[sclug] Comet Quad core offering - cheap high street commoditisation of computers

[Alex Butcher]

On Mon, 17 Mar 2008, Will Dickson wrote:

> Alex Butcher wrote:
>
>> Coincidentally, I saw some potentially interesting HP and Acer models in
>> Comet the other day, but was put off when I noticed some were using SiS
>> chipset motherboards; [...]
>
> I tried a SiS mobo once. I don't intend to make that mistake again.

...and of course, being sold as 'appliances' with limited specification
information on the shelf ticket, it's hard to know which do, and which
don't.

>> I've priced up Dell and Aldi PCs and couldn't build equivalent machines for
>> the same money, even rating Windows with zero value. :-)
>
> Concur. I recently helped a friend, who is fond of Dull, spec up a new 
> machine, and couldn't find anything close to the price elsewhere. This seems 
> to be especially true of laptops; Dull seem to be about the only vendor who 
> allow you to customise the configuration.

Expect this to improve soon. Intel are working on standard components for
laptops. Dell may or may not use them, but expect to see all the local tier
3 assemblers using them instead of chassis from Clevo, Compal et al.

>> That said, there'd be a few minor tweaks (e.g. DDR800 memory for a
>> self-build, DDR667 for Dell or Aldi), but given today's performance levels,
>> I'd be inclined to trade that off in exchange for a three year system-wide
>> warranty, and a day not spent building the machine. :-)
>
> Yep. Unless of course you already have half a computer lying around, and / or 
> still consider that putting the shiny new toy together is half the fun. :-)

Yes, I'm not averse to considering the build 'fun', but I seem to be busier
these days, and unless I'm at a particularly loose end, I've usually got
other things to do which are more fun. And the thought of letting components
sit around unassembled until I *am* at a loose end doesn't bear thinking
about...

> Will.

Best Regards,
Alex.
-- 
Alex Butcher, Bristol UK.                           PGP/GnuPG ID:0x5010dbff

"[T]he whole point about the reason why I think it is important we go for
identity cards and an identity database today is that identity fraud and
abuse is a major, major problem. Now the civil liberties aspect of it, look
it is a view, I don't personally think it matters very much."
  - Tony Blair, 6 June 2006 <http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page9566.asp>