and mainboard), but buying an off-the-shelf box frequently results in getting either more than you need or less than you want.

    My own computer was custom-built several years ago and, for my relatively simple requirements, was state-of-the art at the time. Not so any longer, but it still more than meets my needs. I have since upgraded it by replacing the original HDDs with SSDs and by increasing the amount of RAM. I also replaced my monitor after my old one died, and I've moved to 64bit Win7 Pro from the original 32bit Win7 HP (and have no intention of "upgrading" to Win10).

    Again, just my 2¢ worth. :)
     
    Last edited: 2015/10/10
  15. 2015/10/10
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Thank you for both postings.
    JSS3rd, the suggestion of trying out Mesh is really worth a serious think.
    I tried selecting my requirement to build a very reasonable computer at a cost of £1309. I feel, this can be reduced by further selecting. Bonus is, that Mesh offer Windows 7 Pro + disc and no bloatware installed. I thought for some reason that Mesh were no longer trading, as I can remember them and this service as far back as the 1980s, that is, if I am not mistaken. Another option for my consideration. Is the Antivirus offered, any good.
    Thank you, Bob.
     
  16. 2015/10/10
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    If your thoughts on that are changing I would suggest PCSpecialist for a custom build (PCWorld stock some of their models). I have recently commisioned one of their custom builds for a friend and was impressed by the o'all quality and standard of installation inside the case.
     
  17. 2015/10/10
    JSS3rd Lifetime Subscription

    JSS3rd Geek Member

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    Hi Bob,

    Wow, you must have done some serious upgrading to the basic computer I suggested as an example, as you've added another £550 to the cost of the box as shown, and it's even an upgrade from the ASUS 52AD-XTREME you were considering.

    I'd never heard of BullGuard Internet Security, and had to look it up. Personally, I don't care for suites, and have several individual programs installed, instead. Microsoft Security Essentials has served me well as an anti-virus program and, for malware protection, I use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Spyware Blaster, Spybot S&D, and WinPatrol. I also use KeyScrambler as protection against keyloggers.
     
  18. 2015/10/10
    JSS3rd Lifetime Subscription

    JSS3rd Geek Member

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    Not to change the subject, but the differences between British English and American English never fail to amuse me. One in particular is that you Brits refer to companies in the plural (as in Bob's "Mesh were no longer trading "), while we would say "Mesh is no longer trading ".

    Then there's colour vs color, whilst vs while, lift vs elevator, bonnet vs hood, boot vs trunk, the list goes on and on.

    It was either Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, or Winston Churchill (take your pick) who said that (and I paraphrase) "England and America are two countries divided by a common language ".
     
  19. 2015/10/10
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Hello Jim, you may agree that English as we use, was used long before America was even discovered. So the changes were made by you good people.
    Going back to Computers, I have upgraded severa components.
    Memory to 16GB.
    Graphics card: 2GB Nvidia GTX 950. Optical drive: Blue Ray.
    Power supply: 750w. Sound card: Creative Sound Blaster.
    Power supply: Aidos. OS: Windows 7 Pro. + dic.
    Solid State drive: 500GB. Warranty: Gold 3years.
    Hard drive: 2TB Seagate.
    New Total £1212. Probably could be reduced.
     
  20. 2015/10/11
    JSS3rd Lifetime Subscription

    JSS3rd Geek Member

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    Hi Bob,

    You must have changed your mind about what you want to do with a new computer, as it strikes me that the configuration you've selected (if we're talking about the Mesh computer I cited as an example of a very well configured custom-built box) represents gross overkill. May I remind you of what you said in an earlier post:
    "I am certainly not a Gamer or interested in games, rather general usage. "
    I'll address this in a PM.
     
  21. 2015/10/11
    BobbyScot

    BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Hi Jim. What I would like and what I will finally buy - well is not decided.
    My own thoughts is better to have more power in cases of requirements arising when it is needed. More memory and a better graphics card is in my opinion not a waste of money or as you say "overkill ". Thanks for pointing out.
     

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