In previous years, the family PC Round-up invited manufacturers to submit systems which we then benchmarked for speed and performance. This year the format has changed, driven by the fact that, when Mum or Dad look to purchase a PC to meet the requirements of all of the family, breathtaking speed and performance are probably the last two things on their minds.
Parents are more preoccupied with a system at an affordable price, with a good bundle of software and peripherals such as printers, digital cameras or web cams included. They are also looking for anti-virus and other protection, and a high level of support and warranty cover. With this in mind, we asked the top vendors in the market to make a pitch to the editor on why they think their offering should be voted top all-round family PC offering on the Irish market.
We looked for strong cases from the vendors in each of the following criteria:
1. The technical specification of the system
2. Aids for ease of use and set-up
3. The quality of the software bundled with the machine
4. The quality of peripherals and accessories bundled with the machine
5. The quality of support and warranty available with the machine
6. The competitive price of the overall offering
7. Vendors were also asked to give their opinion on what should be expected from a good all-round family PC.
The following were their responses:
Dell Dimension E521
The technical specification of the system:
AMD Sempron, Athlon 64, or 64 X2 Dual Core processor
19in LCD monitor
Up to 4Gbyte of DDR 2 RAM memory
Up to 320Gb SATA hard drive
Nvidia GeForce 7300LE graphics card with 256Mbytes of memory
IEEE 1394 port
Windows XP Home or Professional available as options
6 USB ports
Aids for ease of use and set-up:
The operating system and all additional software and drivers are preinstalled and ready to go. Trial versions for virus protection, and photo editing are also preinstalled.
The quality of the software bundled with the machine:
The Dimension E521 offers robust features to help you view, create, edit and present your multimedia requirements. With integrated 7.1 channel audio and optional ATI or Nvidia graphics cards, the E521 can deliver high-quality sound, video and graphics, bringing all your multimedia to life for the family this Christmas. It is an ideal system for families making their multimedia requirements easier to manage.
The quality of peripherals and accessories bundled with the system:
With six external USB ports the Dimension E521 lets you add electronics and peripherals as needed. Printers, handhelds, digital cameras, surround sound speakers and more, the E521 is built for ease of use and maxiMum compatibility.
The quality of support and warranty available with the machine:
Dell’s Dimension systems are supplied with complimentary technical support and a one-year collect and return service to give you complete peace of mind.
The competitive price of the overall offering:
The Dell Dimension E521 costs from €799 incl. VAT and delivery. For the environmentally conscious, Dell will recycle your old PC and/or monitor free of charge.
What is Dell’s opinion on what should be expected from a good all-round family PC:
A good family PC should be able to handle all applications used in the specific household. Typical usages include e-mail and web surfing, photo and video editing, MP3 and DVD usage but also edutainment applications and games. The Dell Dimension E521 delivers all that in an attractive package at a great price.
****Hot Pick****
PC World Compaq 2019 PC
The technical specifications of the machine:
AMD Athlon 64 Mobile Processor 3500
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center
1GB DDR RAM
160GB Hard Disk Drive
Dual Layer DVD Re-Writer Drive
256Mb Nvidia Geforce 6150 Graphics
9-In-1 Media Card Reader
7 USB Connections
4 PCI Slots
2 Firewire Connections
17” Flat Panel Monitor
Microsoft Windows Vista Capable
Free Microsoft Vista Premium Upgrade Available
Ease of use and set-up:
Included in the bundle are easy-to-follow set-up sheets.
The quality of the software bundle offered:
Media Suite is an essential software application for those who want to burn CDs and DVDs, create web pages, manage MP3s and photos, edit movies and make ringtones.
Get the most from your PC with the latest ranges of peripherals, which are bundled in this package. From the all-in-one printer to the data storage we have the complete PC solution.
The quality of peripherals and accessories bundled with the machine:
Matsui 1Gb MP3 Player
Advent 5 million pixel digital camera
Advent Webcam
2 x USB Skype Mini Phones
50 x Verbatim DVD+R Disks
PNY 1GB Data Storage
The quality of support and warranty available with the machine:
The Advent PC with a one year warranty. PC World’s in-store PC Clinics provides the help and upgrades to ensure you get the most from your PC.
The competitive price of the overall offering:
This Compaq system retails for €999.99.
What does PC World believe should be expected from a good all-round family PC:
The PC should be extremely easy to set-up and you should be confident that it is protected from viruses and hackers. The customer should also be able to choose which way they want to pay. As a result, PC World offers up to 12 months interest-free or 48 months fixed-term loans available on all purchases over €199.99.
