A reliable Desktop to buy?

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 ".

 

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.

 

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. "
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I'll address this in a PM.

 

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.