Upgrade pc V buy a whole new one ?

[fernando]

Don't worry, I'm not going to post a series of 'what about this one?' posts, but what about this one (!) from my localish pc shop :-

'Max Series Custom Built System - Intel 775 From £195.27 (£229.45 Inc.)'
Presumably the 'Inc' means including VAT.

Maybe however I should buy more RAM than the standard 512MB? - edit : I'm reading that Vista needs at least 1GB, so presumably 'yes'.
How about the graphics there ? Would it suit for example 'playing high resolution video files without slowing the pc' ?
I would have no idea however if or how to use the 'customise' option to choose a processor other than the default.

I also can't work out if Windows Vista is included or would be an extra, even though that page talks about Vista. - edit : my current feeling is that Vista is not included.

[Neil Jones]

Neil: Your screen is running at 50Hz?!

It should have been 60Hz in hindsight but in my defence it was 1am and I had been up since 8am. And I'm using a TFT monitor so it becomes arbitrary anyway.

[Sput]

I used to hate low refresh CRTs with a passion, I honestly couldn't use something below 70Hz and could tell the difference between that and 75 I still hate them, but they're now wonderfully obsolete.

At the other end of the spectrum I have a mate who's using a 32" HDTV (in his 12' square halls of residence room) as his monitor. While it does tend to burn the corneas, when I've used his computer I have to admit it felt like I was king of the internet

[cdd]

I also can't work out if Windows Vista is included or would be an extra, even though that page talks about Vista. - edit : my current feeling is that Vista is not included.

Believe me, you do NOT want Vista. (That is, unless you want to buy new hardware, printers, scanners, cameras etc too...)

I have it and it's a nightmare.

That said you probably have no choice - you may be stuck with Vista...