HP Pavilion Media Center t3635.uk PC with vs17e 17-inch screen
The technical specifications of the machine:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 DC 1.86 GHz processor
2Gb of DDR2 SDRAM memory
200Gbyte SATA Hard Drive
16 x DVD (+/-) R/RW drive
The HP Pavilion Media Center t3635.uk PC is an ultra-stylish PC that combines impressive computing power with extensive digital photography, video and audio capabilities for a thrilling multimedia experience. It features genuine Windows for a familiar and intuitive environment along with genuine Windows XP Media Center Edition.
It comes loaded with powerful processors, extensive video capabilities, and outstanding audio,
The quality of the software bundled with the machine:
Photosmart Premier software for managing your photos, among other basic multimedia functions.
The quality of peripherals and accessories bundled with the machine:
The PC comes with an easy to set-up matching metallic keyboard, monitor and optical mouse.
There is also a host of connectivity features, including a 9-in-1 Digital Media Reader, DVD writers with LightScribe technology on selected models, and wireless networking enable fast and easy connection.
The LightScribe Direct Disc Labelling technology allows you to add elegant labels onto CDs or DVDs. Just burn the content, flip the disc and burn your personalised label onto the other side.
Aids for ease of use and set-up
The system is bundled with quick set-up guides for ease of set-up. HP also provides online set-up guides for configuring every aspect of the system.
The quality of the support and warranty available with the system:
The computer comes with a one-year warranty from the date of purchase which covers hardware parts and labour.
The competitive price of the overall offering:
The HP Pavilion Media Center t3635.uk PC retails for €1249 incl. VAT from HP retailers (www.hp.com/ie/howtobuy).
What does HP believe should be expected from a good all-round family PC?
A family should look for superb multi-media entertainment facilities in order for everyone to get maximum enjoyment from the PC. Mum and Dad can log on to the Internet to check their work e-mail, watch sport on the RTE website or do the Christmas shopping online. At the same time kids can do their homework, watch funny clips on YouTube and play video games.
Look for a PC that comes with good security so you can keep it safe and if things go wrong make sure that you have great software back up in order to save your files.
Finally, make sure to buy from a trusted supplier for peace of mind, but also for great service and support.
PC Pro Computers family PC
The technical specifications of the machine:
Intel Pentium 4 processor
80Gbyte SATA HDD
1.44in floppy disc drive
512Mbytes of DDR2 RAM memory
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Optical Mouse
4x rear USB ports
2x front USB ports
Ease of use and set-up of the system:
PC Pro computers are built in Cork and are supplied through a network of dealers nationwide. PC Pro Computer Systems have built a significant reputation in Ireland for the quality and reliability of their computer systems. All of its systems have standard colour-coded rear connectors, all are supplied through dealers who offer a good range of pre and post sale services to their customers. PC Pro have a very hi repeat order rate among our business and education customers.
The quality of the software bundled with the system:
As an alternative to the widely used but expensive Microsoft Office suite of Applications, PC Pro offers Open Office from Sun Microsystems as a standard package on their range of family PC’s. The latest version 2.0 of this free productivity suite is slick and highly compatible with Microsoft Office file formats. It even offers features not found in its Microsoft counterpart.
The quality of the peripherals and accessories bundled with the system:
This year PC Pro is supplying the Epson DX4000 PSC all-in-one printer scanner copier device with borderless printing, a Logitech webcam with integrated Skype phone and a 128 MB music player with FM Radio.
The quality of warranty and support available with the system:
PC Pro offers a 12-month return to base warranty on all systems. This warranty is processed via the dealer that supplied the system. All peripherals come with standard manufacturers’ warranty which is 12 months return to base.
The competitive price of the overall system:
Price of the P4 is €799.00 inc VAT, and there’s a Celeron option with an Epson D78 printer for €699.00 inc VAT. Delivery charges are typically €14.00 per complete system.
What does PC Pro believe should be expected from a good all-round family PC:
A family PC will be used my most of the family, from Mum and Dad doing online banking or travel booking to teens for music downloads, online messaging and gaming while the younger children go for “infotainment”, education and gaming. So the system needs to be robust and well built, while looking good in the family room of any home. It must be able to connect to broadband out of the box, be expandable – for example adding a MIDI interface for music recording or a powerful graphics card for advanced gaming – and must meet the needs of the family over time. Value for money, and not the cheapest price, should determine your purchase. All PCs can be upgraded by a computer dealer, so the uninformed family buyer is best served by going to a computer dealer rather than a retailer as, generally speaking, the local computer shop will have more knowledgeable staff to help you with your purchase.
Fujitsu Siemens Computers Scaleo Pi 1517
The technical specifications of the system:
Intel Pentium D820 2.8MHz 800 Dual Core
1Gb of DDR2 RAM
250Gb PATA hard drive
56K Data Fax
DVDRW Supermulti burner
DVD ROM
VGA NV 7300SE 64M/512M PCle TV-out
11-in-1 card reader
19in TFT Screen with stereo speakers
The ease of use and set-up of the system:
The Fujitsu Siemens box has a desktop map included which clearly shows all the cables and where they connect to. The colour-coded inputs and cables make setting up the Scaleo Pi 1517 child’s play. Once the PC is switched on, Windows will guide the user through the set-up process including how to connect to the Internet. Fujitsu Siemens has included a ‘first steps’ interactive guide to familiarise the user with basic functions of the PC.
The quality of the software bundled with the system:
Microsoft Windows XP Home sp2, MS Works
Intervideo Media One (Incl. WinDVD)
Symantec Internet Security
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Quick Restore CD
Drivers and Utilities
The quality of the peripherals and accessories bundled with the system:
The PC comes with multimedia keyboard, monitor and mouse.
The quality of support and warranty available with the system:
The Scaleo Pi comes with a two-year on-site warranty.
The competitive price of the overall system:
The system retails for €799 incl. VAT and is available from Dunnes Stores outlets nationwide.
What does Fujitsu Siemens believe should be expected from a good all-round family PC:
A good all-round family PC should be robust and powerful enough to accomplish all the tasks that a family would require. It should come with a good productivity suite of software including word processing, spreadsheets, database and communications. Anti virus software and internet security should also be included, which will allow parents to set parameters of protection for their children, giving the parents peace of mind.
Apple iMac 17in
The technical specifications of the system:
64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo processor 1.83GHz and 2MB of L2 cache
24x Combo Drive
512MB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable to 2GB
Hard drive storage capacity up to 160GB, and Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM
10/100/1000 Base-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort Extreme for fast 54Mbit/sec wireless networking, a total of five USB ports (three USB 2.0) and two FireWire 400 ports.
The quality of the software bundled with the system:
Every iMac comes with iLife ’06, Apple’s award-winning suite of
digital lifestyle applications featuring iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie HD,
iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb, a new iLife application that makes it easy to create amazing Web sites with photos, blogs and Podcasts and publish them on .Mac for viewing by anyone on the Internet with just a single click. This is on top of the world’s most advanced operating system, Mac OS X version 10.4.4 “Tiger” which includes Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth. Mac OS X Tiger includes an innovative software translation technology called Rosetta that lets customers run most Mac OS X PowerPC applications seamlessly. Mac OS X was designed with security in mind – its superior UNIX foundation and security features go above and beyond the norm for PCs. Yes, Macs can run MS Office and can even run Windows if you want.
The quality of peripherals bundled with the system:
In the box accompanying every iMac is an Apple keyboard, Mighty Mouse, Apple Remote, Power cord, Install/restore DVDs and printed and electronic documentation.
The quality of support and warranty with the system:
Every iMac comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. The AppleCare Protection Plan is also available to purchase which extends the service and support for a further three years. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides access to direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-certified technicians using genuine Apple parts.
The competitive price of the overall system:
This iMac retails for €1,019.
What does Apple believe should be expected from a good all-round family PC:
A desktop computer should combine powerful professional performance with easy to use applications that makes working with digital photos, music, movies and Web fun for all the family. The iMac achieves this by featuring Apple’s breakthrough Front Row media experience and the Apple Remote, a simple way for families to enjoy the content they have on their iMac. So whether it be listening to songs from the
iTunes music library or watching photo slideshows from iPhoto, videos including Podcasts or iMovies and DVDs, the iMac with its bright cinematic display means it is the perfect computer for families to enjoy all their digital content.
Conclusion
One thing is clear, desktop systems are available for bargain basement prices and the vendors seem to be responding to consumer demand for basic hardware systems that allow software applications to be downloaded via a broadband connection. The PC with enough memory, fast processor and spacious hard drive is merely a facilitator for web browsing and e-mail, and the downloading and playback of music and video content.
In this round up, PC World has sneaked over the line with its Compaq 2016 offering. Its inclusion of some very cool peripherals – a Matsui 1Gb MP3 Player and Advent 5 million pixel digital camera and webcam plus 2 USB Skype Mini Phones and 1Gbyte USB key – makes its stand out over similarly specified machines, all at very attractive prices.
Vendor contacts:
Dell – www.dell.com/ie 1850 964 016
HP – www.hp.com/ie – Cantec Computerstores nationwide
PC World – stores nationwide
PC Pro – www.pcpro.ie
Fujitsu Siemens – www.fujitsu-siemens.ie
Subscribers 0
Fans 0
Followers 0
Followers